I have a dentist appointment next Friday to have a tooth removed. The problem is that the following Monday I have a regularly scheduled job related drug test. I’m not worried about getting in trouble as I will have a prescription (I won’t be taking any pain meds, as they make me sick) and/or doctors note. But once I test positive for anything that is given to me during the procedure, I’m automatically sent home without pay until I can be seen by our MRO (medical resource officer). Now this can take up to five business days after a confirmed positive, and I really can’t afford to miss any pay.
Will I be given anything during my procedure that I should worry about in an upcoming drug test almost three days later?
I can’t say for sure unless we know exactly what medications they give you, however most drug tests only test for the seven most common types of drugs (Marajuana, Opiates, Amphetamines, Cocaine, PCP, Benzos, and Barbiturates).
The most likely drug the dentist will use is Novocaine, which isn’t in any of those classes. So if that is the drug they use, then you won’t have a positive test.
Should your dentist, as doctor, not know which medicines besides pain meds might show up as false positives? Therefore, the best approach to me would be to tell your dentist (maybe call in advance so he has alternative medicines at hand) that you face a drug test and thus have to avoid anything that could cause a false positive in any way.
Conversely, you could get a record of appointment from the dentist and take it to your drug test.
Tell them you saw the dentist on Friday, had local anaesthetic and produce the confirmation of the appointment as evidence.
This has the advantages that you are seen as being helpful and proactive.
It’s been years since my organic chem classes but as far as I can tell, they aren’t chemically similar at all. Lidocaine (per Bijou’s post) blocks sodium channels which essentially keeps pain signals from being transmitted, while cocaine is a reuptake inhibitor for dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin.
He said in the OP that even if he does that, a justified positive has to be reviewed by The Powers That Be and that means as much as 5 days without pay.
The last time I had to get drug tested, I was told not to tell them anything about what meds I was on beforehand, if anything turned up I would then have to show them that anything legit was legit. It sounds like the OPs situation is similar, though I don’t know if I’d have been forced to not work until it was all straightened out.
And I had a tooth extracted a few weeks ago with only local. I was given no other medication whatsoever, though if I hadn’t had to drive I would have wanted some! If you aren’t going to take opiate pain meds afterwards I don’t see a problem.
As Ferret Herder said, they are not at all similar chemically, and they don’t have any of the same metabolites. So, no, no chance at all of being positive for Cocaine after taking Novocaine.