Gassy coworker

[Anonymous]

I share an office with a woman who just started at our company a couple months ago. I admit that I tend to get really obsessively grossed out about stuff like this, but this woman is constantly doing what I call a "burccup."It's sort of like a burp-hiccup combo. When I say "constantly", I mean sometimes several times per minute. It's driving me crazy and completely grossing me out because I can't stop obsessing about the gasses being expelled into the air in our office. She's really nice, and I know this would be embarrassing to bring up to her. But I'm going insane here! We're such a small business and are short on space. There's no way I could move to another office, and we don't really have an HR department/person so I can't pass the buck to anyone else. What would you do? I tried putting headphones on with some music to block out the noise, but believe it or not I could hear her over the music. It's that loud. As in, you can hear her during meetings a couple doors down. With the door closed.

Please help me stop the insanity. And I mean mine. I know I'm being crazy, but I can't seem to get past this.

[Anonymous]

Bring in a desk fan. Maybe, just maybe she will get the hint.

[Anonymous]

This cannot be real.

[Anonymous]

you're concerned about the air quality from this woman's digestive tract? you can't be for real.

[Anonymous]

I cry "foul".

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:you're concerned about the air quality from this woman's digestive tract? you can't be for real.

I am for real. I admitted that it is a hangup of mine, possibly because I spent a good chunk of my life studying microbiology. Maybe it's also because the air in our office starts to smell gassy by the end of the day. It just grosses me out. In any case, it's the sound that is really bothering me. I'm not "concerned" but I am just irritated by the end of the day from hearing this all day long with no break. I like the idea of the fan. Thanks for the suggestion, PP.

[Anonymous]

First, I do know what sound you are talking about. Yes, it's a little gross.

Second, there is nothing you can do about it, so I suggest getting over it. Even if you had a HR department what do you expect them to do? It's a natural bodily function, like a sneeze.

Get an air purifier. It will add sound and clean your air.

[Anonymous]

omg, omg, omg. *gasping for air from laughing*.


brrrccup.

Ok, but so not funny really because beyond belief gross. Sorry OP. Earplugs? Blinders? Sounds like the woman has a mild Tourette's type tic. You are just sol because if you complain it's an ADA protected disability probably.

Sorry.

[Anonymous]

sigh. not to hijack, but i am about to be the gassy coworker myself. our office is reconfiguring space and i am going to be sharing an office. this really freaks me out because i am very gassy (in the bad way). have been this way my entire life.

does anyone have any suggestions for how to handle this? is there something i can take?

[Anonymous]

I cry "for Argentina".

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:sigh. not to hijack, but i am about to be the gassy coworker myself. our office is reconfiguring space and i am going to be sharing an office. this really freaks me out because i am very gassy (in the bad way). have been this way my entire life.

does anyone have any suggestions for how to handle this? is there something i can take?

Gas-X?

OP, sorry but you seem to be out of luck.. Sounds like your colleague has a medical condition (I can't imagine anyone doing burrcups for kicks), and there is not much you can do about it. Just be thankful she's not farting several times per minute...

[Anonymous]

My co-worker is a noisy person - is constantly couging, burping, spitting (tobacco) and it completely grosses me out! He's a "noisy" person and when he's in my office, I go insane. I understand, really, not because of germs, but mouth and body noises are just gross.

Thankfully, we don't share an office but he visits mine often

[Anonymous]

OP your co-worker has reflux.

I have it and until I got treatment the annoying burp hiccup thing also drove myself crazy.

Maybe she doesn't have insurance, maybe she doesn't know it has treatment... why don't you talk to her? aren't you brave enough?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:you're concerned about the air quality from this woman's digestive tract? you can't be for real.

I am for real. I admitted that it is a hangup of mine, possibly because I spent a good chunk of my life studying microbiology. Maybe it's also because the air in our office starts to smell gassy by the end of the day. It just grosses me out. In any case, it's the sound that is really bothering me. I'm not "concerned" but I am just irritated by the end of the day from hearing this all day long with no break. I like the idea of the fan. Thanks for the suggestion, PP.

Now are you for real?