So, I pretty much cracked. In front of EVERYBODY.

[Gabrielle Proctor]

http://www.customerssuck.com/board/s...ad.php?t=39237

I went in to work at three, today. We were pretty busy, but I was feeling just fine. And then the Indian lady came up to the counter:

IL: Do you allow returns on fabric?
Me: Yes, as long as it has not been washed, it is over a yard, it has not been cut, and it is still sellable.
IL: I need one and a half meters, please.
Me: Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Okay, I know how to do the conversion. I'm not stupid. But the brain cells like to revolt when there are people watching me do math. My head went blank, I started to feel nausiated, my heart was racing, and I felt just weird. I don't know how to describe it. Weird. This has never happened to me before, ever.

Thankfully, my co-worker helped me out. I just wanted to scream, "THIS ISN'T INDIA!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WE DON'T DO METRIC!!!!!!!!!!!"

It's horrible I know. I'm not one of those patriots who want to stop all immigration, but if I was living in Europe or Asia, I wouldn't walk up to the counter and ask for a non-metric measurement. I would do it the way they want to do it because it's their country, but whatever.

Also, I don't want to stereotype here, but the largest demographic of people who returns fabric is Indians. I don't know why.

After I had finished cutting her fabric, I still felt like I wanted to puke. I was hoping I hadn't eaten a bad sub before work.

And then I had this lady who wasn't in line, but still came up to the counter to lay out her fabric and figure out how to do whatever project she was working on.

Me: Can I help you with anything?
SC: No.
Me: Were you in line?
SC: No.
Me: Let me see what I can do...*I went over to an unused counter and cleaned off the clutter for her*
Me: Here you go, I cleaned that counter off for you over there so you can do what you need to.
SC: *ignores me*
Me: I have people in line.
SC *Ignores me*
Me: *Starting to feel sick again*
SC: *Finally moves*

As I'm helping the next person, I get interrupted about 3 or 4 times. The reason being interrupted is one of my biggest pet peeves, is because I lose everyting in my head when it happens. I lose count, I lose my train of thought, everything. I hate it, and I started to feel even worse.

I had another customer complain about how long the line was. She kept saying how ridiculous it was that she had to get BACK in the long line because she hadn't planned to get everything she needed the first time around. By this point that awful sick feeling was just building, and building. My heart was racing and it became so hot in there.

My final SC reached the counter at 4 pm. One hour after I started work.

SC: I need eleven one yard pieces of this fleece.
Me: *noticing that she didn't have eleven bolts of fleece with her and the HUGE line behind her* I'm sorry I can't do custom cuts.
SC: But I need eleven pieces.
Me: I understand that, but I can't do it, they will not let me. It is against policy.
SC: I don't understand.*she was starting to get aggressive*
Me: *All of the words rushed out of my head, I had no idea what to say, my vision became blurry, I felt like I was going to toss my cookies*Um...Beth?(not real name)?

The SC said something else that was a bit confrontational, but I don't remember what it was. At that time, I just cracked. My hand went to my mouth to hold my food in, I quickly knelt to the floor so no one could see me, I had a bit of trouble breathing. My coworkers quickly got a trashcan for me. They were staring a little, but I begged them not to look. It was so embarrassing.

Beth caled a manager. Craig(again, not real name) came over to help me get to the back of the store. Once I was sitting down in the receiving area. I started to calm down. He asked if I needed the paramedics. I told him no because I really can't afford it.

I ended up going home after that. I thought about staying because we were so busy, but when I tried to go back do to the floor, the feelings started coming back. Also, I was embarassed. I don't want them to see me after all of that. Beth was leaving at 4 anyway, so she was able to give me a ride. And now I'm home. I still feel kinda woozy, but no where near what I felt then.

I don't know what's wrong with me. Is it just stress? This has never happened to me before.

[jedimaster91]

How long had it been since you'd eaten that potentially "bad sub"? If it was more than a couple hours, that probably wasn't it, and you should have felt better after...um, getting rid of it. Personally, I would take it easy and push fluids tonight, maybe have a hot bubble bath, go to bed early, and see how I felt in the morning. If I wasn't feeling better in a day or two, it's time to call the doctor.*

*Disclaimer: I am not a doctor, nor do I play one on TV. Not responsible for any ill effects of the aforementioned advice. Symptoms very well could be a stress response.

[marty]

May be stress. My stomach gets upset when I'm in situations that make me very stressed out, no matter what I've eaten. Sometimes you just get overwhelmed and your body feels the effects too. Hope you feel better.

[Nurian]

It's hard to say what's going on. It sounds like you may be experiencing burnout coupled with stress. I've seen it before, hell, I've been through it before.

One thing that helps is to take an interest in something no way related to what you do for work. I act at a local community theater. No way related to call center work

Or I could be wrong and it's something else. I hope you do find a free clinic and get checked out. No matter what you do, I hope you feel better.

