swanny Posted January 21, 2022 Share Posted January 21, 2022 I've been taking Ritalin for ADD and just realised if I had to get drug tested, like when a cop does a random drug test when driving OR at work, i'd probably test positive for drugs from having the Ritalin in my system!! It worries the hell out of me, how should i handle this? Is there a way to keeping taking Ritalin and not have to worry about getting drug tested?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrazyRedhead Posted January 21, 2022 Share Posted January 21, 2022 (edited) 34 minutes ago, swanny said: I've been taking Ritalin for ADD and just realised if I had to get drug tested, like when a cop does a random drug test when driving OR at work, i'd probably test positive for drugs from having the Ritalin in my system!! It worries the hell out of me, how should i handle this? Is there a way to keeping taking Ritalin and not have to worry about getting drug tested?? If you're only worried about a random police screen,or a drug screen at work, simply carry your ritalin with you in the original prescription bottle......That way you can show the police it's legally prescribed to you by a doctor...... .If you're worried about a random drug screen by a doctor, carry your prescription bottle with you to all doc appointments. Although of course, the doc that prescribed it to you already knows you're taking it. Edited January 21, 2022 by CrazyRedhead Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swanny Posted January 21, 2022 Author Share Posted January 21, 2022 (edited) 14 minutes ago, CrazyRedhead said: If you're only worried about a random police screen,or a drug screen at work, simply carry your ritalin with you in the original prescription bottle......That way you can show the police it's legally prescribed to you by a doctor...... No I don't feel comfortable carrying my Ritalin with me or any other meds. I usually leave my meds at home. I'm sure there are other people here who have been in a similar position, surely there are other solutions for this besides carrying my mods with me Edited January 21, 2022 by swanny Mistakes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrazyRedhead Posted January 21, 2022 Share Posted January 21, 2022 (edited) 27 minutes ago, CrazyRedhead said: Sorry double post Edited January 21, 2022 by CrazyRedhead Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrazyRedhead Posted January 21, 2022 Share Posted January 21, 2022 (edited) 23 minutes ago, swanny said: No I don't feel comfortable carrying my Ritalin with me or any other meds. I usually leave my meds at home. I'm sure there are other people here who have been in a similar position, surely there are other solutions for this besides carrying my mods with me I understand....But there is another way..... Simply tell them you are taking Ritalin legally prescribed by a doctor, then tell them the doctor's name, and also have handy the name and phone number of the pharmacy you get it filled at. Then, they can call doctor's office or pharmacy to verify. Edited January 21, 2022 by CrazyRedhead Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swanny Posted January 22, 2022 Author Share Posted January 22, 2022 Surely from the drug test they can tell the difference between Ritalin and the real street drugs like ice, meth etc. Otherwise someone could be taking meth or whatever and also ADHD stimulants then be sneaky and use the excuse that the positive result was because of the Ritalin!? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrazyRedhead Posted January 22, 2022 Share Posted January 22, 2022 (edited) 12 hours ago, swanny said: Surely from the drug test they can tell the difference between Ritalin and the real street drugs like ice, meth etc. Otherwise someone could be taking meth or whatever and also ADHD stimulants then be sneaky and use the excuse that the positive result was because of the Ritalin!? Ritalin could cause a false positive for amphetamines, meth, and LSD......But there are other meds, including the antidepressants Prozac and Wellbutrin that could cause a false positive for the same things, too. https://www.americaspharmacy.com/blog/10-medications-trigger-false-positives-drug-tests But, If you have a false positive test, you CAN dispute it.........Tell them what you are taking that could have caused the false positive, and request a second, confirmatory test, such as Gas Chromatography, Mass Spectrometry, or High-Performance Liquid Chromatography......Any of these highly accurate tests can confirm that you're taking Ritalin, and not amphetamines, meth, or LSD. Many people often rely on these more accurate tests for confirmation. They are not the initial test as they are expensive and require sophisticated equipment. Edited January 22, 2022 by CrazyRedhead Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iceberg Posted January 23, 2022 Share Posted January 23, 2022 On 1/21/2022 at 9:57 PM, swanny said: Surely from the drug test they can tell the difference between Ritalin and the real street drugs like ice, meth etc. Otherwise someone could be taking meth or whatever and also ADHD stimulants then be sneaky and use the excuse that the positive result was because of the Ritalin!? If you’re in the US they can usually confirm that you have a prescription and then it’s not an issue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aquarian Posted January 23, 2022 Share Posted January 23, 2022 Regarding work, at the last job I was at, if you didn't pass the drug screen, you had an opportunity to provide a prescription for the drug or drugs that were at issue to the facility doing the drug screening and they would just match your prescription against what you tested positive for (I think they did a quickie drug test and then if it was positive, they analyzed the sample further). The employer was never notified that there was any issue with the drug screen even if the person had to supply a prescription; they were just told that the person "passed". At the time I wasn't taking any stimulants and I don't think I was taking any benzos but they described the process to me and it kind of eased