Two lovely black eyes

[Pippa]

I have been under a lot of stress at work over the last few months.   I have serious dark circles around my eyes.   Concealer is struggling to hide them.   I have tried several remedies ranging from teabags to cotton wool soaked in milk and bought several eye cremes in an attempt to get rid of them.

Any suggestions that I haven't yet tried?

[Janet_Girl]

You could try Preparation H.  It works for bags, but it might work for dark circles.  And stop stressing.

I know easier said than done. 

[spacial]

Hope this doesn't sound flippant, but is there anything you can do about the stress at work?

Really sorry to hear about it by the way.

[Hannah]

Preparation H with Biodyne, if you use regular preparation h you'll burn your eyes out. A sleep aid has helped more than anything for me though, going to sleep and STAYING asleep for 10 hours a night is awesome.

There is a book called "Why Zebras don't get Ulcers" and it's only like $10. You might think about picking it up and reading it, as it examines the biological causes and effects of stress in a really unique, interesting manner. Once you know what's going on inside you it seems to somehow empower you to control it a little better even when outside circumstances are uncontrollable.

[Pippa]

My office is restructuring and I have been told that my post is likely to be deleted.   This is the second reorganisation within 10 months and I was moved offices in the last one.   I have been placed in a team wholly made up of professionals from another discipline, I have no managers who belong to my profession and I have effectively been isolated away from colleagues in my profession.   I am expected to carry out enforcement duties over an area roughly the size of Fife on my own, with no admin and other technical support and I am currently in dispute with my employer regarding contractual compensation payments for my relocation.   I am not open about my transgender status at work so adding my current gender issues to the mix, the levels of stress and depression I am currently suffering is vast.

I have spoken to a counsellor on a couple of occasions which has helped a bit but I still feel like crap.

I am trying hard to stop my mood spiralling further down as I have been treated for depression before and the medication made me feel like a zombie.   I am currently looking at a near future with no job, no money, no pension and virtually no personal contact with others.   To say I am pissed off is an understatement.

The only satisfaction I currently get is watching my transition to womanhood develop.   The dark patches under my eyes really spoils my look and passing.

[Jamie-o]

I'm sorry to hear of your troubles.  Maybe in the long run it will be for the best.  Sounds like it's not a great company to be working for anyway.  If I were you, I'd start sopping my resume (or CV, depending upon where you're from and what your field is) NOW.  Who knows, you might find yourself going in an unexpected and wonderful new direction. Good luck!

As for the dark circles, I've also heard the Preparation H works well.  That and the old standby, cucumber slices.

[Korlee]

Preparation H with Biodyne, if you use regular preparation h you'll burn your eyes out. A sleep aid has helped more than anything for me though, going to sleep and STAYING asleep for 10 hours a night is awesome.

Does that really work?  Just curious.  I've had the same issue she is having for years and I've just learned to ignore but I really need to stop that and do something about it.

[spacial]

Pippa.

I'm not surprised. That is really unacceptable.

I presume you've approached any staff organisations that you may belong to. I know when I last worked in the NHS, several people, including myself were being harrased at the same tme as the pay structure was ebing reorganised. The unions were reluctant to back us for fear of their entire membership being attacked in the restructuring negotiaions. I was a shop steward that the time so was up on what was happening.

I only make this point to sympathise with the possibility of your staff organisation being worse than useless.

But I'm also sure you do realise, if you continue in this environment your overall health will suffer?

[Pippa]

To be honest, I just widh they would get on with it and issue my redundancy notice.   I am completely fed up at work but I am not going to move on without my redundancy payment.   I will be due 12 months pay which is not taxed, so I will have a bit of restbite before I need to get another job.   The perfect time to transition I think!

I have spoken to a couple of agencies for the short term and I am considering buying a business.   I am fed up working for other people who make crass decisions.   At least working for myself, if it goes tits up, it's my fault.

Anyway, all this is off topic, anyone got any ideas I have not tried to get rid of dark circles under the eye?

[Julie Wilson]

Vasanti Eye Wonder and MAC Studio Finish Concealer

[spacial]

To be honest, I just widh they would get on with it and issue my redundancy notice.   I am completely fed up at work but I am not going to move on without my redundancy payment.   I will be due 12 months pay which is not taxed, so I will have a bit of restbite before I need to get another job.   The perfect time to transition I think!

