Help! Pre-Employment Drug Testing

SweetieRN · Mar 27, 2007

According to my hubby who has administered 1000's of UDS in his career, they didn't ask you for OTC meds because OTC meds do not show up in your drug screen. They are looking for illegal things.

Well that's where the real problem lies. I have heard that taking Sudafed can produce a positive result for amphetamines - but the question is how much? I have been taking 60mg (recommended dose) at least once a day for about a week now. I'm hoping that it doesn't show up. I've never taken an illegal drug in my life!

Gromit · Mar 28, 2007

Sweetie, trust me in that I know what I'm talking about. The results are ALWAYS weighted to remove the chances of a false-positive. If you were taking those things as you described, you won't bust a test. After all, as I said before, one of my (previous) responsibilities was to administer this test -I saw ALL results since my name was on the paperwork as well (part of my job was screening employees -and with this company, it was nothing to have several hundred tests every month -we frequently did random tests (I ALWAYS included myself in the testing so nobody could claim they were being 'picked' on if their name came up a couple of times -I was teste more times than anyone) and all new-hires were tested. The only way you 'busted' a test was if you were partaking of the illegal activity -there are OTCs that can show traces, but the levels are way too low to trigger a 'bust'.

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Ok, perhaps THIS will put you at ease: They weigh the results because they want to make REALLY sure that if you test 'positive' that it would be a valid result -because litigation is very very costly, they don't need that, they don't need the bad press, etc etc. These things have not changed since I was doing that kind of work. Unless you are REALLY doing the drugs, you are not going to test positive -no matter how many hamburgers with poppy-seeds, no matter how many days in a row you take sudafed (providing you aren't doing something stupid like taking bottles at a time -grin -in which case let your cardiologist know why you're heart rate is so fast, and why you fail to respond to therapy- ) if you're doing thigns the 'right' way, as prescribed on the labels etc etc, you have absolutely nothing to worry about -where the drug test is concerned. People who DO partake of those activities (illegal) test at a rather HIGH level -I've seen those too -and more often than not, its pretty obvious.

RELAX. If the only thing holding you up are the drug-screen results, then you have the job, so pop open the top on a long-neck and kick back. :):beer:

caroladybelle, BSN, RN · Mar 28, 2007

According to my hubby who has administered 1000's of UDS in his career, they didn't ask you for OTC meds because OTC meds do not show up in your drug screen. They are looking for illegal things.
If you happen to pop positive for something on the list, they'll call and ask you to produce a script ASAP or else they will report you to your employer (or potential) in your case.

I have taken a drug screen for every job that I have ever had. Some ask for a list of meds beforehand and some do not. Those that do not, have someone call you if you test positive and ask for proof of a script.

I take several meds that indicate a rather serious chronic illness, that could affect attendance. No one has ever withdrawn a job offer after the screen.

As an aside, I had been seriously ill prior to my last screen. I had been admitted to a different hospital and received a few doses of IV/PO Dilaudid 1-3 mg and some phenergan. I notified my travel recruiter upfront and made sure that I had proof of script. She said the testing facility would call me for proof, if positive. I took the test less than 18 hours after the last dose and they did not take down any list of meds or take any info on meds that I had been taking.

I showed up negative. Which kind of blows my mind. I have to wonder how much the positive screen people were taking.

As a note, my agency will get a bit fussy if you consistantly produce dilute specimens. I have seen a few travelers that didn't live pristine lives. After about the fourth screen in a row that showed up "dilute", and several warnings, they suddenly had trouble finding assignments.

Gromit · Mar 28, 2007

When I was involved in that job, we weighted it by a decent enough factor that if you tested positive, you had been "using" very recently. Some things were a little less weighted than others, but it would have been nearly impossible to bust the test by legal means.

SweetieRN · Mar 28, 2007

RELAX. If the only thing holding you up are the drug-screen results, then you have the job, so pop open the top on a long-neck and kick back. :):beer:

Ha Ha, maybe not - in case I have to pee for them again! Actually, when I got home from my drug test I did a "Google search" about OTC drugs and UDS and wound up on a truck driver's blog where they where talking about Sudafed - so I got myself all freaked out and of course we know that there are many crazy truck drivers on drugs (I'm kidding of course, sorry if any of you are former truck drivers!) Peace.

Kiren · Mar 28, 2007

one thing to keep in mind is that you have the right to refuse a urinalysis and ask for a blood test. eating poppy seeds or certain medications can give you a false positive on a urine test but not on the blood test. companies don't tell you this because it is more expensive to have a blood test, but legally you have the right to request one.

Gromit · Mar 28, 2007

hehe. I'm a former long-haul driver. Still, the only thing they would have gotten out of me in a urine test is probably coffee -STRONG coffee at that! I drank so much of it I probably urinated filtered coffee...

The poppy seed thing again -I was wondering when that would pop up. In the literally THOUSANDS of tests I did, I NEVER had a false-positive based on poppy seeds.

Can they show up? Sure, but in such minute quantities that they would never cause a 'positive'. Again - weighted results. Now, if you ate nothing BUT poppy seeds, in an effort to cause the test to bust, I guess you MIGHT could do it.

SweetieRN · Mar 28, 2007

i passed!

Gromit · Mar 28, 2007

See? Nothin' to worry 'bout!

Congrats!

caliotter3 · Mar 28, 2007

Well one more case of employment generated anxiety squelched! Congratulations!

justme1972 · Mar 28, 2007

one thing to keep in mind is that you have the right to refuse a urinalysis and ask for a blood test. eating poppy seeds or certain medications can give you a false positive on a urine test but not on the blood test. companies don't tell you this because it is more expensive to have a blood test, but legally you have the right to request one.

i don't think i would personally, be that brave...that is what the drug list is for.

you may have the right to refuse a urine test, but they also have the legal right to say "if this potential employee is doing this over a drug test, how much trouble will they be if we offer them a job" and never call you back with your start date.

i think gromit is giving excellent advice

Tankweti · Sep 2, 2011

I feel like I am tangled up in a net. I did a drug screen yesterday. I take Claritin-D 24 hour OTC for terrible allergies. I had taken one at 10a.m. on Wed morning. On Thursday I woke up unable to breathe and began to have terrible sneezing fits. So, I took another one at 4a.m., which is closer together that what I should be taking them. (I have been to allergists and nothing, not even shots, has helped me, probably because I live in a home with mold problems and from which I cannot afford to move). In any event, when I went for the test, I asked the phlebotomist about it and she said they dont test for that. Unfortunately, it turns out that there may be cross reactivity between the pseudoephedrine in Claritin D and methamphetamines. I called the main office of the testing company and they said that by NY law they are not allowed to alter the form that you hand in with your info for the screen, they are not allowed to write anything on it such as drugs you currently take. During the interview, the interviewer never mentioned any of this. I have never failed a drug screen in my life. I do not even smoke cigarettes or drink alcohol, let alone do illicit drugs. The testing co. told me to call the interviewer and let him know. I did this and left him a voice mail. I am terrified that this job is now out the window.