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Posted 4/25/2008 5:02 PM (GMT 0)
hey everyone. I spoke too soon about the drug testing...I was told to take a urine drug screen this morning. I am very,very nervous as I have recently taken Tylenol #3 for tooth pain and even 1/2 valium (5mg) this morning from a neighbor (who gave it to me about a month ago, and because I was nervous this morning for my appt (and had a big fight w/husband..I took 1/2 (2.5mg)! ALSO, my husband (of 23 years) is a chronic night time smoker of pot (every night before bed, he smokes a joint (for his pain in back-he doesn't take meds or even go to dr) "he says "they always find SOMETHING wrong, and he doesn't want to know if anything is wrong" (weirdo-I know) ANYWAY, I am afraid that on a urine drug screen all these things (along with my prescribed narcotics) will show up....will I test POSITIVE for marijuana if I am right next to him everynight for over 20 years? Sometimes he blows it towards me..but I seriously have never smoked it myself...he's always trying to get me to, but I don't because I don't like it (makes me paranoid). Do you think it will show up in urine? Also, do you think I will be "discharged", he gave me 3 weeks supply of regular Norco's and wants to switch me to MS contin 15mg x2/day,,,with 3/day of Norco for b/t at next appt...or will he just dismiss me w/nothing? HELP! I'm Terrified right now! Do I tell them about the 1/2 valium I took and the codiene for my tooth (I told him about that already though) and what about the fact my husband smokes next to me in bed everynight? Or do I just wait and try to explain everything...??? confused
Posted 4/25/2008 6:03 PM (GMT 0)
First of all...relax! If you already told him about the meds you took before then don't worry. I have no idea what kind of test they are doing and how specific they are but as long as you're honest with them you'll be OK. Lordy, if I had to pass a drug test I'd fail on my caboose!..lol I have been on long acting pain meds for long time.

I don't know about the 'second hand smoke' issue so I Googled it. There's lots of information out there on the subject but suffice it to say that it's possible you may test positive for the chemicals left behind. Just be honest with whomever you're dealing with.

Keep us posted,
Chutzie
Posted 4/25/2008 6:06 PM (GMT 0)
Port - I have to be honest and say that in my opinion all of the drugs are going to show up.

I'm no doctor though.

