drug test

ONCRN84 · Sep 10, 2009

They don't care about your ibuprofen. =) If you're really worried about it you could write ibuprofen PRN.

You're fine. I did one today and they didn't have me write any meds down. I'm not taking anything that they're looking for anyway.

mindlor · Sep 10, 2009

Yeah...they are loooking for illicit drug use....no worries here.....

SpaceCoastRN · Sep 10, 2009

Only controlled substances. And don't worry about having a poppy seed bagel either.

dede1956 · Sep 10, 2009

If this is your first drug test then write down all meds that you routinely take, all prn's, and if for some reason had a narc within 1 month. If this is a repeat drug test then you are fine. Poppy seed bagels as a rule aren't a problem, however, I did work with a couple of people that liked them and one of them uses poppyseeds on 98% of their food and that one popped positive. They needed to have further testing done at their insistance!

country mom · Sep 10, 2009

Generally, most drug tests are a 5-panel: cannabinoids, amphetamine, cocaine, PCP and opiates. They are looking for narcotics, not legal otc meds. Some non-federal employers will test for additional narcotic substances. Usually drug tests use urine samples, although there are hair tests on the market. Most urine drug tests will only pick up drug use with the past 24- 72 hours. Cannabinoid is the exception, as it is fat-soluble and habitual users will have it stored in their fat cells and come up positive as many as 30 days later. If the drug screen collection site is following federal protocol, they will not ask for a list of your medications, a Medical Review Officer will review any positives and contact the donor to ask about medication if any substance is detected in the sample or there is evidence of adulterants or tampering.

P.S. eating poppy seeds is not considered an acceptable reason for an opiate positive and an MRO will rule it positive.

southernbeegirl, BSN, RN · Sep 10, 2009

Only controlled substances. And don't worry about having a poppy seed bagel either.

i have to tell you that a poppy seed anything CAN cause your screen to test positive for pot.

when i was in rehab, one of the male patients had a weekend leave. when he came back, his drug screen was positive for pot. he swore to everyone he hadnt smoked anything. he was one that was doing very good in treatment so they did an experiment on him.

they waited until his screen was negative. then they gave him something with poppy seeds (i think it was a bagel but cant remember). a few hours after each bagel they would do a drug screen. it only took 2 bagels to make him test positive!

i was monitored by our state PEER for 3 years. they absolutely forbid us from having anything with poppyseeds for that very reason.

when i graduated from the program i went and ate THREE beef n cheddar sandwiches at Arbys, lol.

cspink · Sep 10, 2009

thank you all for your replies! I will now relax...lol

country mom · Sep 11, 2009

i have to tell you that a poppy seed anything CAN cause your screen to test positive for pot.

Actually, it's trace amounts of opiates that poppy seeds are associated with, not cannabinoid (aka THC, "pot").

The cutoff for opiate metabolite is set so that if you ate a normal amount of poppy seeds, it would not be ruled positive. That is why the poppy seed excuse doesn't wash. Very often, donors will be asked to refrain from poppy seeds, just so that the administrators of the test do not have to deal with the "poppy seed" excuse.