New job - MAV kicking my ass

Hey Scott -

When it’s at its worst, it’s miserable - only those of us who’ve been there can truly understand!!

I forgot sometimes that being pleasant with people - nodding assent, for example - would set me off again. Or looking down at a piece of paper on my desk then back to the monitor - head motion just got it going all over again. I had to keep reminding myself to hold my head as still as possible; to move my body and not my head, and then to move very slowly if I was turning to look in another direction (I pretended that my head and neck were in one of those medical devices with screws in my head to keep me from turning my head at all!).

Hang in there - this too shall pass!!

Hi Scott,

First of all, congratulations on the new job :slight_smile:

But I’m sorry to hear you are having such a hard time. Personally I seem to find anything new or different quite hard to cope with, e.g. a new laptop or even a new smartphone, and I feel quite travel sick using them for a while (even when not having bad dizzy problems), although it does settle down within a week or two. I can imagine how hard it must be for you with your symptoms all kicking off plus you having the stress of settling into the new job too. But you will improve. Definitely. You know that on here there are lots of us who understand, and we’ve all had periods of feeling terrible, but I think almost everyone has also had better periods too. I know you’ve had some really bad times, but got back to a normal (ish) life, and you will get back there again. And soon.

Right that’s my motivational talk b*****ks over with.

Take good care of yourself. Don’t be too hard on yourself, and ask for help at work regarding the monitor, as they will definitely want to help out their new star researcher :slight_smile:

Scott…you are our hero…you will come out of this buddy!

Drink a shot of good patron, rent shawshenk redemption (one of your and my favorites!)…and will this thing to bay!

Good luck buddy…I (amongst millions of others) are pulling for you!

Your Spokane friend

Todd

Thanks gang – some good news. I’ve got my old LCD screen in here and although it is still knocking the shit out of me right now, it feels much better, is low impact and I KNOW that I was OK with this screen before years back post VN meltdown. Just knowing the latter will give me hope to press on and make this screwed up brain adapt to this screen.

Kinda funny. Everyone around me is on these monster LCD screens that practically wrap around their heads like they’re in an iMax cinema. Mine was state of the art in 2003. :lol:

I don’t care. I just want a screen that doesn’t beat me around the head so I can get on with it.

S

you’re going to get a reputation as quirky LOL

but great that they are letting you use it

hang tight!!

As long as you can play Tetris. That’s the main thing. :wink:

Hi Scott,

good news re. the old LCD screen. I wouldn’t worry about having a different screen that isn’t state-of-the-art - just think of it as exuding a ‘cool-retro’ type vibe!! :lol:

Wishing you all the best - stick at it Scott - you’ll soon be looking back at this as another mini piece of history that you came through!

Tony.

So at 5 pm the deputy manager finally comes up to me when everyone had left and I was tying up a few things and says to me, “so why did you have to bring in a screen from home?” in a sort of joking but quizzical voice. So I told her that I have a “small” migraine hassle (understatement of the century) and it causes massive sensitivity to LCD screens leaving me feeling dizzy. That was it. She then told me she gets headaches occasionally that leave her feeling rough but it was hardly an issue for her. A few times a year.

The IT guy sort of looked at me like I was nuts today but I don’t give a damn. I’m just so relieved to be able to look at something that won’t make me want to throw my guts up … these people just have no idea. I think the IT guy wanted to be able to supply me with another screen from the organisation rather than me having to bring one in from home but no way. I’m not wasting any more time on this hoping to hit gold on some screen I have no idea about.

Meanwhile I met another guy in the organisation today who told me he too gets dizzy from looking at an LCD screen for too long. Nothing on par with what we deal with but he doesn’t feel very good at days end. These screens are definitely not for everyone that’s for sure. If he feels like hell and has no migraine it’s no wonder we have such a rough time.

To think I nearly sold that screen I took in last year. Sooooo very glad I kept it. I’ll probably still be using it in 2036 when everyone else will be using some sort of virtual reality deal. :lol:

S

Nice one Scott. :slight_smile:

They don’t realise that us MAVVers already have to deal with our own ‘virtual reality’, and it sure as hell isn’t the reality they’re experiencing!! :lol:

All the best,

Tony.

Everything old is new again! :smiley:

Bring back typewriters!!!

Some GREAT news folks. It’s taken me 9 work days to get here but I sit here now typing on an LCD screen and it’s NOT triggering any major visual vertigo … just a twinge but nothing to sweat at all (and nothing Valium can’t take care of if I feel a little too wonky). I just sat through the first team meeting and had a formal meeting with my manager and wasn’t off my face for a change. Things are definitely getting better by the day and a true baseline feels close again – the devil I know.

Klonopin this weekend is next.

Thanks again for all the support through this very hard time changing jobs like this. I hope my experience with this and the fact that I survived it without anyone even knowing at work can help other MAVers when faced with the same situation (the invisible illness). No matter how freaked out this makes us feel and no matter how horrific it might seem (assuming you are not completely wiped out with this), we just have to get on with it where possible. It all feels worth the hell I went through but man I hope I never have to go through this again the next time I move to a new job.

Scott 8)

— Begin quote from “Muppo”

Bring back typewriters!!!

— End quote

:lol:

So Happy you’re feeling better Scott.
I had no doubts you’d get through this. :wink:

jen

Great news Scott, I think, we develop this stubborn determination to “live our lives” despite this rubbish we have to put up with. Glad you are relaxing into the job and the symptoms have subsided. Long may it last :slight_smile:

Christine

Great news, Scott! Keep on keepin’ on…

Great Job Scott. I sent you an email before to see how you were

Great news Scott - really really pleased for you

So did you try the klonopin? How do you feel with that med versus valium? Hope you’re continuing to improve!

Just curious… what did you end up getting for a monitor? Can you share the particulars?

I have a 21" widescreen LCD at work and I think it is part of the problem. On my laptop screen I’m fine, but on that big screen it’s here comes the dizzies and hold on tight.