Surgical Medications And Drug Screen

I had a surgical procedure done August 24. During the procedure, I received Fentanyl and 7 other medications. For my next employer, I am required to take a pre-employment urine drug screen. I asked the surgeon who performed my procedure to send me documentation of all medications I received during the procedure, and his office did so. I notified the Safety Dept at the new company about my surgery and medications received that day, plus I had documentation from the surgeon. Safety basically stated, "if the test comes back failed due to the Fentanyl, then send that letter from the surgeon to the MRO."

Has anyone taken a drug screen soon after having surgery that included analgesics being given? If so, what were you required to provide to the company?

I am certain all will be fine; just my thinking too much and being the Devil's advocate.

I had my surgery with anesthesia and Percocet. Safety told me it only stays in the system 24 to 48 hours and wouldn't show anyway. It didn't for my return to work physical/drug test

According to American Addiction Centers, Fentanyl shows up 24 to 72 hours in urine.. 3 months for hair and 5 to 72 hours in blood. (I think...double check the site).

Don't get hair tested 😂

Addiction Centers

After the transplant, my medical testing again for driving was five months later. I was off all the pain meds, IVs, etc. (obviously), but I just had all the documentation on hand, too. Prescriptions, letters from all the surgeons and every prescribing physician and specialist (13 different ones!) that had treated me. I think I was on 25 to 30 different medications in that five months. I would think you will be fine with the plan you laid out.

Yes, Fentanyl usually passes through in 24 -72 hours for a urine drug screen. The other 7 medications I received also should be cleared through by now. As I mentioned, I should be fine. I just always think worst case scenarios.

I had my surgery with anesthesia and Percocet. Safety told me it only stays in the system 24 to 48 hours and wouldn't show anyway. It didn't for my return to work physical/drug test

According to American Addiction Centers, Fentanyl shows up 24 to 72 hours in urine.. 3 months for hair and 5 to 72 hours in blood. (I think...double check the site).

Don't get hair tested 😂

Addiction Centers

I had a surgical procedure done August 24. During the procedure, I received Fentanyl and 7 other medications. For my next employer, I am required to take a pre-employment urine drug screen. I asked the surgeon who performed my procedure to send me documentation of all medications I received during the procedure, and his office did so. I notified the Safety Dept at the new company about my surgery and medications received that day, plus I had documentation from the surgeon. Safety basically stated, "if the test comes back failed due to the Fentanyl, then send that letter from the surgeon to the MRO."

Has anyone taken a drug screen soon after having surgery that included analgesics being given? If so, what were you required to provide to the company?

I am certain all will be fine; just my thinking too much and being the Devil's advocate.

Don,

Tom had HUGE oral surgery in May. Morphine during the procedure, Percocet to take home. Never had a problem. Actually, I emailed Kim screenshots of ALL the information, including the leaflet with the take home Rx, ... and the sheet from the facility, re: the iv Morphine.

He doesn't remember if he got sent for a surprise U/A anytime recently after; but I made sure the paperwork was in his lunchbox/cooler just in case; for a week or two, after.

As long as you are in communique with WST, and you have all your paperwork, you should be fine.

Hope all went well with your surgery, whatever it was. Might see you on the road, after all.

When do you switch over????

~ Anne ~

DOT Certified Drug Screwing Technician & Instructor here:

You cannot fail a drug test as a result of a properly taken, valid prescription.

As an example, something I see a lot now are people coming back positive for amphetamines because they take Adderall. Once they prove to the doctor they have a valid prescription for Adderall, they pass the drug test.

This would also apply to medicine given for surgical reasons.

One side note for everyone here: Beware of taking prescriptions past their expiration date. We had a guy get put in the clearinghouse because he had a tooth pain and took a norco that was prescribed to him months ago. One day later he got pulled for a random drug screen. Our MRO was legally bound to rule him positive for opioids because a prescription taken past it's date of expiry can be considered a positive.

