PETH testing

Healer555 · Jan 16

Heatherlynn76 said:

Thank you, my PETH test was negative and all the UAs I have done have been negative, but I just done one Tuesday and haven't received results yet via recovery trek and that is unusual. Has me stressed. I started taking an oral liquid multivitamin for women, Mary Ruths Organic for hair growth and took an allegra, a plain allegra, not the one with decongestant. According to my board paperwork, I am allowed MVIs and my doctor knows about the allegra. I haven't had any alcohol and I do not do drugs at all. This stuff is so stressful and I have 3 more years, I could just cry again over the worry. I really am trying.

Sometimes it takes awhile for results. Read the vitamin ingredients. Monitoring is awful

Abgirl said:

Has anyone heard of them testing for nicotine? Random question because I pulled option 17 today and when I Googled 17 panel (I know they have their own panels) it had nicotine listed. There is no way they test for this too? Can't wait for this to end.

I smoke and never got any notice of a positive test. I don't think they care if we use nicotine. Their test options are probably different than what you Google.

NurseJackie69 · Jan 16

Abgirl said:

Has anyone heard of them testing for nicotine? Random question because I pulled option 17 today and when I Googled 17 panel (I know they have their own panels) it had nicotine listed. There is no way they test for this too? Can't wait for this to end.

You are allowed to smoke in monitoring, LOL. They do not care if you are nicotine positive.

Allegra is an antihistamine and antihistamines are not allowed without prescription. Benadryl is a first generation antihistamine along with Atarax. Allegra and Zyrtec are second generation antihistamines and many nurses get nailed with antihistamines. A prescription is required. Antihistamines are in lots of different elixirs and it's important to check every single ingredient in ANY elixir (including multivitamins) to be sure.

Healer555 · Jan 16

Abgirl said:

Has anyone heard of them testing for nicotine? Random question because I pulled option 17 today and when I Googled 17 panel (I know they have their own panels) it had nicotine listed. There is no way they test for this too? Can't wait for this to end.

I smoke and never got any notice of a positive test. I don't think they care if we use nicotine. Their test options are probably different than what you Google.

We can smoke cigarettes they don't care about our health

Abgirl · Jan 16

NurseJackie69 said:

You are allowed to smoke in monitoring, LOL. They do not care if you are nicotine positive.

Allegra is an antihistamine and antihistamines are not allowed without prescription. Benadryl is a first generation antihistamine along with Atarax. Allegra and Zyrtec are second generation antihistamines and many nurses get nailed with antihistamines. A prescription is required. Antihistamines are in lots of different elixirs and it's important to check every single ingredient in ANY elixir (including multivitamins) to be sure.

I'm 7 mos in. I haven't taken anything but excedrin and Tylenol. I just never had an option 17 and it was 70.00. I was just curious. Maybe it's antihistamines added to a basic panel. Who knows. Good to know about multivitamins.... 😵‍💫

Healer555 said:

Sometimes it takes awhile for results. Read the vitamin ingredients. Monitoring is awful

I smoke and never got any notice of a positive test. I don't think they care if we use nicotine. Their test options are probably different than what you Google.

Can't wait for this to end....

Healer555 · Jan 16

Abgirl said:

I'm 7 mos in. I haven't taken anything but excedrin and Tylenol. I just never had an option 17 and it was 70.00. I was just curious. Maybe it's antihistamines added to a basic panel. Who knows. Good to know about multivitamins.... 😵‍💫

Can't wait for this to end....

How much longer do you have? It is awful we don't know what they test for. I just always assume they test for everything. I'd be in trouble if they tested for nicotine

Abgirl · Jan 16

Healer555 said:

How much longer do you have? It is awful we don't know what they test for. I just always assume they test for everything. I'd be in trouble if they tested for nicotine

July 2026.. I vape here and there. They'd have literally no one left in these monitoring programs if so!

NurseJackie69 · Jan 16

Abgirl said:

July 2026.. I vape here and there. They'd have literally no one left in these monitoring programs if so!

Nicotine is not on any list of prohibited substances in any state. Smoking, chewing, dipping are all allowed. The most important items that get nurses in trouble who literally get into trouble by accident are Antihistamines and Dextromethorphan which is a form of amphetamine and found in many cough syrups. Thise are the big two. The overwhelming majority of cough syrups contain either an antihistamine OR Dextromethorphan, and many cough syrups contain both.

