Breathalyzer Test

[Sheila]

Is there any medication that combined with alcohol could result in a misreading on a breathalyzer test?

[Denalvi Saltvineaga]

You americanss and your silly drugs ha ha ha ha ha ha .

[Gary]

I just finished my second detox from oxy's and made it 5 days. Before going to detox i hid some oxys in my office. today i went to work for the first time since i went to detox and the first thing i did was down 4-20's.  i have an appointment in 48 hours for an after care program and they are going to do a urine test to see if i have been using. My question is how long will the oxy's stay in my urine? if i don't touch another one will it completey be out of my system? Someone please respond.

[vicky to Marcie]

Hey, Marcie, I would have written sooner, but got caught up with CNBC.  Yesterday my 401K was seeing more action than the neighbor's cat, but today, back to negatives.  Oh, well.  Thanks for the glowing report on FT. Meyer's Beach.  We will probably go down there when my dad's not using it, of course during the hottest months of the year, but a chance to check out jobs. It was so sweet of you to offer to find us jobs!!!!!! If you have the power, we will go. Ha Ha. My husband works, as do 95% of people in the midwest, in the automotive-manufacturing-supplier industry.  Luckily, his skills are transferable to most manufacturing companies.  Unfortunately,I don't think Florida has alot of that.  When we were in Miami for a month most of the jobs I saw were more white collar.  Good for me, but being a supervisor there may require more bilingual skills.  Also, thanks for understanding his take on the site.  I was afraid it might come off as offensive, which is hardly the case. He just worries a lot about my mental state, which is pretty good right now.  I reread the Brian thread, and although he did mention nearly O'D'ing, he did say the following which i copied from his letter:  "Fortunately I have some kind friends who took pity on me and prescribed me buprenorphine."  and later he said "So I sit here with my life in ruins around me and have contemplated selling all my stupid possessions and buying my dream sailboat and leaving my life behind. It won't be long before I'll be out of work and never be able to use my degree anyway."  What I am saying is he did say that he was glad someone saved him and while sailing away COULD be a metaphor for suicide, it sounds like profound depression, but a WILL to live.  Hopefully I am right, and he is finding help somewhere.  Anyway, if you like Enya, do yourself a favor and either download or buy Enigma.  I love the track:  Beyond the invisible.  Awesome.  Also, I am probably the only one in the world who would have noticed my mistake on the Jesus and Mary Chain.  The song is Somtimes Always, with another band Mazzy Star.  Somewhere in my subconscious I was thinking about an Oasis album.  Does anyone out here listen to the same music as me?  Please don't be ashamed to speak up!!!!!!  Talk to you soon Marcie.  Oh, P.S. You have made a couple of references to being "calorically challenged."  I never had a weight problem until recently when I took a new job that did not involve any movement other than my fingers on the keyboard, and man, I have gained 10 pounds.  I still have skinny legs and arms, but Oh MY God, my stomach is getting absolutely pouchy!!!!!!!  What can I do?  Help.  Vicky

[Marcie: Indiana is Siberia!!!!!!!!!!!!!]

Marcie, my dad lives in Ft. Myers Beach, which from the tales he tells, seems to be populated by every senior citizen in the world.  I have also discovered that the new generation of seniors to be, the baby boomers, do not like the term senior citizen, so doubtless it will be phased out in the next few years as they make their pilgramages south.  Where I live, Central Indiana, it has not been this cold or snowy in twenty years.  I went to college in Tn and my roomate was from Florida.  I got to watch her experience snow for the first time.  So cute if you don't have to wade through the wet, dirty slush in your beat up boots; the same boots you have to wear every day because you refuse to buy a new pair to wear in this dreary place.....Regarding the views of my darling spouse, when I first came upon this site, I was initially giddy, because I had discovered I was not alone.  Then, as I read my same story over and over, with few happy endings, I began to get depressed about the unlikelyhood of my own recovery.  So he feels that I worry more about withdrawals and the like when I am on here.  He doesn't really understand there is also a fellowship.  He has been through so much addiction-related problems, such as cocaine and vicodin abuse.  He coined my term "good hydro management" which is what I practice now and we both accept that my addiction is unfortunately a fact of my life for now, and not to dwell on it too much until I decide its time to quit.  So, I understand and I don't mind.  He only wants the best and I love him for that.  We are actually thinking about moving to Florida, if I can find a doctor there.  Is the economy as bad as I have read?  I am an accounts payable manager and make above the standard of living in Indiana, but I have read some labor reports from florida and I don't know if we would be able to keep the same standard.  Please Advise!!!!  If I don't hear back about Florida and the job economy I will nag you until I do!!!! Talk to you soon.  P.S.  Just listened to the Jesus and Mary Chain. (Sometimes Maybe and some other tunes.) Very good music.  Brighty, contrary to the name, they are not a sacriligous group or a cult!!!!  I am really just trying to lighten us up!!