Just to give you a heads up though - the doctor that I'm currently seeing states that if you take a urine test and any drugs not prescribed to show up you are immediately discharged from their services. Every doctors office is different. The main things that bothered me with your post though is the fact that a neighbor gave you medication to begin with. In no way is it legal to receive narcotics of any time (for that matter prescriptions in general) from another person. I don't know why your neighbor gave them to you, but for future reference it's not something you want to do, both of you could get labeled, you as a drug addict, and your neighbor as a drug seller.
Posted 4/25/2008 6:31 PM (GMT 0)
What shows up depends on what they test for, although for an initial screening for a PM doc I best they screen for pretty much everything. If you're going to follow a PM as prescribed by your PM doc you need to follow it and not be getting pills from neighbors, etc. Not only is it dangeorus and illegal, but if you get 'found out" - and eventually you will - you'll be labeled a drug seeker and that will go into your record. You'll have a very tough time getting PM. As Chutz says if you were up front with your doc about everything you had taken then you'll be ok. You don't even want to lie to them on a drug screen. I don't know if marijuana from second hand smoke will show up or not, but as you know it is illegal. Maybe one day there will be medical marijuana for more people, but we're not there yet. It sounds like you need help with your anxiety as well as pain, and there are many relaxation strategies you could learn either on your own or from a good counselor. I'd suggest asking your PM doc about a referral to a therapist who help with pain management issues. It seems like you took the valium for anxiety, not pain, and there are other things you can do besides rely on meds for that. Be honest with your doc and tell him/her how scared you are.
Posted 4/25/2008 6:32 PM (GMT 0)
thanks for your imputs...My neighbor gave me the valium a month ago (just one tablet...because I was having extreme kidney spasms and was hyperventilating...)I don't and have never taken valiums or anything like that...but this morning I was soo nervous about my dr's appt (results of ct scan, refills, going out of town, fighting w/husband this morning (cause he wants to leave tonight for Mexico (so we don't have to rush) but can't leave until tomorrow (sat) when I can pick up refill)...anyway, I thought "I'll just take 1/2 (2.5mg) and try to relax...*It didn't do much for me anyway* and I threw the other 1/2 out when I got to work...*I didn't take the valium when my neighbor/friend gave it to me at the time-I just took my reg med (Norco) and the spasms stopped/relented is more like it* So, I've had it for over a month....it's not something we normally do...I don't take other people's meds..Just my luck they would urine screen me today! I'm mostly worried about the marijuana...Do I call and tell them or try to explain when the results come back..I honestly don't know what thier policy is...if they will immediatly dismiss me or not. What do I do if they do? Is there a way to order meds online? I don't know what to do at this point....I'm under so much stress I need more than 1 valium at this point!!!! *I did tell the dr about my tooth and the codiene, but made no mention about the "1/2 valium tab" or that my hubby smokes pot every night right next to me...(he always turns on the fan to blow it away w/ window open...but I'm sure something will show up (after 20 years!!!) I'm soo pissed at him right now for putting me in this predicament....I'm at work and just tyring to hold back the tears and with stress my kidney hurts more than ever...(completely out of meds til tomorrow) mad
Posted 4/25/2008 7:15 PM (GMT 0)
I don't mean to be a bearer of bad news but I will tell you my experience with a urine screen. I was on hydrocodone as my PM dr had prescribed. I ran out of my script a few days before they were due to be refilled. I had an OLD script for Percocet (oxycodone) with a few pills left. Seeing no harm because they were prescribed to me I took them. I had an unexpected urine drug screen the next morning. Not only was I in trouble for taking the Percocet; I was in even more trouble for running out of my hydrocodone. I was immediately dismissed from their PM clinic. Now I cannot get into any of the three PM clinics and yes, I am labeled as a "drug seeker". My PC dr. is the only one who believes me and will at least order minimal pain relief meds.

Hopefully nothing as drastic will happen to you. I'll keep you in my prayers.
Posted 4/25/2008 8:13 PM (GMT 0)
Port - It comes down to the same thing no matter how you look at the circumstances. You did something you should not have done - regardless of the circumstances, you took some one elses medication - even though it was just once, it was the wrong once. The same with the marij. Your husband is breaking the law by smoking it. He knows it, and you knew it, regardless of how long it was being done. No one is trying to put you down for any of it. I know that there are times I've really wished I had better pain medication, times when my husband would have intentionally given me something, even if it wasn't mine, if it would help my pain. Hubby can't stand to see me on a "bad" pain day.

You have to decide whether or not you should tell your doctor up front about the problems, or wait for them to get the results. Either way you are going to have to admit that you took medicine that was not prescribed for you. At the worse you'll also have illegal drugs showing up in your screen as well. The decision has to be yours, tell ahead of time, and hope that the upfront honesty will work, or don't tell him and hope that he'll only find out about the valium, and that he'll accept your explanation after the fact. No one here can tell you what your doctors reaction will be.

If you get stuck being dismissed from his office, I'm not sure what to tell you. As far as purchasing medication over the internet, I wouldn't doubt if you could, but it is probably very expensive, and then should you find a doctor willing to help you, when they ask why you are taking ____insert med here____ explaining the new situation about you ordering medication online.

I wish I had more positive information - but it all comes back to you having to decide what you want to do.

I do agree with the other posts though, saying that you need to find a way to relax and/or calm down and destress. You might also need to find out exactly what is wrong with your kidney if you don't know because depending on what medications you take it could reflect on your kidney as well. Also - I know about pain going up because of stress - the problem is medication will not make the stress go away - therefor the reason for the pain is still there. Breathing techniques, relaxing music, relaxing videos, spiritual books, The Bible, exercise, something needs to be found to help get you past the stress so you can deal with the pain better.

