Fentanyl Detection In Urine Tests Using Gc/ms

Ok...I am going to ask a very specific question. I am NOT a drug abuser nor have I ever been. I got my foot caught in the smallest and last loop on a Hoyer lift sling used to transfer non-ambulatory clients. I went a few feet, but then my world changed in an instant. The gentleman sitting on the sling wasn't going anywhere..he was safe. When I reached the slack limit on the sling, I went up in the air and twisted 180 degrees. I came down EXTREMELY hard on my right knee and the rest of me crumpled down on top. I curled up in a fetal position and saw stars for 20 minutes. The rest of my co-workers were doing ADL care with the other 7 residents of this eight bed state-funded group home serving the developmentally disabled in Massachusetts. So after quite a few minutes, I got up, could hardly walk, and finished my shift. Now the bad part. Me, being noble and realizing that far, far too many state workers "oops, slip and fall," file worker's comp., nice little vacation (and a settlement, at times, dependent upon the situation), went home and did NOT report this injury...which turned out to be waaaaay worse than a little oopsie fall. That was at my part-time job, where I worked 24 hours a week, weekends included. Don't get me wrong..this was a GREAT job...wonderful salary, dental and vision insurance, a union, and sick, personal, holiday, and vacation time...accrued at a tremendous rate. It was really difficult, sweat-breaking work. All eight individuals required almost TOTAL care. Over the years, working with the developmentally disabled can wreak havoc on your musculoskeletal system. All eight of the residents in that home went to the day rehabilitation program where I worked full time. Those clients were like my family. Unless I took time off, I worked seven days a week. I was at my full time job fourteen years and at my state job for nine years. I worked both of them right up until two days before my total R knee arthroscopy on 12/11/13. An MRI 3 and a half years after I fell in the summer of 2009, found complex and degenerative tears throughout my patella and meniscus and floating bone chips and fragments, yet I continued 7 days a week until I finally couldn't take a step without excruciatingly horrible pain. I tried cortisone shots..worked for three months. Gobbling ibuprofen like candy..which is a NO-NO for me due to my clotting disorder, Factor V Leiden. Orthopaedic doctor did a partial meniscusectomy, which really only prolonged the inevitable..my knee replacement at only 46 years of age. Hasn't been right since day one. Stiff..little to no range of motion. I am slumped over due to walking with a permanent limp. I had been on Tramadol for a year, then was able to get into a pain management clinic. My initial urine test showed "other" drugs in my system..namely a small amount of morphine that my partner takes for C6-C8 DDD. I admitted to the physician that the small amount in my urine was due to my ineffective pain control...which is NO excuse..but I am in the same career down here in Virginia (my partner's father passed away before my surgery, necessitating a move to Virginia). Additionally, Virginia and Maryland have HORRIBLE problems with narcotics abuse. I have applied for disability, but, at this writing, I am awaiting a determination. Loooong story even longer, my partner's physician, which is also mine, switched her medication to a Fentanyl patch...25 mcg q 72 hours. My pain is absolutely horrible some days, and I take one extra. The physician just switched me to Dilaudid 4 mg q 6 hours...I was q 8 hours. A month ago, I had a single pill remaining to last me 36 hours until I could get my prescription filled. I put a used, three-day-old Fentanyl patch sublingual to stave off withdrawals and to get me through while working until I could go to the pharmacy. I used it for about 36 hours until there was nothing but plastic in mouth. Not surprisingly, it helped...even at 72 hours old. I know how incredibly strong Fentanyl is as a pain reliever. QUESTION NO. 1: After using the three day old patch for an additional 36 hours, I was urine tested 28 days later...and this pain clinic utilizes Aegis laboratories AND GC/MS testing for opiate metabolites in non-compliant urine screens. I KNOW those doctors are under pressure from the DEA. I am SCARED TO DEATH I am going to get booted...Will that old Fentanyl patch show up on my urine test I am waiting for to come back from Aegis labs? QUESTION 2: I feel horrible..honestly I do..I am trying to do more work than my body wants to allow..but I have to support my family. After THAT urine test, I again had 1 pill to last me...this time for 46 hours until I could get my prescription filled. I used a patch that had only been used for 41 hours...meaning it still had 31 hours of use..I don't have my drug test for another 24 days...I have the correct dose and strength of Dilaudid finally...PLEASE let me know about the fate of those two UA's. Thanks to any and all who answer. I'm sorry my story/question was so long..I wanted everyone to have information from which to draw a conclusion or give an opinion. Donna

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So sorry to hear, Doctors are forcing many of us to do these these types of things due to under prescribing! It's very unfair! I had a similar situation where I ended up going to a suboxone doctor thinking I was a drug addict cause I was running out early, instead of giving me suboxone he doubled my dose watched me for a year on the right dose and sent me to a pain management clinic with a letter stating what I really had was psudeo addiction that was fixable by increasing my dose to what I needed. The fear in doctors is causing more pills to be bought and sold since people run out early. I have heard it so many times. It's stupid, they should just set up pharmacies to do random drug screens and test people randomly for their meds. Then give them what they actually need. I am sure the fentanyl will be gone within 24 days.

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Thanks, foxy!!
I have a WONDERFUL pain management doctor now. She has me on Dilaudid 4 mg q6 hrs. Doing fabo. Hope you are as well. :)

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