Are You Dying?

[blas87]

Are you really ill or do you have a disease? If not, or if you don't plan on actually doing something about everything you're always complaining about, I don't want to hear it anymore.

Before anyone gets on my case and lectures me about the "hidden disabilities" and whatever problems they have that people are rude and judgemental about, let me say that this is just a new thing around my work....I think it's because we have a fresh new batch of really young people at work and there seems to be every day more and more young adults who act infantile or helpless because they love attention.

I mean, it's not new new new....because I've had plenty of medical case coworkers who weren't at work more often than they showed up because of x, y, z, and don't forget whatever abcdefg new health problem of the week, but it's odd because of the age group, but as I said before, it may make sense because of attention seeking. If people my age are pretty guilty of being big attention whores, the younger ones are even worse.

Maybe I'm just losing my cool and patience because we've been on far too much overtime and I'm getting to the point where I hate being, where every little thing everyone does irritates me.....but still. Ugh. Just, shut up.

Every single day....."I need to take early break, I don't feel good" "I'm so sore today" "My back hurts SOOO bad!" "I have to go home, I can't even stand anymore today!" "I'm getting my wisdom teeth and it hurts sooooo bad!" "I bit my cheek in my sleep and now there's a sore and it hurts sooo bad!" "I need to go on lunch now and eat, I'm shaking!" (and they aren't)

Even if they don't elaborate into a big dramatic show about how much pain they are in or how bad they are shaking because they haven't eaten yet today (I work with diabetics who don't shake because they manage their damn health instead of NOT EATING!!!!!!!!!!), at the least, it's always at least "I don't know, I feel off today, I don't feel really good."

I'm probably not going to gain any brownie points with these turds, but after this past work week, I've had my fill, and the next woe that's brought up, I'm going to ask when the last time they had blood work or other testing done to see if they have anything chronic or serious. The stuttering and/or the jaw dropping will be worth it.

[AccountingDrone]

I'm probably not going to gain any brownie points with these turds, but after this past work week, I've had my fill, and the next woe that's brought up, I'm going to ask when the last time they had blood work or other testing done to see if they have anything chronic or serious. The stuttering and/or the jaw dropping will be worth it.

Do it, let us know what happens

Back at Oakleaf we had one person with a migraine issue who refused to medicate and would periodically shut herself in her office to tough it out. Not fair to coworkers. We had 2 diabetics who would regularly keel over from hypoglycemia. Really, how hard is it to keep glucose tabs in your desk? I got to where I would put a 3strip of them on TOP of my desk where they could be grabbed by anybody. [and after they went missing a few times the candy junkies left them alone - they taste absolutely nasty] We used to have the ambulance around for one or the other of them about once a month. *sigh*

I have some issues, the diabetes is well controlled, my chaotic-evil malignant high blood pressure is under control, the bratycardia/tachycardia is under control, the mystery tremors are under control unless I am highly fatigued and stressed out, the migraines have almost disappeared, can't do shit about the various joint disorders other than medicate the pain into submission. If I can do it on Tri-Care and an inability to exercise, someone young and active should be able to do it as well.

[blas87]

Apparently, they never heard of the story of the boy who cried wolf. Or, at least, the modern version of the attention seeking hypochondriacs who will have a new problem every other day of the week, and if the day ever comes where they actually do go to the doctor and something is found.......people are just in awe.

But of course, I think ya'll know where this is going....any and every excuse not to go to the doctor. I mean, I avoid the doctor like the plague, but you don't hear me bitching about my back on Monday, my knee on Tuesday, my teeth on Wednesday, a sore inside my cheek on Thursday, and my shoulder on Friday, and an ear infection Saturday........

[wolfie]

Maybe you'll get lucky and one of your hypochondriac co-workers will OD on placebos.

[cindybubbles]

Lately, I've been to the ER, walk-in clinics and to my family doctor about my bladder problem, and I've informed my boss every single time, and I'm not an attention whore (I work at home).

He's now posted a job posting for someone to back me up, and I've given the email address to one of my friends who needs the work.

So if your coworkers keep complaining about health issues, go to your manager and see if he or she can put out a job posting for their replacements or back-ups. Make sure that you say to your boss that the reason you are asking about it is that you are concerned for the health of said coworkers, so that you don't come across as a villain who just wants them gone.

If the problems are real and they want to keep their jobs, they will do whatever it takes to clear up the issues. If not, they will, at least, stop complaining.

[blas87]

I wish it were that easy. Thanks to people like that, it's the reason our attendance policy got a whole lot more strict a while back, and generally, open positions go by a mixture of upper management and HR, not our immediate bosses

And even outside of work. Those people get so predictable, you almost shudder if you get a text from them or see them approaching you. You don't even want to ask how they are or what's up. Because you just know, you know alright, there's at least no less than two or three things wrong with them right now.

[Mytical]

I have to say I do have some medical issues. Some life threatening, and those are the ones that doctors can not do anything about. The difference is, I know that if I were to try to work and have to call off that would put more stress on the workers. IF I could find a job that would hire me knowing I might have to go to the ICU for several days with NO notice... I still would not because of how much extra the other workers would have to do when I was in the ICU. It is not fair to them. These people who call off for every skinned knee (or whatever) are putting extra stress on the ones who will/do work. If somebody has a legit medical issue, that is one thing, but just because they are sore or tired or whatever..I can't blame you for being upset.

[protege]

Back at Oakleaf we had one person with a migraine issue who refused to medicate and would periodically shut herself in her office to tough it out. Not fair to coworkers.

