Advice on whether to stay.

J3nny

Just looking for a bit of advice here. For the past 7 years, I've had a chronic health problem that makes me faint very often. Just under a year ago I started new medication which has been amazing, I used to faint multiple times a day but since using this medication I've only fainted once in the past 8 months!
I was offered a waitressing job recently and took it straight away - not the best idea but I was desperate for a job. I've only worked 18 hours over three days and feel absolutely terrible the day after each shift. Tiredness I can handle, aches I was expecting but I feel incredibly dizzy and like I did before I started my new medication.

I have a young child to look after, we still live with my parents as I have needed help due to my fainting but this new medication made me believe I could finally move out and be a proper mother. Now I feel like I've gone back to not being able to do much. I became depressed after having my child, as I thought I wouldn't be a good mother with the fainting, but I got better with the medication and I was really excited for the future. I don't want to go back to depression because of this.

I don't know whether to wait it out and see if my body will get used to this work or if I should quit and look for a more sit down job - I've volunteered as a receptionist in the past and didn't have this problem.
I don't want to give up after only my first week, but I also don't want to go back to my fainty days.

I understand a lot you may not have any chronic illnesses but would appreciate any advice.

sangie595

Can I ask - are you eating properly / at work. If you have become used not working, eating patterns change, and dizzy spells can actually be caused by low blood sugars after exertion. So it is just possible that it isn't your old problem. To just come back suddenly suggests a trigger, and it may be that there isn't one - you maybe just need a snack!

J3nny

I've been eating the best I can, I get half an hour break when working over 5 hours and get a free meal. I have to follow a low GI diet to help my fainting and choose the best options for that. My break is allowed anytime when it's not too busy and I usually choose it half way through my shift.
I always take a bottle of water with me and refill it throughout the day.

It's not jut the dizzy spells but also the general feeling that I am going to faint, it feels a bit different to normal dizzyness but I'm unsure how to explain it properly.

TBagpuss

18 hours over 3 days is still 6 hours a day, which is a long time to be on your feet and on the go, if you have not been used to it. Waiting is physically very demanding so I would not automatically assume that it is a relapse.

I'd suggest speaking to your doctor for advice (and to see whether they can suggest anything to help you adjust, or whether they recommend adjusting your diet to take into account the fact that your are doing a physically demanding job) but perhaps give yourself a little longer to see whether you adjust. A week isn't very long.

Also, if your doctor recommends additional snacks in addition to your meal break then this might be a 'reasonable adjustment' to deal with your health issues, which you could legitimately ask your employer to accommodate. If you have to stick to low GI stuff then glucose tablets or energy drinks presumably aren't appropriate, but are there other quick and easy snacks which would be?

All that said, while I would not recommend quitting to look for a job, it might be sensible to continue to look for other jobs, perhaps office based ones, as it sounds as though a less physical job might suit you better.

Good luck!

System

Are you not better taking advice from a Doctor who can look are your medical history and recommend options.

I would rather seek advice from the professionals and have this recorded so I will have better access to all available resources that I may be entitled too (eg financial support, counsellors, different types of medication)

J3nny

I am going to speak to my doctor when he returns from his holiday on Thursday, I know his professional opinion would be better than the opinion of non-medical people, but just wanted to ask for some advice as I wasn't sure if it was important enough to see him.

There is no other medication that helps, I've tried everything my doctor has given me and this new one is the last option and the only one that is helping.

Does anyone know if it would be better to see my GP or phone the consultant who handles my medication and I see every few months for checks?
My usual GP is on holiday until Thursday, my next work day is Friday.

System

J3nny wrote: »

I am going to speak to my doctor when he returns from his holiday on Thursday, I know his professional opinion would be better than the opinion of non-medical people, but just wanted to ask for some advice as I wasn't sure if it was important enough to see him.

There is no other medication that helps, I've tried everything my doctor has given me and this new one is the last option and the only one that is helping.

Does anyone know if it would be better to see my GP or phone the consultant who handles my medication and I see every few months for checks?
My usual GP is on holiday until Thursday, my next work day is Friday.

Speak to your consultant and i assume you can talk to any GP at the surgery as they will have access to your medical files.

ohreally

J3nny wrote: »

I have to follow a low GI diet to help my fainting and choose the best options for that.

Is your blood sugar level dipping?

J3nny

No, it has nothing to do with my blood sugar. I do have extremely low blood pressure, but that's not always the reason I faint. It can be quite random, I've had lots of tests in the past 7 years and doctors aren't sure what the cause is.
I was told to follow a low GI diet and eat a lot of salt to try and help, it doesn't do anything for the fainting but it has helped me to eat healthier in general.

theoretica

Much sympathy - I spent a couple of years frequently feeling like I would faint (though I didn't actually do so) and it was horrible. Can you experiment to try and see what about the situation is triggering the lightheadedness? Knowing as much as possible might help the specialist advise. Have you spent so much time on your feet being as active outside of this job? When during the shift does it come on and how long does it take you to recover? In case the free meal might not be right for you, you could try a shift taking your own food?

J3nny

It doesn't happen during my shifts - I occasionally go a little dizzy but that's normal for me, and happens almost every day. It's the day after my shift that's the problem. I can't be active outside of work because of how I feel and I have dined at this particular restaurant in the past and had no problems with the food, so don't think it's that.
I'm not particularly unfit, I can't do a lot of exercise due to the risk of fainting but I do eat healthy and I walk around regularly.

If I didn't have my daughter then I wouldn't be so worried, I would keep going for as long as needed to get used to it, but I cannot look after her properly feeling like this and that's why I'm curious as to whether I may get used to it or not.

I'm going to phone my doctor tomorrow to see what he thinks.