Question:
I have failed a drug screen at my Dr for meth. I don't take meth but I had sex with a girl that does. I also am prescribed a sleeping medication that I have been told can come up as meth. How do I clear my name with this Dr. I need the medication he prescribed me. Please help. I don't do drugs but seems I'm going to have to suffer as if I do.
Jim's Reply:
The VA doesn't really care all that much about veterans and substance abuse. No matter what people say, we don't lose any benefits we earned for abusing or using illicit substances.
That doesn't hold true when we fail the drug tests that VA is conducting on every veteran these days. When we pop a positive drug screen, the VA (as well as all civilian doctors) will cut off any prescription narcotics they've been prescribing to you.
There's a good reason for this action; when you're taking a powerful prescription medicine and it is suddenly obvious that you will take that and an illicit drug at the same time, then it becomes a safety problem and the doctor doesn't want you to OD.
For what it's worth, I support drug screens at every patient encounter. I don't support 'random' screens. I believe every American should be tested for substance abuse as often as we check blood pressure and blood sugar. All are major health problems that are killing Americans and without screening, the problem won't be addressed.
Your pleas of a mysterious medication that could show up as meth and the possibility of somehow transferring it during a sexual encounter are the sorts of recitations the doctor has heard time and again and won't help you to get whatever prescribed drug you want back. In most cases like yours, the prescription drug is gone forever.
What VA would like you to do now is get into rehab. Tell your doctor and arrangements will be made for you.
Making that move will open some doors to alternative treatments for whatever it is that ails you. OK, OK...I hear you 5x5. You don't use drugs and you absolutely do not need rehab. I get it.
But let's think of it this way...the failed drug test isn't going away. Concocting more reasons that the test was wrong will just make it worse, every health care provider has heard them all and if you go there you give up what cred you may have.
Unless you act now, this can haunt you a long while. Sign up for rehab even if you don't need it and you'll be the champ and this will be behind you soon enough. Email me when you sign up. Really.
Good luck.