![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 9 of 9. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Rob Orland on June 6, 2001, at 19:42:32
Does anyone know how long Ambien stays in your system and would show up on a drug test?
Posted by Elizabeth on June 6, 2001, at 21:56:05
In reply to Ambien and Drug Tests, posted by Rob Orland on June 6, 2001, at 19:42:32
> Does anyone know how long Ambien stays in your system and would show up on a drug test?
No, it wouldn't show up on a typical pre-employment drug screen. They would have to be looking for Ambien specifically.
Posted by Daveman on June 8, 2001, at 0:30:38
In reply to Ambien and Drug Tests, posted by Rob Orland on June 6, 2001, at 19:42:32
> Does anyone know how long Ambien stays in your system and would show up on a drug test?
Rob:
The typical drug test does include a screen for benzodiazepenes. While Ambien is not a benzodiazepene, I have seen cases where it showed up.
OTOH Ambien has an extremely short half life, of less than three hours. It should be sufficiently eliminated from your system within 48 hours not to show up on most drug screens.
You can avoid any possible questions if you have a legitimate prescription for Ambien use, by simply disclosing that fact before the test. Check to make sure your employer has a policy permitting the use of prescription medications so long as they do not interfere with the performance of your job duties (most employers do). Finally, if you are in a job where the employees are represented by a union, ask to see a copy of any relevant collective bargaining agreements, which may have limitations on what the employer may test for. Ask to speak to the union steward or a business agent if you don't know how to do this on your own.
Dave (I'm a labor lawyer in my other life:))
Posted by Elizabeth on June 8, 2001, at 19:32:03
In reply to Re: Ambien and Drug Tests, posted by Daveman on June 8, 2001, at 0:30:38
> The typical drug test does include a screen for benzodiazepenes. While Ambien is not a benzodiazepene, I have seen cases where it showed up.
Can you elaborate? Ambien is not a benzodiazepine (it's an imidazopyridine) and is chemically dissimilar to the benzos (although it does have certain stereochemical similarities), and it has no benzodiazepine metabolites. What sort of drug test was it, and how did you find out about the results?
> You can avoid any possible questions if you have a legitimate prescription for Ambien use, by simply disclosing that fact before the test.
That's true, and employers aren't *supposed* to discriminate on this basis. But as we all know, people often get away with doing things they're not supposed to do.
> Check to make sure your employer has a policy permitting the use of prescription medications so long as they do not interfere with the performance of your job duties (most employers do).
In theory -- in the USA at least -- the Americans With Disabilities act should protect you. I would guess that most other Western countries have more progressive policies if anything.
-elizabeth
Posted by Daveman on June 9, 2001, at 3:11:03
In reply to Re: Ambien and Drug Tests » Daveman, posted by Elizabeth on June 8, 2001, at 19:32:03
Perhaps I could have been clearer;
> > The typical drug test does include a screen for benzodiazepenes. While Ambien is not a benzodiazepene, I have seen cases where it showed up.
>
> Can you elaborate? Ambien is not a benzodiazepine (it's an imidazopyridine) and is chemically dissimilar to the benzos (although it does have certain stereochemical similarities), and it has no benzodiazepine metabolites. What sort of drug test was it, and how did you find out about the results?I'm not saying Ambien shows up as a benzo, though after rereading my sentence I can see where you might have drawn that conclusion. What I was trying to say was that benzos are specifically tested for, Ambien is not, but some tests have an "other" category where Ambien can show up.
Dave
Posted by Elizabeth on June 9, 2001, at 22:43:56
In reply to Re: Ambien and Drug Tests » Elizabeth, posted by Daveman on June 9, 2001, at 3:11:03
> I'm not saying Ambien shows up as a benzo, though after rereading my sentence I can see where you might have drawn that conclusion. What I was trying to say was that benzos are specifically tested for, Ambien is not, but some tests have an "other" category where Ambien can show up.
Huh. In what context were these tests given?
Benzos aren't part of the basic 5-panel test: it includes marijuana, amphetamine, opiates, cocaine, and PCP.
-elizabeth
Posted by Daveman on June 11, 2001, at 20:38:41
In reply to Re: Ambien and Drug Tests » Daveman, posted by Elizabeth on June 9, 2001, at 22:43:56
> > I'm not saying Ambien shows up as a benzo, though after rereading my sentence I can see where you might have drawn that conclusion. What I was trying to say was that benzos are specifically tested for, Ambien is not, but some tests have an "other" category where Ambien can show up.
>
> Huh. In what context were these tests given?
>
> Benzos aren't part of the basic 5-panel test: it includes marijuana, amphetamine, opiates, cocaine, and PCP.