So if you, like many many folks, have older prescriptions that are controlled substances, be very careful y'all! You can fail because of that. And SAP programs ain't cheap and they ain't fun.

Screening*

DOT Certified Drug Screwing Technician & Instructor here:

You cannot fail a drug test as a result of a properly taken, valid prescription.

As an example, something I see a lot now are people coming back positive for amphetamines because they take Adderall. Once they prove to the doctor they have a valid prescription for Adderall, they pass the drug test.

This would also apply to medicine given for surgical reasons.

One side note for everyone here: Beware of taking prescriptions past their expiration date. We had a guy get put in the clearinghouse because he had a tooth pain and took a norco that was prescribed to him months ago. One day later he got pulled for a random drug screen. Our MRO was legally bound to rule him positive for opioids because a prescription taken past it's date of expiry can be considered a positive.

So if you, like many many folks, have older prescriptions that are controlled substances, be very careful y'all! You can fail because of that. And SAP programs ain't cheap and they ain't fun.

DOT Certified Drug Screwing Technician & Instructor here:

You cannot fail a drug test as a result of a properly taken, valid prescription.

As an example, something I see a lot now are people coming back positive for amphetamines because they take Adderall. Once they prove to the doctor they have a valid prescription for Adderall, they pass the drug test.

This would also apply to medicine given for surgical reasons.

One side note for everyone here: Beware of taking prescriptions past their expiration date. We had a guy get put in the clearinghouse because he had a tooth pain and took a norco that was prescribed to him months ago. One day later he got pulled for a random drug screen. Our MRO was legally bound to rule him positive for opioids because a prescription taken past it's date of expiry can be considered a positive.

So if you, like many many folks, have older prescriptions that are controlled substances, be very careful y'all! You can fail because of that. And SAP programs ain't cheap and they ain't fun.

WOW, good to know. I need to REMEMBER that about you, haha! NAWH, Screwing WAS the right term; Freudian slip or not, LoL~!!!! ^^^ In a GOOD way, I promise.^^^ Tom just got a nice bonus last month; passed everything!

That reminds me; probably should toss those perc's .. he only took two out of 12 .. or so. DANG, thanks on that.

Thanks, and good luck forward, man!

~ Anne ~

ps: Tom is SO 'squeaky clean' .. it's almost nauseating, haha!

Yeah no doubt. I felt bad for the poor guy he was actually a City bus driver here. Wasn't even a trucker. But they are DOT too.

Was hurting, took an old Norco, got randomly picked for drug screen, failed due to his prescription no longer being valid.

Had to spend $1000+ and come in for frequent observed drug tests. Just a friendly heads up.

Part of the reason I'm pursuing trucking is all the truckers I've dealt with.

DOT Certified Drug Screwing Technician & Instructor here:

You cannot fail a drug test as a result of a properly taken, valid prescription.

As an example, something I see a lot now are people coming back positive for amphetamines because they take Adderall. Once they prove to the doctor they have a valid prescription for Adderall, they pass the drug test.

This would also apply to medicine given for surgical reasons.

One side note for everyone here: Beware of taking prescriptions past their expiration date. We had a guy get put in the clearinghouse because he had a tooth pain and took a norco that was prescribed to him months ago. One day later he got pulled for a random drug screen. Our MRO was legally bound to rule him positive for opioids because a prescription taken past it's date of expiry can be considered a positive.

So if you, like many many folks, have older prescriptions that are controlled substances, be very careful y'all! You can fail because of that. And SAP programs ain't cheap and they ain't fun.

WOW, good to know. I need to REMEMBER that about you, haha! NAWH, Screwing WAS the right term; Freudian slip or not, LoL~!!!! ^^^ In a GOOD way, I promise.^^^ Tom just got a nice bonus last month; passed everything!

That reminds me; probably should toss those perc's .. he only took two out of 12 .. or so. DANG, thanks on that.

Thanks, and good luck forward, man!

~ Anne ~

ps: Tom is SO 'squeaky clean' .. it's almost nauseating, haha!