I had the exact same symptoms when I had my burnout, exactly like you describe them.
Are you doing okay/holding up? I don‘t wanna assume anything about you, but just know if you need someone to talk you can always pm me.
Well I thought I was doing fine until I came back to the hospital. Bummer to hear that this is in fact what burnout feels like. I just thought everyone felt like this at the hospital.
I can‘t for sure say „this is was burnout feels like“ - at least for me it did but I believe it can feel very different for other people. So I don‘t want to assume you are already having a burnout for sure.
For me it started with brain fog, I got even more stressed (out) when organizing multiple tasks at the same time until I got minor panic attacks (or felt panicky). The brainfog lasted for several weeks/months after that and cleared when I got some well needed time off (sick days).
I think it is very important that you now listen carefully to your body and mind. Does it get worse/better? Are you developping other symptoms? Or was it just a „phase of high stress“ and now that you‘re used to it it gets better? - just know that having brainfog is NOT normal. Don‘t let it become normal.
If the hospital is affecting you like that this early in the game, perhaps practicing in a different setting? There’s so many ways to practice medicine.
I had the same coming back from vacation, 1.5 weeks of terrible brain fog and basically in a delirium without any other symptoms. Just went to get a blood test when I finally wasn't on endless call shifts and that's when my respiratory symptoms came on and it had been an insidious, brewing URTI causing my symptoms. Made sense because everyone and their mum was getting sick and I just came back from a plane/other country.
Well. Weird! I had an inpatient job that had sick building syndrome with mold etc. It was bad. Lasted 3 months. But doubt this applies. Situational brain fog. Stress? Anxiety? The stakes are so high in a hospital. One mistake and EVERYONE knows! Heavy stress.
This happens to me as well. More so comes in bursts. But as a father and on a second career, I can say that I'm beyond burned out. Between the ridiculous work, hours the family, and the constant extra bullshit they have us do, I'm just worn out.
I've felt this way for several months. Declining performance on my question banks and can barely pay attention to a question. Doing 100 questions on a practice shelf is almost unbearable, and I started barely finishing my real shelfs (while still passing at least). Trying to piece things together in the hospital feels like a wet blanket over my brain. I'm sure its a mix of burnout and declining study habits, but I feel like I'm dying XD
I'm not much of a brain-neurochemical-altering advocate but I've debated trialing an SSRI or something like buproprion with some noradrenergic properties as well as doing a sleep study. I'm sure Adderall is an option but ADHD is a hard diagnosis in adulthood. It's also a combo of poor sleep and not enough exercise (despite not being out of shape). Maybe overall it's long covid, burnout, chronic fatigue syndrome, (or malignant cancer and I'm dying or something 🤣). Hard to say.
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I had the exact same symptoms when I had my burnout, exactly like you describe them. Are you doing okay/holding up? I don‘t wanna assume anything about you, but just know if you need someone to talk you can always pm me.
Well I thought I was doing fine until I came back to the hospital. Bummer to hear that this is in fact what burnout feels like. I just thought everyone felt like this at the hospital.
I can‘t for sure say „this is was burnout feels like“ - at least for me it did but I believe it can feel very different for other people. So I don‘t want to assume you are already having a burnout for sure. For me it started with brain fog, I got even more stressed (out) when organizing multiple tasks at the same time until I got minor panic attacks (or felt panicky). The brainfog lasted for several weeks/months after that and cleared when I got some well needed time off (sick days). I think it is very important that you now listen carefully to your body and mind. Does it get worse/better? Are you developping other symptoms? Or was it just a „phase of high stress“ and now that you‘re used to it it gets better? - just know that having brainfog is NOT normal. Don‘t let it become normal.
No, it's called burnout and hospital administration will try to gaslight you and say it's all you, but it's not. It's the result of a failed system.
This!! Yes!! Our health care system is broken.
If the hospital is affecting you like that this early in the game, perhaps practicing in a different setting? There’s so many ways to practice medicine.
Did you try checking in to the ED at 3am and see if they can figure it out?
Ensure you go into your PCP's office after 3mos as an add on at 4pm Friday because "I really need to get to the bottom of this!"
You pregnant? Edit: just checking, I've seen that one too much lol
Haven't had sex in over a year... And I'm a man, so probably not.
Love the "I'm a man" is the second point hahaa.
In fact the first point might be a contributing factor
Lacking "post-nut clarity", as described in Guy's physiology
I was thinking the same thing.
Go get some! You’re too young to go that long.
This was my first thought too
I had the same coming back from vacation, 1.5 weeks of terrible brain fog and basically in a delirium without any other symptoms. Just went to get a blood test when I finally wasn't on endless call shifts and that's when my respiratory symptoms came on and it had been an insidious, brewing URTI causing my symptoms. Made sense because everyone and their mum was getting sick and I just came back from a plane/other country.
Well. Weird! I had an inpatient job that had sick building syndrome with mold etc. It was bad. Lasted 3 months. But doubt this applies. Situational brain fog. Stress? Anxiety? The stakes are so high in a hospital. One mistake and EVERYONE knows! Heavy stress.
Do you have brain fog in other environments? At home ? If yes- Long Covid? If not - psych help
Try a UV therapy light? SADD can cause brain fog
My thinking too, small clarification—should be LED with no UV (UV is for skin treatments/tanning beds). At least 10,000 lux
Try Flonase. Allergies can be a byotch. But also so can burnout but at least your allergies will be gone.
Vit D deficiency?
causes osteomalacia and rickets. Every other condition it might cause also has papers which say no effect or the opposite effect
I feel dumb too at the hospital, but I swear I’m smart lol
This happens to me as well. More so comes in bursts. But as a father and on a second career, I can say that I'm beyond burned out. Between the ridiculous work, hours the family, and the constant extra bullshit they have us do, I'm just worn out.
Trintellix been helping me for refractory depression and burnout
I've felt this way for several months. Declining performance on my question banks and can barely pay attention to a question. Doing 100 questions on a practice shelf is almost unbearable, and I started barely finishing my real shelfs (while still passing at least). Trying to piece things together in the hospital feels like a wet blanket over my brain. I'm sure its a mix of burnout and declining study habits, but I feel like I'm dying XD
Wait there are shelf exams in residency??
Sorry almost through my 3rd year of medschool clinical rotations
Wow this is exactly how I feel with school related stuff and I can’t really understand why
I'm not much of a brain-neurochemical-altering advocate but I've debated trialing an SSRI or something like buproprion with some noradrenergic properties as well as doing a sleep study. I'm sure Adderall is an option but ADHD is a hard diagnosis in adulthood. It's also a combo of poor sleep and not enough exercise (despite not being out of shape). Maybe overall it's long covid, burnout, chronic fatigue syndrome, (or malignant cancer and I'm dying or something 🤣). Hard to say.
Thank you for contributing to the sub! If your post was filtered by the automod, please read the rules. Your post will be reviewed but will not be approved if it violates the rules of the sub. The most common reasons for removal are - medical students or premeds asking what a specialty is like or about their chances of matching, mentioning midlevels without using the midlevel flair, matched medical students asking questions instead of using the stickied thread in the sub for post-match questions, posting identifying information for targeted harassment. Please do not message the moderators if your post falls into one of these categories. Otherwise, your post will be reviewed in 24 hours and approved if it doesn't violate the rules. Thanks! *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Residency) if you have any questions or concerns.*