DRUG TEST QUESTION

The Juggler

i feel like such a complete loser douche bag right now...

has anyone failed a drug test or know anything about these tests? anyone work in an hr department here? i really need advice badly....

i can count on one, maybe 2 hands the amounts of times ive done illegal drugs and the last time was over 10 years ago...

however, i just found out that my test was positive for codeine. the test was done for a new job. the reason why codeine was in my system was because its in my girlfriend's cough syrup that i took last week since we were both sick. right now im unemployed and im not paying for cobra at the current time. so i dont have any health insurance. stupid--i know. but whatever. we both had the same symptons so i took some of her medicine. its not like i took pain killers or something. i took fucking cough medicine. maybe im stupid but i didnt even think about this when i went to take my drug test last week.

the place that administered the test called me to find out if i have a prescription for it and i told them the story. nothing they can do. she did say perhaps i can get my doctor to write a note saying it was okay to use my girlfriend's medicine, but i highly doubt he will do that even though i have a good relationship with him. they are informing my potential employer right away. so i just left the hr lady a voicemail to call me so i can explain myself to her.

has anyone found themselves in an even remotely similar situation? would an hr department even listen to my side of the story since its not like i tested positive for pot or coke or something. i really fucked up here, but i mean, i was really fucking sick for a couple days last week. i need this job really really badly. and would just appreciate whatever kind of advice you can bestow on me.....

thank

AmentsChick

Dude that seriously SUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCKS. I wish I had some advice for you. I wish you the best...I hope it works out!

Lizard

AmentsChick wrote:

Dude that seriously SUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCKS. I wish I had some advice for you. I wish you the best...I hope it works out!

+1

chromiam

The only thing I would suggest is to tell your story and offer to take a secondary test to confirm or refute the first. If the company won't retest due to cost, you could always offer to pay for the test yourself, but I'm sure they could decline to hire you even after a negative result on the 2nd test....

good luck

AmentsChick

chromiam wrote:

The only thing I would suggest is to tell your story and offer to take a secondary test to confirm or refute the first. If the company won't retest due to cost, you could always offer to pay for the test yourself, but I'm sure they could decline to hire you even after a negative result on the 2nd test....

good luck

+1

Given to...

At my place of employ...

tests are screened for many indicators, if a positive shows, then its off to the office...
I understand there are quantitative test that can further determine the offence, but they are not obligated to pay for them.

I would talk to the HR department, give them the story and find out if they would be willing to give you the option of retesting at your expense. I dont know how long it would stay in your system and they may tell you to piss up a rope, but its worth a try.

good luck, shit like that doesnt weed out the users and abusers... they seem to have all the angles figured out

chromiam

Codeine will stay in your system for approximately 3 to 5 days...

Brain of J.Lo

Wow... That is some serious bullshit.

Cinnamon Girl

I can't believe that you could get fired for having codeine in your system!?

You can get over-the-counter Tylenol 2 which has codeine in it, which I've done many times. That is ridiculous!!

Sorry I have no advice....but I feel for you. Good luck!

The Juggler

chromiam wrote:

Codeine will stay in your system for approximately 3 to 5 days...

well that is good to know if they do allow me to take it again at my own expense. thanks

does anyone know how much it would cost to pay for this myself?

mfc2006

man, that sucks! the only advice that i can offer is what's already been said. talk to the HR rep & offer to re-take the test. maybe you could show them the receipt for the medicine so they know that you aren't full of it? good luck, man.

mickeyrat

Jeags , that does suck. Not to be a downer or negative , but taking medication prescribed for someone else would , in my opinion , send up a red flag.Doesn't cast you in a good light. I know where you're coming from with the explanation. Hope you catch the HR person on a good day/ in a good mood. Good luck!

Heatherj43

I have had 2 jobs where I had to do drug screens for my clients. In this case I would want to see the girlfriends bottle of cough medicine. It is illegal for her to share, and for you to take. I am unsure as an employer if I would look at that aspect. For my clients, I likely would try to work around it, but unsure as a boss.

Heineken Helen

How the hell can they turn you down cos you've codeine in your system??? :shock: That's a fucking joke and seriously shite... hope you can sort it out somehow :( fuckers! What kinda job is it that you can't have taken painkillers?

mickeyrat

Heineken Helen wrote:

How the hell can they turn you down cos you've codeine in your system??? :shock: That's a fucking joke and seriously shite... hope you can sort it out somehow :( fuckers! What kinda job is it that you can't have taken painkillers?

