Incoming MS1 DRUG test woes

[longtimelurk23]

Hi

I am a long time lurker on SDN as the name indicates. I will be starting MS in a little over a week and I m scared because I am on an SSRI for anxiety and tension headaches. it is prescribed but I dont want my school to know given the stigma. I have talked to many family friend doctors, and a majority say dont disclose it before the drug test as it wont show up and a few say disclose it on the off chance of it showing up so that you are not lying to them. I dont want the stigma and more importantly I dont want to get kicked out for being on an antidepressant (even though I am not depressed) and being considered coincidentally not stable. Any advice would be great.

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[235009]

Hi

I am a long time lurker on SDN as the name indicates. I will be starting MS in a little over a week and I m scared because I am on an SSRI for anxiety and tension headaches. it is prescribed but I dont want my school to know given the stigma. I have talked to many family friend doctors, and a majority say dont disclose it before the drug test as it wont show up and a few say disclose it on the off chance of it showing up so that you are not lying to them. I dont want the stigma and more importantly I dont want to get kicked out for being on an antidepressant (even though I am not depressed) and being considered coincidentally not stable. Any advice would be great.

SSRIs are not tested for on a drug screen

/thread

 

[longtimelurk23]

so do you think I should not disclose?

 

[longtimelurk23]

also do you think there is a stigma with SSRI use and med students?

 

[JustaDO]

so do you think I should not disclose?

also do you think there is a stigma with SSRI use and med students?

First, from your posts, don't quit your SSRI.

Second, disclose/don't disclose, no one cares nor will check, and without a doubt, many of your classmates will be on them sooner or later.

Third, if checking a box is causing you this much anxiety, be warned, medical school is going to be rough.

 

[longtimelurk23]

Thank you for your input @JustaDO it is my dream and i am worried that they will not let me start if they know i am on it because they may think i cannot handle the rigors of being in med school, let alone being a doctor

 

[JustaDO]

Schools only care if it is untreated depression or anxiety, and SSRI's are not a target of their drug test.

 

[longtimelurk23]

Thanks

 

[AlteredScale]

SSRIs are not tested for on a drug screen

/thread

Even though it wouldn't have been too fitting, I was expecting a "please and thank you" at the end haha.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

 

[ortnakas]

Lying on official paperwork is never a good idea.

 

[Instatewaiter]

so do you think I should not disclose?

None of their F-ing business. You are under no obligation to disclose any of your medical history to them. Psychiatric, medical or whatever. I assure you that not only will they not test for it but that it would be prohibitively expensive to test for the ****loads of various psychiatric medications out there. The only reason you would ever need to disclose this to your administration would be if your depression were to interrupt your education.

There is some scarry statistic out there about the percentage of medical students who experience depression during training. A large percentage of these will be prescribed SSRIs. Your administration would rather you be under approrppiate treatment than not. Realize this is a medical school and depression is a medical problem that I suspect a reasonable percentage of the administration will have personally dealt with. Don't worry about it.

 

[longtimelurk23]

None of their F-ing business. You are under no obligation to disclose any of your medical history to them. Psychiatric, medical or whatever. I assure you that not only will they not test for it but that it would be prohibitively expensive to test for the ****loads of various psychiatric medications out there. The only reason you would ever need to disclose this to your administration would be if your depression were to interrupt your education.

There is some scarry statistic out there about the percentage of medical students who experience depression during training. A large percentage of these will be prescribed SSRIs. Your administration would rather you be under approrppiate treatment than not. Realize this is a medical school and depression is a medical problem that I suspect a reasonable percentage of the administration will have personally dealt with. Don't worry about it.

Thank you for your response it made me feel better. Do you think that I shouldn't say anything then to the drug testing company about the SSRI ?

 

[longtimelurk23]

Lying on official paperwork is never a good idea.

Oh man I feel like I'm still torn if I should indicate to the drug company that I'm on the SSRI

 

[NurWollen]

Oh man I feel like I'm still torn if I should indicate to the drug company that I'm on the SSRI

Don't. It's really none of their business.

