Pain management failed drug test

[lmull]

I have been going to the same pm center for 10 years, I have always been compliant. In January i did a random urine drug screen I was hoorified at the results there were drugs in there I have never taken even an illict drug. My name wasnt on the cup it was placed by me in a room where there were several other cups no one checked the temperature. no chain of command. In february they filled my ms contin and in march now they cut me off and said i could get narcotics from another docter but still use them for epidurals and such. Their policy is if you fail your dropped-why didnt they drop me. I saw their drug consulor and i have bad teeth but weigh 200 pounds, based on my teeth she felt i may be a meth user. I am a nurse for 24 years and am very anti drug. I am not sure what to do they have refused to retest me this is april! I feel like I have been tried found guilty and sentenced and labeled a drug addict. Also i am on workers comp. And when I mentioned that I was uncomfortable about the way the test was done THEY exploded on me verbaly that they dont make mistakes. HELP!

[Red931]

I am not clear on something. Did you test positive for PCP, Methadone or did they just assume you are a user because of bad teeth?

[Mollyrae]

I too have the question of what the clinic found in your urine. Sorry to hear of this, it does happen to the best of patients.

[sandee1818]

I have posted many times on here that when you do have a test to make sure it is clearly marked with your name and you initial the sticker on it after the nurse receives it.
It is very unfortunate but mistakes do happen all the time. The medical professionals do know this but they will get defensive when you tell the there was a mistake.
I would talk to the doctor and tell him there were several cups including yours that was not marked and you know there was a mistake because you took only your prescibed meds. After being in the clinic for 10 years the doctor should give you the courtesy of speaking to him about it. I doubt he will prescribe the meds to you again but he can give you a referral and that will help you a great deal. Worker comp will be have to be dealt with too and if the doctor would be willing to give you a referral this will be like saying maybe there was a mistake in the handling of the test itself and then you will most likely escape the black marks on your record.
Be very open and honest and tell him you have been a pt for 10 years and never had a problem. You have to be your own advocate because no one else can be.

[bluidvl]

my husband failed a drug test-cocaine on dec 31,2208;he was given scripts for jan/feb 09-scripts were stolen by a person who was supposed to be his friend-doctor would not replace nor treat -he had been treated for three years at this clinic,had attempted suicide before,his dosage was oxy 80 x6 daily,oxycodone 30 x4 daily,nitroglycerin,lyrica,impramine and tizanidine-he also had hep c- am i the only one who thinks that this is beyond too much???

[Drussell55]

Doctors need to be more sensitive to people who fail urine tests. The doctor should have a conversation with you and retest. If the second comes back and you have illegal drugs then you should be dismissed. The doctor should give you something to detox or give you one last month till you get a new doctor.

[backhurtz]

Most will not retest for several reasons- the types of testing done - immunoassay and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry are usually very accurate. In office screens can sometimes be false positive/negatives but those are typically then sent out for confirmatory testing by a different method to verify the results.  To do another test- it would typically have to be within 48-72 hrs of the first test to prove a false result- otherwise the levels may be too low since most opiates are cleared from your system within 72 hrs.  Immunoassay or go/ms testing results typically take 5-10 days so a second test wouldn’t help.

[nick30]

imull - funny tag, mull usually means marijuana, 'i' means , well you know. was it sarcastic, an attempt at humour? i don't care if ppl smoke pot but...
nevermind

[nick30]

very sorry abour your husband. to try and answer your question, are you asking if we think that his dr prescribed too much medication?
amongst those meds you listed are drugs for nerve damage. nerve damage can be very difficult to treat effectively. high doses of narcotics and nerve meds are a fairly common approach. the dr may not have known about your husbands addiction problems and if that's the case then i don't think that the dr has gone over the top.
even though your husband had some problems that contributed to all this I think that he still had an obligation(for his own sake)to ask his dr for help with his addiction issues.
I'm sorry this didn't happen. I hope you are ok and able to one day be happy again.
if there's anything more you want to talk about, please let us know.

nick.