Helen , over here prescribed meds area controlled substance. Unless it's over the counter , it's illegal to take unless precribed to you.

The Juggler

Heatherj43 wrote:

I have had 2 jobs where I had to do drug screens for my clients. In this case I would want to see the girlfriends bottle of cough medicine. It is illegal for her to share, and for you to take. I am unsure as an employer if I would look at that aspect. For my clients, I likely would try to work around it, but unsure as a boss.

thanks. just curious, what kind of job do you have?

The Juggler

mickeyrat wrote:

Heineken Helen wrote:

How the hell can they turn you down cos you've codeine in your system??? :shock: That's a fucking joke and seriously shite... hope you can sort it out somehow :( fuckers! What kinda job is it that you can't have taken painkillers?

Helen , over here prescribed meds area controlled substance. Unless it's over the counter , it's illegal to take unless precribed to you.

i am such an idiot

Who Princess

The Jeagler wrote:

i am such an idiot

Before you completely beat yourself up over this, wait until it plays out.

You did something based on your circumstances. I am currently paying through the nose for COBRA coverage so I understand why many people aren't able to. I've had to give up a lot of other things to keep mine.

You were sick and you wanted to get better so used your gf's medicine. It's easy to say now that it wasn't a smart decision but how many other people have done the same kind of thing at one time or another? I don't put that in quite the same category as if you'd gone out and bought crack.

Being in a crappy situation and making a decision when you were sick may cost you a job that you really need. That SUCKS. Learn from this. By posting on this board other people are going to learn from it too.

I hope things work out OK for you. Believe me, I know all too well how frustrating the job search gig is.

The Juggler

well i have good news to report. apparently i have one of the coolest doctors in the world. he agreed to write a note stating he's cool with me taking the girlfriend's cough medicine. i just need to swing by his office tomorrow to show him the bottle so he's knows i'm not full of poop.

so if this company still gives me shit about having codeine in my system even with a dr's not, then fuck 'em. :twisted:

i appreciate your input today class. no homework tonight!

jervin007

I took that stuff a few years ago when I had a horrible cough/sore throat/cold and all i needed to do was show my drivers license and sign my name on a record. That was up in Maine though. Codeine is no joke though, and once you test positive for any drug its tough to argue why. Hope everything works out for you though man!

Travelar

The Jeagler wrote:

well i have good news to report. apparently i have one of the coolest doctors in the world. he agreed to write a note stating he's cool with me taking the girlfriend's cough medicine. i just need to swing by his office tomorrow to show him the bottle so he's knows i'm not full of poop.

Sweet deal. Hopefully The Jeagler can get the job.

CHANGEinWAVES

Cinnamon Girl wrote:

I can't believe that you could get fired for having codeine in your system!?

You can get over-the-counter Tylenol 2 which has codeine in it, which I've done many times. That is ridiculous!!

Sorry I have no advice....but I feel for you. Good luck!

it's Rx only here in the states.

Jeagler... good luck! sticky situation....sorry.

Flagg

The Jeagler wrote:

well i have good news to report. apparently i have one of the coolest doctors in the world. he agreed to write a note stating he's cool with me taking the girlfriend's cough medicine. i just need to swing by his office tomorrow to show him the bottle so he's knows i'm not full of poop.

so if this company still gives me shit about having codeine in my system even with a dr's not, then fuck 'em. :twisted:

i appreciate your input today class. no homework tonight!

Please let us know how it turns out and good luck!!

Heineken Helen

mickeyrat wrote:

Heineken Helen wrote:

How the hell can they turn you down cos you've codeine in your system??? :shock: That's a fucking joke and seriously shite... hope you can sort it out somehow :( fuckers! What kinda job is it that you can't have taken painkillers?

Helen , over here prescribed meds area controlled substance. Unless it's over the counter , it's illegal to take unless precribed to you.

I understand that... but you can get codeine in nurofen plus here, which isn't a prescription drug. Can't you get codeine in something like that there? I just dont understand companies testing for prescribed meds... what relevance is it that you may have taken painkillers in the last 3-5 days... it's bullshit.

Phantom Pain

Heineken Helen wrote:

mickeyrat wrote:

Heineken Helen wrote:

How the hell can they turn you down cos you've codeine in your system??? :shock: That's a fucking joke and seriously shite... hope you can sort it out somehow :( fuckers! What kinda job is it that you can't have taken painkillers?

