Opioid Testing
Opioid testing may be used for different purposes, including: Therapeutic drug monitoring .
Opioid testing may be used for different purposes, including: Therapeutic drug monitoring . Some opioids can be used during certain medical treatments. During these treatments, your provider may monitor opioid levels to make sure the medicine is working and that you don't have a dangerous amount of opioids in your blood. Monitoring misuse of prescription opioids. If your provider prescribed opioids for pain, opioid tests may be used to make sure you're taking the right amount of medicine. Your provider may also order this test if they suspect you are taking opioid medicines that they didn't prescribe for you. As part of an overall drug testing program to check for a variety of drugs, including marijuana , cocaine , and opioids. Drug testing may be used for: Employment. Employers may test you for drugs before hiring you and/or after hiring to check for on-the-job drug use. Legal evidence. Testing may be part of a criminal or motor vehicle accident investigation. Drug testing may also be ordered as part of a court case. Drug treatment. Drug testing may be used to monitor treatment in programs for drug or alcohol use disorder . Sports. Professional and other athletes are often tested for drugs. Drug testing may be scheduled ahead of time or done randomly without notice.
Why is this test ordered? Your provider may order opioid testing if you're taking prescription opioids to treat: Chronic pain . Post-surgical pain. A persistent cough. Severe pain due to trauma. Cancer-related pain. Certain tests can tell if you are taking more medicine than prescribed, which can be a sign of misuse or addiction. Your provider may also order opioid testing if you have other signs or symptoms of opioid misuse or addiction, which may include: Calling early for refills or asking for higher doses. Complaining of increasing pain even though your condition isn't getting worse. Showing signs of opioid use when you don't have a prescription for opioid medicines. Some common signs of opioid use include: Constricted (abnormally small) pupils. Trouble staying awake or falling asleep at inappropriate times. Flushed, itchy skin . Personality changes. Social withdrawal. Neglecting responsibilities. Having withdrawal symptoms when not taking opioids, which may include: Frequent yawning. Wide open pupils (the openings that let light into your eyes). Uncontrollable leg movements. Increased heart rate and blood pressure . Nausea and vomiting . In a hospital emergency room, a provider may order opioid testing if you have signs of a possible drug overdose, such as slow shallow breathing and very low blood pressure . You may also be asked to take a drug test, which includes testing for opioids, for a job, to participate in certain organized sports, or as part of a police investigation or court case.
Clinical Interpretation
Your test results depend on the type of opioid testing you had. Tests to screen for drugs in your system only show whether opioids are in your sample. They can't show what kind or how much: Positive results mean that opioids were found. But positive test results may not be accurate (false positives), so follow-up testing is usually required to confirm the results. Negative results mean that either: No opioids were found in your sample. That may be because you haven't taken any, or you took them but they are no longer in your body. A very small amount of opioids was found, but too little to be called a positive test result. In certain cases, follow-up tests may be done to get more information. Confirmation tests may be done if there is a question about the results of a screening test. These tests can show more detail about the amount and/or type of opioids found in your sample. Opioid test results can be complicated to understand. They may be affected by how fast your body uses opioids, other medicines you take, and the different ways labs do the tests. So, it's best to ask your provider to explain what your results mean. Learn more about laboratory tests, reference ranges, and understanding results .
Clinical Protocol & Patient Advice
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Be sure to tell the testing professional or your provider if you are taking any prescription or over-the-counter medicines. Some of these medicines may show up as opioids on your test results. Poppy seeds can also show up as opioids. So, you should avoid foods with poppy seeds for at least three days before your test.
Usage Guidance
- Reference ranges vary by laboratory. Always discuss your specific results with a qualified healthcare professional.
Source: MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine. View the original.