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Thread: Any advice?

  1. #21
    Junior Member
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Posts
    4

    Re: Any advice?

    I am so sorry to hear about your continued battle with this, especially when she has followed the correct path and gotten this far. I had a false positive for TCA (tricyclic antidepressants). I have never taken them so I was rather shocked, but my Second test came back negative. I don't think even that helped me, though because from that point on I was flagged.

    My first test was I think a basic 5 or 7 panel, and the second split sample was a very detailed 5 or 6 pages that broke down every class of drug and listed the drugs within it. For example, it had the SSRI's (antidepressants) broken down into (generic names) for Prozac, Paxil, Celexa, Lexapro, etc. Everything was negative for the second test, but all I could figure was the decongestant I had been taking because that is all I was taking. At the time I had looked it up on the internet and found similar errors, but nothing of actually dealing with a nursing board afterwords or what happens if the errors weren't caught in the second test. This search was done 5 years ago.

    Also the second sample was sent to a completely different lab than the first. do you have the records for the tests? I think it was rather odd that they told you the second tests always come back positive.

    I had been testing through my family physician through their disclipinary contract, and although their was nothing in my contract about antidepressants, and although my second test came back negative, I think this was the reason for my longer contract in the end. Like I said, I was flagged.

    I would suggest the same things you have already heard, get a hair sample done independently it may come in handy at the end of her suspension. I would also consult with a lawyer, if I had it to do over again I would have, at least for some information on the process.

    You sound like a very supportive spouse who believes in his wife and her recovery, she is very fortunate and I wish you both well. I wish I had better answers for you.

  2. #22

    Re: Any advice?

    Quote Originally Posted by tpc View Post
    Hi all.
    I'm not a nurse. My wife is.
    In 5 months it will mark her 4 years of being clean. She will no longer have to test or anything else to keep her license. For the past 1.5 years she's been nursing at the county health department. She loves her job and her employers truly love her. She's such a hard worker going above and beyond what they expected.

    I have grilled her on what may have happened. She tells me she has not taken anything. She also says I have every reason not to believe her because of her past. But I do believe her. She has worked so hard. She has done so much to make things right after her first, and only, mistake.

    .

    Dear TCP,
    Please don't take my comment in offense. I just want you to consider the possibility your wife had a relapse. All the nurses here are well aware of the disease of addiction. We remind ourselves daily that even though we are “clean” we are still addicts. That “addicted self” never goes away and lies to us continually. It tells us that we really aren't addicted, that one pill wont make a drug test turn positive, or that since I just tested, I surely wont be called on to test again in the near future. Having a lot of clean time doesn't erase that fact. I find it interesting that you are the one posting here and not your wife. Have you been attending Nar-anon or Al-anon meetings? Has your wife remained active in her recovery and going to at least 2-3 meetings a week? There usually seems to be a co-dependent relationship between the addict and their partner. We seek out people who fit our needs as do our partners. I only bring up these issues because I have learned so much about myself and my relationships after going through and inpatient and two outpatients programs as well as more meetings than I can count. It may be that your wife's test was a false positive, but again, it may not be. I assume you are not an addict. In AA/NA, your types are affectionately called “Normies”. You take pain medication as prescribed, you can drink socially and never experience the compulsion that is addiction, therefore it's difficult to empathize. Please understand that in addiction, relapse is far more common than we all wish it were. Best of wishes to you and your wife. Again, please take my comments in the loving and caring spirit they were written in.

  3. #23

    Re: Any advice?

    Well said TN.

    Replace the word "addiction" with the name of any other chronic, progressive, potentially fatal disease. If the disease becomes active again, in other words, "relapse" occurs, what is the most common response? In most instances it's compassion, empathy, or sympathy. Sometimes there is even a, "That's not surprising", ot "I expected there would be since their diseae process had advanced so much before treatment."

    No with this disease. It's shock, disappointment, anger. We wait until the person gets "caught" instead of intervening at an earlier time. Then we send them to "intensive" outpatient treatment that generally isn't intensive enough and most certainly not long enough. Follow up care is spotty. And then everyone is surprised when they "fail"? What is wrong with this picture?!?

    For the original poster, have you done any research and reading of the disease process? Have you read anything about the process of relapse, how to recognize it, and how to intervene? Get the book "Staying Sober" by Terence Gorski. You and your wife should read it together and then use the accompanyin workbook to help understand the disease, relapse, and relapse prevention. It will enlighten both of you AND many times will strengthen your relationship in the process (sounds pretty strong already). I agree with others who have suggested you attend al-anon or nar-anon (not Narconon, which is a Scientology based program that can be quite dangerous).

    This disease is cunning, baffling, and powerful. It takes concerted, lifelong effort to keep it in remission. Keep us posted.

    Jack
    Jack
    Peer Assistance Advisor
    Ohio
    Peer Assistance OSANA
    "Addicts aren't bad people trying to become good, we are sick people trying to become well."
    Yes, I drew this picture.
    [SIGPIC][SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

  4. #24
    Junior Member
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Posts
    1

    Re: Any advice?

    I have heard the same thing. I also want to warn those out there that ANY vinegar has alcohol in it, not just those like Rice Wine vinegar or red wine vinegar. Apple cider vinegar has alcohol as well...you have to be VERY careful or greatly involved in the Psychic network to figure some of these things out!

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