Drugs test sent away for further tests

[Zerocool]

Hi all,

Was looking for some help on this. I've read other threads which are similar but wondering if I could get some assistance on my specific issue.

I've recently just done my medical for my PTS was really looking forward to starting a career on the rails but my drugs test has now been "sent away for further analysis" ?

I don't take any illegal drugs at all. The only thing I could think of is that I took 2 co codamol the day before for a shoulder injury (I declared this in my medical and provided my box from pharmacy with my name etc on it). Alcohol came back 0.00mg everything else went perfect but they've sent my test away for further analysis! So I'm concerned now that I won't pass the drug test because of these pain killers!

If I do fail is there anyway to contest it, even if I pay for another test myself etc...?

Lastly, the only reason I took the painkillers the day before is I was supposed to do the medical the week after but they phoned me the day before I did it and asked if I could swap and do it the next day. As I said I don't take illegal drugs and was completely honest with them so didn't think it would be a problem.

Thanks in advance

 

[trainmania100]

When I took 2 co codamol I felt so sleepy
But can't see why it should cause any issues, it's only a painkillers

 

[Darandio]

When I took 2 co codamol I felt so sleepy
But can't see why it should cause any issues, it's only a painkillers

Because co-codamol may contain traces of morphine and will therefore give a positive result for opiates.

This is presumably why it has been sent away for further analysis, most likely to determine exact levels.

 

[GB]

Were the co codamol and dosage prescribed by your doctor? In any case if you declared them at the medical then that shouldn't be a problem.

Urine tests can show other issues not related to drugs and alcohol but I'd try not to worry about it too much (easy to say).

As for challenging the test. That is your right. When you had the test it should have been decanted into two or three different sealed containers. One is sent off (either at random or your choice...I can't remember) for analyses, the other is kept on file as such. It is that one you can chose to have tested at your expense.

 

[ainsworth74]

I would agree with the above if the mediation was proscribed and declared at the medical then I don't see it being an issue.

 

[Wivenswold]

Knowing the tickbox culture that exists with these testing companies they are probably duty bound to follow a procedure if a certain drug shows up.

That you can get these over the counter suggests that you will have no problem. From a contractual point of view, check your invitation letter and any advice it provides. I suspect there's nothing on there about not taking certain painkillers.

I really wouldn't worry, rules is rules, they are just making sure that trace of morphine is not the real deal. Which is isn't.

 

[Lockwood]

At a guess, it would be the codeine triggering an opiate test.
Regular co-codamol is 8mg codeine to 500mg paracetamol, with some prescription strengths going to 30mg/500mg. Codeine is an opiate, so you would expect a drug test to detect it.

I would imagine that the further testing would be to determine the exact levels of opiate in the sample and that it is consistent with the information you provided and that the positive trace is "I had 2xco-codamol yesterday" and not "I had 2xco-codamol yesterday, and shot morphine twice a day for the last month".


(Disclaimer: I am not Occ Health, this is an educated guess, your home is at risk if you build it out of flour, etc)

 

[red2005]

When I took 2 co codamol I felt so sleepy
But can't see why it should cause any issues, it's only a painkillers

In railway/safety critical terms cocodamol is far from "just a painkiller". It's one of the main forms of medication that most companies won't want you anywhere near the premises whilst you're taking it.

As someone else said I'm pretty sure I heard it shows up as something else on a medi screen.

 

[Zerocool]

Thank you all. Makes me feel a little better. On answer to the question about them being prescribed. Yes, they were prescribed by my GP with all the labels etc... On the box showing my name. I understand it's for safety reasons and wont even drive after taking them let alone work somewhere where you're potentially responsible for the safety of others and/or yourself such as the track. I was just more concerned that a fail is a fail but reading between the lines of the above responses then when it gets sent away for further tests it should show up as co codamol? Which will be fine as I took the medication with me to the medical as they requested.

Really appreciate all the responses though. Thanks all! ??????