Helen , over here prescribed meds area controlled substance. Unless it's over the counter , it's illegal to take unless precribed to you.

I understand that... but you can get codeine in nurofen plus here, which isn't a prescription drug. Can't you get codeine in something like that there? I just dont understand companies testing for prescribed meds... what relevance is it that you may have taken painkillers in the last 3-5 days... it's bullshit.

Codeine can only be taken with a PRESCRIPTION here..It's not available over the counter

Look at it from the company's point of view they don't know enough about him to know if he's a junky or not

Heineken Helen

The Jeagler wrote:

well i have good news to report. apparently i have one of the coolest doctors in the world. he agreed to write a note stating he's cool with me taking the girlfriend's cough medicine. i just need to swing by his office tomorrow to show him the bottle so he's knows i'm not full of poop.

so if this company still gives me shit about having codeine in my system even with a dr's not, then fuck 'em. :twisted:

i appreciate your input today class. no homework tonight!

that's good news... most doctors can be cool enough like that. I got prescribed cocodamol for my back a few months back... since then my bf pulled a muscle in his shoulder so he took some... if you're in pain and somebody in the same house has something that can sort you out, where's the bloody problem? The only small problem i had was that I may need them from time to time so I'd rather he went to the doctor and got his own

Heineken Helen

Phantom Pain wrote:

Heineken Helen wrote:

mickeyrat wrote:

Helen , over here prescribed meds area controlled substance. Unless it's over the counter , it's illegal to take unless precribed to you.

I understand that... but you can get codeine in nurofen plus here, which isn't a prescription drug. Can't you get codeine in something like that there? I just dont understand companies testing for prescribed meds... what relevance is it that you may have taken painkillers in the last 3-5 days... it's bullshit.

Codeine can only be taken with a PRESCRIPTION here..It's not available over the counter

Look at it from the company's point of view they don't know enough about him to know if he's a junky or not

so taking a painkiller makes you a potential junky??? :shock: I'm sure they can tell by the amount that he tested positive for.

Jeagler, what kinda job IS this??? Do you need to be working with heavy machinery or something? I know codeine can make you drowsy... but I refuse to see the company's side on this. It's simply none of their business... are you going for a job as an olympic athlete????????????

Phantom Pain

Codeine can only be taken with a PRESCRIPTION here..It's not available over the counter

Look at it from the company's point of view they don't know enough about him to know if he's a junky or not[/quote]
so taking a painkiller makes you a potential junky??? :shock: I'm sure they can tell by the amount that he tested positive for.

Jeagler, what kinda job IS this??? Do you need to be working with heavy machinery or something? I know codeine can make you drowsy... but I refuse to see the company's side on this. It's simply none of their business... are you going for a job as an olympic athlete????????????[/quote]

Did I say it makes you a junky ????? :shock: Company's have standards sorry

What is so hard to understand ?? It's a commonly absued drug :shock: I've worked in Pharmacy my whole life you can asbuse the drug and still "function" we have laws in place about Prescribed drugs...if its in your system then you have to prove why ! Why can't you get that ?

chromiam

Codeine is one of the most abused drugs in the world... that's why its tested for in normal drug screenings.

Heineken Helen

chromiam wrote:

Codeine is one of the most abused drugs in the world... that's why its tested for in normal drug screenings.

but if it's legal and CAN be got over the counter (which it can here and apparently in Canada) well it's none of their business. Why should you have to explain why you took a painkiller... ooohh I'd a headache... I stubbed my toe, I sprained my ankle or pulled a muscle. It's just NONE of their fucking business :evil: EVEN if it's prescribed IMO.

chromiam

Heineken Helen wrote:

chromiam wrote:

Codeine is one of the most abused drugs in the world... that's why its tested for in normal drug screenings.

but if it's legal and CAN be got over the counter (which it can here and apparently in Canada) well it's none of their business. Why should you have to explain why you took a painkiller... ooohh I'd a headache... I stubbed my toe, I sprained my ankle or pulled a muscle. It's just NONE of their fucking business :evil: EVEN if it's prescribed IMO.

It is regulated as a controlled substance in the US, which means in most cases it has to be prescribed. You do realize that is used to hide the withdrawl symptoms of heroin right??? Sounds like a good reason to test and ask for an explanation of why it is in someone's system. And I'm pretty sure that the Jeagler was asked to declare any prescription medicines which he was taking before having the drug test administered. So if anything he had taken had codeine in it, there wouldn't have been much of a question.