[trinnyg]

When to identify stress

We had two people who worked at the call centre I did and they would get short of breath and dizzy. One had the same symptoms it is called work related stress your body decides it does not like the place you are working in and will give you panic attacks.

Sounds like you do have to change jobs or take a breather. as your symptoms are fully related to getting over stressed.

[Bliss]

I AM NOT A DOCTOOOORRRR

That said, to me it sounds like a panic attack. And it could be from the buildup of stress from work and all that's going on.

[auntiem]

Any chance you lock your knees without noticing when stressed? That might do it.

[corporateslave]

My head went blank, I started to feel nausiated, my heart was racing, and I felt just weird.

I AM NOT A DOCTOOOORRRR

That said, to me it sounds like a panic attack. And it could be from the buildup of stress from work and all that's going on.

I agree, sounds like a panic attack.

/also not a doctor.

[rerant]

I AM NOT A DOCTOOOORRRR

That said, to me it sounds like a panic attack. And it could be from the buildup of stress from work and all that's going on.

Seconded.

I get panic attacks, and actually have pretty significant anxiety, so I think it's safe to say this is what you were experiencing.

They can be triggered by something specific or nothing at all, and there is no one reaction.
For me my whole body starts to shake uncontrollably, I can't breathe (feels like I'm breathing through a straw), I'm dizzy, I can't talk, and my heart feels like it's going to explode out of my chest.
I personally don't get nauseous, but that's just me.
If this happens again you NEED to see a doctor. In fact, based on what you wrote in the post you linked to I'd say it's a safe bet you should go see your doctor anyway.
The longer you put it off the worse your stress could get.

Stress can have such a wide variety of effects on our bodies and it's best to talk to someone and let them know how it's been affecting you and how it can be treated, or develop coping strategies for alleviating it.
Breathing exercises may work, positive thinking, or just a well deserved break.
I can't say exactly what will work for you because I don't know you personally or how you typically cope with stress, but my suggestion would be to think back on the times you've been stressed in the past and try to remember what you did to help effectively bring yourself out of it.
If nothing else when you start feeling like this again stop what you're doing, walk away, take a couple minutes to centre yourself and calm down and then return to your tasks.
Fuck the customers if they don't like it - it's not their damn well health!

*cookies*

[ShadedWings]

*throws 2 cents in the pile*

Agreed with most replies already, before I even finished reading the OP I was thinking stress + panic attack as well. I've only had one twice, but my mom has had her fair share of them and I'd learned the signs after a while.

*hugs and offers some cocoa*

[Megg]

My doctor told me panic attacks were thought to be hereditary, so if either of your parents has ever had one, that increases the chances that was what it was.

Panic attacks suck, I have never thrown up, but my manager did call an ambulance once.

[RetailWorkhorse]

I get them a couple times a year.

I have to call my Dad to pick me up and take me home.

Haven't had to cut a workday short yet (there were times I didn't think I would make it, though, so I had him on standby).

Hot food shoved into me (because by then I do not want to eat at all) and sleep for about 14 hours tend to work, but not when you finish up a shift at night have to be in less than 8 hours later. -_-'

[Der Cute]

*hugs*

I don't know what happened to you. I've never had it before. I would suggest writing down some things and GOING TO A DOCTOR.

What should you bring?

Work schedule for last month.
Your last period schedule.
When did this start feeling funny?
What do you do when you feel this?
Is there a limit - if it's tiny weirdness, do you keep on? Or do you stop yourself?

What do you do in your free time?
Any thing happening in the last 6 months in your life? Death, birth, marriage, pregnancy, car accident, Godzilla attacking your city? (j/k)
Any suicide/ dark dark thoughts?

Check your thyroid.
Check your glucose.
Check your food/liquid intake.




Start a diary, besides the doctor. It helps, having to calm my brain and write out all the crap that's floating around in my head. I have to sloooow myself down and grab a thought, write it out, then it's tossed. Sometimes there's a school of thoughts in my head, like fishies. Sometimes it's one or two. But you need to get them out.


Go NOW.

cutenoob

[Bramblerose]

And to add, make sure you are eating, and eat simple foods or anything that smells really good- I have faith that olfactory and stomach usually agree what will stay down.

I would also polish up the old resume. no job is worth this. The second period per month was really the first sign it's time to go.

[BaristaTrav]

I wouldn't rule out something physical but I will bet it's stress-induced. I used to suffer frequent panic attacks.. and well, what you described.. that's it. For me it wasn't so much acute nausea as feeling like I was going to pass out or my heart was going to come flying out of my chest. It was definitely stress-related, and it sure as hell sounds like yours is too. For your own health I think you need a new job or at the very least a vacation.