Heavy Periods and Jury Service!!

[Verbena37]

Just got in and found a jury summons in the post.
It filled me with dread because there are a few reasons as to why I cannot do it.
The main one is having very unpredictable, heavy periods and the second is childcare.
I have a period every three weeks and therefore it's quite likely that I will have one whilst doing jury service (think the norm is 2 weeks service) and secondly, even if I use tampons, it might be that I need to change after only 30 minutes!! I surely cannot just randomly keep getting up and using the loo in the middle of a court thingy??
It says you might be called upon later in that year if you don't give dates you cannot do.

Shall I just say "call me again when I've been through the menopause"!!!
To be honest, goodness know why they ask mothers of school age kids!!

Just found this onCAB website....

You should be aware that while the court is in session the jury cannot leave the court room.This means that you may not visit the toilet during the court session time.

First thing to do is to write to them and explain about the issue with your periods. Or just that you have a reoccurring issue that requires toilet visits every 30mins. See what they say to that, and take it from there.

Serious answer: They call women of childbearing age because it is a civic duty for all citizens. There is no way a whole group of people should be branded as second-class.

You may be able to defer but cannot be signed off completely unless your doctor provides suitable medical evidence. Have you been to your GP, and have you had a recent gynae referral? I think it would be a good idea to check as soon as possible for treatable causes.

I didn't say it was every thirty minutes....I said it was so random that I might need to change once, then again thirty mins later.....then might be fine for two hrs etc. so completely random every month. Sometimes I get up and flood.

I have been to the GP and have been prescribed Mefanamic acid.....that doesn't really do much.

So should I say about the periods and the childcare aspect or just the periods?

Aunti Stella.....have been numerous times and their generic answer is normally:
"Have a little look at their Mirena Coil leaflet....blablabla".

Then I say I don't want the Mirena coil and they then tell me to take the leaflet anyway!!

I would get a letter from your GP to excuse you while you get sorted out. Oh and don't let them charge you for it as they can't. We have a template letter that we print off saying that x has a medical condition that renders them unsuitable for jury service.

Childcare, unless it is a breastfed baby, is very unlikely to secure you a significant deferral. Though you might be able to move it from school holidays to term time.

Don't say about the childcare (bit like having a job- you just have to sort it). Do say that a medical condition means you have to be able to access the toilet at all times.

Don't even mention what is wrong with you. It's none of their business. Sounds awful for you. They won't let you off on your say so anyway.

Thanks addtobasket.
But Auntiestella.....I have never used childcare. I certainly wouldn't choose any childcare provision to look after my children.....one of whom has epilepsy. I don't see how I could arrange two+ of childcare anyway. Plus the children are 13 and 10 so cannot go to a nursery.

How do you mean Musical.... Won't let me off on my say so?

That should have said two (+) weeks of childcare.

I didn't mention nurseries.

As your children are school aged, I suggest you ask for a switch to term time dates.

So is it the childcare or the periods?
Because the periods can be sorted by a mirena coil. They are utter magic and completely cured me of the exact same problem as you have. I had 3 over a 15 year span taking me through past menopause.

OP, when did you last see a doctor to discuss your heavy periods? I went through a time of having periods as you describe, it turns out I had something called fibroids, which are common but I had never heard of them. Once they were sorted out, I had normal periods again.

Please see a doctor. If your periods are that bad, they must be preventing you from doing many things other than jury service and that isn't right.

No, it says on the form that you will need a Drs note to get out of it. You could try phoning but don't expect them to be sympathetic. I get patients coming asking for letters and saying they have phoned and been told they have to see us. As I said earlier we have a template we can access from the patient record. My staff now tell us if someone asks and we check their records and if we feel they are asking appropriately we just ask the staff to print a letter off and we sign it. Good luck with this and getting yourself sorted.

You need to contact them and explain the situation re your health problem.

If your GPs response has not been helpful to date (and tbh mefanemic acid is just treating the symptoms and not very well at that) then I would return to the GP and ask for a referral to a gynaecologist. The cause of all this needs to be properly determined. What you are having in terms of periods certainly warrants a referral to such a specialist. Conditions like fibroids can cause such heavy bleeding to arise, this is why you need to see a gynae and asap to boot.

You will need to be persistent with your GP in order to get answers.

Surely you don't need childcare for children of 13 and 10? Could you arrange for them to go back to a mate's for tea for a week, in case you're late home?

Agree you need to get periods sorted tho. That must limit your life in all sorts of ways.

I kind of didn't post asking for heavy period cures ......it was more about the jury service link.

Auntiestella....I realise you didn't mention nurseries.....I was just mentioning them because where I live, there are only nurseries that provide childcare after school hours....and not for my age children .

Thanks again Musical.
Peastalk, it's both.Because of either, I am unable to do jury service but guessing it might look a bit off putting both reasons!

Just to add, if I didn't have child care. Issues or period issues, I'd happily trundle down there are do the stint. I'm sure it would be a positive experience. This isn't me trying to get out of doing it......I truly have two good reasons. I even wondered whether my husband could offer to go in my place?

He would love a few weeks off work

From experience, they won't give a shit about childcare difficulties, but as others have said if you can get a doctors note, you may be granted an excusal (for a period of time)