Drug Testing at pain clinic?

[Karenica]

Hi, I've got a quick ?, I've been going to a well-known pain treatment center for about 7 years now, had an appt today, and I have been on pain meds for
about 4 years now due to having a fused neck, spinal degeneration in my lumbar area, and numerous nerve surgeries in my arm, plus numerous lumbar rfa's in the past. About 3 years ago when the pain center moved to the main hospital all patients signed a form about pain med opiods about the control of them testing how we go about getting our scripts filled etc, etc.....Now I have never been urine tested ever, I always did think it was odd given the fact that I have been on pain meds for so long and I always thought how can they trust me or anyone else being on pain meds, given the fact in today's world "who can you trust", so today I was tested, which I was a little surprised given the fact I've been on these same pain meds for so long. Now my ? is I was never told the results, does this mean I'm in the clear and all is ok, or what?. Now I know I have nothing to worry about as I'm faithfully taking my meds all the time.

I know I have spoken to maybe some of you from the old forums, and I know some have always gotten tested everytime you go into your appointments.
I was wondering to how regulated are the pain treatment centers today?, and is it mainly because of the government or what?
Thanks!

[alex44]

In my experiance, if they don't tell you that you tested postive for something you are in the clear. As far as being pee tested now, management could have changed policy, maybe they happened to notice you. Good Luck and Welcome back. Yes I remember you and a lot of other's from the "Old Forums".
Blessings
Alex44

[Mark N]

Karenica it is nice to see you again. I agree with alex that no news is good news because you know they would be calling you to tell you you have been FIRED. They don't waste any time telling us that we are no longer welcome so not hearing news is a good thing.

[Eva 14]

My pain doctor just did a drug test on me the other day. My PM thinks that drug tests are unnecessary, because he says he would never take anyone on as a patient if he didn't trust them. For years, my PM resisted UA screens, but he has finally given in to DEA pressure. He said if he didn't start doing drug tests, the DEA might be able to shut him down or something.

When you hear nothing, it's got to be good news. I've been tested twice now. The first time, they had an instant drug test kit that showed I am positive for opiates and benzos (as I should be) and negative for THC, meth, cocaine, etc. This time I haven't heard anything back, but I'm not worried.

I know, it feels kind of humiliating to be treated like an ex-convict on parole or something. My pain doc really did apologize for it. But I don't doubt that the DEA would shut down a doctor for NOT doing drug tests.

Eva

[pain95]

When Medicare, Medicaid, DEA come in, they randomly pull charts. It wouldn't look good if a pain doc had been treating a patient for several years and never did a random screening. I get tested twice a year. It's not a matter of trust after 13 years. Personally, I appreciate documentation that my urine tests out the way it should. Have a great weekend.

[Karenica]

Thanks everyone for the replies. It was just odd that I was tested, just because of the fact I've been going there for soooo long, and I've kind of gotten to know my pain doctor very well. I know one time he did tell me that even writing out prescriptions nowadays is so regulated that they have to be careful, you see I go in every other month, and they can only write out my scripts on a monthly basis, but they always give me another written script for an extra month but they date it that I cannot fill it out until that next month, even that he told me that they don't know how much longer that they will be able to do this.
I know some pain meds are so very regulated and that the dea is cracking down on alot of them, and it so happens 2 of them that I'm on are always making news. I did tell my pain doc. that I really want off of them, the one drug I'm on I was taking 3x a day and it's written out like that and I had asked him if I could go to 2x a day and see how I do an he said yes that I could try it, so that is what I did, I took myself down from 3 a day to 2 a day even tho the script was written as 3 a day, now my breakthrough meds honestly I did tell him I've stopped it and this time around I didn't even get a script for it, because I really want off of them, I'm just so tired of feeling doped up.

I am trying other ways to deal with my pain, I have gone through hypnosis, and learning techniques and it is helping not as much as I'd like it to, but honestly any little bit helps.

I will say tho that since I did stop my breakthrough meds I have taken notice to new pains in my neck that I did bring up to my pain doc. and since they are new he is sending me for an MRI and EMG tests. Now I wouldn't have known these pains if I was all doped up, so in a way I'm glad I stopped my one med, it was a short acting med. Im still on my long acting med and I would love to stop it but I cant. Chronic pain stinks!!!!!

[Brion L]

I've been going to the same pain clinic for 10+ years. Everyone there knows me on a 1st name basis. About 6 months ago, I was there for a pump refill and they requested a drug screen test. I asked what this was all about, and the nurse said they had to start doing this at least once a year. I assumed it was probably some new state hoop they have to jump through. Of course I did the test and wasn't concerned with it. I think they are screening for street drugs?

[Fillmore]

I had the fright of my life two years ago from one of those pee tests - it came back pos for opiates and cannabis [as it should, I have the ok for pot and am prescribed morphine]... but they are a simple"yes/no" [pos/not] test and the SLIGHTEST cocaine will show up... I didn't don't use cocaine but there it was!!
Doc said it could be on the pot!! I thought not, who would waste cocaine on pot? Maybe accidental contamination, who knows.
Anyway, I was re-tested a couple weeks later and was "clean" for cocaine, but wow if I lost my morphine prescription I would die.

I tried kicking in a few times and with my chronic pain ["pain amplification" , a pain sensory disorder thing] plus IBS, and headaches the withdrawals were just insane - I was in detox with a dozen other opiate addicted people and none of them were writhing like me... I checked out and started again.

[Fillmore]

I think the pressure is coming from the "Colleges" [of Phys and Surgeons] - we are sure seeing a lot of people being taken off opiates and dosage reductons {as if opiate doses can be reduced without consequences... often terrible consequences}. I have been on opiates for over 20 years now... the limit here [BC Canada] was reduced to 300mgs per day last year, now this year talk of it being reduced again to 200/day... my doc fights for me but the College keeps sending letters...