I can understand with this one. I too get migraines at work...and even with the medications, it's still difficult. Most of my day is spent messing about with various spreadsheets. All those tiny little numbers actually make the headache worse. Plus, depending on how severe it is, I can actually see my screen refreshing itself. Even with the meds it's painful. Right now, I take Relpax and huge Ibuprofen tablets. One makes the pretty colors go away, the other deals with the pain. At least that's what I'm supposed to take. Turns out that the quantity of prescribed Ibuprofen...actually causes my lunch to come back up. So now, I get some caffeine, and hopefully the effects will go away. If not, I get done what I can, and take a nap on the break room couch.

My coworkers--as much as I get annoyed with some of their antics--have been very understanding and tolerant of it. They all pitch in if I'm sick, so I do the same in return.

[AccountingDrone]

I can understand with this one. I too get migraines at work...and even with the medications, it's still difficult. Most of my day is spent messing about with various spreadsheets. All those tiny little numbers actually make the headache worse. Plus, depending on how severe it is, I can actually see my screen refreshing itself. Even with the meds it's painful. Right now, I take Relpax and huge Ibuprofen tablets. One makes the pretty colors go away, the other deals with the pain. At least that's what I'm supposed to take. Turns out that the quantity of prescribed Ibuprofen...actually causes my lunch to come back up. So now, I get some caffeine, and hopefully the effects will go away. If not, I get done what I can, and take a nap on the break room couch.

My coworkers--as much as I get annoyed with some of their antics--have been very understanding and tolerant of it. They all pitch in if I'm sick, so I do the same in return.

Have you tried asking about frovatryptan? Worked like a freaking charm for me!

Now I no longer get the hormonal migrained, I am back to midrin.

When I had random attacks of my pseudogout and before I arranged to telecommute I simply made it a policy that each night everything was put away properly, each contract was updated and notations made so that anybody could go to my desk and find anything, nothing was locked away or was back in the group file cabinets.

[blas87]

This wouldn't be possible if I still was living on my own, because it's spendy, but theraputic massage has killed just about all of my headache problems. We have quite a few migraine sufferers at my work, but we all know who is who and we can all work around each other. We don't go around whining all day every day and we keep it consistent...lol.

Then again though, I've known you guys longer and I believe you genuinely have medical issues, and what you're going through/have gone through, it's just flat out immature and disrespectful for people who just want attention to over-dramaticize every thing they think is pain or illness. I can't think of any other reason, (meaning other other than a real mental problem like a real hypochondriac) other than for attention grabbing or testing people to see "who really cares" or just to see if they'll get sympathy. It seems those who want sympathy mostly just brush off any and all suggestions for doctors or medications (even affordable OTC stuff) and prefer to just keep on the subject of how miserable they are. If you notice....you quit giving them that kind of attention or feeding off of their complaining, only offer suggestions or to say "Well, that's terrible!" or something plain old neutral as such........they kind of stop talking to you, or approaching you in general.

[protege]

Blas, that's exactly it. Most of us don't like getting sick. Nor do we enjoy having our work foisted on coworkers. Some people though, need the attention. They feed on it, and if they can't get it, the "illnesses" get worse and more frequent.

Former co-irker D was a case in point. The last 3 months she was with us, she was constantly calling off "sick" for one reason or another. At least once a week. D's job, was data entry. Not a hard job, but time consuming. She would take the day off, and the others in her department would then get stuck doing her job. After a bit of this, they were understandably pissed. It wasn't fair that they were constantly behind because the bitch couldn't be bothered to come in. Didn't really matter though. When D took off 2 days in a row, it was too much. She took off both Monday and Tuesday (our heaviest data entry days), came in Wednesday...said she was "leaving" (bullshit, she'd been fired), and then took off again Thursday and Friday.

Can't say I really miss her...and the "symptoms" of her various "illnesses." I can understand being sick once and awhile and needing the time off. But to call off once a week, and then describe in detail bizarre things about your health...is only looking for sympathy and attention.

[BlaqueKatt]

Back at Oakleaf we had one person with a migraine issue who refused to medicate

I can understand with this one. I too get migraines at work...and even with the medications, it's still difficult.

huge difference between REFUSING to take anything, and doing SOMETHING, even if it is just caffeine, or caffeine plus meds.

[protege]

huge difference between REFUSING to take anything, and doing SOMETHING, even if it is just caffeine, or caffeine plus meds.

..and there are people like my aunt. She gets migraines worse than mine, but can't take anything for them. Because of her heart issue, she's not even allowed caffeine. All she can do is lie down in a dark room until it goes away.

[Mytical]

..and there are people like my aunt. She gets migraines worse than mine, but can't take anything for them. Because of her heart issue, she's not even allowed caffeine. All she can do is lie down in a dark room until it goes away.

With my liver issues and internal bleeding I can not take most medicines. Acetaminophen or aspirin (one metabolizes in the liver and is not good, the other thins the blood..since I already bleed easily.. not good)

[Lace Neil Singer]

*touches wood* I used to get really bad cluster headaches and migraines; if I got one at work, I had to go home, mainly cuz I'd be trapped on the till despite begging to be taken off so I could go upstairs and take my pills... and by the time they finally sent a relief over, I'd be so far gone that going home was the only option.

However, now I work in petrol and have come off the pill (implant instead) I don't get such a bad head any more. I never moaned about the migraines and cluster headaches however, as I knew that hormones caused them and there was nothing I could do to prevent them other than come off the pill.