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What Does a Coder Do If They Can't Type?

nsaphra.github.io

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Re: What Does a Coder Do If They Can't Type?

#321

Post by GordonS »

casion wrote: post #215
GordonS wrote: post #205

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Apologies, I meant "treatment" to mean "treat the condition", as in "make it better". Gabapentin, Pregabalin etc can help with the pain, but not the underlying cause. I haven't come across mexiletine before, but after a quick glance if looks like it's unlikely to be prescribed in the UK (I'm in the UK :). I must have tried dozens of medications over the past 4 years or so, but it seems I have some dodgy genetics, as…

I'm not sure if it will help, but I also felt rather poorly on Gabapentin (and Pregabalin). I did two rounds of it and decided it was a terrible medication. I could barely even walk (I distinctly remember my poor father helping me down some stairs at ikea the first day I took it, unknowing what was to come). Eventually I found a rheumatologist that understood. She started me on 100mg Gabapentin in the evenings. I did…

I really persisted with both Gabapentin and Pregbalin, as everything I've read points to them resulting in the best outcomes for patients that tolerate them.

I actually do take magnesium citrate daily anyway (200mg twice a day), but it didn't seem to help me here.

I even tried taking 2 weeks off work and took the minimum dose for the entire period - it was a horrible couple of weeks, where I felt drunk, dizzy, disoriented and anxious for the whole time. I just really can't tolerate them :( I had a similar experience with SNRIs, and also experienced horrendous withdrawals with them - I've tried about half a dozen of them, but after my last experience I accept they are not for me, and will never try another! I guess it all comes down to genetics.

Anyway, all that said, your advice seems good, and I'd encourage others to try to persist and slowly titrate up.

Re: What Does a Coder Do If They Can't Type?

#322

Post by 19ylram49 »

Man, this is so inspiring but also a reality check! I just looked at my hands and realized just how much I love and rely on these babies. I’ve had similar feelings when I’ve met blind software engineers (yes, they exist). This is why you should aim to never take anything for granted.

Re: What Does a Coder Do If They Can't Type?

#323

Post by 19ylram49 »

jlgaddis wrote: post #137

About six years I was on the losing end of a head-on motorcycle vs. SUV collision, breaking both of my wrists (as well as a broken right femur and several other injuries that were minor in comparison). I had "casts" that wrapped around my arms from mid-bicep to the tips of my fingers. Additionally, I couldn't walk due to the broken leg. There were a few months where 99% of my time was spent lying down in bed. The sol…

Yikes. As a motorcycle rider and software engineer, this type of story does scare me a bit, but I’m glad to hear that you’re all healed up! I hope that you didn’t give up on riding, but I understand if you did. Much love and respect!

Re: What Does a Coder Do If They Can't Type?

#324

Post by anderspitman »

Started getting fairly severe RSI about a year ago. It's at a manageable level now, but was really scary there for a while. The things that I credit (this is difficult to measure) as most helpful, in descending importance:

1. See a physical therapist and get a stretching/nerve glide regime from them.

2. Take lots of breaks to do the stretches.

3. Ergonomic keyboard (I'm using a Kinesis Freestyle 2).

4. Use foot pedals for CTRL, shift, and meta. I rigged up a simple 2-pedal Arduino solution for myself. Code here [0]

[0] https://github.com/anderspitman/ergo-pedals

Re: What Does a Coder Do If They Can't Type?

#325

Post by mondalaci »

SuperPaintMan wrote: post #250
inawarminister wrote: post #233

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've never tried it, but I've heard that "Ultimate Hacking Keyboard" has a TrackPoint add-on module [0] http://xahlee.info/kbd/ultimate_hacking_keyboard.html

It does, but it's also not very programmable or backed by a open source firmware. Give JWZs review on it a read :)

The UHK firmware is open source. I should also mention that the configurator of the UHK is more advanced and polished than any alternatives.

JWZs review is completely unjust as he hates 60% keyboards. Read my comment in his post.

Re: What Does a Coder Do If They Can't Type?

