GetLevel Error when trying to view page listing

[Myrddin157]

Hello all,
  It seems this problem plagues everyone at some point. 
  The error is:
 
Fatal error: Call to a member function getLevel() on a non-object in /home/YYY/public_html/cmsmadesimple/lib/classes/class.content.inc.php on line 2139

A quick forum search will show that it has something to do with an invalid collapse entry in the cms_userprefs table of the db. 

I've run the fix listed in the forum (empty that value and alter the table to a bigger field type) but the problem still occurs.

On my site there are many people trying to edit simultaneously and this, it was noted, could be a cause of the problem.

Does anyone have a permanent fix for this?  It is going to get very tiresome to have to login and run a mysql command or 3 to fix this everytime it breaks.

Thanks.