Suboxone for pain and drug testing (hair follicle)
I am weaning off suboxone. I am down to .25 twice a day. I still hurt but have a drug test for an oil company in a month or so. I have a prescription btw.
Because I work full time weaning off is taking forever. My question is has anyone been drug tested for a job while taking suboxone. I have a hair follicle test for sure and maybe a urine test.
Will suboxone show up on a hair follicle test? I am on such a small dose I am hoping it will not.
Re: Suboxone for pain and drug testing (hair follicle)
I think that it would show up in a urine screen even at that dose. Having said that, you should be able to wean off of 0.25mg twice a day before the medical without too much discomfort (are you on 0.25mg or 0.25 of a pill?)
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The desire to take medicines is what seperates man from the lower animals - William Ostler
Re: Suboxone for pain and drug testing (hair follicle)
It depends on what type of drug test they give you. Companies normally will order the 10 or 12 panel tests which test for:
Amphetamine (AMP) with cut-off level 1000 ng/ml
Barbiturate (BAR) with cut-off level 300 ng/ml
Benzodiazepines (BZD) with cut-off level 300 ng/ml
Cocaine (COC) with cut-off level 300 ng/ml
Marijuana (THC) with cut-off level 50 ng/ml
Methadone (MAD) with cut-off level 300 ng/ml
Methamphetamine (MET) with cut-off level 1000 ng/ml
Opiates (OPI) with cut-off level 2000 ng/ml
Oxycodone (OXY) with cut-off level 100 ng/ml
Phencyclidine (PCP) with cut-off level 25 ng/ml
Propoxyphene (PPX) with cut-off level 300 ng/ml
Tricyclic Antidepressant (TCA) with cut-off level 1000 ng/ml
Unless they specifically order a test for Buprenorphine (the opioid in Suboxone) I was under the impression that it would NOT show up. It will not show up on a generic test for opiates or a test for Oxycodone.
Also the drug tests I have taken in the past always come back to the individual first if you show up positive for anything and ask if you have a legitimate prescription for that. If you do, they just call the doctor and verify, and then that information is never passed on to the employer. Isn't that what other people have found?
Re: Suboxone for pain and drug testing (hair follicle)
I am taking .25 mgs but from what I hear and feel cutting back and weaning off in a few weeks would cause serious discomfort. I tried to cut .25 in half the other day and two days later it waspretty bad and with work I had to increase my dose back up.
Hopefully a hair sample/follicle drug test only shows other drugs and opiates, not suboxone/bupe.
Re: Suboxone for pain and drug testing (hair follicle)
If they are going so far as to have you do a hair follicle test (which is very expensive), I'm sure they are doing a wide-ranging test, which I would guess would include the opiate in suboxone. If it were me, I would have an employment offer that is totally free and clear and only contingent upon the drug test. When you do the test, they should give you an opportunity to clarify if you are taking any prescribed drugs that would explain the positive result. Their doctor can call your doctor or pharmacy to verify. Some companies/jobs may have a bona fide occupational qualification (BFOQ) that the employee not be taking any prescribed opiates (such as if you are operating heavy equipment), but if not and it does not affect your job, then you should not be denied the job if a prescribed medication shows up. This is why the offer is important. Legally, the BFOQ would be the only way they could discriminate against you for having a medical reason to take the medication. However, we all know how things sometimes work....
Re: Suboxone for pain and drug testing (hair follicle)
if a good job in the oil industry is in the balance, you should be able to give it up by the time of the test, by cutting bown by a quater of a pill at a time.
It might be worth clarifying wether a prescribed, legal narcotic is going to be a problem or not before trying to give it up.
If you're going to be a supply clerk in an office in Houston, it probably wont be, if you're going to be working on an oil rin 200 miles off of the coast, it might well be an issue.
Speak to the companys medical department (without giving your name) and find out
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The desire to take medicines is what seperates man from the lower animals - William Ostler
Re: Suboxone for pain and drug testing (hair follicle)
Honestly I'm not sure i'd even want a job that made you jump through this many hoops. I mean whats going to happen the first time you stumble or are unsteady on your feet, will their be an inquiry into possible drug use? Do they just put you through all of this once and then it goes away or is it ongoing. Do you have to forclose all of your medications to the company?
Re: Suboxone for pain and drug testing (hair follicle)
Regular drug testing is almost universal in the oil and gas industry kat, both before employment and at random throughout your employment, as a health and safety initiative.
In some ways its stupid, for example, you could take 50mg of Benadryl and be quite doped, but that wouldnt show on a drug screen, and nobody would know...... generaly, they are ok with prescribed drugs if your doc says they wont impair your performance, or, if they will impair your performance and its a short term thing, they will shift you to alternate duties..... what they are mainly concerned with is young men stuck on oil rigs or in god forasken mining camps with no entertainment using drugs for fun.
__________________
The desire to take medicines is what seperates man from the lower animals - William Ostler
Re: Suboxone for pain and drug testing (hair follicle)
hey guys,
your job will not know if you got a script, so i wouldnt worry about it.They drug test cant tell your job cause you have a script. you will be fine.
kelsey
Re: Suboxone for pain and drug testing (hair follicle)
I do have a prescription. What is the deal with cut off levels. could my tiny dose of .25 mgs a day possibly be under the cut off level. I mean my dose is the size of a BB, very small.
I am weaning down still but it's a hair follicle test which can show up to 90 days.
Re: Suboxone for pain and drug testing (hair follicle)
Quote:
Originally Posted by jonnstar
Regular drug testing is almost universal in the oil and gas industry kat, both before employment and at random throughout your employment, as a health and safety initiative.
In some ways its stupid, for example, you could take 50mg of Benadryl and be quite doped, but that wouldnt show on a drug screen, and nobody would know...... generaly, they are ok with prescribed drugs if your doc says they wont impair your performance, or, if they will impair your performance and its a short term thing, they will shift you to alternate duties..... what they are mainly concerned with is young men stuck on oil rigs or in god forasken mining camps with no entertainment using drugs for fun.
My husband was a Roughneck on an Offshore Rig for 6 years and he didn't have to go through drug testing frequently or non-frequently. And he was on 2 narcotic meds for a shoulder injury for about 7 months during his stint.
Re: Suboxone for pain and drug testing (hair follicle)
Not sure of the price but perhaps you can pay for a pre-test yourself. I'm sure there are labs that would do the test just as employers would. Certain jobs will require the person not have any pain medications in their system such as physical jobs, jobs that require driving, etc. Some jobs that are more sedentary may be fine with an employee on prescribed medications so the testing would act to confirm that what is found matches what you are prescribed.
Re: Suboxone for pain and drug testing (hair follicle)
I actually sent off for a buprenorphine/suboxone drug test. it is a urine test and not a hair follicle but I passed it. suprising since it is a specific test for bupe. I guess my dose is so small and I drank two bottles of water before I took the test. negative! a hair cut and lower my dose even more over the next two months and I should be ok. Weeeeeeee!
