I also smoke pot when the pain gets real bad and it helps so much - like night and day. I told my doctors and they both said 'go for it'!

Hi Lynne,
A few years ago I had to sign a long term opiate contract and it says that if they find any illegal drugs they will discharge me. When they started the drug testing they told me they did'nt care what was in it that they just wanted to make sure the meds were in my system.

Recently I've been smoking to help with pain and sleep, and I wonder if it is illegal because I also have a MMJ card and just smoke what I get from my care giver. I'm sure they will test me again this month and I'm giving it a 10 day break and will the day before drink massive amount of cranberry juice and water to help dilute the test results as I'm sure I could'nt make it without my pain meds

I think if you only do it ocasionally it probally won't show up and I will just blame it on being around people in a room who smoked, my doc said he would back it if the U of M ever said it helped.
Just start drinking lots of water to flush your system and remember Cranberry juice is also good at cleansing the system
Dave

I'm sure as everyone knows I smoke mj bout 3-5x a day and I couldn't live without it..I depend on it as much as I do percocets..if I didn't smoke id be a zombie off of pills! And ur doc should not know unless u pee in a cup..they don't test for that unless some other reason..if u smok daily it takes up to a month to not show up on a urine test..shorter so they say wit flushing ur system out lots of water, cranberry juice,,those detox drinks...that's discrimination! My neuro knows and say do what I gotta do! Keep smoking!

Hi Lynne. I have been looking into this. I also go to a pain management clinic. I have to go monthly, They are very strict. I had to sign a narcotics contract which I am certain stated any illicit drugs detected... you are discharged.

I have it on very good authority that marijuana use stays in your system for 30 days. Thus my sense is if you use it, even once it will be detected. These drug tests are sophisticated. I seriously doubt you can detox out of it showing up. Too much riding on the clinics license and profitability.

I already tested positive for something I hadn't used (lab error)

I have a visit next week at my PM clinic and am going to ask directly what happens if I use mj for pain/spasticity.

Ironically I always try to take less than the prescribed percocet dose. I always have at least 20 left over. But I can't tell them that and risk having the dose reduced. I am trying as hard as possible to avoid developing a tolerance which is a real possibility.

I use these narcotics half for pain and half for this awful twice daily muscle spasm problem that started in Jan. 1 - every 15 sec for 1-2 hours before narcotic kicks in. Its making my back pain worse.

The spasticity Dr. knows narcotics stop them BUT won't prescribe them. Its fine if someone else does. So what if that place (pain clinic) cuts me off because I try pot for the spasticity?

Quite a dillema for me.

Smoke pot - it will most likely be detected. How they deal with it depends on facilities policy. I am going to have to confront them soon about this. Wish me luck.

Melanie

PS Urine test is mandatory monthly and results have to show before you can leave with prescription.

That sux!.I'm not signing squat! No drugs my ass to these people! what do pain management centers do? Dumb ques, rather what forms of pain management do they use? I'm curious

Ris - you are very lucky indeed. Maybe give me hope that I should tell my doctor about my occassional use.

Dave - I like your excuse "2nd-hand smoke!" haha. You are lucky if you hold a legal card for the stuff. I live in Maryland, so no such luck here. I once bought for my son one of thos detox drinks supposedly clearing your system of THC, and I don't remember if it worked. I know we paid abour $49 for the darn drink. I should ask my son if it worked. That's the MS - forgetfullness.

rican - you're a hoot! I did tonight partake, saying to myself "well, it is already to late so why not?" If I smoked during the day I would be a zombie. My pain medication is not percocet so I don't get zombied out from it. That's some pretty strong stuff!

Melanie - You, like Dave had to sign a contract. I don't remember signing a contract of any type. But my facility is very strict. Maybe I did? I would be very interested in knowing what your PMD says about you occassionally smoking. Please let me know. Wow, I'm sorry you deal with such pain and the percocet doesn't help alone. I take Opana ER 40 2X/day. Then I supplement it with an oxymorphone 5 MG 3x/day. Small dose. I too try not to take the supplemental dosage too, I also have left overs, but I tell my doc not to give me a rx for a month or so. I understand you not wanting to have your doseage reduced - just in case! Well, good luck talking to the doctor, and message me when you get back!

It's funny that you asked this question, because I was interested too. I smoke occasionally, because it does help a lot, but my nerves about detection always get the best of me. I don't remember ever signing anything that could get me in trouble, but then again, I didn't read all of the small print (oops!) Let us know how this goes. And best of luck to you!

