# Help - Jury Duty



## Sick&TiredKat (Feb 2, 2010)

I have jury duty coming up and am scared to death! What if I go into a complete episode! They won't let me out of it w/o a dr's excuse. Well my OB/GYN won't give me a note because he says he is not treating the IBS. But is Rx's my Effexor. With my insurance I have to have PCP and then get referral to GI. Well that is impossible to do all before the end of hte month which is when I have jury duty! So sorry to whine.







Any suggestions? I know I just need to suck it up and just go but as you all know there is no way of knowing when it is going to hit!


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## Trudyg (Aug 16, 2002)

When you first show up for jury duty, they ask you questions. Be upfront with them, tell them you get bouts of D, quite unexpectedly. You want to serve, but this comes out of the blue. Where I am, they have panels that sit for other reasons (commitments, stuff like that), not always trials, and they may have that where you are, too. They may let you sit for one of those and that isn't so formal as a trial--not nearly so nerve wracking. Can you call them ahead of time? You'd be surprised how many people have ibs and sympathise, really!


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## Sick&TiredKat (Feb 2, 2010)

Thanks for your reply Trudyg. I did call and explain that I have IBS she said I had to have a note. But I am going to take your suggestion and let them know when I get there. I am going thu an episode today and I think I created it by stressing. thanks.


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## Diana63 (Oct 20, 2009)

Is it possible that your regular GP/Doctor at your Health Centre could give you a note to say that you have IBS and how it affects you.This condition causes us so many problems!Hope you manage to get on okay.


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## mikeindfw (Sep 19, 2009)

Sick&TiredKat said:


> I have jury duty coming up and am scared to death! What if I go into a complete episode! They won't let me out of it w/o a dr's excuse. Well my OB/GYN won't give me a note because he says he is not treating the IBS. But is Rx's my Effexor. With my insurance I have to have PCP and then get referral to GI. Well that is impossible to do all before the end of hte month which is when I have jury duty! So sorry to whine.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## mikeindfw (Sep 19, 2009)

I live in Texas and we have a state law that businesses that don't have a public restroom, have to allow people with our type of problems to use their employee's restroom unless there's a safety issue. I printed the card from a state's web site and my gp signed it. I faxed it to the jury officer and they excused me. Hope this helps. Good luck.


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## Sick&TiredKat (Feb 2, 2010)

Thanks for you all taking the time to respond to me. Diana63 I don't have a GP so I am in the process of trying to get in to see one. Mikeindfw, the court house that the jury duty is in has bathrooms. So that won't work for me. But that is a good piece of information. I never knew that. I am hoping to get in to see GP and see if they will give me an excuse. Otherwise I will just have to go anyway. Just frustrates me because I almost had to cancel my son's b-day party yesterday because I went into an episode.


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## Guest (Jan 12, 2011)

Sick&TiredKat said:


> Thanks for you all taking the time to respond to me. Diana63 I don't have a GP so I am in the process of trying to get in to see one. Mikeindfw, the court house that the jury duty is in has bathrooms. So that won't work for me. But that is a good piece of information. I never knew that. I am hoping to get in to see GP and see if they will give me an excuse. Otherwise I will just have to go anyway. Just frustrates me because I almost had to cancel my son's b-day party yesterday because I went into an episode.


I sent a note to the court explaining my situation and told them if they want the court session to be interupted several times than I would do it. I was excused based on the letter I sent back. You could tell them that if they were arrested than they mus be guilty. That will get you excused right there.


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## Sick&TiredKat (Feb 2, 2010)

shelbyeleanor that is funny. I gave the woman a very graphic description of what would or could happen. Stressing about it only made it worse. I went to GP today who gave me a letter not only to excuse me from this time but to permanently remove me from list so I won't get called again. What an absolute relief. I don't want to shirk my duties but I won't be any good as a juror from the bathroom.


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## mikeindfw (Sep 19, 2009)

Sick&TiredKat said:


> Thanks for you all taking the time to respond to me. Diana63 I don't have a GP so I am in the process of trying to get in to see one. Mikeindfw, the court house that the jury duty is in has bathrooms. So that won't work for me. But that is a good piece of information. I never knew that. I am hoping to get in to see GP and see if they will give me an excuse. Otherwise I will just have to go anyway. Just frustrates me because I almost had to cancel my son's b-day party yesterday because I went into an episode.


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## mikeindfw (Sep 19, 2009)

It's not whether they have restrooms so much as the card lets them know that you have urgent needs and that may be disruptive to the proceedings. If it frustrates the judge making accommodations for you, at least you've given them fair notice and the card verifies that fact. Just google restroom access law and see if your state has this law.


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## Nic88 (Sep 29, 2006)

when you fill out the forms, you write in there that you will need to use a restroom at ANY GIVEN TIME IMMEDIATLEY due to IBS.


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## Sick&TiredKat (Feb 2, 2010)

Nic88 thanks for the input. I didn't even think to do that. My internal medicine doctor gave me a letter to excuse me from this jury duty and all future request for jury duty. Now if I can just get the insurance company to approve the meds I am hoping to finally get some relief. Thank you to all that wrote back to me.


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