JKL65423

I agree. I had an attorney in the beginning and they didn't do anything for me I couldn't have done on my own. They have zero power. The board does whatever they want to do and an Attorney can't change any of that. I wish I had never gotten one. I dropped mine pretty quickly. Waste of money.

I finished with monitoring 2 weeks ago but was here to respond to someone. I am so jealous you were allowed vacations! I'm in Ohio and we didn't have that. I had to check in everyday for 4 years, didn't matter what I was doing and we are not allowed to leave the country, take a cruise, etc. You could take vacations within the states but had to tell them where you were going and get locations while you were there to test if you had to, I really didn't go to many places because it just caused me so much anxiety. I had to worry about whether I had to test on the day of my daughter's wedding (I didn't) ugh. It's nice that some states allow people to take vacations (OK "nice" is a stretch but you know what I mean LOL)

Congratulations! I finished about 2 weeks ago so I know the feeling, mine was 4 long years. We did it!

Ohio doesn't. It's the same length for everyone.

I had my exit meeting and got the official letter about 5 days letter. The day I got the letter emailed was the last day I had to check it. They just shut off your account so I couldn't log in anymore.

Hi there, My very first test was a blood test and I never had another one in the whole 4 years. I never had a hair test. Besides that first blood test it was always urine. There is always at least 1 test every calendar month, some months there was 2 and on a rare occasion 3 (literally probably twice that happened). But sometimes I would test at the beginning of one month and then well into the second month, so sometimes I would go 5-6 weeks without having to test. Your employer will be fully aware you are in the program because they have to send a form every single month (excessive in my mind, I think quarterly would be just fine, especially a year or two in. Let me know if you have other questions. I'm happy to demystify it for you.

I have longed to make this post. Coming here to read threads every now and again helped me not feel alone during this process. As of today I am DONE with 4 years of monitoring in Ohio and it feels so so good. For those of you just starting or are half way thru or whatever, just keep pushing on. This is not forever and it will NEVER define you. Not ever. I'm wondering how long it takes to not panic when I think I've forgotten to check in when I don't have to anymore or what it's like to plan a trip and not have to worry about making sure I'm not too far from a testing center. I am thinking of all of you and sending all the positive mojo, you got this.

I appreciate people for posting. I have come here many times just to read and feel supported by proxy. I had something traumatic happen to me and I didn't handle it well and here I am. I'm 2 1/2 years into a 4 year program and it's completely dehumanizing but it is what it is. Checking in daily, testing, not being able to travel outside of the country, not wanting to travel anywhere really because it's not worth the stress of having to test away from home. I was a nervous wreck the day of my daughters out of state wedding because I was so scared I would have to test (I didn't thank God). It's all so intrusive and ridiculously too long. I hate having to tell every Tom Dick and Harry I meet when I see a doctor that I'm in this program, here will you sign this saying I told you I have a "substance use disorder.” My husband can't believe what I have to do, he said it's worse than being on probation (it is). I just keep telling myself this isn't forever and when it's over I'm going to take a cruise LOL. The worst of it is behind me, I have a job I love (I'm an NP) but it definitely has been a lonely road with few people to talk to about it. So anyways, not sure where I'm going with this except to say that I appreciate people who post, it's bound to help someone. 2 1/2 years down, 1 1/2 to go and maybe I'll ask for early release, someone here did that in my state and it was granted. I don't let it define me anymore and I know I'm not a bad person. But I sure could go on and on about how completely punitive these programs are. They are way too long and that they don't take each incipient case by case but instead lump everyone into the same one size fits all mentality. I wish everyone luck and if I can answer any questions for any newbies I sure would be happy to.