Abgirl · Jan 16

NurseJackie69 said:

Nicotine is not on any list of prohibited substances in any state. Smoking, chewing, dipping are all allowed. The most important items that get nurses in trouble who literally get into trouble by accident are Antihistamines and Dextromethorphan which is a form of amphetamine and found in many cough syrups. Thise are the big two. The overwhelming majority of cough syrups contain either an antihistamine OR Dextromethorphan, and many cough syrups contain both.

Thank you! In the back of my mind, I figured this but I'm so ( can't describe how I feel) I guess scared like my mind plays tricks on me. 2026 cannot come quick enough.... I Google way too much since starting this...

Heatherlynn76 · Jan 17

NurseJackie69 said:

You are allowed to smoke in monitoring, LOL. They do not care if you are nicotine positive.

Allegra is an antihistamine and antihistamines are not allowed without prescription. Benadryl is a first generation antihistamine along with Atarax. Allegra and Zyrtec are second generation antihistamines and many nurses get nailed with antihistamines. A prescription is required. Antihistamines are in lots of different elixirs and it's important to check every single ingredient in ANY elixir (including multivitamins) to be sure.

Hello!! I finally got my test results. They were held up because of bad weather. They were negative!! Yay!! I have an upcoming appointment with my primary and I will speak with him about allegra, I told him at the beginning, but just to be sure. My allergies are horrible and I am absolutely miserable without it. Thank you again so much!!

NurseJackie69 · Jan 17

Heatherlynn76 said:

Hello!! I finally got my test results. They were held up because of bad weather. They were negative!! Yay!! I have an upcoming appointment with my primary and I will speak with him about allegra, I told him at the beginning, but just to be sure. My allergies are horrible and I am absolutely miserable without it. Thank you again so much!!

Be absolutely sure you communicate with your monitoring manager on whether or not you need to have the Allegra Proof sent from your primary care doctor to your case manager directly or whether simply uploading or emailing a copy of the script yourself to your monitoring manager.

States and monitoring programs truly Vary in this situation. For anything controlled, it's pretty standard for the primary care provider to have to write a letter or send something directly in writing monthly to the BON or monitoring program and that's a pain the butt. For meds that are Not Controlled but forbidden to take without a prescription like Neurontin and Antihistamines, the monitoring programs Usually allows the nurse in monitoring to upload the script into Affinity/Recovery Trek and/or send it via email to your case manager. There is lots of variance here so KNOW/FIND OUT ahead of time, before the script is even written and be sure you know who sends a copy of that script to your case manager (you or the physician).

Huge mistake commonly made...... The nurse gets prescribed a Non Controlled, yet forbidden drug like Neurontin or Allegra and they forget to notify or tell their monitoring program. It doesn't just end with "having a script so I am covered." The ending point is being sure that script or proof of evidence that you have been prescribed gets into the hands of your monitoring program long before you test positive for the substance.

If your case manager tells you onnthe phone verbally that you can simply email the script or upload it, make a sticky note on your phone or whatever for the exact date and time you spoke and QUOTE his or her words in your note about what thebcase manager told you. This way, nobody can say that "you were supposed to have your Doctor send it in" when you have written down the exact date and time of call and the words your case manager said.

It has happened with Neurontin. Case manager told nurse to simply upload it into Affinity. Nurse tests positive 2 months later (as expected) and Med Review Officer said he received nothing from the Doctor who prescribed it. Case manager denied that he told the nurse that she could simply upload it. Nurse got in trouble and nearly got time extended and that battle lasted 2 months before being resolved.

Heatherlynn76 · Jan 18

NurseJackie69 said:

Be absolutely sure you communicate with your monitoring manager on whether or not you need to have the Allegra Proof sent from your primary care doctor to your case manager directly or whether simply uploading or emailing a copy of the script yourself to your monitoring manager.