my mind. It was a fairly serious drug screen as far as you couldn't take anything into the bathroom with you, no place to hide anything in the room, etc. But it was all done at a third party drug testing site. This was right after I was hired and hiring was conditional on me passing the drug screen, credit check, background check, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swanny Posted January 27, 2022 Author Share Posted January 27, 2022 (edited) On 1/23/2022 at 1:13 PM, Iceberg said: If you’re in the US they can usually confirm that you have a prescription and then it’s not an issue I am in Australia and I looked into the rules and it says something along the lines that u can be considered driving under the influence DUI if the test results show evidence of illegal and PRESCRIPTION drugs in your body at the time of the test, which I would guess would include stimulants like Ritalin and Vyvanse etc. Edited January 27, 2022 by swanny mistake Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrazyRedhead Posted January 27, 2022 Share Posted January 27, 2022 (edited) 10 hours ago, swanny said: I am in Australia and I looked into the rules and it says something along the lines that u can be considered driving under the influence DUI if the test results show evidence of illegal and PRESCRIPTION drugs in your body at the time of the test, which I would guess would include stimulants like Ritalin and Vyvanse etc. Maybe you could ask your doctor about this---he/she might know.....I'm just not familiar with DUI laws in Australia. Is there a warning or a warning label on your prescription bottle of Ritalin that says "do not drive or operate heavy machinery"? Edited January 27, 2022 by CrazyRedhead Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iceberg Posted January 28, 2022 Share Posted January 28, 2022 15 hours ago, swanny said: I am in Australia and I looked into the rules and it says something along the lines that u can be considered driving under the influence DUI if the test results show evidence of illegal and PRESCRIPTION drugs in your body at the time of the test, which I would guess would include stimulants like Ritalin and Vyvanse etc. …huh, I can see how that would make you nervous. What does your prescriber say? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swanny Posted January 28, 2022 Author Share Posted January 28, 2022 (edited) 3 hours ago, Iceberg said: …huh, I can see how that would make you nervous. Well wouldn't that make u nervous? Could get fined or have drivers liscense suspended or BOTH Edited January 28, 2022 by swanny correction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iceberg Posted January 28, 2022 Share Posted January 28, 2022 4 hours ago, swanny said: Well wouldn't that make u nervous? Could get fined or have drivers liscense suspended or BOTH When I was younger I would avoid PRN valium to avoid any possible issue with my schools random testing, even though I knew prescription meds were fine, so yes. But I’m just wondering what your doctor has to say… im just surprised that people on legally prescribed psychotropic medication would be precluded from driving. Like is there a designated list or category. I’d think your doctor should know those laws Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrazyRedhead Posted January 28, 2022 Share Posted January 28, 2022 @swanny, I agree with @Iceberg......I think the best person to ask, about this, is probably the doc that's prescribing your Ritalin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helenllama Posted January 29, 2022 Share Posted January 29, 2022 It all depends on how the law is written where you are. I know England, Scotland and Wales have similar laws, but also allow for prescription use of the same drugs, IF it doesn't impare your driving. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrazyRedhead Posted January 30, 2022 Share Posted January 30, 2022 (edited) On 1/29/2022 at 9:20 AM, helenllama said: It all depends on how the law is written where you are. I know England, Scotland and Wales have similar laws, but also allow for prescription use of the same drugs, IF it doesn't impare your driving. @swanny does ritalin affect your driving or work performance?.....I would think not, since it's a stimulant, but we are all individuals. Edited January 30, 2022 by CrazyRedhead Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
basuraeuropea Posted January 30, 2022 Share Posted January 30, 2022 take a photo of your current prescription bottle and have it stored on your phone for peace of mind. as for driving under the influence, those laws exist in the EU and the US as well, but only if the drug is impairing your ability to drive the vehicle safely. if the drug is impairing your ability, then you shouldn't be driving. if not, then don't worry about it. if taking a drug test and it comes back positive, then as others mentioned, verification of legal prescription can be verified by your physician and/or your pharmacist. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Antecedent Posted December 4, 2022 Share Posted December 4, 2022 On 1/27/2022 at 8:32 AM, swanny said: I am in Australia and I looked into the rules and it says something along the lines that u can be considered driving under the influence DUI if the test results show evidence of illegal and PRESCRIPTION drugs in your body at the time of the test, which I would guess would include stimulants like Ritalin and Vyvanse etc. I do think they mean prescription drugs that you were not prescribed *or* that you aren't supposed to drive with in general, like ones that cause drowsiness (like the xanax they give people for flights). Imagine if you couldn't use any prescription drugs and drive, no anti-depressants, no anti-vertigo tablets.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the maze runner Posted December 5, 2022 Share Posted December 5, 2022 why not just simply ask a lawyer or the police department? Ritalin is not a sedative and certainly does not impair attention or reaction time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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