I just wanted to update. I apologize that this will be a long post, just skip it if you don’t feel like following my thread anymore.
I spoke with my pharmacist and he says that he does different things depending on the person being tested. Some people just take the test and sign a sheet or tell the nurse taking the urine sample what medication they are on and write it down on a special sheet that is sent out, since they know they will test positive for something.
My pharmacist said it was a good idea that I was being proactive by getting the information I needed from him, because it showed the nurses I have nothing to hide basically. So if anything does come up or go wrong, they know and understand I’m not trying to cheat them or do anything idiotic.
So basically what he gave me was a list of all medications I have received from the past year, with doctor’s names, RX numbers, quantities, DEA number, NABP number, and pretty much every other possible information they might need at this current time or earlier.
The point, he said, is even if you have to check the box that says you are on a controlled substance that will show up on test, I can still provide all correct information, including RX number if required, doctors name, date prescribed, etc.
And even if I don’t need to write this information down, it will still come in handy if he (the pharmacist) has to fax them information and they call me later to cross-reference anything, since I will have the information in front of me.
He said this would also be helpful for when I had to take pain medication that I was prescribed several months ago for abdominal surgery, but had to take recently due to pain from running related to the abdominal surgery. Even though it was last prescribed in January, I was of the right mind to save it if I needed it as the scar was healing. And this could be explained if I get a call from the officer (I forget what this person was referred to in an earlier post here).
Also, in relation to people asking why I am on so much medication and other stuff, I can tell you if you want.
This is a hospital job. I will be working on a certain ward (rather not say which) as a medical health professional so I wasn’t sure if the drug test would be more rigorous than other jobs when having to go through human resources.
I have been continuously coming down from medication. I suffer from chronic migraines, social anxiety disorder, depression, and spinal pain due to an abnormality in the 12th thoracic vertebrae and spina bifida oculta (which isn’t bad on its own, but is when combined with other spinal issues).
I have been on over 12 different antidepressant and antidepressant combinations in the past 4 years, which have all failed. I was also originally on a lot of benzos. Here is what I was prescribed at the worst time while at university, when I couldn’t leave my room because I would have a panic attack if I did.
-4 mg Ativan (2 mg twice daily) Acted as medium duration anxiety relief
-8 mg Clonazepam (2 mg 4 times daily) Acted as long duration anxiety relief
-6 mg Xanax (2 mg three times daily) Acted as short duration panic attack prevention because my heart rate would reach above 200 several times a day with chest pains for no reason other than anxiety after thorough analysis by cardiologist.
-10 mg Valium (5 mg twice a day) to prevent muscle contractions related to abdominal surgery
-0.50 mg Halcion (1 time at night) for problems sleeping after a sleep study found no abnormalities
I told my psychiatrist I wanted to try to get off of these medications as soon as possible because I wasn’t comfortable with the horrible side effects of basically not having a memory. We agreed to reach a goal of minimal medication and intensive cognitive-behavioral therapy.
After approximately a year or maybe 10-9 months of lowering doses of these benzos, I have currently finally gotten down to around…
-0.5mg of Clonazepam per day
-0.5mg Halcion per night
-2mg of Xanax per day (divided doses)
During this time, I was able to completely come off of ativan, valium, reduce 4mg of xanax, and 7.5mg of clonazepam which I must admit was very difficult and full of horrible symptoms. Of course, coming off of all of these benzos at once was incredibly difficult and a process I don’t wish anyone has to go through at any point of their lives.
I still have some ways to go. I want to completely come off of the halcion which should be fine because of its short duration of action. I will continue to come off of Xanax and hopefully get to the point of only needing 0.5mg as needed instead of every day. My neurologist and psychiatrist believe that it’s best if I stay at my clonazepam dosage for now, as a sort of safety net so I don’t experience any general anxiety.
I also told my neurologist and surgeon that I didn’t want to be on opiates/opioids any more. (Oxycodone or Vicodin). During my abdominal surgery recovery and in addition to my chronic migraines I was taking 60 oxycodone directly after the surgery for pain then eventually lowered to 60 vicodin per week, and this went on for months.
I also have this chronic cough ever since I had double pneumonia several years ago which makes me get prescribed either codeine/promethazine or hydrocodone cough syrup. Again I told them I didn’t want to be on this anymore and even though I occasionally cough so bad I end up throwing up, I feel it’s a better alternative to being on this many opiates.
My doctors were still concerned for me regarding my chronic migraines/ spine pain so I am currently prescribed Tramadol. This is an odd medication, in the sense that it is described by a lot of people as a “non-opioid, opioid, weak opioid agonist” and a SNRI like an antidepressant. I find this medication is the most effective medication I have been on because it doesn’t cause me to develop a “need” for it, it reduces my head/spine/abdominal pain, decreases my depression, and even decreases anxiety which is now thought to be related to my chronic pain (which none of the previous antidepressants could do). So it is essentially 1 medication that takes the job of like 6-7 other ones I would otherwise have to be on.
So far my therapist, neurologist, general doctor, and psychiatrist are happy with my progress in my decision of coming off my medication. I would say I am happy too.
I guess you could say this is another reason why I am anxious about this drug analysis. Because I know I have tried very hard to get off of these prescribed medications and have been successful and don’t want to end up being screwed over by something, which is why I am being so cautious about it.
I hope this answers any questions that you could have about me.
Also, any further information about the process I’m going through tomorrow will be helpful in reducing my anxiety if anyone else reads this thread.
I also bought a take-home drug test kit so I know beforehand not to be anxious. haha.
Thank you so much for your help and have a great day. I look forward to anyone else who can provide a response for me.
