I need your help!

[GwenMarie30]

Things are getting so hard that I am feeling desprately overwhelmed and tonight just put the icing on the cake! I will start another thread on the things that have been going on with me and my family called "My Update" a little later this evening. I wont be sleeping much tonight.

Tonight I had my rehab class. Jay, my counselor knows everything that has been going on with me and isnt very happy with my codependant behaviors. Thats gonna be in my thread of my update. I went in for a one on one session before class and he wanted a urine drop. Well it came up positive for opiates. He said it could be pain pills, heroin, poppyseeds, etc. The test is one of those kind you dip in the urine and wait for the results. OMG! I am panicing just thinking about it. I am not panicing because I did anything wrong but because I swear on everything that matters to me, I havent done anything! I had to pay him $25 to have it sent to a lab and the results will come back in a week. So now he will report this to Family Services and my Probation Officer and I am going to lose my kids, boyfriend, and maybe my freedom and have to jail time. I dont understand! He dipped the urine with two different tests and they both came up positive. The only thing I have taken is Alieve and Tylenol. No one will believe me. What I am asking now is if there is anyone here who knows why it could come up positive and will a lab test be able to show them that they are wrong? I cant take this. Can someone please help?

[GeorgiaPeach]

I know that there are different reasons that it could be positive without you using. I am really no help in that area but maybe Buzz will come along soon to help. I am here if you need me!

GP

[historyteach]

(((Gwen)))
I understand that there are many false positives on those tests. The cheaper the test, the more apt to be wrong.
The lab test will probably clear things up for you, though.
In the meantime, I'm sending a prayer for your peace of mind. If you did nothing wrong, relax. It will work out.

Shalom!

[Buzz Kilowatt]

Done sent me a PM earlier and this was my reply:

1) I understand that poppy seeds can give a positive reading, but what she needs is some "witnesses," i.e. objective sources that can confirm this possibility, to present to the court or social services. Ideally, the reference(s) should list the possible opiate blood level concentration in terms of micrograms per milliliter for a given amount of poppy seeds.

2) The urine stick reading is a yes/no test that responds to the metabolites (breakdown products) of opiates. They register trace amounts. It is important to contact the manufacturer of the test strips and get their literature on the threshold levels of the strips.

3) Your friend's story will hold up if the urine stick's sensitivity or threshold is less than or equal to the opiate blood levels possible from the poppy seeds.

4) This is not enough, however. If I was your friend, and risked losing my family over a test reading, then I would get regular BLOOD tests for opiates over a consecutive period. And/or I would investigate hair analysis. Long-term drug use will show up in the hair. Conversely, lack of distribution of opiates throughout the strands would tend to show a pattern of sobriety.

5) I'd also suggest your friend hire a good lawyer.

Hope that helps.

Buzz