#326

Post by Pimpus »

I'm sorry to hear about the pain many of you suffer from. Please consider reading a book from Dr. Sarno. He will challenge the mechanistic view of the human body many of you erroneously hold. More importantly, he will cure you if you're willing to be cured.

Re: What Does a Coder Do If They Can't Type?

#327

Post by rocqua »

shakna wrote: post #223
cat199 wrote: post #60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> and now they're able to help. what was the nail-down / how are they able to help now?

Diagnosis is a diagnosis of exclusion. Eventually with my set of symptoms it became clear that only two illnesses fit well enough. Fibromyalgia or multiple sclerosis. A clear MRI eliminated MS as an option. --- Treatment is a multi-pronged attack. I have a drug cocktail aimed at desensitisation of the nervous system. It works well enough to take the edge off, but not during a flare up or relapse. It's the least impor…

I know someone who also had suspected MS, and a clear MRI. Just to be sure, they also did a lumbar puncture. That actually confirmed the MS (presence of inflammation) despite the clear MRI.

Point being that a clear MRI does not totally eliminate MS.

Re: What Does a Coder Do If They Can't Type?

#328

Post by krysp »

ypcx wrote: post #228

I've learned touch typing before I've even learned coding, and I think it saved me from most of RSI that I could get. (Most RSI would be coming from punching the keyboard too hard when under stress / on a lot of coffee.) My only serious RSI experience was on Laptops, with the task switching combo - Alt+Tab (or Cmd+Tab/Cmd+`) - which was really killing my left palm with severe pain. Since that time I'm remapping left-…

That really does sound like a better combination! Never done system remappings on OSX, how did you go about it?

Re: What Does a Coder Do If They Can't Type?

#329

Post by ypcx »

krysp wrote: post #328
ypcx wrote: post #228

I've learned touch typing before I've even learned coding, and I think it saved me from most of RSI that I could get. (Most RSI would be coming from punching the keyboard too hard when under stress / on a lot of coffee.) My only serious RSI experience was on Laptops, with the task switching combo - Alt+Tab (or Cmd+Tab/Cmd+`) - which was really killing my left palm with severe pain. Since that time I'm remapping left-…

That really does sound like a better combination! Never done system remappings on OSX, how did you go about it?

Hi. On OSX it's actually very easy (at this point in history):

1. download & install Karabiner Elements (open source: https://github.com/tekezo/Karabiner-Elements) `brew cask install karabiner-elements`

2. run the program, and install "Anti-RSI App Switch" config from the internet repo (or anything else you prefer):

Menu bar icon -> Preferences -> Complex Modifications -> Add rule -> Import more rules from internet -> search for "rsi" -> Anti-RSI App Switch -> Import (you may have to go through the "Add rule" a few times to enable all parts of the rule, but the internet import happens only once)

Re: What Does a Coder Do If They Can't Type?

#330

Post by more-coffee »

bspammer wrote: post #206
hilyen wrote: post #157

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Definitely interested. I’ll check it out. Same boat, software engineer, my index and middle finger main knuckles on both hands inflame from the slightest use even after years of therapy, doctors visits, etc. Also tendinitis in both elbows/arms. Note to those who are pushing off fixing your ergonomics, don’t. If you feel pain, numbing, tingling; do not ignore it. Listen to your body, don’t be like me.

I'm 23 and have been using computers very heavily for the last 10 or so years - probably an average of 6 hours a day. During a particularly intensive day of typing last week I started getting pain in my right hand. I had to resort to hunt-and-peck index finger typing to get the feature I was working on finished. I'm horrified, it feels like I'm way too early in my career for something like this to happen, but I guess…

- adapt a time management technique (i.e. pomodoro) to ensure frequent breaks from typing. Listen to it. Your code can wait. Grab some other objects during the breaks (lacrosse ball)

- get light dumbbells, ranging from 2 to 6 kg, and start doing wrist flexor exercises every day. Slow pace, good form, not too heavy weight, stop when it really hurts.

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