Covid

Ask your case worker. It's the safest answer. 

Yep, you obviously ask your case manager as the first step. Keep in mind, Covid is a virus. Will an opiate or amphetamine or alcohol make it go away any quicker? No. The only thing you can take to shorten the symptoms is an antiviral (Paxlovid) which is not tested for) and is not on any drug test in the history of nurse monitoring.

Yes, a physician or NP could prescribe a cough syrup with dextromethorphin and Benadryl in it. One is an amphetamine (off limits) and the other an off limits antihistamine that could help symptoms-some (which will go away in 3 to 4 days anyway). I hope you feel better and have a speedy recovery and if you are absolutely miserable, then call the case manager and ask if the cough syrup with those 2 ingredients are OK. The case manager will likely say yes, but there will be some things required of you and rhe following below happened to me.

1. Expect the case manager to Possibly request a letter from your provider stating why you need it and for how long and a copy of the script. Expect increased testing for the next month or 2 and a hair test and if the hair test turns up positive in 2 or 2.75 months, be prepared to do battle with the Med Review Officer and the Case Manager (who will have completely forgot about your situationn by then). You will have to explain and re-educate them in the from when you last took the medication and how long you could possibly test positive in a hair test for and that will require another letter from your provider. How do I know this? It happened to me while I was in monitoring. I wished I had never taken the cough syrup (even though I got permission). The stress that followed from the required letters from the physician to my letters to my calls and emails actually Was More stressful than the Covid symptoms itself (which went away in 72 hours). In hindsight, I wish I had taken Motrin only and the antiviral (Paxlovid) and not went down the cough syrup road. I would have taken the Paxvolid and Motrin and not have had to say a word to my case manager. 

From that time of my Covid event and the shi$show that followed, of which I did nothing wrong, I never said a word to my case manager again for my remaining 4 years in the program when I got sick. I avoided cough syrup with Dextromethorphin and Benadryl and just went straight to Antibiotics and didn't say a word and it was A LOT less stressful.

If you are miserable and absolutely need the controlled cough syrup, then GET permission first from your case manager, but I want to prepare you that there is a reasonable chance your monitoring might get a little more stressful for the next 1 to 2.5 months. Some people get permission, take the substance as allowed, and all is well and no hiccups or further questions are asked with their case managers. For me, it didn't work out that way.

I had Covid and influenza a while in monitoring.  I just suffered.  I didn't want to call the case manager.  I couldn't stand her. In my state if a Dr says to take a banned substance you need permission to take it and then you can't work until you test negative followed by extra tests.  Not worth it for me.

Healer555 said:

I had Covid and influenza a while in monitoring.  I just suffered.  I didn't want to call the case manager.  I couldn't stand her. In my state if a Dr says to take a banned substance you need permission to take it and then you can't work until you test negative followed by extra tests.  Not worth it for me.

Yep. I learned the hard way.....ONCE....Thats all it took. I never contacted them again when I was sick.