false negative for morphine but false positive for vicodin!!

[precious_woman]

I am really glad that I found this forum...I am currently in as state of shock over what just took place at my own pain management doctors office. I have herniated lumbar discs which have also caused nerve damage, degenerative disc disease and buldging cervical discs. I have been on morphine for about 4 years, extended release and instant release. Last month the doctor gave ALL patients a urine test and when I got there today he said "we have a problem"...I was shocked and asked "what?" He said "the results of your urinalysis are in and they came back negative for morphine and positive for vicodin, I can only write you one months prescription and you will have to find another pain management doctor"... I was shocked!! I said "No way.. there is a mistake!!! I take my morphine like clockwork!! Every 12 hours!! I get home from filling my prescriptions and I take out 4 seven day pill containers and label them with each date... I put each days dose in each date and they go into a lockbox. I have not and did not take any vicodin!!" I insisted he retest me. I know there is a mistake. He said "no, it's a $900 test" he also added "the problem is not with finding the vicodin but with the morphine coming back negative"... HOW?? I insisted to him that the lab must have transposed the two drugs... but he refused to retest me and has now released me from his care!!! Does anyone know how this could happen?? I always, always take my morphine as prescribed!! I did NOT take any vicodin because it violates my contract that I have with him!! (as well as I don't have it nor do I like it!!) I don't know what to do! I even had a tooth extracted a week before that urinalysis and did NOT accept any pain meds from the dentist because it would have violated my contract with him!! The only other things I have taken are fioricet which is prescribed by him for migraines,  "benadryl" which he told me to take every night because I never get a full nights sleep due to the pain. Also "Orajel and anbesol" for the tooth extraction pain. I am also a large coca-cola drinker!! I am literally in a state of shock because I know these results are wrong!! any help would greatly be appreciated!!!

[precious_woman]

hi flower12345,
Thank you so very much!! I believe in prayer, so I am thankful that you will pray for him. Last Thanksgiving he was in a coma and on a respirator, at the age of 80 we never thought he would make it! I truly believe it was the power of prayer that pulled him through, and although he has no short term memory because of damage caused by the coma... he did pull through!

As far as the incompetence goes.... I totally agree!! I know for a fact that it was my old PM doctors assistant who made the mistake! They had tested everyone that day & there was another patient there when I was there!! So., keep an eye on your tests. Now I sit right down with the nurse & I watch her write everything down on the requisition form. I think that the only way for us to keep ourselves safe from these errors is to become more educated about the whole process and to make sure they're done properly! I understand that these doctors are being watched like hawks and cracked down on., however its not a good enough reason for us to be treated like criminals when we have done nothing wrong and the mistake is on their end!! (but they would never, ever admit that the mistake could even remotely be their fault!!)
Again thanks!!

[flower12345]

Hi Precious. I just read your whole thread. I'm so shocked that you went through that. It's awful. I am happy that you have a good PM now. CP patients should not be treated that way. It's just so wrong. My mouth dropped while reading your story! It really made me think about the last time I had a urinalysis. When the girl (she was very young) listed my medications, she didn't write down dosage or frequency. I didn't have to initial the specimen, but I think I had to sign a form.
It's ashame that sometimes some of the people working for doctors aren't kinder, and it's ashame that there are incompetent people working for the urinalysis companies, since the medications that we take help us to live a more normal life.

I'm sorry that your father is so very sick. I will keep him in my prayers.

Flower

[precious_woman]

I actually have been on... however briefly.
I had to find a new pain management doctor... my old one just wrote me off and had nothing to do with me since then except to send me a bill! It took me quite some time to find another pain management doctor who WOULD listen to me,  run the tests (MRI's and CT's) and verify how severe my condition is and that I was more functional ON morphine than I would be on any other medication.
What I did was the same path that you are taking.. talking to the lab, taking other tests. However, I made sure that I faxed two letters to my prior pain management doctor stating that I was told to "leave the cup in the bathroom" and I did not see that cup after I left it in the box!! I did not see them put my name on the specimen cup. and I was not aware of the "chain" regarding the urinalysis... but I am now! I sent a "letter of rebuttal" informing him of the facts surrounding how my specimen was not handled or labeled properly. They HAVE to put the letters or faxes that you send them in your file also, so this will show any future physician that you disputed the results and why!! So he can have his letter saying why he let you go... but your letter of rebuttal will also be in your file!! I know that every single test that I have taken since then has been positive for morphine, so I know that his "assistant" made the error and mixed up my sample with someone else's sample!!
NOW... I make sure my name and information is on every specimen cup that they give me before I even pee in it!! They test me every month and it has been positive every single time!! It's so sad that we have to go through that type of ignorance! We should be given a second test however they act as if they don't even care!!
I am sorry that I have not been on often.... I no longer have a computer because mine died!! I am using my son's computer. I take care of my 80 year old father who was in a coma last Thanksgiving, he was sent home to die (literally) and he has no short term memory. He has congestive heart failure, sleep apnea, diabetes, dementia, triple by pass and the list goes on. So it's hard for me to find the time to log on. as well as the computer problem!
So, Cporovich, I am sending you a private message!! And for all my other pals out there., thank you for your support in my time of need!! and if anyone has an old computer they don't want I would be more than happy to take it off your hands!!  :-)

[namnam46]

Hi,

I wasn to let you know that Precious-woman hasn't posted on here since Jan. 2010. This is an older post would you mind re-posting by clicking the Green Tab at the top of the page that says Post Question and start a new thread?  :)

There are LOTS of people that can help you with this on here.

Thank you so much....Sherry

[Cporovich]

I would be interested in finding out what became of your situation with the false negative,  I started reading your first post to my husband and he says it sounded like i had written it.  I have been on Morphine 2x daily as well for 14 months now yet my surprise drug screen test came back as Zero usage and positive for Marijuana.  I drive 4 hours to my Dr. I take my morphine 9:30 n 9:30 so i KNOW i had taken it on the way down to Pittsburgh.  Yet it came back negative? of course he immediatly gave me 30 days and dropped me.  In the process I have been trying to find new Dr. but my Dr. wrote a letter in my file.."patient tested negative on morphine with zero usage even though i have been prescribing it for many months" this letter he typed out as we were sitting there.  Both of us in complete shock, my husband telling him he gives me my meds, he KNOWS I take them. I also as you immediatly was on phone with lab, etc.  I also called a hair follicle place to find a local clinic that would do one for 109.00 out of my own unemployed pocket.  I called the lab back and said this test goes back 90 days, which exceeds your lab testing, will this negate the test and PROVE i have been taking it all along?? She says yes i suppose that it would. So now i am scrambling to get the money together to get this test done so that can be added to my file disproving the lab results.  Just blows me away to find out how many people out there are in our shoes.  
I hope it has all worked out for you I live in a rural area and finding a new pm is going to be rather difficult as my clock has started ticking.

[sarassuicide]

did you eat a poppy bagel? let's see could it be that your morphine was excreted faster than usual? it does leave your urine quickly.  when you see a new pain dr. he's going to want to see your prior records so you're looking at a possible problem unless you can prove otherwise.  be honest with the new doctor when you see he/she before they get the records and you can be sure there will be a note about this in there always is.  how to avoid this from happening again?  ask a pharmacist they know the chemical composition of all drugs and could give you a better idea as to what may have happened.
beer has opium in it did you have a beer? sounds funny to me that they tested you for vicodin when you're taking morphine both in the same family basically.  fishy very fishy.
find a new dr. fast or start over
completely and get a primary and referrals and do your own research come up with how this happens alot to pain patients to hand to your new pain management doctor.
it's a terrible shame and alot of stress for you to start over again hang in there!