Dealing with mental health, school and endo
hello! i’m new to this site so i apologise if i’m posting in the wrong place.
i have endometriosis (surgically diagnosed) and also have miscellaneous mental health issues that i’ve just been put on medication for.
i’m just now going into year 12 which is a lot and i’ve always been pretty fatigued because my endo makes me in pain and exhausted all the time. the meds have been making me nauseous and even more exhausted but have helped with mental health.
i also procrastinate a LOT because i just feel exhausted all the time and like i can’t focus or get up to do much. i have been doing this before getting on meds but has worsened since.
i miss a ton of school too because of pain or sickness or extracurriculars so i end up having to keep catching up. plus, it doesn’t make it any better that everyone nowadays are promoting always being present at school. it just makes me feel awful because i just can’t go even though people reassure me that it’s not my fault. also, i just feel like i’m always just falling down a hole with the schoolwork and as soon as i catchup i just fall back down again.
i was just wondering if anyone had any advice for dealing with the nausea & exhaustion and/or managing schoolwork with a chronic illness? thanks so much!
Comments
Hi @sparklyblahaj3,
It sounds like you’re dealing with a lot at the moment especially with both physical and mental health issues. I too had similar experiences throughout high school and missed a lot of school due to health. I really do feel for you but you are doing amazing!
It’s really tough when medication has side effects especially when they are helping in some way. Year 12 is not an easy year but it is so great that you are reaching out for advice. Can I ask if you have spoken to your school about the challenges you are facing? They may be able to provide support in regards to your school work and attendance.
I also would like to say that it is okay to take breaks and to listen to your body. You are doing your best considering the circumstances. Take care!
Hi @sparklyblahaj3
I have a few friends with endo and its tough. You are doing so well pushing forward and trying to find ways to work around it. I am sure you probably already do, but finding meds that work for you can be really helpful. Do heat packs work for you? Finding the little things that can help soothe the pain and building them into your schooling can be so helpful. If heatpacks do help, bring them with you.
It is not your fault you have to deal with this illness so please do not be too hard on yourself. Maybe you can ask teachers if they can send through any digital notes for you when you can't come in?
Health journeys I feel are super individualistic, it will take time and trial and error but make a list of possible things you think could maybe help keep your symptoms at bay and slowly try to implement them.
But most importantly, don't be hard on yourself for needing time to rest and heal. Schools understand that people have external things they are dealing with. If the school stress is really getting to you going through to year 12, maybe applyb for special considerations? It can be very helpful in alleviating the stress that many feel in year 12.
I wish you all the best and am sending soothing vibes over!
Hey @sparklyblahaj3
I’m really sorry you’re going through all of this—managing endo, mental health, and schoolwork is a lot, especially with the added exhaustion and nausea from the meds. It makes total sense that you’d feel overwhelmed.
The thing with school and chronic illness is that it’s easy to feel like you’re constantly falling behind, but please don’t be too hard on yourself. Your health has to come first, and you’re doing your best, even if it doesn’t feel like it some days. Try breaking schoolwork into smaller chunks and focus on one thing at a time. It helps make it feel more manageable.
Also, with the nausea and fatigue, maybe try talking to your doctor about the meds—it might help to adjust them or take them differently. And take small breaks when you need them; rest is really important.
You’re not alone in this. It’s okay to ask for help and set realistic goals for yourself. Just take things one step at a time. You’ve got this. 💛
Hello @sparklyblahaj3,
It's unfortunate to hear that you've been diagnosed with endometriosis and the pain and exhaustion you are feeling. I see that the medication is making you feel pretty nauseous and is not helping with fatigue, but it is good to hear that it's helping with your mental health.
Personally, I get some bad headaches that make me feel really fatigued and nauseous as well. Usually I take a long and warm shower and it always helps the pain. Having a tiny little meal like some honey and white bread helps with nausea for me (although it's hard to have an appetite when something hurts). Showering and a tiny meal has always helped me so I hope this can help you as well.