>
> -elizabethBenzodiazepenes are commonly tested for in any job where motor skills are required. For example, I represent a union whose members are heavy equipment operators in the construction industry. The preemployment screen for those folks definitely includes benzodiazepenes, but if you are taking them under a doctor's prescription and disclose this in advance of the test, the collective bargaining agreement covering those employees prevents the employer from disciplining or discharging an employee on this basis. That's why, in my original post, I stated that you should always (1) ask to see the drug testing policy and (2) if a unionized position, ask to see the applicable collective bargaining agreement. Believe me, I've represented several clients in this type of situation, and the amount of information you have in advance is crucial.
Dave
Posted by Elizabeth on June 12, 2001, at 2:59:29
In reply to Re: Ambien and Drug Tests, posted by Daveman on June 11, 2001, at 20:38:41
> > Benzos aren't part of the basic 5-panel test: it includes marijuana, amphetamine, opiates, cocaine, and PCP.
>
> Benzodiazepenes are commonly tested for in any job where motor skills are required.Ahh, of course. All my friends who've had pre-employment screenings do desk work (computers, mainly), and the rest of my friends and family are in academia, where they don't do drug screenings. (Except for one who was working for the Department of Energy and probably had to be tested for everything under the sun -- those national labs have a very stringent drug-free workplace policy!)
You make a good point that employers aren't supposed to discriminate against you for taking any legally prescribed medication. Also, as you say, it's important to find out what will be tested for (if you aren't told). Some psych drugs can show up on common tests, often because of metabolites. (I tested positive for amphetamine while taking selegiline: it can happen.) Amusingly enough, buprenorphine doesn't show up as an "opiate," presumably because it's not metabolised to morphine or 6-monoacetylmorphine. (Demerol and fentanyl probably wouldn't show up on this type of test, either.)
I'm still curious about this "other" category. What else might it include? Wouldn't they have to test specifically for each "other" drug?
I hope I never have to take one of those tests. Not that I take illicit drugs, but I just don't feel that my employer should ever have access to my bodily fluids.
-elizabeth
Posted by Elizabeth on June 12, 2001, at 13:35:08
In reply to Re: Ambien and Drug Tests, posted by Daveman on June 11, 2001, at 20:38:41
> > Benzos aren't part of the basic 5-panel test: it includes marijuana, amphetamine, opiates, cocaine, and PCP.
>
> Benzodiazepenes are commonly tested for in any job where motor skills are required.Ahh, of course. All my friends who've had pre-employment screenings (which they *don't* do in academia, BTW) do desk work (computer-related, mainly). I do know one guy who was working for the Department of Energy and had to be tested for everything under the sun (those national labs have a very stringent drug-free workplace policy!).
You make a good point that employers aren't supposed to discriminate against you for taking any legally prescribed medication. Also, as you say, it's important to find out what will be tested for (if you aren't told -- you should be).
Some centrally-acting drugs can show up on common tests. I once tested positive for amphetamine because I had been taking selegiline, a metabolic precursor for l-amphetamine and l-methamphetamine: it can happen.) Buprenorphine -- a synthetic derivative of thebaine, a pharmacologically inactive chemical found in opium -- doesn't show up as an "opiate," presumably because it's not metabolised to morphine or 6-monoacetylmorphine. (Demerol and fentanyl probably wouldn't show up on the basic "opiate" test, either; nor would naltrexone, which is good news for people who don't want their employers to know about their colourful drug addiction histories.)
I'm still curious about this "other" category. What else might it include? Wouldn't they have to test specifically for each "other" drug?
I'm thinking of a recent, uh, mishap in which I was found comatose and tested positive for benzodiazepines -- no surprise, since I'd taken clonazepam less than 8 hours before *and* the paramedics had given me lorazepam before transporting me to the ER -- and the hospital staff decided, based on this and my psych history, that I must have taken a drug overdose. My family, certain that this was not what had happened (not just wishful thinking: they found all the relevant pill bottles), tried to get them to do a comprehensive quantitative tox screen, to no avail. Sometimes I think I should try and destroy all my medical records. I vaguely recall that in Massachusetts there's some confusing law about whose property a medical record is -- do you know anything about that? It's something like, the physical record is technically the property of the doctor or the hospital, but the patient has a number of rights related to what happens to the record and its content (e.g., under most circumstances the patient must be allowed to view or obtain a copy of the record, the record or the information therein usually can't be released to anyone else without the patient's consent, etc.). I'm guessing that at least some other states have similarly twisted laws.
-elizabeth
This is the end of the thread.
Psycho-Babble Medication | Extras | FAQ
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.org
Script revised: February 4, 2008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/mget.pl
Copyright 2006-17 Robert Hsiung.
Owned and operated by Dr. Bob LLC and not the University of Chicago.