 

[dk1]

I had a random screen last year & there was something that shew up they couldn't pinpoint. Turned out to be the Veganin painkiller containing codeine (not allowed apparently if a driver) that I'd taken the day before for a shoulder injury. I've been popping these all my life for various things including self inflicted headaches on my days off. Had no idea it was an issue. We all had a good laugh when I remembered & owned up. I promised not to pop them in future

 

[Stuart-h]

Thank you all. Makes me feel a little better. On answer to the question about them being prescribed. Yes, they were prescribed by my GP with all the labels etc... On the box showing my name. I understand it's for safety reasons and wont even drive after taking them let alone work somewhere where you're potentially responsible for the safety of others and/or yourself such as the track. I was just more concerned that a fail is a fail but reading between the lines of the above responses then when it gets sent away for further tests it should show up as co codamol? Which will be fine as I took the medication with me to the medical as they requested.

Really appreciate all the responses though. Thanks all! ��

Personelly I think you should be fine. I'd hazard a guess and say there wanting to have a better idea on how much is in your system.

 

[Zerocool]

Awesome cheers both! Hoping all will be ok. They said they'll get back to me by 4th Oct the latest (10 day course starts on 9th) so will let you all know how I get on!

 

[falcon]

Co Codamol = codeine = opiates. You don't take things like that before a drugs test.:roll:

 

[Zerocool]

Co Codamol = codeine = opiates. You don't take things like that before a drugs test.:roll:

As I said in my post falcon. I weren't supposed to have the medical for another week after I took the pain killers. Obviously had I known before I took them I was going to have a D&A the next day then id have just suffered through the pain! :roll:

 

[donpoku]

As I said in my post falcon. I weren't supposed to have the medical for another week after I took the pain killers. Obviously had I known before I took them I was going to have a D&A the next day then id have just suffered through the pain! :roll:

Why bother replying when s/he didn't bother to read your post...

Sent from my LG-H850 using Tapatalk

 

[ge-gn]

As I said in my post falcon. I weren't supposed to have the medical for another week after I took the pain killers. Obviously had I known before I took them I was going to have a D&A the next day then id have just suffered through the pain! :roll:

If you have prescription pain killers for a condition you are allowed to take them. You shouldn't have to suffer pain for a DnA screening. You did the right thing reporting the medicine you took before the test, and I'm sure your test will pass. It is also your duty to report any medicine you are on before you take up duty. Your manager will then get a report from chemist on call which will advice of any necessary precautions required (i.e., no working alone, or no working on or near the line etc.).

 

[Zerocool]

Thanks for the reply ge-gn. Appreciate the advice. Hopefully I get the job and in future will take ur advice on board i.e. making sure I report it if taken anything

 

[Mojo]

In railway/safety critical terms cocodamol is far from "just a painkiller". It's one of the main forms of medication that most companies won't want you anywhere near the premises whilst you're taking it.

You are right in that it is much more than "just a painkiller," however companies may allow staff who take it consistently on a daily basis to undertake safety or non-safety critical duties. For example at my company it was previously the case that staff taking it could only do restricted duties, such as office work or gateline/information/non-platform duties. They introduced a new policy about 18 months ago for drivers which has since been rolled out to other grades; the employee and manager will submit a questionnaire about all medication taken, concentration levels, drowsiness, etc., be restricted for a minimum of three days and then have an occupational health review, in lots of cases this will mean they can resume back to normal duties, however if anything changes (for example any new medication, feeling drowsy, if they miss a single dose) then the whole process has to start again. If you just take it on an ad-hoc basis then this doesn't apply.

As someone else said I'm pretty sure I heard it shows up as something else on a medi screen.

Not sure how it shows up, maybe similar to people who have eaten poppy seed bread, I know someone who was stood down from safety critical duties after a random test identified something in their system. They went back a few days later to occupational health and they cleared them back for normal duties, all they said they thought it could be was poppy seed bread that was eaten for lunch!

 

[LWB]

Codeine metabalises to morphine in your body. A neurological condition necessitates my taking 8 x 30/500 co-codamol daily. Family used to take occassionally for pain relief until both son and daughter changed jobs. My daughter works in nuclear related defence industry And was told they could detect such use 4 months afterwards.

 

[Zerocool]

Just an update guys for anyone who wants to know. Further tests came back and as expected was exactly what I disclosed to the medical team i.e. co codamol. However, apparently the levels are higher than what they would expect (not sure how this is, I spoke to my gp and he said everyones body processes any medication differently when the lover breaks it down). Long story short I know have to speak to a doctor just to explain why I took them and how much I took and that should be the last tick box to complete. So fingers crossed, still! I honestly feel like a complete down and out drug addict with this fuss but I understand the safety issues when working on track etc... Will give a final update within the next 3-5 days after I get the call from the doc.