[From Aunt Lindy to Mariah]

Florida is great!  Ft. Myers Beach is awesome too!  My family goes to Captiva and Sanibel frequently.  Florida does have good doctors.  There are so many big companies based out of Florida that no matter where you ended up you would find work.  What does your husband do?  I will find him a job too. I can see where your husband is coming from on the withdrawal thing.  I want to hurl just thinking about it.  I know where you are coming from on that one.  I read books about it.  I just need to put my mind it.  It is hard though because with Chronic Pain, Fibro, Arthritis in my back/spine the meds I am on work great.  I am also on Neurontin and Blood Pressure and thyroid all kinds of stuff.  I really enjoy my yoga and meditation.  That and a few New Age CD's.  I want to get well so bad.  Even when I was a little person I was alway eating the whole pack of gum in five minutes everyone else had one piece and the rest for later or another day.  I am like that today only it is not gum anymore.

Have a good evening!
Marcie.

[From Aunt Lindy to Mariah]

Hey There!
If it is not too nosy what part of Florida does your dad live in?  Did you really go to Siberia? What part of this site does your husband not care for I was just curious.  My husband does not know I come to this site.  But like you said about your husband he just worries about me. Especially more recently since I have been feeling bad for the past few years.  He is for whatever makes me feel better.  I think that I would give my best friend this site.  I would give my husband too but I think my best friend empathizes with me more.  Anyway, good to see you back again.  I start getting jumpy when I am missing my friends on here on the board since I dont know what is going on with Brian.  He is an intelligent man.  I also think that he is a fighter.  I just would like to tell him that he does not need to tell us his constant whereabouts BUT I would like to know how he is doing.  Just one sentance! saying I am having a bad time talk to you later! just to let us know he is okay.  I think that we should make a pact that when we are having a bad time and talk about it on the site to keep in mind that we worry and to please check back.  I think that we should give Brighty all of our email addresses (voluntary) of course.  In case of emergency.  I would be willing to do that.  
Take Care!
Marcie.

[VickyVortex to J.B.]

J.B., I posted something to you down futher on the board, about the pain bill.  I am relieved things are better.  Holidays for me are bad.  Last year we were in Jamaica and this year, well, as you know, it is Siberia.  Except for my father and a cousin, neither of us have any family.  My father lives in Fl. and my cousin in Jersey.  So, we try to do something to get away from the family-oriented stuff because it is kind of depressing for us.  So we all survived another year, hopefully 2001 will bring a wonderful odessy for us all.  Happy New Year, My Friend.

[J.B. to Brian and Vicky]

I'm glad to see you are back and doing well!

Yeah, I had a few rough moments during the holidays but am ok now.  Looking back, I can see where the strength of my HP and the armor I've been able to put around myself made all the difference between becoming readdicted and sanity.  All I can say is that the mind is a very powerful thing, Know what I mean?

I'm just fighting like everybody else on a day to day basis and so far I've been a survivor!  We just have to be as cunning, baffeling and powerful as addiction is, to prevail.  Though many will be lost along the way, the many of us that survive will help guide the replacements that fall into our ranks.  The battle will never end, we must use all at our disposal to fight this war.

[From Aunt Lindy to Mariah]

Hey Girlfriend!
I missed you on the board!  I did see that piece about Gooberman.  I tell you just looking at the setting and seeing the "ameteur" (sp) video gave me the creeps.  I am so worried about Brian.  If you remember he did disappear before and then we found out he was in rehab in CA.  I hope that is what has gone on now.  He is such a great guy. I just hate the not knowing.  Anyway, I just wanted to tell you that it is good to see you back.  Have you read the thread that has our Brighty as the Head of Scientology.  God love her she is a good woman.  This site gets so BIZARRE once in a while.  Next thing Brighty will be accused of providing safe haven for that guy who is hiding in the North Carolina mountains for a few years that the FBI is looking for. Just too wierd.  Do you like "ENYA" I just bought her CD and it is awesome.  Goes great with a dark room and some lighted candles.  Email back when you get a chance.  I wish we could do a "chat" sometime.  Will you think about it?

