Eating to deal with Nausea

HappyEight · March 2016

Okay so I'm not exactly sure what forum to post this in.

I sit in front of a computer almost all day, with the exception of getting up to grab stuff off the printer or running to the bathroom. During these long times of computer use, usually in the afternoon, I feel awful. Dizzy, nauseous, irritable, just generally miserable.

Apparently I'm not the only one. Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS) is a problem among us folks that use computers all day. I just happen to fall on the more extreme end of the spectrum in how my body reacts to staring at a screen all day...

The only thing that I've found that helps deal with this(besides not sitting at my desk and doing work) is to snack during the day. It keeps my headaches and need to throw up while i'm using my computer to a minimum.

It doesn't happen at home, I don't have a problem with nausea and headaches when I'm doing just about anything else.

Quiting my job isn't an option. But it's making it extremely hard for me to lose weight when I feel the need to snack all day, which is stressing me out. And I know I'm a stress eater. It's a viscous cycle and I have no clue what to do.

concordancia · March 2016

Can you take more frequent breaks? Just standing up, stretching, and refocusing your eyes for a couple of minutes every 20-30 minutes can help.

Does it matter what you eat? You could just have veggies and protein on hand if it doesn't matter.

starwhisperer6 · March 2016

pick very healthy low calorie snacks to have on hand? Raw carrots and celery, rice cakes (I like them though so hate them), I am sure there are lots of thither things but my mind is blanking. Maybe plan those hours instead of meals to be snacks and just figure snacks that add up to the calories you would eat in that time frame?

HappyEight · March 2016

I try to take breaks every 30 minutes, run to the bathroom, get a fresh drink, etc. It helps through the morning, but as the day goes on it doesn't make much of a difference, as soon as I sit back down and stare at my screen the gross feelings come right back.

I try to eat veggies and protein, but I'm just hitting the problem of I'm consuming waaaay too many calories during the day.

faithsstaircase · March 2016

I have a desk job too, where I have quotas and deadlines. I have my step counter (if you don't have one use your phone) set up to alert me every hour. I get up, walk to the other side of the building, grab some water, and walk back. It's helped a ton. I also keep low cal, prepackaged protein shakes at my desk (EAS Advantedge or Premier Protein work best for me) and sip on them to curb that sick feeling.

If you need the carbs, which some people do, try breaking up 6 saltines into smaller pieces to keep handy. Hardboiled eggs, cheese, and apple slices are good options too.

I tend to not eat meals during the day and just snack my way through. As long as I log everything into MFP it keeps me on track.

You may also need your vision checked. When I took a desk job, my vision changed three times in a year. I'd also have your HR or Risk Eval person in your office check your ergo setup (which you're entitled to). It could be your monitors need to be raised, moved further away or closer, or your desk needs to be adjusted. I know it sounds silly but it can make a HUGE difference - even just an inch or two.

Hope this helps!

cbihatt · March 2016

What about drinks? Does that help, or is it just food?

If you can, try drinking some low or no calorie drinks. Hot tea is one of my favorite things, and when I'm not feeling great I drink even more than usual. Carbonated water may help too, and it comes in a variety of calorie free flavors.

Scamd83 · March 2016

Bananas help me whenever I feel anything like that. Mind I'm not sitting in front of a computer all day like your situation. But if you haven't already, maybe have a banana and see if that helps.

AggieKat2006 · March 2016

I completely second the notion to get your vision checked and then evaluate your desk/office setup. Having the right prescription (if you need it) will help tons, as will keeping good eye drops at your desk to use when you start to feel that eye strain--screen time will really dry out your eyes. The calibration of your monitor is important, both in how bright the screen is and it's height and distance from you. Think about your desk and chair setup, too; neck and back strain can really amplify the effects of eye strain. Some forms of artificial lighting can exacerbate the problem, so you may want to think about getting a lamp (if you can) rather than using overhead lights.

For me, working in publishing, all of the above have helped, but I still will need to bounce my eyes more frequently in the afternoon. Sometimes, you just need to stare at the ceiling for a few seconds every ten minutes or so.

As for the snacking to deal with nausea from computer strain or work stress or the combination of both, my favorite go-tos are a piece of hard peppermint or a ginger snap. Peppermint and ginger both help settle tummies, and the peppermint you can suck on for a while, which lets you feel like you've eaten more!

zyxst · March 2016

Do you account for your nausea snacks in your calorie goal? I get that days will vary, but maybe pre-planning snacks will help with the weight loss.

sylkates · March 2016

Dizziness and nausea can also be symptoms of medical conditions, some of which could be triggered by the environment or the behavior of sitting at the desk all day at your office.

Have you already talked to a doctor about this?

cafeaulait7 · March 2016

I get migraines if the refresh rate isn't high enough. That may be able to be changed. Some of my migraines have no real pain but a lot of nausea and other symptoms like you describe. Other than ToM hormonal migraines, all of mine are caused by sensory input (noise, light, etc), and what you experience may be related. It's a little theory of mine, anyway

Florescent lights can get me, too. Are those a problem for you?

If you are otherwise healthy, you might try a Feverfew pill when it comes on too see if it helps. That's what I use as an abortive for my migraines because it works better than all the Rx pills and shots I've tried for that (I take a daily prophylactic that's Rx, too, but I do still get some). I take the high mg supplements, like over 300mg. It's worth a shot, imho, if you have no contraindications. You'll know whether they help or not the first or 2nd time you try them (sometimes mine still don't work, so I'd try more than 1 time, myself.)

I'm no doctor, though, so this is just a friendly idea! Good luck.

Eating to deal with Nausea

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