 

[ComUtoR]

So fingers crossed, still! I honestly feel like a complete down and out drug addict with this fuss

How so. You had a genuine positive result for a genuine reason.

but I understand the safety issues when working on track etc... Will give a final update within the next 3-5 days after I get the call from the doc.

It should give you confidence that there are such stringent checks are being made and that you are about to enter an industry where safety is critical.

 

[Zerocool]

Yeah good shout ComUtoR. Probably just frustrating because I just want to get passed this part and start my 10 day training next week. When u sit back and think about it, you're right. And am happy with regards to safety! ??????

 

[ComUtoR]

As I say to everyone. All the testing never stops. Whether its a drugs test or a rules assessment they just keep testing us.

On a different positive spin. Regular pee tests and medicals means that they can, and do, pick things up pretty quickly. Especially things like diabetes.

Best wishes for the next steps.

 

[red2005]

You are right in that it is much more than "just a painkiller," however companies may allow staff who take it consistently on a daily basis to undertake safety or non-safety critical duties. For example at my company it was previously the case that staff taking it could only do restricted duties, such as office work or gateline/information/non-platform duties. They introduced a new policy about 18 months ago for drivers which has since been rolled out to other grades; the employee and manager will submit a questionnaire about all medication taken, concentration levels, drowsiness, etc., be restricted for a minimum of three days and then have an occupational health review, in lots of cases this will mean they can resume back to normal duties, however if anything changes (for example any new medication, feeling drowsy, if they miss a single dose) then the whole process has to start again. If you just take it on an ad-hoc basis then this doesn't apply.


Not sure how it shows up, maybe similar to people who have eaten poppy seed bread, I know someone who was stood down from safety critical duties after a random test identified something in their system. They went back a few days later to occupational health and they cleared them back for normal duties, all they said they thought it could be was poppy seed bread that was eaten for lunch!

Oh yes I wasn't saying once declared they'll look at you differently or anything like that lol..... if it's what you've been prescribed to take it's what you take etc etc. And at the end of the day it is a pain killer (great for that btw) however its potency and notoriety surrounding random mediscreens is not something that should be underestimated. I've had this prescribed myself since I've been on the railway and was off way longer than I actually needed to be in terms of how I was feeling but was told to finish what I'd had prescribed. It's great stuff and does an amazing job but I wouldn't fancy operating anything whilst taking it hehe...... never had such a relaxing week ha!

Just didn't want the OP to become slightly blasé about what this stuff meant in relation to the railway and come unstuck at a later date...... I'm sure he's not that daft anyway but didn't want the guy putting this stuff in the same bracket as paracetamol and ibuprofen as THEY are just pain killers but I'd still be declaring those lol.

I've heard that poppy seed one..... if I remember rightly the first guy to get caught out by that was sacked and reinstated at a later date after a LOOOOOONG investigation and much heartache!

Good to see the OP seems to have his worries coming to an end though!.... I can't imagine what he's been through has been very nice st all.

 

[Zerocool]

Hi all, one final update from me. Thank you everyone for responding it really helped the nerves whilst waiting to hear what was going to happen! I spoke to the doctor this morning and it was very basic, what happened for you to take the pain killers, do you take them regularly etc... And that was it she just finished the convo by saying she'll now report back to the lab to rule it as a negative result and I can start my 10 day training on Monday! Completed my mandatory e-learn tonight so I'm ready to rock and roll on Monday! All in all it's exactly the result I wanted! Now looking forward to working on track!

 

[ainsworth74]

Congratulations! We all thought it would be fine in the end but still, nice to have it confirmed!

 

[Magnet81]

Because co-codamol may contain traces of morphine and will therefore give a positive result for opiates.

This is presumably why it has been sent away for further analysis, most likely to determine exact levels.

Co-codamol (codeine) is converted to morphine in the liver.

 

[OpsWeb]

I think the standard urine test is just a crude "beyond reasonable doubt" pass or fail, just like the roadside breath tests the police have. Also, most industry standard urine tests only test for the bodies response to certain drugs (no idea how). If anything comes back - they sent it for a full analysis.