I have spoken to a couple of agencies for the short term and I am considering buying a business.   I am fed up working for other people who make crass decisions.   At least working for myself, if it goes tits up, it's my fault.

Anyway, all this is off topic, anyone got any ideas I have not tried to get rid of dark circles under the eye?

Off topic or not, this really is the time to talk to your union, if you have one.

[Pippa]

I'm too far up the tree for the union to care.  I left several years ago after they ran a campaign for 5% or five hundred pounds.   The idea was that everybody would get 5% but the lowest paid would get a minimum of £500.  They accepted the £500 but forgot about the five percent.  I got a 0.5% pay rise that year (inflation was running at about 3%).  On top of that we then found that they had negotiated our car usage allowance away, so I actually ended up with a pay cut!

Many similar f*** ups, including the current position have happened since.   It also doesn't help that my workplace is only about 25% unionised.

This is what you get when a union which effectively represented professional officers merged with a larger union representing manual workers.   The manual workers union rules the roost and is effectively using the professional officers as a cash cow.

Several of my colleagues are about to complain to the union head office as the union is taking its poitical stance into the negotiations on structure not the issues staff want raised.

In fact, the union rep for my office is almost complicit imn the managements plans.   it all stinks to high heaven.

[spacial]

Sorry to hear all that. I was a shop steward for my union when I worked in the NHS and know well the corruption and incompetance you talk about.

I really hope you can find a solution. Dealing with the rings around your eyes is a patch, at best. But you know that.

Another trick that might work is getting signed off sick with stress. But you will need your GP to be co-operative and I know many are not.

But if you did, that might bring the issue to a head.

[Hannah]

Here in America we have a concept called "right-to-work" which is nothing like it sounds. It basically neuters, declaws and defangs organized labor in one fell swoop. Got to love the freedom we have to screw ourselves, unlike you socialist hippys over there 

[Kristyn]

I have been under a lot of stress at work over the last few months.   I have serious dark circles around my eyes.   Concealer is struggling to hide them.   I have tried several remedies ranging from teabags to cotton wool soaked in milk and bought several eye cremes in an attempt to get rid of them.

Any suggestions that I haven't yet tried?

Collagen.  Collagen will tighten the skin thus eliminating the dark circles and bags underneath the eyes.  But, the collagen must be produced by the body and not applied topically--creams don't work. L-Proline an amino acid and vitamin c are two precursors to collagen--i.e.  your body requires these in order to manufacture collagen.  L-Proline can be ordered on line or purchased at a health/supplement store.  Take two in the morning along with about 1500 mg vit c--vit c is water soluable so it is safe to take in large amounts.  Your body will deplete its vit c resources in a matter of hours.  Take another 500mg toward dinner time.  Be sure to take in plenty of water as well
Post Merge: February 15, 2010, 08:20:13 PM

I am trying hard to stop my mood spiralling further down as I have been treated for depression before and the medication made me feel like a zombie.   I am currently looking at a near future with no job, no money, no pension and virtually no personal contact with others.   To say I am pissed off is an understatement.

L-Tyrosine aids in the development of the neurotransmitters in the brain--in particular L-dopa, dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine.  Norepinephrine is produced by the adrenal glands in times of stress and works together with epinephrine--you've probably heard of the bodies ""fight or flight" response during times of stress.

Norepinephrine is in short supply leads to a loss of alertness, memory, energy and depression

Again, two in the morning but never at night as Tyrosine can cause restlessness.  Tyrosine works on your energy stores in the liver and is called upon when needed.  This will make you feel alert throughout the day--it is not a central nervous system stimulant

There are absolutely no side effects in conjunction with the use of these supplements

[Suzy]

Whew!   I thought you had gotten beaten up.  Glad to know differently.

My doctor prescribed me a med called Avage.  It is essentially an advanced retinoid.  I have been using it for about 6 months and I really don't have the darkness any more.  It has tightened the skin a bit as well.  It is some rather serious stuff and a little on the expensive side.  However, one 30 Ml tube has lasted me all this time, so I don't think it costs that much more.  Be careful, you cannot use it when you are pregnant.   

If you are able to do the prescription route you might check into it.

Kristi