dojo
Stranger
Reged: 09/02/03
Posts: 4
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I suffer from severe anxiety, agoraphobia, and social phobia. Since these disorders make it nearly impossible for me to seek help from a doctor (I can barely talk on the phone without suffering a panic attack), I've been self-medicating with benzos (diazepam and clonazepam) and antidepressants (Paxil) that I ordered from foreign online pharmacies.
To make a long story short, these drugs have worked wonders for me. I'm able to go out in public and interact with people with little or no fear, and most importantly, I'm now able to seriously look for employment and show up for job interviews. A few months ago the mere thought of going to a job interview could give me a panic attack.
Here's my dilemma. I've just been hired for a warehouse position and tomorrow I have to pass the pre-employment drug screen. I'm worried about the benzos showing up on the test, and since I don't have a prescription for them, I'm scared that I'll be denied the job. I stopped taking all benzos two days ago when I learned about the drug test, but my last dose was about 40 mg of diazepam and I've heard that diazepam can have up to a 200 hour half-life, so there's no doubt that my system will still be full of diazepam on the day of the test.
Does anybody know how common it is for companies to test for benzos? I know the standard test only detects cocaine, opiates, PCP, cannabis, and amphetamines. I understand that I'll be asked to list the prescription meds that I take before I pee in the cup. Should I list the benzos and hope that they don't ask to see the prescription? Should I keep quiet and just pray they don't test for benzos?
I'm scared and I don't know what to do. I've been searching for work for months and I really need this job. The main reason I've been taking benzos is so I could have the courage to find myself a job, and now that I've got one, it would be sad and ironic if the benzos also caused me to lose it.
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keystone
Veteran

Reged: 09/05/02
Posts: 586
Loc: Arizona, USA
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Most likely they will test for them because most pre-employments screens are a 10-panel (10 drugs.) What you need to do is get a script NOW!
IF I WERE YOU, which I am not, I would place an order from Buymeds or another source so you will have them Tuesday. List the Valium (all benzos show up as the same) and you will be able to show them your script bottle on Tuesay when you show up positive. If they ask for the script tomorrow, "...oops, I forgot it! I will have it tomorrow."
Don't even stop taking your meds. It will make NO difference on your test. A positive is a positive. You may as well at least be calm.
I don't advocate Buymeds, or any other "grey area" site like that...BUT if you want your job, you need a valid script for your meds.
P.S. There are "masking agents" out there (at head shops) a.k.a. "Urine Luck" and "Zydot". I have had great luck with those years ago for MJ, but explore your options.
Good luck, but remember it is not about luck-just good planning.
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The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was to convince the world he never existed.
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sweat
Old Hand
Reged: 12/23/01
Posts: 491
Loc: NJ
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Take it from a veteran Best if kept off the board test guy on benzos. Whatever you take to clean out your system, nuthing works. Benzos stay in your system for 6 weeks. Believe me. I'm on probation and I tried every detoxification they make out there. And always failed big time. Good luck though...
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qbird
material girl
Reged: 09/02/02
Posts: 841
Loc: USA
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Get a script. You sound like you have a major anxiety problem that would justify one. It will take a long time for Diazapam to leave your system especially at that high of a dosage. Have you tried going to a local doc and pretty much tell him of your episodes? Or like Keystone said do a fast online consult with a us doc and get it sent overnight.
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digitalone
Reged: 08/18/03
Posts: 181
Loc: USA
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Yup - same here...up to 6 weeks and nothing gets rid of it. I'm really sorry to hear your dillema. If you can get a valid script, even from an online US OP, you can do that fast.
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dojo
Stranger
Reged: 09/02/03
Posts: 4
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Well, I put in an order with buymeds w/overnight shipping so I'll see what happens. I'm a little worried about the consultation -- I don't have any copies of my medical records and I haven't been to the doctor in years, so I'm hoping they'll approve my script without hassling me for a lot of info (I ordered the minimum amount of valium available, which I think was 30 5 mg tabs, so hopeflly the doc will assume that I don't intend to abuse them).
My drug test is at 10 AM, so I face the problem of going into the test without knowing if I'll have the script or not, so if they ask my for proof I'll probably have to go the safe route and say I don't have any (which means my buymeds order will be wasted if it's approved). Well not totally wasted, because at least I'll have a legit script for benzos for the next time I get myself in a jam like this...
*sigh* what a mess....
