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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
[email protected]Shown: posts 1 to 4 of 4. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by malcolm6491 on August 11, 2009, at 7:01:15
I just posted a message last night about falling asleep at work due to the psych meds.
Just curious how people here handle notifying their employer about the side effects of psych meds, sleepiness being the most common and visible.
I honestly think it would be much better if I had a more "PC" condition like being crippled or had diabetes, etc. than having to reveal that I'm being treated for anything related to mental health.
B/C then you can explain it to people without anyone thinking you're less competent, or wierd or any number of mis-perceptions about people who are being treated for any kind of mental illness.
(And I work for a large org that has a humanitarian-focused mission!!)
In my past experience in the workplace, revealing any psych probs just doesn't go over very well in the workplace and you can end up being stigmatized (in my case, the gossip has started). And if an employer holds what you reveal against you, then the discrimination is usually very subtle, and therefore hard to prove (which only adds to the stress).
This is an issue which I know that many members of this board have had to deal with, so I'm wondering how everyone approaches it with their employer. Realizing, of course, that there are no easy answers.
Posted by Phillipa on August 11, 2009, at 12:29:03
In reply to Medication induced drowsiness at work?, posted by malcolm6491 on August 11, 2009, at 7:01:15
Can't you just give a more medical reason? Something else? With the increase in psych meds in the population bet half or quite a few of the other employees also on psych meds? Phillipa ps when nursing so many of the staff were on ad's.
Posted by manic666 on August 11, 2009, at 12:45:38
In reply to Medication induced drowsiness at work?, posted by malcolm6491 on August 11, 2009, at 7:01:15
i used to build luxury house,s for a guy with money, just me the only bricklayer ,he new i was mentally ill an when to give me some space,after all i made him a shed load of money . an he paid me a shed load of money, so it was cool till my illness got to bad i couldnt work, dont tell if you dont want, but people notice when your ill so dont try to hard to hide it it only makes you worse
Posted by stargazer2 on August 11, 2009, at 18:54:34
In reply to Medication induced drowsiness at work?, posted by malcolm6491 on August 11, 2009, at 7:01:15
a few thoughts...
the less said, the better. no one needs to know exactly what your diagnosis is, except those to whom you must reveal it, i.e. if you had to take a short term leave and needed to report on your condition to someone who was responsible for this sort of thing, i.e. a nurse in the employee health area, for example. this happened to me once, so i know about this.
if you are falling asleep during the day, your meds are not at the right level for you to be working and trying to function in a somewhat normal state. This will only serve to draw more attention to yourself than you want or need.
Have you discussed the with your doc? your doc should be able to suggest something like, taking them at a different time of day, i.e. switching them from morning to night or vice versa, you can sometimes change the effects of a medication.
or the dosage may be too high and should be lowered. also, another med can be added to a particular medication to decrease daytime sleepiness.
Work with your doc to get to a more functional level so you can perform the work duties you are being paid to do. No boss will tolerate that kind of issue for too long, no matter how much they try and sympathize with someone's condition.
Our work environment today would not tolerate
anything less than alert and on top of your game. too much competition today and no room for any excuse. i think that would be true of any medical condition which causes extreme and noticable sleepiness, to the degree you are experiencing.What meds are you taking, dosages, time of day?
sometimes others here may be able to see through a combination of meds and offer advice, since so many of us have been through it all.
This is the end of the thread.
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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
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