Perpetual Stopwatch Flashing Bug Mechanics

Basically this post is a question whether anyone knows
A.) What triggers the perpetual stopwatch flashing bug
B.) If there is anything that can be done to stop the flashing

Description of Bug:
During turn based combat of some battles
The stop watch will continually appear and disappear on the screen on the screen

This will continue even after the battle is over

I can see no way to get rid of the flashing stopwatch

Waiting does not stop the flashing. Moving to a different location does not stop it either

Saving afterword basically ruins the saved game as the stopwatch flashing all the time is too annoying

 

I've never personally encountered your bug, but I've had situations where the stopwatch would appear and flash periodically. The game uses the stopwatch to let you know it's processing something, and this is normally accompanied by slowdown or a complete halt in action.
Since you never had to tell someone this before (and it can normally help in understanding why certain bugs or glitches happen), what version of the game are you running?

 

Had the same exact bug a few months back, see this thread. The solution is best described there, though I'm not sure if it's the exact same thing as you described as it wasn't for me triggered by combat.

 

I got the stopwatch from the Forbidden Pit twice before

At the time had assumed it was due to fighting the spiders in the pit at night as the glitch wasn't occurring if I waited until morning before the battle for some reason

It may have been the ladder, but I don't remember if I fast traveled from the pit or not in either cases

It can't be completely ladder related as in my latest game I'm getting the bug after the fight with Arbalah goes on for too long

So it must be a save game corruption issue