Entering IPN questions- thc, alcohol, adderall

caliotter3 · Apr 25, 2015

Realize that this is a public site. Anyone can read it. You may want to reconsider your screen name before divulging personal information here before starting your program.

Beth,rn · Apr 25, 2015

It's not my name... But thank you!

allnurses Guide · May 21, 2015

To answer your question the program will be as hard or as easy as YOU make it. Evey state is a little bit different but all have certain things in common. One you will be expected to have some form of formal treatment. Some states require in-patient others may let you do out-patient, some will make you do both. This you will have to pay for. If you can't afford it or your insurance won't cover you will have to find a bed in a pro-bono such as Salvation Army. You may be required to go into Sober living. There will be no negotiating on this.

You will be given a 2 to 5 year contract which will be total abstinance from any recreational (illegal) drugs and many prescriptions commonly used for anxiety or insomnia. Also OTC like Benedryl. There will be no consumption of alcohol allowed. You will be given a list of foods, condiments and household chemicals to avoid. Make that list your Bible.

You will be required to attend 90 12-step meetings in 90 days! And most likely 5 meetings a week until you are allowed to work again which if you humbly follow direction will most likely be in 18 to 24 months. You will go before you evaluation comittee 2 to 4 times a year. When you go they will expectt humble acceptance of your problem and proof that you are working the program.

You will be required to call in for random testing every day if you fail to call in you will be penalized. If you have a positive test (and there will be false positives) you will have to accept suspicion with grace and humility.

It is a terribly hard road but many here will tell you that it can be done. I am sober today and a better stronger nurse than I ever thought I would be.

Peace and namaste

Hppy

Beth,rn · May 21, 2015

To answer your question the program will be as hard or as easy as YOU make it. Evey state is a little bit different but all have certain things in common. One you will be expected to have some form of formal treatment. Some states require in-patient others may let you do out-patient, some will make you do both. This you will have to pay for. If you can't afford it or your insurance won't cover you will have to find a bed in a pro-bono such as Salvation Army. You may be required to go into Sober living. There will be no negotiating on this.
You will be given a 2 to 5 year contract which will be total abstinance from any recreational (illegal) drugs and many prescriptions commonly used for anxiety or insomnia. Also OTC like Benedryl. There will be no consumption of alcohol allowed. You will be given a list of foods, condiments and household chemicals to avoid. Make that list your Bible.
You will be required to attend 90 12-step meetings in 90 days! And most likely 5 meetings a week until you are allowed to work again which if you humbly follow direction will most likely be in 18 to 24 months. You will go before you evaluation comittee 2 to 4 times a year. When you go they will expectt humble acceptance of your problem and proof that you are working the program.
You will be required to call in for random testing every day if you fail to call in you will be penalized. If you have a positive test (and there will be false positives) you will have to accept suspicion with grace and humility.
It is a terribly hard road but many here will tell you that it can be done. I am sober today and a better stronger nurse than I ever thought I would be.
Peace and namaste
Hppy

Thank you so much for the info!!! Very helpful! Makes it easier when you can prepare for what's to come!! Thank you!

1sttime · May 29, 2015

Just to follow up, my program has not been that hard.

-I went to IOP, I was not required to do 90 meetings in 90 days

-I do 3 meetings a week

-I log in every day for testing- I take a screen shot of the notification to ensure I have proof, and so that I can ease my anxiety at night that I might have forgotten to check in

-When I first started testing I was called in one time per week, now at 3 years and 9 months of my 4 year contract I have not been called in for 2 months

-The Etg level varies from state to state, I have had real vanilla and stew cooked with wine- no problems. Your state might have a zero tolerance policy

-I have taken xanax for years (without going up in dosing)- I am still allowed to take that as well as benadryl, pseudoephedrine, and some other OTC medications

Everything depends on your particular program. It is a hard road but as Hppy states it is mostly up to you- though in my case I did not know what a problem I was for myself, so I have had some hard times with it... that said I am happier and stronger for this (which is amazing!)