Sincerely,
Marcie

[vickyv to Marcie!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!]

MARCIE!:  I was just going to write you and ask if you were ignoring me because I confessed to not really liking aersomith, just lusting after Joe Perry!!  As a matter of fact, I just downloaded some Enya on Napster.  i used to use Scour.com, but it got shut down, and now Napster is legal again.  Go figure.  I also love Sisters of Mercy and Enigma, which are similar, except S.O.M is a little more harder.  I love Keltic.  As for Brian, I feel so guilty because I posted a really sarcastic response to him about being in a movie star rehab.  I hope he is there now.  This brings me to another thought:  What if something happens to one of us?  How will we know?  For me, except for my Dad, who I don't think knows how to use the computer for anything except email, there is noone to tell to write this board just in case.  My husband, God bless him, has mixed feelings on this site.  He feels FOR ME, and only ME, it could make me more obsessive about the vicodin.  He thinks it is a wonderful outlet in general.  So I don't think I could make him my contact person.  But could we discuss this on the board?  By giving a trusted friend this site in case of emergency, we would be able to send letters of encouragement and other things in times of crisis to our lost comrades.  I don't mean to get into morbid territory, but it is life.  What do you think?  If you think it should be discussed, pleas pass this on to the board.  Thanks for writing, Marcie, I missed you too.

[vickyv to Brian and J.B and everyone els]

I have been away since Christmas and just about cried when I read this board.  Everyone is falling apart.  Brian and J.B, please look to your higher power.  Nothing and nobody, a wife, a family member is going to do more for you than your spiritual life can.  We are only on this earth a short time, but have an eternity to face after we die.  How we live our mortal lives determines how our after life will be.  J.B. I thought you had someone controlling your meds.  Brian, i think the doctor is right you should see someone.  It isn't any of my business but although you have a medical degree, maybe being in the medical field is not a good solution for you.  I see some bad scenarios concerning your access to medication.  However, you could use your degree, I am not sure exactly which one it is, in another way, such as a therapist.  By helping others, you may be able to look out side of your own self and see how wonderful life can be.  I know this is off the subject, but did anyone see the dateline NBC spot on Dr. Gooberman?  Apparantly he is going on trial for the deaths of seven patients who did not stay overnight during his rapid detox sessions.  On the flipside, they said 3 people died from another program that did require overnight stay.  Has anyone tried this?  Does it work?  Again, Brian and J.B. I am praying for you both.

[SA, M.D. - HVMA]

For all those concerned about Brian, I have a few comments to make to him:

(1) In the world of addiction, it is often darkest before dawn.  Hopefully, your recent taste of the depths of despair will spur you on to work harder at Recovery, and to work your program as diligently as possible, taking every minute, hour and day one at a time in a concerted effort to stay clean and sober.

(2) It is clear from your posting that the enormity of addiction is such that no one should face this beast while standing alone.  Reach out, as much as possible, to clean and sober friends and relatives who are able to provide you with the support that you need.  Bang out those self-help meetings as though your life depends on them - you should be shooting for at least one meeting every single day.  Take your body there, and your mind and heart will follow!

(3) Problems like yours should be shared face-to-face with a counselor or therapist who is skilled in the treatment of addictive disorders.  If you have trouble identifying a qualified professional in your area, try calling 1-800-662-HELP or logging in to:  

http://www.samhsa.gov/look3.htm

Good luck!  

DrSteve - http://www.HeadDocs.com

[SA, M.D. - HVMA]

For all those concerned about Brian, I have a few comments to make to him:

(1) In the world of addiction, it is often darkest before dawn.  Hopefully, your recent taste of the depths of despair will spur you on to work harder at Recovery, and to work your program as diligently as possible, taking every minute, hour and day one at a time in a concerted effort to stay clean and sober.

(2) It is clear from your posting that the enormity of addiction is such that no one should face this beast while standing alone.  Reach out, as much as possible, to clean and sober friends and relatives who are able to provide you with the support that you need.  Bang out those self-help meetings as though your life depends on them - you should be shooting for at least one meeting every single day.  Take your body there, and your mind and heart will follow!

