u/chaoticwings

I've got chronic low back pain from spondylolisthesis and fibromyalgia, a chronic pain disorder. While I manage both, I do require a quarterly steroid epidural to keep the back pain in check. I'm supposed to do PT everyday for the rest of my life and right now it's more like a few times a week. While I avoid opioids, I do take an NSAID and muscle relaxant at bedtime, otherwise the back pain is too great.

I understand the nature of the job requires assisting patients and needing to lift heavy patients and that part is repetitive and can aggravate the lower back. I have also gleaned that you're part of a team that's rotating out so you don't spend all day lifting patients.

Based on this info, would you recommend against this career choice for someone with my pain issues? I am a divorced single mom and I need a high paying job to afford the HCOL area we're in. I'm considering pivoting my degree because I need to be very realistic about physical demands.

Thank you for your help!

I started using the DBT Coach app a couple days ago and tonight I took the PHQ-9 depression screening and got an 11/27 which is considered moderate.

I'm planning to tell my therapist next week and my psych at our next appointment. Thinking about it though, I'm pretty sure me being "stable" this past year has meant existing in a state of moderate depression as my baseline.

Depression has always been part of my life but I guess not experiencing the soul crushing helplessness of a bipolar ravine has skewed my self awareness. It's also difficult because I experience chronic low back pain and fibromyalgia which both affect mood and fatigue, which has been my main symptom. I don't feel depressed but I'm sleeping more than before. I don't experience joy that often but I've been told that's normal since I'm an adult.