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Addiction to Drugs/My daughter's urine test for drugs

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Expert: Caroline West - 1/31/2009


Question
My daughter is 20 and has been clean from heroin for 2 1/2 months.  She has been in outpatient and going to AA and NA meetings, seems to want to work the program.  At the outpatient her drugs tests the past two weeks have shown a low positive for benzodiazepines.  She denies taking anything and hasn't been near anyone to give her any.  She takes sertraline, 150 mg., suboxone, and trazodone to sleep sometimes.  What is causing this to happen?  Even her doctor who gives her the suboxone their test was the same thing.  My daughter is very frustrated and upset, s a drug addicts lie that is what her counselor tells her.  My husband and I believe she is telling the truth.  How can we find out if there is something else causing this false positive?  The lab technician gives a remark at the bottom of the drug test form that says "sometimes sertraline will trigger a response to benzos".  Who is telling the truth here?  Can sertraline do this?  Her counselor says no of course.  I believe she isn't using any drugs.  She lives with us and there are no secrets now like in the past.  Thanks for your help.

Answer
Hi Tracy, I don't normally send out a follow up reply to a question I already answered but in this case I really wanted to so I could say how happy I am that your daughters drug testing problem got resolved. It must be a huge relief for everyone all round so its great news! Take good care, Caroline.

Addiction to Drugs

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Caroline West

Expertise

My expertise in this area is in illicit/street drugs as well as some over the counter and prescription drugs/meds. I can answer questions about most illicit drugs and prescription drugs. I can offer advice on Opiate maintenance drugs like Methadone, Subutex and Suboxone,and the process of going through a Detox and/or Rehab. I understand the problems Drug use can cause regarding convictions and debt problems. There is a difference between recreational drug use and drug addiction and can answer questions on both. Relationship advice if you or your partner is using and can offer help there too. Drug addiction is no joke and it can shatter the lives of the family as well as the user so I can also offer help and advice to friends and family. Drug dependency creates a great deal of issues both mentally and physically and left untreated can lead to poor Mental Health, Psychological and Physical harm and worse. Life can become unmanageable in many ways including work and schooling alongside breakdowns in relationships,risk of convictions and a reduction in personal care. I can offer advice and support in all these areas having been in them and now out of them.

Experience

I have had multiple drug addictions in the past that have included Cannabis,Heroin,Crack,Benzo's,Codeine and over the counter tablets as well as prescription medicines and taken near enough everything. It caused a great deal of problems in my family and I also had suffered breakdowns,Hospitalizations,suicide attempts,convictions the lot. I had been in a 7 year drug using relationship which was tough. I've come out the other end now and haven't used illicit drugs for 5 years. I really do understand what it is like for the user and those around them.

Organizations
I am in 4 other categories here at All Experts: Abusive Relationships; Borderline Personality Disorder or BPD and Dialectical Behaviour Therapy or DBT which can simultaneously help those with BPD and with Drug/Alcohol Problems; and Teenage Problems. I also belong to Care2.com which helps various causes all over the world.

Education/Credentials
I have schooling up to A-Level standard,College Diplomas and what I offer here is valuable 'life experience'.

Past/Present Clients
I have done this voluntary job here at All Experts for about 3 years now.

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