(3) Problems like yours should be shared face-to-face with a counselor or therapist who is skilled in the treatment of addictive disorders.  If you have trouble identifying a qualified professional in your area, try calling 1-800-662-HELP or logging in to:  

http://www.samhsa.gov/look3.htm

Good luck!  

DrSteve - http://www.HeadDocs.com

[barbara to pain and lortab]

It was nice hearing from you. Thank you for the nice comments. I will be happy to share my story with you but it will have to wait just a little longer. I just got to work and had to quickly check in but need to get some work done first. I'll write in a little while. See you then.

[barbara to pain and lortab]

I am so sorry to hear about the loss of your daughter. How old was she when she passed away if you don't mind me asking? Do you have any other children? I must have missed that thread when you mentioned that before.

The Docs here are working hard on finding the answers and I have a couple of tests scheduled for this month, one sleep study and one photic stimulated EEG. Those may show something. I am baffled because now I speak in a foreign language out of the clear blue air and have no idea what I am saying. It happens at night usually. It happened twice, I awoke from what seemed to be bad dreams and was rambling for at least 30 minutes in some language. I taped it because I want to find out what it is.

Usually I remember all my dreams but these are particularly deep seated and I cannot recall them.

It was nice hearing from you, I will be praying for you as well. I decided to make me New Years Resolution the Serenity prayer!

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
the courage to change the things I can,
and the wisdom to know the difference.

I hope Brian is okay and checks in soon.

[Brighty to Marcie]

We all support your concern for Brian... thanks for starting this thread, however you had to do it !!! :-)) Also, I did see your post to me in another thread and I am moved by your sincere kindness. My daughter is home... she looks beautiful and healthy... she is very involved in her recovery program... day treatment 9-2 every day and meetings 5-6 evenings a week.She starts school in January and that will give her a bit more introduction to the world she left behind. I pray that she never forgets what happened to her. She has the added delight :-) of wearing an ankle monitor for the remainder of her house arrest of which she has 19 months left. I think the judge was wise in doing this when she left treatment. It gives her the mandate to stay home when all the other people her age are out there in some hairy situations. This will help her stay clean I think. She has a very compliant and positive attitude so I can only thank God for each blessing as it arrives. Thanks so much for your love and support. I wish you peace in the new year, personal healing and family joy !! Love, Brighty

[From Aunt Lindy to Mariah]

Brian,
I am so sorry for all the hell that you have been through.  Please hang in there.  It so damn hard sometimes.  I have some kind of mental baggage I cant get rid of! It is pure hell. Honest to God this site gets me through some of my days.  Do you know why Brian?  It is because of people like YOU!!!! We accept you for you and everything that comes with you!  Brian you are such a great person. You are wise more than you know.  You have helped so many people on this site.  We need you here.  Dont you notice Brian that when you are gone for more than a day or two that all threads are broken into just trying to find you and know how you are doing.  You are FAMILY here. Now Brian, are you even into sailing?  Did you just become a "sailor" to escape all this?  If you are new to boating this is not the time to go.  If you are an avid boater and have had a dream all your life to just get a boat and find yourself that is one thing.  You know with this life we lead it is one day at a time.  I have never been to rehab but you know that is not a cure all.  It is what you do when you leave there.  Dont think that rehab failed you.  You MUST pick yourself up and start like it is the first day of the rest of your life!  Please if you cant open up like you can here then come here.  AND I STILL SAY WE NEED TO SET UP ONE DAY A WEEK WHERE WE CAN CHAT! Brian, dont you think that would be a great idea to be able to talk at the same time rather than check this site once in a while. I myself would love to talk to everyone more. Brian I am going to keep checking here for you. Please let us know how it is going.  WE CARE FOR YOU.
Sincerely,
Marcie

[tom to Brian please respond]

just want to know you're still out there, my friend. Please post something -- anything.