States and monitoring programs truly Vary in this situation. For anything controlled, it's pretty standard for the primary care provider to have to write a letter or send something directly in writing monthly to the BON or monitoring program and that's a pain the butt. For meds that are Not Controlled but forbidden to take without a prescription like Neurontin and Antihistamines, the monitoring programs Usually allows the nurse in monitoring to upload the script into Affinity/Recovery Trek and/or send it via email to your case manager. There is lots of variance here so KNOW/FIND OUT ahead of time, before the script is even written and be sure you know who sends a copy of that script to your case manager (you or the physician).

Huge mistake commonly made...... The nurse gets prescribed a Non Controlled, yet forbidden drug like Neurontin or Allegra and they forget to notify or tell their monitoring program. It doesn't just end with "having a script so I am covered." The ending point is being sure that script or proof of evidence that you have been prescribed gets into the hands of your monitoring program long before you test positive for the substance.

If your case manager tells you onnthe phone verbally that you can simply email the script or upload it, make a sticky note on your phone or whatever for the exact date and time you spoke and QUOTE his or her words in your note about what thebcase manager told you. This way, nobody can say that "you were supposed to have your Doctor send it in" when you have written down the exact date and time of call and the words your case manager said.

It has happened with Neurontin. Case manager told nurse to simply upload it into Affinity. Nurse tests positive 2 months later (as expected) and Med Review Officer said he received nothing from the Doctor who prescribed it. Case manager denied that he told the nurse that she could simply upload it. Nurse got in trouble and nearly got time extended and that battle lasted 2 months before being resolved.

Hello, I have to see my primary every 3-6 months, and they upload my currently prescribed medications on the board website. It is in my contract I am allowed allergy medications as long as they don't have pseudoephedrine or diphenhydramine in them. The allegra I take has neither one, only has fexofenadrine in it. I don't take Allegra-D. But, I am going to talk with my provider anyway about it, just to be covered. We discussed it on my initial visit with him when contract began. I believe it is already on my approved list of medications. BUT, I am going to double check with him. I always communicate with the board via email as to have a paper trail. Thank you so much for all your assistance!!

NurseJackie69 · Jan 18

Heatherlynn76 said:

Hello, I have to see my primary every 3-6 months, and they upload my currently prescribed medications on the board website. It is in my contract I am allowed allergy medications as long as they don't have pseudoephedrine or diphenhydramine in them. The allegra I take has neither one, only has fexofenadrine in it. I don't take Allegra-D. But, I am going to talk with my provider anyway about it, just to be covered. We discussed it on my initial visit with him when contract began. I believe it is already on my approved list of medications. BUT, I am going to double check with him. I always communicate with the board via email as to have a paper trail. Thank you so much for all your assistance!!

You are a smart nurse my friend because you are a Proactive Nurse and not a Reactive Nurse. The difference in those 2 is often big enough for some nurses to not make it through completion and why some cruise easily through the program.

I have a pessimistic view of BONs and Monitoring Programs. That's not to say that there are not kind and decent people working on the BON or in monitoring programs because I know there are many of them. But there are also enough people that are corrupt or don't care that work for these organizations and they often spoil it for the whole bunch. I just simply don't trust them and approach my program (I only have a few months left) as if they are out to get me. I know.....that's paranoid and Deep Down, I know they haven't singled me out personally, but I still approach it that way on purpose because deep down, I'm still just another number and another addict in their eyes (or most of their eyes) so I stay vigilant and proactive and ASSUME at some point, they will F up. If and when they F up, I unfortunately have to prove their F up and am guilty until I prove they F'd up, so proactive and vigilance.

I hair test every 3 months and nail test every 6 months and have 4.5 years of ongoing negative tests in ADDITION to my routine monitoring selections that they order. If I'm BSd and they try to say I'm positive for alcohol (I don't drink).... right off the bat, I have 4.5 years of negative nail and hair tests in addition to all of their tests, and I would immediately go out and get my own Peth, Hair, and Nail test for alcohol the very same day they tell me I'm positive for alcohol and those results go straight to my lawyer like the past 4.5 years of tests and I guarantee you I would win.

The above is expensive and I understand everyone doesn't have that opportunity, but I simply don't trust them. My lawyer, who is a nurse and works with BON issues told me to do this years ago when I first started and I think she was right. It's peace of mind. 3 months hair test and 6 months nail test is what she said and what I've done and the results go straight to her office so that takes the ole "chain of custody" or "validity" argument off of the table if shi* ever hits the fan.