HaloGirl66 Posted June 2, 2018 Share Posted June 2, 2018 My Gdoc is telling both me and my OH that we are required to get monthly pee tests because of the meds we are prescribed. For him it is Klonopin for me Klonopin, ambien and adderall. Neither of us have ever abused our meds, asked for early refillls, or anything like that. They don't even have us bring in our bottles for a med check. they just want the pee tests (which we have to pay for out of pocket). They insist "it's the law." That sounds like bullshit to me. In Michigan if that matters. we used to have to do them twice a year. Does this happen to anyone else? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Juniper29 Posted June 2, 2018 Share Posted June 2, 2018 No. This makes me angry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bad Haiku Posted June 2, 2018 Share Posted June 2, 2018 (edited) It might be some kind of new state law or regulation. When I lived in Texas I had to do urine tests every few months with my pdoc too starting back in 2017. Since moving to Colorado I haven't been asked for one, but then again they may have different state laws/regs. Edited June 2, 2018 by Bad Haiku Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HaloGirl66 Posted June 2, 2018 Author Share Posted June 2, 2018 I think my doc is full of crap. New state standards don't mention monthly pee tests, or any tests at allhttps://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=cee131da-86a6-4bcc-a32d-d992e640f3b1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt07 Posted June 2, 2018 Share Posted June 2, 2018 Is your gdoc prescribing these meds? It seems strange that one doctor (your gdoc) can impose rules on what another doctor (your pdoc) prescribes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
notloki Posted June 2, 2018 Share Posted June 2, 2018 My gdoc tried to test me to make sure I was taking the pain pills she was prescribing but if you want urine from me you need to give me advance notice. Some docs do this, my friend, who takes major pain meds and sees a pain specialist is pee tested before she gets her scripts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikl_pls Posted June 2, 2018 Share Posted June 2, 2018 I'm required to get pee tested by my pdoc even when I'm not prescribed controlled substances, It's a drug test. I saw on my insurance what they're testing me for... Methocarbamol, barbiturates, benzodiazepines, methamphetamine, amphetamines, derived amphetamines, methylphenidate, THC, CBD, cathinones, MDMA, LSD, DMT, methaqualone, GHB, you name it, it's on there, which is no wonder why it costs $600+ and my insurance doesn't want to touch it... They send me these nice little letters in the mail letting me know that "hey JSYK, this cost $634.00 and um... we're not covering it, so, you may owe the provider this much money... have a nice day!" Yet I've yet to hear from the drug testing company all these years of not paying anything to them. What's hilarious is when another patient tried to ask what it was for, the office staff said "oh it's just to see how you're metabolizing your drugs," and I said loudly "it's a drug test." Then the office staff glared at me and said "no it's not, it's checking to make sure you're metabolizing your drugs safely and make sure you're not on too high of a dose or too low of a dose." I said "that's what a blood test would be for. This is a drug test. I've seen what you test for on my insurance statements." I was ready to name off some stuff if they pushed it. But that was when I first started seeing them and we weren't on such good terms. We're on much better terms now. I still do the pee tests though... and I don't pay for them... I don't know who does but I'm not doing it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrazyRedhead Posted June 2, 2018 Share Posted June 2, 2018 None of the pdocs I've ever had (several), has ever required me to do a urine drug screen, and I am on one controlled substance, Klonopin.........Maybe it has to do with state laws, or maybe it's just up to the individual doc.......Not sure. I have seen that it is pretty common for pain management clinics to require a urine screen before dispensing pain meds, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tryp Posted June 2, 2018 Share Posted June 2, 2018 (edited) I'm not sure that it's the law (I believe some states do have laws requiring periodic UDS for controlled substances but not sure about Michigan specifically) - but it may be part of that doctor's practice. Some doctors don't feel comfortable prescribing substances with significant street value/abuse potential without hard proof that the person is actually taking them themselves and not diverting them. That said, even a UDS isn't proof that someone is taking the entire prescription consistently themselves - but it is what it is. And it's basically garbage that insurance won't cover it. Kind of sucks, I wouldn't feel good about it myself, but it's not totally out of left field, especially non-psychiatrists, who are sometimes more nervous about those medications. Edited June 2, 2018 by tryp 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
notloki Posted June 3, 2018 Share Posted June 3, 2018 The DEA is putting pressure on docs to control diversion of abusable meds to the illicit market via the legitimate scripts they write. One way to do this is test the patients receiving these meds to see if the meds are present. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wooster Posted June 4, 2018 Share Posted June 4, 2018 @notloki hits the mark most consistent with the practice of the clinic where I work. Anyone who's on a controlled substance has to sign an agreement that includes, among other "don't be a dick to us, we won't be a dick to you" clauses, there is "expect you're going to have to give a urine sample when you come in for your appointment." If a patient tests negative for the medication that the doc is prescribing and the doc continues to prescribe, the DEA can file charges and arrest the doc for supplying drugs, which can put their prescribing ability and medical license... and therefore their ability to work in jeopardy. It's also important to know if someone's testing positive for other substances that can be dangerous when combined with what the doc is prescribing. It would be considered negligent practice to NOT test, since that's the current practice standard. It's another variation of this is why we can't have nice things. Unfortunately the urine drug screen market is getting some fat cats a whole lot more money. It's ridiculously lucrative, and the more things tighten up in the prescribing world, the more you can expect you're going to get tested. If your insurance won't cover it, it might be worth it to see if your doc could order a less expensive test or at least a test that insurance would cover. If you have a good relationship with your health care provider, they'll tend to work with you on stuff like this. They probably don't know how much the test they're ordering costs, and that it's not covered by insurance. PS-I live in a state that's been hit VERY hard by opiate overdose deaths. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrazyRedhead Posted June 4, 2018 Share Posted June 4, 2018 (edited) On 6/4/2018 at 7:02 AM, Wooster said: Anyone who's on a controlled substance has to sign an agreement that includes, among other "don't be a dick to us, we won't be a dick to you" clauses, there is "expect you're going to have to give a urine sample when you come in for your appointment." Hmmm.......I never had to sign an agreement when I was started on klonopin, nor have I ever had to have a urine or blood screen done, although it does make sense from the doctor's point of view.....................I've been with the same clinic (2 doctors) for over 5 years. However, I'm not going to worry about it, because I have nothing to hide, either......I'm not sure if my insurance would cover a urine screen, though.....I'll have to call and check. Not sure about the opiate overdose death rate in my state, although I have seen an occasional report about it on the news. Edited June 23, 2018 by CrazyRedhead Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Savannah Posted June 23, 2018 Share Posted June 23, 2018 (edited) The only blood test I have done was for a lamictal and Vit D.My pdoc ordered them. He did the lamictal to determine what was my blood level to determine how my body was metabolizing it. I guess Vit D can effect your mood and a bunch of other things. My gp never even tested that. i take 2 mgs of Klonopin and I have never been asked to take a blood test for it. Edited June 23, 2018 by Savannah Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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