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Workplace And Bathroom Breaks

Double C

By Double C
in Coping with Celiac Disease

Recommended Posts

Double C Newbie
Double C
Posted

Hi everyone, I'm new to this site, and tried looking around for quite a while with no avail. I work at a machine shop which will not be named, and I was getting reprimanded for being in the bathroom too much. Even after I have told them I have been confirmed as having Celiac's Disease, and they have no bathroom policy. I feel like because they don't have it or understand, they think I am making up the fact that if I eat something that bothers my stomach, I end up with a green light from my stomach to the end of the line all day. It's gone as far as me getting in shouting matches with my foreman about how I don't want to be in there, I'm not enjoying being in there, as much as he thinks I'm sitting in there having the time of my life apparently lol. They have come in there and yelled at me and told me I need to be back out on the floor numerous times, even if I have only been in there for 2 minutes. What options do I have? Has anyone else dealt with anything similar? Are people with Celiac's covered under the ADA if anything serious happened because of it? I have cut down as much as I can, but they still think I should be in the bathroom once of twice a day, (which is very close to what I am at now) at most regardless of how I feel on any given day. Any input would be appreciated!

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ravenwoodglass Mentor
ravenwoodglass
Posted

Celiac is covered under the ADA. It might help to have your doctor write a note and also let them know that once you are more used to the diet and your body heals the living in the bathroom effect should be over. If you are newly diagnosed you may want to consider trying to take a couple weeks sick leave until you are firmly knowledgeable about the diet and have healed a bit if that is possible with your job.

Ahorsesoul Enthusiast
Ahorsesoul
Posted

Why are you eating so much gluten to cause you to be in the bathroom so often? I can understand this if you didn't know you were a celiac. I certainly do not think we need bathroom police. If you correct your eating habits you should have only once in awhile long/often bathroom breaks from accidental cc.

hannahp57 Contributor
hannahp57
Posted

i dont know your specific situation, but in defense to ahorsessoul's statement...

i was diagnosed at the beginning of august before my junior year of high school and until november or december i spent every passing period in the bathroom. your intestines may need time to heal, and even if you have eliminated gluten from your diet, go through every single thing you eat and seeif you are missing something. you could have additional allergies or you may be a supersensitive. give us an idea of products you eat other than fresh fruits and veggies.

ang1e0251 Contributor
ang1e0251
Posted
Why are you eating so much gluten to cause you to be in the bathroom so often? I can understand this if you didn't know you were a celiac. I certainly do not think we need bathroom police. If you correct your eating habits you should have only once in awhile long/often bathroom breaks from accidental cc.

I don't eat gluten and haven't for two years and I'm certainly in the bathroom more than 2 times in an eight hour shift. I still have multiple bm's a day and sometimes there's no waiting. It all depends how many years of damage one has and if one's intestines can truly completely heal.

Let's give one another the benefit of the doubt because it isn't always as simple as correcting your eating habits to cut down on trips to the bathroom.

daphniela Explorer
daphniela
Posted

If you lose your job over going to the bathroom, you should consider filing for social security disability. Interstitial Cystitis is on the list for being disabling because of the excessive use of the bathroom and lack of sleep from using the restoom at night. I am sure late stage Celiac Disease would also qualify you for the same reasons. Or you should also consider finding a at home job where you won't have someone looking over your shoulder for using the bathroom so much.

Gemini Experienced
Gemini
Posted
Hi everyone, I'm new to this site, and tried looking around for quite a while with no avail. I work at a machine shop which will not be named, and I was getting reprimanded for being in the bathroom too much. Even after I have told them I have been confirmed as having Celiac's Disease, and they have no bathroom policy. I feel like because they don't have it or understand, they think I am making up the fact that if I eat something that bothers my stomach, I end up with a green light from my stomach to the end of the line all day. It's gone as far as me getting in shouting matches with my foreman about how I don't want to be in there, I'm not enjoying being in there, as much as he thinks I'm sitting in there having the time of my life apparently lol. They have come in there and yelled at me and told me I need to be back out on the floor numerous times, even if I have only been in there for 2 minutes. What options do I have? Has anyone else dealt with anything similar? Are people with Celiac's covered under the ADA if anything serious happened because of it? I have cut down as much as I can, but they still think I should be in the bathroom once of twice a day, (which is very close to what I am at now) at most regardless of how I feel on any given day. Any input would be appreciated!

I know this isn't easy in this economy but is it possible for you to find another job? I find it ridiculous that anyone would be reprimanded for going to the bathroom too much, unless they stayed in there for half a day or something. I think I just wouldn't want to work for a company who treated me like that! You can pull the ADA routine on them but sometimes that will result in harsher treatment and then they'll be looking to get rid of you. Forget disability also because I think that should be reserved for those who are truly disabled. Celiacs are not disabled and requiring a few more bathroom trips does not make one so. What you need is a more considerate boss but that may be hard to find in a machine shop in this economy! I wish you luck and hope you find a good solution to your problem.

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