What should I tell my doctor about recent drug test results?

[zeez]

I have a strange pain in my legs the doctors cannot diagnose, and have been prescribed Tramadol 50mg 6-8 times daily. I had to go to a new doctor to get my prescription refill, and he surprised me with a drug test before he would fill. I've never had to take a drug test before. (and shouldn't for my doctor!) As the owner of my own company, I have no need to ever pass a drug test.

Anyway, I don't normally take Adderall, but I was on a 14 hour flight the day before my doctor appointment, so I took one. It was GREAT! 23 hours later I had to piss in a cup, of course, the results show unprescribed "Amphetamines" in my system.

What is the best way to explain these results to my doctor? He made me sign a "medication agreement" to get my tramadol prescription, now, I'm sure he won't want to refill it ever again. The results make it look like I was smoking meth or something!

Should I claim the results are false, must have gotten contaminated, and demand a re-test? They won't find anymore amphetamines in my system. Will they attempt a hair test?

Or should I just tell the doctor I'm a grown up and I can take a damn single Adderall if I want to?

Or just start looking for another doctor?

I would like to try to get a real prescription for Adderall, I really do think it can help me. But if my doctor thinks I have "abused" it, he will never consider writing a prescription.

 

[SS373dOH]

No, tell your doctor that absolute truth! If he denies your 'script then move on to a new doc'. UA's are normal to obtain sheduled items, hair tests for this are nearly nonexistent..


- Hopeless Soul..

 

[zeez]

Thanks for the info.

If I move onto a new doc, and have my records sent with me, are these UA results a permanent part of my record? I don't want anything in there that might suggest I was "abusing" Adderall, before trying to ask for an honest prescription for it.

I would need all my records sent to the next doctor to be able to get my prescription for Tramadol.

As a 30 year old white male with no obvious external problems, they always think I'm just some kind of addict looking for something. Not true at all...

 

[Raysu]

Tramadol is not viewed the same by most doctors so I doubt you would have much difficulty getting that drug again regardless of your medical history. It is the go-to drug in a lot of urgent care centers now in an attempt to cut back on hydrocodone and oxycodone prescriptions which used to be the norm. When you get caught it's best to admit it.

 

[zeez]

Tramadol is not viewed the same by most doctors so I doubt you would have much difficulty getting that drug again regardless of your medical history. It is the go-to drug in a lot of urgent care centers now in an attempt to cut back on hydrocodone and oxycodone prescriptions which used to be the norm. When you get caught it's best to admit it.

That's not the experience I've had. I had to beg literally for YEARS to get anything besides ibuprofen. I was in a lot of serious pain and they completely ignored me. Ibuprofen did nothing but they did not care, I could not in any way prove the pain, so they assumed it was fake. Now, after complaining about the same thing for years, and going through several painful tests/biopsies, they finally believe me, but only with the medical records to support my story.

But, I'm more interested in a future prescription for Adderall than I am worried about the Tramadol. I genuinely think it is something I should be prescribed, but, if I suggest it the doctor will simply think I'm an addict looking for pills based on my last UA results. Right?

I can get as much Adderall as I want on the street rather cheaply, but I'm trying to do things the right way. I got a 6 month supply of the Tramadol so I have a while to find a new doctor.

 

[Raysu]

You may have luck seeing a psychiatrist for the Adderall as opposed to pain management. But maybe they do things different where you live compared to where I've lived?

 

[zeez]

I've just been seeing a regular primary care doctor. It has been suggested that I go to a pain clinic to get something stronger than tramadol, however, I don't want to put up with the more common drug testing and pill counts from a pain clinic, or be subject to stupid 30 day prescriptions because I'm on a schedule II drug.

I'd go to a psychiatrist for the Adderall if referred to one, but would rather not have another specialist to see. It usually takes a while to get an appointment with one.

I also smoke marijuana for the pain, and have a medical marijuana card, but most regular doctors are too stupid to understand the beneficial effects of marijuana, and don't want to find that in urine either. I'm sure a pain clinic would throw a fit if they find THC. I will remind the doctor's I have a recommendation from another doctor to use marijuana, but I can't say the same about "amphetamines".

That's why I was thinking it might be best to say the sample must have been contaminated and demand a retest, they will not find anymore amphetamines, though they will find THC. That one is easier to explain in a medical marijuana state.

When I was asked to provide a sample, I wasn't expecting it, so I only could give a few drops. Then, the cabinet where I was asked to put the sample already had somebody else's sample, and a paper towel that was wet with what I can only guess is somebody else's piss. I'd be more surprised if there wasn't some sort of cross contamination.

I should have just told the doctor I have no piss and came back in a few days...