I really would not worry about this being you've been tested before. You aren't going to a pain management clinic (if you were, you'd need to be concerned as they do test for other drugs, including THC). However, you aren't going to a pain management clinic, you are going to see you Primary Care physician.
It is not normal to test for THC in a regular blood test done to see how your body is responding to the other drugs you are taking.
I personally must have regular blood tests done every couple of months because I have a severe deficiency of vitamin D. The doctor does a CBC (complete blood count) when these pesky tests are done on me.
I've also had many urine tests done but they were not looking for THC specifically, they were looking for infection, etc.
Even while hospitalized 3X in one year, the subject NEVER came up re: THC in any of my blood or urine tests.
I would not be concerned if I was going to my regular doctor but I'd be concerned if I was going to a pain management clinic and getting scripts for schedule one narcotics from them.
I am taking morphine sulfate (again) -- 30 mg. at night so I can get the sleep I need.
I go to a cannabis doctor for my marijuana script. This doctor actually checks me out more thoroughly than my regular doctor does!
Try NOT to worry Lynne! It does "us" no good as I'm sure you know already.
If you are really worried you can buy teas you can drink to clean you out before the test and you can go so far as to purchase drug testing strips from amazon.com if you feel the need.
Again, try NOT to worry about any of this please.

Yeah this is a misconception I find everywhere. A doctor doesn't test for "drugs" in general. There are multiple tests for specific chemicals and unless he tells you he's looking for illegal substances, he's not going to be doing those tests.
Don't get paranoid off that stuff now ;)

You might be surprised to find what is required today to get a narcotics prescription. I have had 2 different primary care doctors require a signed contract. And so did my my former pain doctor who moved to Israel, thus my last choice was to go to a pain clinic. The medical community is becoming stricter and more paranoid about substance abusers/addicts.

Unfortunately it is beoming a national phenomenom.i.e. suburban Moms taking Vicodin, getting scripts from multiple doctors.

PCP's are now sending patients to these pain management centers to avoid risking their licenses being reviewed or revoked. Believe me I know. A former neurologist who was aggressive with prescribing pain meds lost his license. My long time friend Jim runs an internal medicine practice and has expertise in pain management. What he has told me over the past ten years about the Feds cracking down on narcotic prescribing by MD's is very disturbing.

I have a young lady who helps me at home. Her 68yr old Mom is addicted to Vicodin and has been for years. She dr. shops and gets away with it. Making things worse for those of us who really need it.

Read anything from American Pain Foundation and you will see the fight they have to try and make those of us who need narcotics still be able to easily get it.

When you add 'medical marijuana' into the mix things get even more complicated. I believe it will eventually be legalized (for the tax revenue). But believe me, read what you sign, be aware you do not have the control - the doctors do.

This is not a case of being paranoid, it is a reality that exists today and unfortunately it will probably get worse before it gets better. I've been going thru this for the past 12 years and acess and privacy is getting harder all the time.

I am waiting for the light at the end of the tunnel. It may come sooner if more pain patients speak up to Washington and they hear our story. That is what the APF is doing right now.

www.painfoundation.org

Melanie

There is a convenience store in a nearby town that advertises for "detox" kits for their work job testing. It doesn't specifically say what it is for but it is supposedly for cleaning your system out of you know what. Since they sell pipes, I suppose that people with jobs need these cleansing to get a negative result.

Besides a urine test, there is some kind of blood test that shows up positive for some kind of STD if you have taken marijuana. Back in the 80s, a woman doctor who tested me for some kind of "nonspecific vaginitis" asked me if I had taken any smoke and I said yes in the last 30 days because she said the test caused her to see the link.

Anyway, I understand that it stays in your system for 30 days. But if you read my post about my friend who killed himself, you see that pain is what killed him. He should have been treated for pain properly, so pain should be the utmost consideration. I don't know if they consider weed as a real problem considering we have MS. I mean really. Luckily, I am not in pain so I don't know.

When I used to smoke it regularly back in the 70s, I don't remember it working for pain but I believe that it must work for you all. So do what you can. Take a "cleansing" solution or whatever you can do to be clean. Best of luck. The main things is being out of pain. Try to find a "Head" shop and ask questions.

I go to the doctor constantly and have literally never in all the zillions of urine and blood tests, been tested without my knowledge for illegal substances. They tell you they're doing that otherwise you could say, no don't do that. I mean they can't just take your urine and test it for whatever they want--you have to agree to that kind of test, sign something, etc
I've been smoking pot for 14 years people.

Well maybe my experience differs cause my state has legalized its use medicinally. We're one of 14 states and counting that has done that :)

Why are we even having this discussion. I think most, if not all, would agree that MJ helps MS ALOT!

Keep smokin'!