I wish you the best.
Tammy
Posted 4/25/2008 10:39 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks Gramps...seems like you are the only "positive" one here...(I know this is all my fault)I am just going to relax and enjoy my vacation (mexico) and deal with all of this when I get back (I'm sure I'll either have a "certified letter"dismissing me or I'll have to face him in person at my next appt (in 3 weeks)...I'm picking up my refill at 9am and we are heading to calif (16 hours driving, meeting up with family and driving down to Mexico (another 6 hours)...so this is going to be very stressful with this hanging over my head. My friend just called and said "don't worry...explain it to him (it's the truth) and if he "dismisses" me, then I'll just have to find another dr or go to my pcp (who was prescribing without any problems before)...I have many documented tests on my kidneys showing multiple problems that would cause me great pain...I can't imagine anyone denying me medical care. It's just that I'm a good person who is just not having my pain controlled (I've already told him that I run short every month (by 3-4 days) and that's why we are going to switch to ms contin 15mg x3/day and norco 3/day...but depending on drug test....I may have nothing. Does anyone know how to order pills online (cost is not a factor...*compared to if I couldn't work because of the pain*)Any websites that anyone knows of would be greatly appreciated (just keeping my options open and having a "plan B" just in case.... confused
Posted 4/25/2008 11:46 PM (GMT 0)
gosh, i had no idea that PM's do random drug testing??? i have been w/ my PM for 8yrs now, and have never heard of this....is this common practice?
Posted 4/26/2008 2:09 AM (GMT 0)
I too have been w/ this dr for over 2 years w/no problems, or drug test. I have been taking Norco's for over 8 years w/no problems...until now. This was sprung on me out of the blue w/no warning. I even worked pain management as a nurse for over 5 years and NEVER NOT ONCE ever drug tested anyone, even w/pain contracts, people forging their prescriptions, calling in their own rx's,getting mutiple drugs from other drs (dr shopping),etc...the dr I worked for never pressed charges and just warned them not to do it again. In all the 5 years, we never "dismissed" not one patient...I think the laws have changed or they are really cracking down or something. I'm not sure about pain management (except BEING a PATIENT) as I now work in OBGYN. It's been about 6 years since I worked in pain management. I really want to get back to it (as now I TOTALLY understand what people go through) I have already made up my mind about finding another DR or buying some pills online until I get another dr....Never have done it and have no idea how, but my husband says get whatever I need and don't worry about the cost. I pick up my refill (3 weeks worth tomorow and I'm going to cut them in 1/2 and really make them last (I've already tapered to only 1 yesterday (5mg) and 1 today..with Ibuprofen and a couple of tylenol in between I have manged to work all day and make dinner and clean my house, so I think I'm going to wean myself down to where I may be able to function on nothing or very little as I now feel very violated of my privacy (the drug testing, and making to feel scared that I won't get any more pills and be humiliated (by being dismissed) as I am in the medical field and am a good person. I feel like even IF I am not dismissed, they will see me differently no matter what , and I don't like that feeling. I really am tired of feeling like a "drug addict"....I would give anything to be free of this "monkey on my back" (pain)...I really wish that Ultram or something non-narcotic worked on me...I've tried synovial blocks...accupuncture, physical therapy, surgery,have multiple MRI's, CT's,etc....and I have multiple problems with kidney that needs more surgery but I don't want to do anything anymore at this point...I just want to be a good wife/mother and be able to take off on vacations,hikes in the mountains without making sure I have enough pills.....does anyone else feel this way? Have a great night and week (going to Mexico tomorrow) *of course after I pick up my refill!*<see!!!!! sad
Posted 4/27/2008 2:27 AM (GMT 0)
Port, the PM clinic that I go to does a urine test qomth, the 1st PM doc I went to never did. I guess it depends on the management of the PM. I have to tell you, if u r a nurse, u could be risking your license by ordering meds over the net. I'm not sure about the legality, I think that most of them require a doc's rx and they conviently(for a price) provide a "doc" but I don't know how legal it is. Maybe I'm wrong about this, but u may want to check it out before ordering anything. Hope u have a great, worry-free vac!! :-)
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