 

[T. Calderone]

It's in your best interest to be honest with your doctor and tell him that you took the Adderall. I wouldn't try to say that your sample could have been contaminated because another person's urine was on a paper towel. Do you really think he would really believe that? Remember you signed a contract agreeing that you would not take any non-prescribed or illicit drugs. There is an expectation that you will honor this agreement.

 

[zeez]

Do you really think he would really believe that?

He can believe whatever he wants, it's not unreasonable to think a urine sample could be contaminated. It happens. An appropriate response would be a retest, which I would pass. He can't say with 100% certainty that his first test was correct, and, the facts suggest that it was handled poorly. The test was conducted by an out of state lab, under conditions neither of us witnessed, so there are a lot of different ways a sample could become contaminated.

The fact that I gave a very small sample means any contamination would be more concentrated. I'm surprised they could test what I gave them.

Remember you signed a contract agreeing that you would not take any non-prescribed or illicit drugs. There is an expectation that you will honor this agreement.

Yes, but at the time I took the Adderall I was not yet bound by this agreement.

I can't think of how it could possibly be in my best interest to tell the truth. I have learned over the years not to tell doctors the truth, because too often they can't handle it.
"I took some illegal drugs and they made me feel great. Can I have a prescription for that?" Yeah right.

As of now the doctor has not said anything about the results, but I imagine the subject will come up next time I am there. Probably not a good time to ask for the drug the test says I am "abusing". (their word, not mine)

 

[manboychef]

It's in your best interest to be honest with your doctor and tell him that you took the Adderall. I wouldn't try to say that your sample could have been contaminated because another person's urine was on a paper towel. Do you really think he would really believe that? Remember you signed a contract agreeing that you would not take any non-prescribed or illicit drugs. There is an expectation that you will honor this agreement.

QFT. Most doctors are not stupid, and you are far from the first person to come up positive. Keeping an open an honest dialogue will actually work in your benefit. If you try to snow him/her they may feel like you are like a lot of people that he/she has dealt with before. Nobody likes being lied to, especially if the evidence is right there in their hand. If you are honest he will trust you more regardless of what the test says because he will know that he can count on you to not waste his time.

 

[zeez]

If you are honest he will trust you more regardless of what the test says because he will know that he can count on you to not waste his time.

I have a feeling if I am honest the answer would more likely be "I can no longer be your health care provider, this is our policy", given the uncaring assembly line approach that I normally get.

I'd really like to be honest with my doctor, but I don't know if I can trust him with that sort of information. They are much more worried about corporate policy and keeping the DEA happy, than treating the patient. At least that is how my previous doctors have behaved.

 

[manboychef]

Then find a new doctor. There are still good ones out there...they are just few and far between.

 

[LaBlueEyes]

I've accidentally popped postitive for amphethephines once for my psych Doctor. I was taking my moms prescription diet pills and I had no idea they were amphethephines. I just told my doctor what happened and she understood and never said anything else about it. They initially thought I was taking my son's ADHD medicine, but they were wrong.

 

[My3sons]

"Cross contamination!" Lol. Making yourself look like a drug seeker if you try to say that! Like they haven't heard the old "it wasn't me" a million times. Do yourself a favor and just man up and avoid insulting the mans intelligence and making an ass of yourself! Tell him the truth that you were discussing your issues with a friend who happened to be on adderall so they gave you one to try. You are going to a new Dr and wanted to see uuf it was beneficial and something you might want to persue. Then assure him that if you were retested yku would be clean bc it literally was a one time sample from your friend. If you didn't notice a difference then you weren't going to even bother bringing it up

 

[AnythingEverything]

I would tell the dr exactly what happened and you took some adderal. And you can request a re test to probe you're not abusing amphetamines.

I however would not say 'im an adult and can take a damn adderal if I feel like it.' Because even though you say it was just one, it's still illegal to take Meds not prescribed to you (im not preaching, I do it all the time.). I would also not claim cross contamination or accidental ingestion or anything else, they've heard it all before and will just make you look like a drug seeker with all those excuses.

I would just tell him the reason for the positive test, say you're jor doing it anymore, you're aware it's not the right thing to do and go from there.

 

[LaBlueEyes]

I would like to add the story of my ex pain doctor now.... Ok, New Year's Eve, I smoked weed. I don't drink, but I was smoking it up. Never been drug tested by my pain Doctor of 3 years. They decide to "randomly" drug test me Jan 4th. I was freaking out just like you. 2 weeks later, one of the nurses called me and said I had come up positive for marijuana and they wouldn't see me anymore. I freaked. It's not like I'm shooting up heroin!(no offense to those that do) I just smoked some damn weed and they dropped me fast. It was really a pain in the ass to find a new one.