Ugh...vicoden take me away

Still a couple more hours of work to catch up on (since I took a sick day yesterday, I needed to come in today), then I HAVE to pick up a Christmas present (30 miles away), and only after that can I take my pain med's.

Hate it, hate it.

Charlotte

I'm saying a prayer as I write this that you have the strength to make it through these couple of hours and that the meds kick in quickly once you're able to take them. Not much longer.......

Becky

Thank you for your rayers.

I'm home and finally pain free.

I'm always tempted to take the med's when I'm about 15 minutes away from home knowing it won't hit me til I get home.

But then I think with my luck I'll hit a deer (which I almost did today), or some idiot will cause an accident and the med's will start working right as I'm talking to the officer.

I don't get buzzed from the med's, I've been talking them to long for that. But as a former law enforcement officer I'm very cognizant of blood tests. Plus with my back being the way it is right now, no way I'd pass a field sobriety test. I probably couldn't when I have a M either, but I wouldn't lose my license over that one.

I was curious, I think it was Milo who said that narcotics can stay in the system 3 months. Really?! Wow!

Charlotte

i think that it is 72 hours so 3 days not 3 months! hope that helps!

Actually I read that vicodin is 1-6 days but some hair and blood test can pick it months later.

Either , way if you take it on the way home and have an accident, it's the test within the next hour or so that matters. I can relate with you because I take vicodin for my migraines. It's a battle to keep from taking one before you hit the driveway, but as sure as I was to ever take one, I can see myself getting into an accident as you mentioned. So instead I'm usually popping the excedrin like M&M's all day, which only minimizes the pain.

I agree with you. I wouldn't risk driving for the very reasons you stated. Narcotics do not give me a buzz nor impair me neither but there is no way the police can know that.

Vicodin does nothing for my headaches, only Midrin. And with Midrin, the first day the headache is a dull aching pain with a groggy feeling, on the second day my head is clear. Most of the time, if the headache is not too bad, I will stay with it and not take Midrin. I am afraid that if I use it too much, someday it will not work.

What about people who are on pain meds constantly?

Good point, Leslie. I wonder that myself.
I've been on opiates for about 3 years now...extended release, through the pain center. Meds that I take daily along with my preventative.
I drive while taking them. Of course I don't if I'm under a dosage increase, or there are changes in meds. I would hope that if I were to be pulled over and for any reason given a drug test, and questioned about the narcotics, they could contact my doctor or there would be some kind of steps taken. I could be wrong. My big bum could just get thrown in jail!!!

I've asked my doc point blank if I'm ok to drive under the opiates.

He said yes, and explained that once the dosage level stabilizes in your body, its comparable to preventatives. Of course I have the side effects, but not the peaks and lows of taking a short-acting narcotic or such.

I could be completely naive, and arrested on the spot, but there must be a respite for all the many people that are under the care of pain doctors on long-acting opiates. I'd be surprised and curious if I were to be arrested for having morphine in my blood while driving.

Like many of us, I have several levels of break-through pain meds. Some I would drive on, but most I wouldn't. I am most affected by other meds such as muscle relaxers, etc...anything that alters me in ANY way I won't dare risk.

T (Tanya)

It's a good legal question to consider and I would love to hear some answers from both law enforcement and actual attorneys. I know doctors have our best interest in mind, but ultimately it will be the officers and judges that will be holding the test results in their hands and passing judgment. I mean for people who take pain meds as a maintenance medication, they have to be able to function as a normal citizen. After all the meds are what allows them to go to work,maintain a life etc. There has to be some middle ground here, but I don't feel confident that the legal world, at least on the ground level, will be understanding of migraines. I generally take vicodin a few times a week for my migraines, always making sure to endure until I hit the door and the car is parked. Even though when I wake the next morning the affects are long gone, but as we've discussed a blood test would show a level. The migraine sufferers on here who take long lasting time release pain meds are certainly accustomed to how it affects their body, but how do they get around the laws? It's a situation that I'm sure has come up at some time or another.

I'm sure a doctors approval must trump anthing else out there. If you are taking medication as
per your physician, and the tests confirm that and your doc backs you saying it is completely
safe for you to drive on your meds you cannot be jailed for it. That would be so wrong.
It would be like putting a person who has epilepsy in jail for getting into an accident caused by
a seizure after being cleared by a doctor to drive.