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howie
Member
Reged: 09/23/02
Posts: 152
Loc: T-Town
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Before I got hired for a job about 3 years ago I had surgury on my jaw. I was given Percocet and valium for the pain and to sleep.
After I could finally sleep in a bed, because I was sleeping in recliner because the pain hurt so bad when i laid head on pillow and blood would rush to it I finally took the test.
Well, back to the moral of the story. I tried to tell them I am taking some prescription medication. They said don't tell us, not our business. If test comes back positive, you can provide proof you are on them then.
When test came back, they didnt ask me about any medication. Said I had passed. I guess they just tested for pot, cocaine, ect.. which i had none of that in me.
This was shipping/receiving type work possibly similiar to your warehouse job so you may be ok but i think i would get a script just in case and then use my insurance from the job and go see a dr. If you are having panic attacks, you are sure to get on klonopin or xanax.
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brain4201
Enthusiast

Reged: 08/13/02
Posts: 216
Loc: 1 hr from Dallas
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I dont know...I always passed fine, and I am on Pain meds and Anxiety meds...never listed them nor showed them...for your sake Dojo, I called a friend that works for UPS and he does the drug screens for the drivers...he told me that they dont test for anything besides illicit drugs...ie Cocaine, Marijuana...Opiates...NOT OPIOIDS...Hydro and Oxy are OPIOIDS and do not show the same metabolites as Diaceytlmorphine (Heroin)..which is what they look for, he listed a few others...and told me that they can test for Methamphetimenes but not amphetimines because of drugs like Ritalin and Adderall, because of the new HIPPA laws, you are not required to discuss your medications with the job and they cannot force you to disclose them even if it is a mind altering substance..this is a little known clause in the HIPPA laws...if an employer wont hire you because you dont disclose, get a lawyer and sue the Best if kept off the board out of them because HIPPA protects patients like us from undue punishment from these Best if kept off the board drug tests...A little advice, hope it helps
B 
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"Life is only what you make of it"
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scratch
Stranger
Reged: 08/09/03
Posts: 1
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DO you have a "head shop" in your area ? If you do go buy a bottle of STRIP it will take out all of what you have in your system. you drink the bottle pee a couple times then your body is clean for up two seven hours it works for me an others I know who are on a 10 panel drug screen SCRATCH
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dojo
Stranger
Reged: 09/02/03
Posts: 4
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Well, I peed in a cup and now all I have to do is wait for the results. They didn't ask for any information about what drugs I was taking, and they didn't tell me what kind of test they were giving me either. I'll let you guys know how it turns out.
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digitalone
Reged: 08/18/03
Posts: 181
Loc: USA
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Sorry scratch. Folks could debate the cleaners for awhile in here, I'm certain. Everyone I've talked to, whose tried to cheat states the opposite.
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msp993
Journeyman
Reged: 08/24/03
Posts: 58
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could have just
"borrowed" a friend or neighbors urine
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Luthien
Journeyman
Reged: 01/16/03
Posts: 99
Loc: Southeast
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For others facing this quandry, I highly recommend Vale's powder. When I got offered a job out of the blue that I didn't even apply for, I had been taking pain meds for my back and neck, and I had partied a bit on vacation the previous week. I freaked -- and drank lots of water for several days, and then took the Vales, which when mixed with water is like orange tang. I cut down on the pain meds as much as I could -- but not entirely. I was scared to death I'd fail the urine test, but it was all good -- and I've still got my job.
Having a script for meds might help for some jobs, but others forbid taking most medicines while working, so....I guess it depends on the specific circumstances as to whether you should divuldge a script.
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plotinus
Enthusiast
Reged: 09/16/03
Posts: 277
Loc: California
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How did the drug test turn out, Dojo? My guess is that benzo's were not a problem. These tests are usually designed for "loss prevention." Warehouses and retail stores lose much more merchandise to employees than to outsiders, such as shoplifters. Loss prevention people are looking for (1) are you an opiate/opiod addict, who will steal to support a habit and (2) general character, i.e. in their way of thinking, if you smoke marijuana then you clearly are of "low character" because you ignore the law. Since benzo's used to be a commonly prescribed family of drugs (until docs fell in love with SSRI's, which are still on patent and provide them better perks - even if IMO they don't work well for anxiety disorders), I don't think Loss Prevention types will worry about benzo's too much. But I'd like to know for sure.
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"War on ...." is the wrong metaphor!
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