Ash2213

Kel, So happy for you! It feels so good doesn’t it! To a job well done, cheers!

I guess it is fermented so has tiny amounts of alcohol in it. I am sure it depends on the quantity and brand. I did try to avoid it though if I thought I may be tested..!

Weekends are not restricted in TPAPN, that I know of. I was in it for 3 years and never had a problem. The first 6 months they say no narcs or call, and you can never be a supervisor, but for the most part, nights and weekends are fine.

Zyrtec, claritin, Xysol are all fine with tpapn. Benadryl is a different story and they "could" test you for it. Stay away from all the "D" meds, with dextromethorphan. They test for that too.

Kel, I am pretty sure you know how my release went. I was on my 4th case manager of my program and I am pretty sure she was not very computer savvy. She was very nice though. I emailed her on my day of completion asking if it was indeed completing that day, and she responded yes, that would be my last day in the program, and a big congratulations. I still logged in for 2 days after because of my paranoia. The last month was the longest ever and I fumed each morning at log in thinking if I was going be picked again to test. 18 tests that final year for me. Good luck, hang in there, you are so close and freedom is amazing!

I don't really know for sure if it would really affect a drug screen. But, I know that when I was in monitoring, I would have been way to scared to risk it. I went through monitoring super paranoid though, so I may have been over the top.

Yes, the nurse who worked at Kindred had a public board order. Hang in there!

I second UHS. I worked for one in the beginning of my monitoring but did not have public stips, but I worked with other nurses that did.. It can be tough but it is worth it get through what you have to and have a job. I also know a new grad that worked at a Kindred hospitals with stips. So it can be done, even as a new grad. Good luck!

They will probably hit you with 3 in a row pretty quickly. That seemed to be the pattern for me the last year. I did have 18 in my final year and was not tested again after that. But, as some on here said they got out early, I did not. I had to contact my CM on my completion date to verify it was my last day. I never received a completion letter through email as others did. Also, I had to log in for 2 extra days after my completion date while waiting on her to deactivate my account. Needless to say, the last week of my monitoring was stressful. I would have gone crazy if I had been selected after my completion date!

Well, in a very anticlimactic finish, I have completed my 3 years in TPAPN. It is funny how I have dedicated 3 years of my life to checking in and being paranoid, for it just to come to an end like that. It doesn't feel real. Tomorrow I don't have to check in. I bet I still wake up at 4am on the nose and think about it though. I believe I will carry the paranoia with me for a little bit while I adjust to being a normal citizen. Honestly, 3 years ago was the lowest point in my life. Drunk, fired, ashamed, marriage on the rocks, passively suicidal, nothing to be proud of. It is amazing that we have chances to turn our lives around and come back from what was complete hell. As much as I despised TPAPN, it played a major role in saving my life. Is the program fair? Nope. But, when compared to the alternative for me, it was the best there was. Because my paranoia is so raw, I won't share a lot about how my whole stint in TPAPN went here, but if you are new, scared, confused, or have questions please feel free to PM me and I can give you all the support you need. I am not sure if being an advocate is up my ally or not. I have a lot of bad tastes in my mouth from TPAPN. There needs to be real change and I hope it happens. I want to say thank you to everyone here on these boards who offered advice and encouragement along the way. This site helped so much and I am so grateful it was here for me. If you're new, keep your head up, keep pushing forward. There is an end.

You will make it through this. Best case scenario for you is EEP. If you are not an addict or alcoholic, then TPAPN is not really appropriate for you anyway. Definitely ask about EEP. Your employer has a duty to report under the state law, and it is nice of them to tell you they did TPAPN instead of the board. I do not believe you have to tell your future employer about EEP, but will be subjected to random UDS and checking in. You will be required to obtain an evaluation by a substance abuse counselor who will diagnose you, and tell TPAPN their recommendations. If your not an addict, say so. A lot of people use MJ recreationally are not addicts. Nurses are just held to a higher standard. Anyway, I wish you them best. I should be done with my 3 year stint any minute now and am so grateful to have had the 2nd chance.

Congrats!

Perse, I don't mean to hijack the thread but I am fearful I will have a positive from my last UDS. It is seriously probably my last UDS of monitoring too. I ate Korean food the night before and although has crossed my mind to watch the soy sauce in the past, I did not even think about it that night. I also had kimchi which I read is a possible source for ETOH since it is fermented. I did not consume a ton of it, but there was a scoop in the bowl I ordered. I may just be paranoid. Anyway, my question to you is how did you get your results of the Peth you ordered on your own to your monitoring peeps? Did they accept them as truth?

In TX, we check in everyday of the week, holidays and all. I have never been selected to test on a holiday. I have only been selected to test one time on a weekend (Saturday), and that was about 9 months into the program. That was back when we used Recovery Trek, prior to Affinity taking over. Definitely be prepared to test on Monday or any day following a major holiday.

