Drug Screen Mishap

Nurses General Nursing

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Specializes in Acute care med-Surg GI/metabolic.

Okay, I need help! I have been on long term pain, anti-anxiety medications as well as depression medications, all with valid scripts. NOW.. I was tested at work, which was sent for further testing by a certified lab. The MRO called today and stated that the Clonazepam I take daily did not show up but nordiazepam, temazepam did show up which is considered Valium. The MRO states they are going to flag this as a positive screen, which will go to the Board of Nursing correct? I did some digging and I read that Aleve and Zoloft can give false positives.... I take Zoloft daily and Aleve on occasion! I am at a loss for words right now... This is my life, my career and I do not know what to do from this point! Advice needed

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lawyer up, immediately!

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Specializes in LTC, Memory loss, PDN.

my first call would have been to my doctor

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

call your .

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Specializes in Acute care med-Surg GI/metabolic.

I have called my MD, he said the what I already know, they are in the same family, it is the clonazepam they are seeing not Valium.

Does the MRO office report directly to the Board of Nursing? Or will my employer do this? Or do I need to do this?

As far as a Lawyer which type? There are so many and as I said I have NO experience in this AT ALL!

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I had a similar experience before going into nursing school. I take Valium, but they said the metabolites of clonazepam showed up. Nothing was ever said about it later though.

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Specializes in Adult Internal Medicine.

Did they reflex a GC/MS test?

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Specializes in Acute care med-Surg GI/metabolic.

I am not sure what GC/MS testing is. It was sent to University Services lab... The MRO took 11 business days to call me back claiming they had the wrong phone number. I have a copy of the slip that went with my urine, phone number is correct. My employer said they sent it back as a positive for Benzos. However my employer will not accept that because I have a script for clonazepam. I am so backwards and sideways right now, I feel as though I could vomit.

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Specializes in Adult Internal Medicine.

Most companies screen everyone with an immunoassay (EMIT) and follow with a gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC/MS) if needed. The GC/MS test is much more specific.

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Specializes in Acute care med-Surg GI/metabolic.

So why is nordiazepam, temazepam showing and not the Clonazepam, Zoloft, Wellbutrin etc, I know there are cut off levels and such. After spending the day researching this I am astonished by the number of people who have obtained a false read, being on a benzo, yet having a positive for Valium. I am on day 18 of waiting and I will just have to accept what comes next. I appreciate everyone's input!

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Specializes in Adult Internal Medicine.
So why is nordiazepam temazepam showing and not the Clonazepam, Zoloft, Wellbutrin etc, I know there are cut off levels and such. After spending the day researching this I am astonished by the number of people who have obtained a false read, being on a benzo, yet having a positive for Valium. I am on day 18 of waiting and I will just have to accept what comes next. I appreciate everyone's input![/quote']

I am not an expert; my knowledge is limited to a functional knowledge to manage my high risk patients.

If you have a report about metabolites we are taking about GC/MS results. True false positives are very rate; true false negatives are actually more common. The presence of metabolites is a specific and sensitive test for exposure to the drug. While clonazepam and diazepam are in the same drug class they do not have overlapping metabolites. If you were positive for both metabolites of diazepam that's tough to fight.

Did you check your clonazepam and make sure the pharmacy didn't mess up?

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