Adderall & Drug screens

[Flamin Mo]

Hi,

I'm in the process of being diagnosed & getting treatment and saw a psychiatrist today. He's prescribed me 25mg of Adderall XR.

One question I forgot to ask him about this is whether this is likely to show up in a drug test (I'm shopping around for a new job at the moment, and pre-employment drug tests are a distinct possibility).

Does anyone have any experience in this?

Thanks in advance

[Gregster]

Amphetamines will show up in your urine for about 4 or 5 days after taking them.
But you have a scrip for them, so it's not illegal use - would the potential employeer not take that into consideration?
It amazes me that drug tests are legal in the US as a condition of employment - it's such an invasion of privacy, and unless you're a cop, pilot or an air traffic controller, etc. there is no good reason for it.
Here in Canada it's illegal unless you are applying for a job as a cop, pilot.....
Good luck on the Adderall - I hope it works for you.
Regards,
Greg

[Tara]

You know what's crazy...I had to take a drug test to work at Was-mart as a cashier but it wasn't required when I worked in school settings or human services settings.

But in most jobs you should be fine if you provide them with documentation that you are taking the meds by prescription. When I had too take the drug test the issue didn't even come up until I was at the Dr's office taking the test.

Have you talked to your Psychartrist about this issue?

[Flamin Mo]

Originally posted by livingwithadd

Have you talked to your Psychartrist about this issue?

I meant to - I forgot. I've only seen him once so far, and that was to get the meds (I saw a psychologist for my intake).

I understand that it won't be a problem in legal terms if the adderall shows up, but I guess I'm worried that it would it prejudice a potential employer against me - you know how people can be with any kind of 'mental illness'

I have a friend who actually performs drug tests at home in the UK (where I'm from) but I'm not familiar with the procedures and legalities over here. I'm guessing that the test is performed by some outside agency. Any ideas if that agency will ask for an explanation of the positive result before reporting it to the employer? ie, if i show up with a letter from my doc, are they allowed to report to my (potential) employer that I 'failed' the test, with mitigating circumstances? Or are they only allowed to report cases of unexplained results?

Thanks agin,
Mo

PS, first day on meds today.....wow! what a difference!

[sixes]

Most drug screen forms you fill out and sign ask if you are taking prescribed meds. You have to list any meds you take. If it shows up the lab they send it to will do what's called a gamma test on the same sample and that will verify what the substance was that is showing up. After that a medical review officer from the lab will contact you before forwarding the results to a potential employer. If you can provide the appropriate documentation to the medical officer than the test is returned as negative. If not, they return it to the employer as positive. I went thru this when I started my job last yr. Luckily, I put down that I was taking adderall and the MRO said no prob after I faxed a copy of the script to them.

[Flamin Mo]

Thanks sixes - that's what i was hoping for

[killminus9]

So it I don't take Adderall a week before a drug test I should be ok?

[Andrew]

Actually, when you go for a drug test, you will be given a form which will have a space to list what meds you're on.

Drug tests are now sophisticated enough to detect legal meds vs. illegal meds. Just make sure you list all the meds you're on.

[kimo]

Where I work we are subject to "random" drug tests (I put that in quotes because I wonder how random they really are, but that's another story). Anyways, at work, if you test positive for a drug, it is the lab that contacts you to find out if you have a proper prescription. If you do, the employer never knows about it. The testing lab just sends back to the company that you "passed" the test. So the company does not even know if you are taking anything. Unless, of course, you don't have a script or are doing illegal drugs.

Perhaps it works the same way for pre-employment screenings?

[Andrew]

I have worked in jobs that required drug testing pre and post employment to gain (and keep) clearance levels. Pre-employment exams usually ask for med info before they test you. Post-employment testing procedures may vary based on testing company or your employers procedures, but for most jobs, kimo is right, the employer wont be told if you have a prescription med....meaning, you'll "Pass". If you have a high risk job, i.e. Law Enforcement, Government, etc...they may very well have stricter policies.

[Add1234]

Right on this is awesome. I was just going to make a thread regarding this. I am prescribed 20mgx2 Adderall XR once a day everyday from a psychiatrist. I also will be going in for an interview and if I do get the job I will have to take a test. I was also worried that they would send back the results saying that I did come up positive. But I will have my Dr. either get me a copy of my script or I'll ask him to fax the testing place.

I was more worried about the company not wanting to hire someone who is taking a medication like Adderall. I was scared of being discriminated against.

Thanks for the great info!

[Add1234]

Ok this is what I gathered before going into take the drug screen.

1. If I prove that I am currently on some type of medication such as Adderall via a doctor's note or prescription bottle etc that if the test did come up positive for amphetamines, which it obviously will, that they'll say I passed.

I told the lady I was on prescription medication. She informed me that I could write it down after I was done. Then after I took the urine sample test she told me to sign this paper and then to write down what medications I'm one. She then said that I have to show my employer the medication info if the test comes up positive.

THIS IS GOING TO HAMPER MY CHANCES AT EVEN STAYING AT THIS JOB! I CAN GUARANTEE IT THAT THEY WILL NOT WANT ME AFTER THEY COME TO FIND OUT THAT I AM POSITIVE FOR AMPHETAMINES EVEN THOUGH IT IS A REAL PRESCRIPTION FROM A PSYCHIATRIST WHO IS TREATING ME.

I AM SO SAD RIGHT NOW AND HURT. I SWEAR I THOUGHT THAT THEY AREN'T SUPPOSED TO DO THIS AND THAT AS LONG AS I CAN PROVIDE MY PROOF THAT I'M ON THE DRUG LEGALLY THEY WOULD SAY I PASSED THE DRUG TEST. TALK TO ME!

[charlie]

Add1234,
what ended up happening with this test and your job?

[jaimegerise]

Yeah ADD1234, what I wanna know is, how can they discriminate you for this? In my view, they can't....

[wasted]

Originally Posted by Add1234

Ok this is what I gathered before going into take the drug screen.

1. If I prove that I am currently on some type of medication such as Adderall via a doctor's note or prescription bottle etc that if the test did come up positive for amphetamines, which it obviously will, that they'll say I passed.

I told the lady I was on prescription medication. She informed me that I could write it down after I was done. Then after I took the urine sample test she told me to sign this paper and then to write down what medications I'm one. She then said that I have to show my employer the medication info if the test comes up positive.

I'm sorry THat is what I heard too -- that if you had proof of being on ampetamines with a prescription than the testing company would say to your employer you "passed" -- that they did not go into details about if/what you came up positive for, and why. I think this is so unfair. Has anyone else been through this? I have been on Adderall for awhile and will probably have to take a drug test soon because I am looking for a new job as well. I really emphathize with you add1234