I assumed you had a significant other and that she probably was less than thrilled at recent events. Been there, are there again. It took my wife leaving me to wake up alone in a motel room on the Pacific Coast Highway (the morning of the Oklahoma City bombing -- what timing, ay?) before I really, really faced my problem. But even that was just round one. I've still got the monkey on my back and am looking for someone to give me eiher methadone or buprenorphine in some kind of maintenance arrangement. Perhaps that could work for you. Is is possible for a physician to be on a methadone program and still practice, perhaps in partnership with another physician who would oversee the rx's? I can't believe that you're going to just throw your degree in the fire and bum around the world on a boat. You're going to need just as much dope on that boat as you will anywhere else. Come on, Brian. You've been through the programs. You know that recovery has been redefined to be a series of relapses and recoveries.
Whatever you do -- don't off yourself over a woman (or anyone else). Doctors seem to think you've got this one career/life path and, once you wander off of it, you're life is over. What ****!
When my addiction really got going I was selling tires in a warehouse over the phone. 16 or so years later I,m a senior technical writer for a software company making good bucks with stock options and looking forward to even better and better things. You don't get off this easy. The bell is sounding, round two is starting and you're going back out there in that ring. Keep fighting, amigo! This is just the beginning. Life is a ripping good novel stuffed with chapters, some that will make this last one seem like a prelude to the REAL story. Don't **** me off and leave us hanging here. Post something tonight. We care and we're not going to let you fade out THAT easy.

[Brighty to Barbara]

Hi Barbara

You add so much worthwhile information here... I hope you will stay. I was not familiar with your personal story and have gone over the board trying to put it together little by little. I have found that you live in Guam and have a seizure disorder.. but I could not figure out your addiction history too well.  I hope I am not rude in asking you if you'd be willling to share it here. I guess I don't read all of the threads on the board and missed something. In any case, I do enjoy your posts and will pray for your healing. I think stories about our experiences are very helpful. Your posts are so interesting so I just wanted to know more. Love, Brighty

[Brighty to Brian]

Brian... you sound so different than you did before. I am clueless what to say.... you were there with so much for me and here I am feeling so lost to know how to reply... I did not know you were married even let alone dealing with your wife leaving. Maybe this is the beginning of the beginning at last. Well, I guess we have to try to find positives don't we ??  I do have one opinion... you have constant exposure and availability to your temptations. What can you do to remain in your profession and avoid these drugs ? I hope it is a good question and not a dumb one... it just seems that would be one step that could help since your profession is filled with pitfalls. I believe that the wounded healers are the true healers and you are undoubtedly a grace to us here in that respect. Please stay with us here and don't hesitate to drop a line to my e-mail if I can help in any way. Your fentanyl patches seem the same as my daughter's suicide attempts with xanax and heroin.... but God said "not yet kiddo" and"not yet Brian" so maybe that means something, ya know ?  Love, Brighty

[Brighty to JB]

I am sad to hear of your continuing pain... and yet you give so much to so many in spite of it. I can't find the right thing to say to you. What can I do to help ? You can e-mail me you know... ***@****       And that is not who I am ... it is simply what I seek on a daily basis. Love to you... Brighty

[Brighty to Sheila re: breathalyzer]

I always heard that using those breath sprays shortly before a breathalyzer test would produce a false positive. I remember when I always carried a spray tube of Binaca in my purse. I have no clue if this is true but I think those sprays do or did contain alcohol. I suppose an update would be helpful because I switched to mints ages ago when I first heard this information.

[J.B. to Brian and Vicky]

I agree with you.  The year 2000 has been one of my worst as well.  It started out badly for me and mine and ended badly.  Let us hope that 2001 will be much better!  

I'm sorry to hear about your seizures getting worse.  Do the doctors have any idea what is causing them?  I have probably told you already that my daughter died as a result of a grand mal seizure last February.  I'm still in agony over this loss.
I will always keep you in my prayers.  You are loved!

[barbara to pain and lortab]

How are you doing today? Any better at all? I still am depressed but not ready for the jungle for the moment. It comes and goes and when it comes it's hard to believe there caa be change.

I just had a generized seizure last night. I suddenly discovered a pants full of fecal matter to make it sound polite and wondered how in the world that happened. I was told by my doctor that generalized in grand mal seizures you remember nothing at all. I always assumed you would recognize a loss of time somewhere though. This is the first time I know of that I actually had a seizure where I lost full consciousness. That tells me my problems are getting worse and not better. All my other seizures were partial,(at least I thought they were) because I was at least partially conscious. Now between falling asleep for seconds at a time while driving and going into generalization of seizures it puts a whole new perspective on my choices in life. My job is already in jeapardy. Life sucks, the year 2000 is one of the worst I have ever had, it really sucked the big one.

I just can't see how anything can change and get better, but somehow it seems to with many people. I hope you, I and others like us can hang in there one day at a time. Sometimes a minute at a time.

Good Luck!