We ate about 6:30pm and I tested at 10am the next morning. So, about 14-15 hours. In my head I am thinking there is no way I consumed enough to test positive, but I am so irrationally fearful. Someone posted that we are in purgatory and it is so true. I have minded my p's and q's for almost 3 years and really want to be done with this so that I can move on with my life. I am sure I could get a receipt from the place. It is unfortunate that it is a holiday week, as I am sure the results would have been posted by tomorrow if it wasn't. They will probably be posted next week which would be cutting it close to 2 weeks if I need to go obtain a Peth to clear my name. That is me assuming a Peth would clear any incidental exposures. I wonder if it would?? I have been sober over 3 years.

I am due to complete monitoring within the next few weeks. I believe I had my last UDS last week unless they throw something crazy at me. I am seriously freaking out being this close to finishing without a scratch on my record. You know what I have been obsessing over for the last few days? I ate Korean food the night before my UDS, had kimchi in my meal, and lots of soy sauce. I didn't even think about possibly testing the next day when consuming my amazing meal. Now I have read that not only the soy sauce is a risk for false positive (which I have heard about in the past), but so is the Kimchi, since it is fermented. Part of me wants to just go get a random Peth test in case it is positive! My last UDS being positive, could you imagine that? Anyway, with the holiday this week, I am sure my option 4 will not result until next week. Anyway, I am just rambling. I just cannot calm down about finishing. I keep turning it over to God and then taking it back and obsessing. I have other things hinging on me completing on time and I just don't want to lose the opportunities.

Hang in there Red. I am sorry you are going through this. Unfortunately, there are people out there that love to kick people when they are down and love to be in a position of power. I have seen a lot of those folks since working in the behavioral health field the last few years. Keep your head up. This really is just a bump and is not that shocking, if your CM knows anything about recovery she should know that. Stay the course. It will be hard but it is doable and will be worth it in the end. I understand the dark thoughts too, I want you to always know you can come here or PM me to talk. I am not in your state but went through my own hell and back a few time. Hugs.

I am wondering what has happened with this? What did they do to you for a positive for Benadryl?

This is SO wrong. A test within the week and a hair test 2 weeks ago. They trying to mess with your head for sure. DO NOT LET THEM. Finish STRONG. They are just showing their true colors and what it's all about, the money. Congrats on being done, so sorry to hear they twisted the knife before you finished.

Yes! That is so funny. The "I take care to make sure I eat nourishing meals" question is hilarious. I wish I had elaborated on that question and written: I ate a free piece of pizza yesterday and drank the rest of a 2 day old Diet Coke that was in my lunch box at work when I had 3 minutes to eat and pee. Totally looking out for myself. I am so darn bitter at the program. I just want this to be over. I want to use hand sanitizer. I want to take a Benadryl when I have allergies...And I would like to see my doctor about medication for anxiety/depression (Lexapro, something like that) I have paused my life and am in no way taking care of myself because I have no freaking privacy. I refuse to disclose monitoring to my doctor or any meds I may need to the monitors. That would surely get me another few months in the program. Thanks for listening to me vent. I apologize in advance if I have upset anyone with my negativity today.

These are so cheesy. Like, I am really going to tell the monitoring lords that my relationship with my spouse is a little rocky, or that I am having 5/5 stress and mega financial issues. As I look back over the last few years I chuckle at the stupidness of it all. I mean, really I do not think they are being serious with their questions. They don't care what we say, they just want all the pee money they can get out of us while the gettin is good!

Blondie, are you done?! I am at 17 tests for the year. I cannot imagine them only testing me one more time until I complete in early Dec... Wondering if this 18 tests thing is true. All while crossing my fingers that I get out early like RecoveringRN did a few months ago.

I myself avoided these on the days I had been selected to test, just to be safe. I don't need any random amphetamine showing up! I do enjoy the black can of monster with the turquoise M as well but just made sure I refrained on days I had been selected. Not an all out avoidance.

One of the biggest issues is employment. I had to work in VERY unsafe conditions the first year of my 3 year contract because nowhere else would consider hiring a TPAPN nurse. Because monitoring imposes the many restrictions, no matter the DOC or offense, most hospitals don't want to deal with that. That in turn forces the (newly sober nurse) to work in places that will literally "hire anyone with a pulse" because their turnover is so high. It is disappointing. I feel like it can be good, can save lives, but is also forced on so many that don't need it. I myself, totally needed it. I would not have stopped drinking until I hit bottom. My DOC was alcohol though, this was proven in my psych eval etc. Why keep me from passing Adderall or Norco? Especially if I am being screened almost weekly? There are so many heavy burdens. The program should not be a one size fits all. Nurses deserve better than that. Also, what others said about the money to be made. So wrong. Sucking people dry at their lowest. Not being allowed to take Benadryl or Sudafed is another no brainer. Really? You make people re-start their entire program over an allergy pill? It is like there is no common sense. Forcing nurses to quit their jobs to attend IOP or inpt rehab when not really indicated because they have documented sobriety, is another no brainer. If you have really been reading these forums than you know the issues. There are false positives, why do monitoring companies act like this is automatic relapse. There are studies that have been done, I am specifically talking about Etg, Ets. Often times the program is really similar to extortion and blackmail. Sad. I hope there can be some changes made.

Fantastic! Very happy for you. Please let us know how the ending goes.. I think I am next, less than 2 months to go, and on pins and needles waiting it out.