You've also mentioned that there is trouble with schoolwork due to the pain (and especially the exhaustion I take it) which is more than understandable and it sounds really tough and clearly does not help with school-related stress. I remember having some study groups when I was in Year 12, so perhaps getting some of your friends/peers to organise some study groups during the times when you are not feeling too exhausted may work out well. This way you and your peers can condense the school content in 1 hour or so instead of doing like 3 or 4 hours on catching up.
Overall, I hope your physical health can see an improvement soon as well as minimising the stress from school. It seems inconvininent to be diagnosed with endometriosis on top of school and mental health, but I hope you can keep that positivity. Best of luck to you! 😁❤️☘️
Hey @sparklyblahaj3 ,
I’d like to start off by welcoming you to ReachOut! I also want to thank you for your courage for sharing what you’re going through with the community. I can hear that you’ve been diagnosed with Endometriosis and are on medication for your mental health. Managing a chronic health condition can be so exhausting and difficult, and it can be so tough to also take care of your mental health at the same time. I’d like to take this opportunity to highlight your resilience and help-seeking around what you’re going through. I can see that you’re strong and have connected with professionals for support, which is amazing. You should be really proud of yourself!
It sounds like the medication you are on has been helpful for your mental health, but has had some side effects. I am wondering if you have spoken to your GP about the nausea and increased exhaustion?. Considering you are on medication for your mental health, I am also interested to know if you're seeing a mental health professional?. It’s also completely understandable that you procrastinate and are unable to focus due to fatigue. You might find it helpful to check out HealthDirect who offer free advice via phone or using their symptom checker, to discuss symptoms you may be experiencing. I’d love to share this article with you on How to Prioritise and Get Stuff Done and a topic on Chronic Illness. These resources can provide some helpful advice and tips around procrastination and how to cope and manage Chronic health.
I can hear that you’ve missed a lot of school because of the pain and fatigue, and catching up to the school work can feel exhausting. I am curious if you’ve spoken to the school about your chronic health? Sometimes the school can help to find strategies to support you around school and school work, which can be really helpful. It can be challenging to engage in self care when you’re in pain and are finding it hard to move or get up. I am curious to know what you’ve been doing to take care of yourself? If you’re interested in additional support, Kids Helpline is a free and confidential counselling service and is available 24/7 via phone and web chat for young people aged 5 to 25.
I look forward to hearing back from you soon!
Hi @sparklyblahaj3 🩵
I can see this is your first time on ReachOut, it’s so nice to meet you 😇
First off - congratulations! going into year 12 is a big stage of life which must be so exciting. I am so sorry to hear that both your mental and physical health are making you feel nauseous and exhausted and overshadowing this achievement. It must be so difficult, and it seems like you are not looking forward to what should be a great year since it will be your final year of high school. I think your mum is 100% right in assuring you that none of this is your fault. It’s really unfair that you have to go through this and manage school at the same time. I am so proud of you for getting this far, and I think you should be proud of yourself too 💖
As for managing school, I’m wondering if there’s anyone at school you could speak to about this? (e.g teachers, coordinators, principal, counsellor). I remember in my school and now at uni, there are many accommodations which can be made to better help some students who need extra time, more frequent breaks etc. Keeping your school informed could help them better understand how they can support you.
I apologise that I don’t have more specific advice for managing nausea and exhaustion, but this Living with a chronic illness article might be worth checking out for some more information. A part of it I really like is talking about the spoon theory - where individuals with chronic illness explain their energy levels as having a certain amount of ‘spoons’ and completing certain tasks take more ‘spoons’ than others, and are therefore leave you more tired. If you aren’t familiar with this idea, it may help you understand a bit about how you are feeling, and may also help explain it to others around you. With this in mind I’d like you to know that it is perfectly okay to go easy on yourself. Although it is a big year schooling wise, there are also many options for after school if you don’t get the results you were aiming for. You deserve to enjoy school like any other person, so pressure to perform or attend a certain way shouldn’t ruin this ❤️
sending lots of love 🫶🏻
