Diabetes Talking

Question:

Drug screens typically test for "categories" of drugs (generally drugs with potential for abuse).  Typically toxicology labs will do various panels, based on what is ordered by the employer, or in this case, the agency.  They can screen for a specific drug in particular, but this is generally not done unless there is high suspicion of something ingested, which wouldn’t be found on the more routine category panels.  E.G.  They can do an Alprazolam serum level, because it often doesn’t show up on a conventional drug test, but they almost never do.  Each screen raises the expense considerably. Commonly, they test for opiates, amphetamines, cocaine, cannabinoids and PCP.  These are the guideline-dictated drugs that must be tested for as mandated by the NIDA for employers to test for, in situations where people drive commercial vehicles etc..  I don’t know what the tests are that child welfare agencies consider essential. It would be wise to find out who orders these lab panels, and the name of the panel (such as an ID-6, etc.) as well as the lab which they use.  Not all drugs in a category will show up on a screen; for example, Percocet (and the other "synthetic opiates" do not show up on a drug screen under "opiates", a special screen has to be ordered just for those agents.  Often benzodiazepines are not included in the panel that is "ordered" from the laboratory.  The two benzodiazepines which produce the least detectable metabolites are Xanax and Klonopin. All that having been said, I feel that it would be a very bad idea to stop using a prescribed drug.  If you need it, you NEED it.  What else is there to say really?  Any drug test is going to be reviewed by an MRO (medical review officer) who will review your prescriptions (you’ll have to provide the documentation) and if you were to have a valid Rx. for Klonopin and a positive benzo test (assuming they test for that)  it would be considered legal use.  As for China, I don’t know what they do.  I would find out who was testing you, what lab, and what assays were being ordered, before I even *considered* stopping any of my medicine.  (Actually, I just wouldn’t stop medicine, period, but that’s me….) As to your enumerated specific questions:  (#1)  the most rapid "safe" method of tapering Klonopin is to reduce the dose 1/4 mg every three days. That *only* assures that you wouldn’t go into seizure, and is a rather rapid method of taper, putting your psych situation into very probable chaos. Incidentally, Inderal (or any other beta blocker) will have absolutely no impact on withdrawal symptoms associated with benzodiazepine reduction or discontinuation whatsoever. #2 – once you have reached zero dose, I would not take the drug screen for two weeks after that. Again, I strongly DO NOT feel that you should stop your medication, and 1.5 mgs of Klonopin is not a small dose by any means – abrupt stoppage of it would be plenty well-enough to cause you to go into LIFE-THREATENING seizure.  Think, and think again, before you proceed with this agenda.  A daily dose of 1/2 mg would be plenty for detection, IF they screen for it, so yes, your dose is certainly detectable with no problem – if they’re testing for it.  I’d find out. Gary

Response:

Varying degrees of control in ET have been obtained with the beta-blocker propranolol (Inderal