[lmull]

The drug screen had soma, flexeril, codiene, darvocet, ampetemines and it said inconsistant on a couple of them- I was taking ms contin and lortab,ibuprofen, cipro for uti, and some supplements from health food store. The same meds I have always taken. As for the day of the drug screen there was no one to take the cup from me I stood in the hall holding it for 5 minutes before a nurse said to put it in the little room with other cups of urine. I said something then about checking the temp and my name not on the cup and was I guess brushed off and told It's O.K. went I got 2 my car and called my daughter and told her I wanted to march back in and demand another test right then she said "Mom your just paranoid" I now know that God was telling me to take action right then.  I know I need to advocate for myself I just have been so mad at myself for not listening to my gut feeling that day, I never dreamed this could happen 2 me. Instead of Why Me  I say Why not me! It has made me aware that this happens to people. As a nurse I have had to drug screen employees of course its with a name on cup temperature is reas cup sealed in front of the person. And one time a man claimed a lab mistake and no-one listened to him maybe this is Karma.Thanks for just responding

[lmull]

I have asked to speak with the doctor he is not available until August. They have not re drug tested me either.

[Mollyrae]

Hi Imull:

Well, I really feel that they have made a terrible mistake on your part and I'm sure that they won't admit it. You instincts were right. You should have marched back in there for a second test and made sure your name was on it.

By law, the clinic has to treat you for 30 days. In the mean time you need to find a new clinic. Unfortunately they have flagged your medical record and it may make the hunt for a new clinic hard. I ma sorry and feel really bad for you, I wish I had better advise. Please keep us informed of your situation. Until then, take care and good luck in the search for a new clinic.
Molly

[BIGDADDIE]

Do you happen to know where I might find that law please please please

[backhurtz]

BigDaddie,
That law if it existed was only in a couple of states. It no longer exists if it ever did.
Many people claim the Patients Bill of Rights stated doctors were required to provide a taper or 30 days worth of meds, but that is not true.
The thing is when you break the contract, it makes it far more difficult to find a new pain management doctor willing to take you on.
I strongly suggest you start looking now. Most PM offices do not prescribe opiates on the first visit, even for patients that have been on them before coming to them.
They want the records that they will obtain from your previous PM, to check your prescription fill history and to send out a urine screen before they start considering opiates.

[nurseaudrea]

This is so unfortunate. It is so sad to think that the nurse who told you to sit it down with the other cups does not take this as serious as she would if she were in your situation and had to be drug tested. The only time I have taken drug tests were for pre-employment and they always sealed it in front of you and you have to sign it also. It should be done that way everytime. One place did the drug test right in front of me and got the results right then so we knew no one else touched it. That was such an injustice it makes me so mad to think some people are treated this way. I did have a drug test done one time by my PM doctor but my blood was drawn. I failed it because they said there were amphetamines in it. When I went back to the dr the following week I was horrified to hear this. I have never used methamphetamines in my life. He sent me for another test and it came back fine. He believed me because we had a good relationship and I had been his patient for a long while. Well,the reason it showed the amphet. was because I had used Metabolife. I was taking it because I thought it could help me lose weight and give me energy. I found out that it metabolized into a substance just like amphetamines do and can give you a false pos. I mentioned it to the doctor but he does not believe that can really happen. I had to bring him some research on the subject before he would believe me. If these doctors are doing drug screens that can affect your life and well being they  should let you do it a second time just in case they are wrong, because it does happen.
I hope they listen to you and give you another shot.               Audrea

[lmull]

Thats the really crazy part they have not dropped me as a patient. The drug screen was in January my meds were filled  that month Feb and March. They said they wanted to keep me as a patient just wont give me narcotics but they have a strict policy that is posted everwhere in the office that if u fail a drug test you will be dropped.So why hav'nt they droppedme? I think they know something wasnt right with the way the test was handled. I have a appt in my with the PA there in may. I do not want to b labeled a drug seeker addict in my records. Even crazier they told me to get my narcotics from my pcp because they thought I really need them.

[FeCielo]

I had an experience when I was pregnant with my son. Since I was taking pain meds during my pregnancy....my OB and my PM worked closely together during my pregnancy....my OB drug tested me because she knew that the hospital would test me because I was on opiates. I came in for a regular appointment and my OB informed me that I had tested positive for hydromorphone. I was shocked and asked her if there could have been a mistake and she told me that they had tested me twice. I left and I was very confused how I could test positive for something I had never heard of. The first thing I did was get on the computer and do my own research. After just a few minutes online I found out that hydrocodone can metabilize in your body as hydromorphone. I found case study after case study on the subject. I printed several of them out and called and spoke with the nurse at the OB's office. I personally took the info to their office and at my next appointment my OB told me she had read them and then called my PM dr and also a PM friend of hers. She then apologized to me for jumping to the conclussion that I was taking other medications and at my next PM appt my dr reassured me that she had spoken with the OB and told her that the small levels of Hydromorphone were normal for a PM patient. It was a very scary experience but also a learning experience for me too.

I am sorry that this has happened to you and I wish you luck with getting it resolved.

