Drug Testing

[mdw2006]

I took dd to the doctor last week because she was having bad stomach pains (come to find out she had an infection in her colon etc, she got meds and is better now). We went today because of her not sleeping (we did get a different medication and hopefully this one will help her sleep)but when they drew blood last week they did a drug test panel. Can they do that just to do it? I thought you had to have permission. She was positive for two things but had been on pain pills for her pain due to the infection, she was seen in minor care and given morphine and a nausea med that can also cause a positive result.

 

Doc just came in and said her drug test was positive what drug test?

[beli]

Every time I've gotten annual blood draw my doctor has specifically asked me if I wanted to be tested. I don't think they can just randomly do a drug test without the parents permission but that's just me. I would be contacting clinic's upper management and asking them this exact question. Unless of course you signed a piece of paper when you went in stating that they could do it. Did they give you any papers to sign and have copies of? I'd be reading over those with a fine tooth comb.

Edited March 24, 2012 by beli

[mk_378]

You should not be paying for a test that you didn't approve. Now more money is likely to be wasted over this apparently false positive. The doctor should have asked both of you (separately) about illicit drug use if it was a potential factor in the diagnosis.

[Tigz]

Before we get to the right or wrong of it, you need to know what she tested positive for.

If it is a medication that she was given, then no harm, no foul (and you can scream at them to your heart's content).

However, if it was an illegal street drug, then it is best you know about it and her counselor knows about it. You don't want to lose your child to drugs. Sometimes, it takes an "invasion of privacy" (especially with teens) to head off disaster.

[angeleyeskkhr]

Unless that positive was for opiates, I'd be concerned and DD would be in the hot seat.

 

I'd also be asking the doctor for a copy of my authorization for the test

[mdw2006]

I don't think there was any reason to do it due to her regular medications she has never had to before.

 

It was positive for opiates so the doctor asked her about that which we told her about her getting Hyrdo's and morphine and Tyl 3's that last 3-4 weeks due to her fractured wrist and stomach pain so that explained that (which I know pain pills will cause a positive)

 

The other positive (can't think of the name) she thinks was from the nausea med because depending what one the hospital gave her (she got it three times in the last week) can cause that.

 

Everything else was negative, we have given the girls drug tests at home, it as part of the deal to get ungrounded, they both passed those and we told them we will do them randomly.

 

I did not sign anything, if I wanted a drug test done I would have asked of course dd could have refused she has that right. The doctor just said they where going to draw blood to check the normal stuff white blood count and so on.

 

I doubt my insurance will cover the test.

[Labyrinthine]

If you didn't sign an authorization then you need to start throwing fits until they agree not to charge you. Especially since it revealed nothing you did not already know.

[iH8cra]

When I went to the doctor, they handed me my lab draw requisition form and sent me to the lab area. On the form things were checked like CBC, CMP, lipid panel, UA. I would have seen if they had checked any drug screen stuff.

 

Not sure if that's normal practice or not because I've only been to the doctor twice in the fifteen years.

[sirrowan]

That would make me angry! Perhaps they wanted to be sure that she WAS taking the meds and not you?

[mdw2006]

When I went to the doctor, they handed me my lab draw requisition form and sent me to the lab area. On the form things were checked like CBC, CMP, lipid panel, UA. I would have seen if they had checked any drug screen stuff.

 

Not sure if that's normal practice or not because I've only been to the doctor twice in the fifteen years.

 

Some offices still do that, most (the office go to) it is all done on computer and the orders are sent to the lab you never see what is ordered.