Drug testing...

SpankedInPittsburgh, DNP, RN · Dec 25, 2017

I check in everyday. Probably several times a day & we don't have to check in on the weekend. Who knows when and for what you are gonna get tested, It doesn't matter. Focus on your side of the street. Stay clean. Be careful of what you put on or in you body as I think false positives are a very real threat & check in all the time so they can't say you screwed up in anyway. I loathe this program and the lives we are subject to under it but the only way out of this existence is to do what they say to the last detail and let time take care of the rest. God Bless and Merry Christmas

catsmeow1972, BSN, RN · Dec 25, 2017

After as long as I've been doing this crap (just over the 3 year mark) mine has been M-F. I set an alarm to scrape an eye open at 4am, hit the website and it's either a yea or nay. When I was working, I'd get up then anyway because I'd just do my get ready for work stuff and have some quiet time with coffee etc. Now since I don't work, I just cuss and roll over and go back to sleep till the lab opens. I go first thing so I don't play the dilute game plus I workout a lot and need to stay hydrated cuz the gym frowns on passing out on the elliptical for some reason.

Even so, I am still paranoid (this garbage will trigger the paranoia tendency in anyone) enough that I periodically check the dumb thing through out the day, juuuussstttt to make sure.

I'd be screaming about 7 day a week testing because my state's program supposedly contracts with LabCorp and they are generally only open M-F, but don't charge any fee beyond what Affinty scams you for. You can find these other little mom and pop places but they charge an extra fee and I refuse on principle to go elsewhere because I'm not giving this racket a cent more than I absolutely have to.

Sigh....on the 607th day my sanity gave to me, one less day of this ******..... and a partridge and a pear tree......

Recovering_RN · Dec 25, 2017

I think it took about 3 weeks for me to get tested at the beginning. I am also paranoid that I'll forget to check so I set a recurring reminder on my phone that I have to check off on my calendar every day after I check. After I check it off it remains on my calendar as a grayed out item with a line through it to show that yes, I did check it off today. And since that isn't enough to convince me when I'm being paranoid that I've forgotten to check in, I also take a screen shot of the screen that says the current date and the message "no have not been selected..." so I can go back to my photos throughout the day to remind myself that yes, I checked in! I have to check 7 days a week. I used to be envious of those who had weekends off but now I think it would make it harder to remember if I'd checked or not, if I, doing 5 days in and 2 days off.

Good luck and don't worry, they will definitely get to you eventually!

Cathy E · Dec 26, 2017

I am in Pennsylvania. Initially, my program used LABCORP and then switched to RecoveryTrex. 4 years now and close to the end. It becomes 4 years as a result of the many many many signatures on your contract (here in PA anyway). We always did M-F. I have had two dilutes because I, too, work out and drink too much water. I have had a "shy bladder" and had to wait in the office for hours until I could urinate; BE CAREFUL -- I had a positive last year and had to pay extra to get the split read -- it was sugar -- I ate ice cream the day before. It was god-awful. I just rec'd a letter in the mail saying I was positive with no explanation (on a Saturday of course when no one is available). I was freaking out thinking someone tainted my urine (paranoid as hell with this program) and it took about 4-5 days to find out my split verified I was negative. I have aged a thousand years. I remain clean and sober and it will be 5 years in May. I waited a year to notify the Board -- I wanted my DUI court nonsense completed first. Stay the course my fellow travellers. Stay on your beam!!

catsmeow1972, BSN, RN · Dec 26, 2017

Here in the sunny state of Florida where the stupid rolls downhill and the corruption is legendary, it seems all contracts are 5 years regardless of what got you there. Recently they seem to be issuing some 2 year ones but those seem to be sttrrreeeecccchhhinngg for a reason to suck the $$$$ from someone. Anyhow, once the rehab machine gets thier claws into you and can invent fake diagnoses while ignoring the real (but not financially lucrative) diagnoses and figure out that you've got significant spare change laying around, by the time the rehab (y'know, the one conveniently "recommended" by the peer program) gets around to signing off on the contract, the whole nightmare goes on for close to 6 years. I think I could run a felony car theft ring and do less time.

SpankedInPittsburgh, DNP, RN · Dec 26, 2017

Oh God. ICE CREME IS MY LAST VICE!!!! I hate these suckers

JxoRN · Dec 26, 2017

I can't have ice cream?! Jesus

ChryssyD · Jan 5, 2018

No worries, you can still have ice cream. :) You can't have anything cooked with wine or liquor, though, and you can't have a casual beer or glass of wine with dinner. And you definitely can't have any narcotics or weed. Bummer.

My program didn't require checking in on the weekends, which is good, since I live in a relatively small town. The local drug-testing place would have accommodated a weekend test, but I'm sure not every business would be willing to do that. If I had to drive to a big city testing center on a weekend, especially if I had to work that weekend, I would have been really hot. I really don't understand programs that require checking in and testing on a weekend--that seems totally unrealistic.

You could call your case manager and ask if checking in on the weekends is required. Always go to your case manager with any questions you have. Best of luck to you, and hang in there. These programs are hard and merciless, but they are only trying to help, hard as that is to see. You can do it--I believe in you!