Hello, I'm new here. I've been doing a research PhD for the past 2 1/2 years, and I'm meant to be finished in the lab in September but things have been going very badly. I've been struggling with the lab work since I started, and the constant repetition and failure really got to me over the past couple of years. I don't enjoy the work any more. I struggle to get the motivation to work the long hours required because when I do, my experiments still fail. It probably doesn't help that I live on my own, didn't know anyone here when I moved and am 300 miles away from my (close) family so I feel pretty isolated.
I've been off work ill a heck of a lot recently, and at a pretty critical time for my project - stress-related illness, who would've guessed? Last week I had a meeting with my supervisor and my supervisor suggested I submit for an MPhil. It's a measure of how badly the whole thing's been going that I don't have enough data for an MPhil yet, so no matter what happens I stil have a lot of work left to do. Supervisor has suggested this because they think there just isn't enough time for me to get the data together for a PhD, and if I submit directly for an MPhil it won't show on my records as "I failed to get a PhD", as I'm not on a studentship/ student grant. My cynical side tells me that it also won't show on the records as my supervisor's student failing to get a PhD, but I don't think this is the main reason (if it is a reason at all). I don't think she'd suggest it if it were possible for me to get a PhD in the time I have left.

Has anyone else here done something similar, and submitted for an MPhil instead of a PhD?

What worries me is that, with an MPhil, I'm not going to have the same opportunities as I would with a PhD. I could apply for a PhD in a different lab later on, but I couldn't go straight from where I am now to another PhD, I don't think I could hack it. I'd like to do something that would help bring my confidence up,something I'm actually good at because right now I feel like there isn't anything. I'm told I give good presentations but that's no good if you don't have any data to present! I don't want to be a teacher. I'm told I write well, but again it's not much good if you've nothing to write about. I fantasize about quitting science altogether and becomming a Famous Artist, but I don't fantasize about going to art school or living dirt poor so I doubt that will go anywhere.
I've talked to my parents about it yesterday but theconversation was just really awkward on the phone, and they don't haveany experience of university-type stuff. All they know is I've been talking enthusiastically about doing this PhD in this lab for the best part of 4 years, and yes things haven't been going well but it's probably nothing that a good lot of hard work won't sort out, and I shouldn't just "give up" when everyone's supporting me. I don't know what to do at the moment. What do you do with an MPhil?