[Tuckamore]

Hi Imull,

Welcome to the Pain Management Forum. I am glad that you have found us.

You have just experienced this crazy delivery system they call health care. I am so sorry that this has happened to you. You have a reputation and a liscense to maintain. If the board of nursing gets wind of this you may have a big issue. At least in my state that would be the case.

I think I would look for another PMP. If they handle drug screening in this manner how do they deal with other important procedures? I know it is difficult to change providers when you are already established a relationship with one. In my opinion you need to appeal to someone! If the PMP will not clear up this situation you need to take it further. Again, just is just my opinion. I would not want this on my medical record.

Sure they will keep you as a patient. They don't make their revenue from prescribing narcotics, they make it from appointments and treatments. You are not the only one that this has happened to but I know that that doesn't make you feel any better at this point.

I am hopeful that your PCP will prescribe you pain medications, especially with the endorsement of your PMP. Please keep us posted and let us know how you are doing. I am hopping that you will become an active member of our community.
Best of luck and take care, Tuck

[sandee1818]

I always tell those in this situation that the only test that will clear your name is a hair follicle test. They are availble online and will email or call your doctor with the results. I have had one member go this route and it cleared her name. I will try and find the link again if you would like it. It test for prescription and illegal substances and will show results up to 90 days.
Also there is 13 drugs that will hinder a test as negative for opiates. I have posted them before and will see if I can find them for you. if I am not mistaken Cipro is on that list.

[nick30]

maybe they didn't drop you because in hindsight they may have realised that there was a flaw in thier technique? i'm sure that they won't admit it.
I think it may be better for you in the long run to find a new pain manager. rather than try to find out why and all the other things, just find someone that you can trust to look after you better, it's your health and your life. if they aren't doing the right thing then leave them.

nick

[lmull]

If you can find me the info on the hair follicle test it would be great. I am going to try and find another pm and see if my pcp will help me he knows me well professionally and I just recently started seeing him as a patient because my health insurance at work changed anyway i get off subject somme times. I havn't been able to get a hold of my workers comp person. I have lifetime medical on my work injury thru workers comp, I don't know how this will affect changing pm. Thank you for the help. The drug list you mentioned would be great too. God bless and thanks again

[lmull]

Yes if the boards were informed that wouldn't be good. But since i was a patient on this messed up test I think Hippa will protect me that way. If I had "failed" a drug screen at work thats board reportable. I am like all nurses subject to random drug screens and have never failed one .

[sandee1818]

I posted the list on the board. I also will look for that adress for the hair follicle test.

[tm624]

I been dismissed because I took a pill that he prescribe a year ago because I ran out and he wouldn't refill till my next appointment and of course it was different from what he prescribed so he dismissed me. I didn't know that I couldn't take an old prescription. I really didn't read the contact and didn't know because my husband fills out my paper work. What dose red flag mean is this turn in to the DEA and all stores that refill my prescription or worst arrested. What can I do to get this red flag off. I only take 2 vicodin a day and the left over Percocet from surgery last April I have three left. I guess I should through them out there not worth the trouble I'm in. Thanks for listening, tm  

[tm624]

Has anyone tried  LYRICA for pain management. I will be starting on it soon and I'm a little afraid of taking it.  I hope it workings so I can forget about going a pain clinic. Don't trust them anymore.

[darlenewood52]

I am diabetic I have pain from it I also take 15 mg of oxycodone the lyrics are the best thing for my foot pain  I love them so give it a try

[marycarmel]

It's best if you post your own question separately so that you'll get the right responses to your question.  This original post is quite old.

I was given Lyrica several years ago and I found it to be very helpful for pain.  Unfortunately for me, it caused me to gain 16 pounds in two weeks (with no change in diet or exercise.)   Not sure what your pain is from.  I was given it for fibromyalgia, though I had a benefit from it from my RSD pain.

[tm624]

I should be starting on Lyrica some time this week and didn't know what to expect. Hopefully this will work for me. I have pain from back surgeries in my upper left leg. I'm scheduled for another MRI. So far they can't figure this out and may require another surgery. My last surgery was April 2011. I feel it's way too soon for another one. Well thanks for your help. I feel a little relaxed about taking it. The side effects are scary.

[1tnckinpain]

I did try Lyrica and it seemed to work.  However the side effect was weight gain.  My doc switched over to Neurontin, which they said was basically the same.  And it worked and no side effects.  Good luck!

[SPinSC]

I will not take Lyrica. It was prescribed to my mom and she had a reaction to it that took her life.