 

[ortnakas]

Oh man I feel like I'm still torn if I should indicate to the drug company that I'm on the SSRI

Consider asking the school or the drug company, without specifics. "I'm on a prescribed medication that isn't a controlled substance. Is that something I should include on this form?"

 

[dozitgetchahi]

For the record...paroxetine and fluoxetine have occasionally returned false positives on UDS (benzos and amphetamines, respectively).

GC/MS confirmation always rules out actual drug abuse.

 

[Goro]

If the Adcom has decided that you can handle medical school, the school is now obligated to help you get that DO degree, no matter what you have or haven't told them at interview.

But, in order to help you, they need to know about your anxiety and migraines. That info stays confidential.

I hope you're going into this eyes open. Med school is a meat grinder and I've seen it break even healthy students. The #1 reason my school loses students to dismissal, LOA or withdrawal is due to mental health issues.

Thank you for your input @JustaDO it is my dream and i am worried that they will not let me start if they know i am on it because they may think i cannot handle the rigors of being in med school, let alone being a doctor

 

[longtimelurk23]

If the Adcom has decided that you can handle medical school, the school is now obligated to help you get that DO degree, no matter what you have or haven't told them at interview.

But, in order to help you, they need to know about your depression. That info stays confidential.

I hope you're going into this eyes open. Med school is a meat grinder and I've seen it break even healthy students. The #1 reason my school loses students to dismissal, LOA or withdrawal is due to mental health issues.

Thank you for gracing my thread Goro I actually do not have depression - I have anxiety and migranes from time to time but otherwise I'm a pretty happy solid person. But I do understand that medical school is going to be difficult with my anxiety. I have felt so much improved with the medicine that I feel like I can confidently take on Med school but I don't want there to be a stigma if I tel the drug company and they relay it to the school I just don't know if I should indicate it or not :/

 

[longtimelurk23]

Consider asking the school or the drug company, without specifics. "I'm on a prescribed medication that isn't a controlled substance. Is that something I should include on this form?"

I think that is a great idea and have considered it but I don't see them saying no don't worry about not mentioning it.
just nervous and I feel like this whole thing is weighing so heavy on me. I successfully completed a medical masters program with Over a 3.7 GPA, and my anxiety untreated. Now that it is treated and I feel healthy and solid coming into medical school with these new tools but now I'm dreading it- feeling like something is wrong with me or I should have never sought treatment because of all the stress it's causing. I don't want to self medicate with alchohol or anything like that and I feel healthy and happy but scared for taking the SSRI

 

[longtimelurk23]

You're going to learn about HIPAA; start reading about it now please.

I just didn't know if there was any contingencies on the info since they are using this company. But I guess I will indicate that I am on it - I would rather be honest :/

 

[cabinbuilder]

Thank you for your input @JustaDO it is my dream and i am worried that they will not let me start if they know i am on it because they may think i cannot handle the rigors of being in med school, let alone being a doctor

Doctors are patients too, get sick, have issues, take meds. They likely will ask you if you take any chronic medications. List the meds and move on.

 

[Hakuna Matata]

Oh man I feel like I'm still torn if I should indicate to the drug company that I'm on the SSRI

It is not tested for! So no you do not need to disclose it. That's like if you're taking ibuprofen for back pain and wondering if you should disclose it. It's not tested for. Also, there is NO stigma with being on an SSRI in my experience. I know a lot of med students who are taking meds for depression and anxiety. If anything it looks good that you have this under control before starting school. If they ask if you take any daily medications, go ahead and list it. They TRULY do not care about SSRI's.

 

[Hakuna Matata]

Hi

I am a long time lurker on SDN as the name indicates. I will be starting MS in a little over a week and I m scared because I am on an SSRI for anxiety and tension headaches. it is prescribed but I dont want my school to know given the stigma. I have talked to many family friend doctors, and a majority say dont disclose it before the drug test as it wont show up and a few say disclose it on the off chance of it showing up so that you are not lying to them. I dont want the stigma and more importantly I dont want to get kicked out for being on an antidepressant (even though I am not depressed) and being considered coincidentally not stable. Any advice would be great.

They cannot do that. So really, stop worrying about it. Lots of students on SSRI's, you're not the only one. You're fine!