Pain meds and working

[Aaron]

I have posted this on other sites, but am yet without a straight answer. After trying to work for a while after hurt ,but having trouble walking, lifting etc ( very manual work) I was advised I needed to quit a 100000 yr job or the rest of my life would be terrible, so after much thought I did and returned to school. Well I am a semester away from grad. and boy am I scared how to handle the spine thing. Do I tell them up front, do I not , I don't want to lie etc. But my biggest fear is this: I have fought this Tspine pain so long without much pain meds and it has really worn me down and beat me, so my doctor finally wants to get me on a pain management program with pain killers. I earlier did not want to do it due to family history of drug addiction, but I am ready now. But if I take a drug test for work, what will happen, there is so many people abusing pain killers in the area that don't need them I am afraid that will make me look bad in the eyes of the employer. If I have prescription will the meds still be reported ? I am grad. in mechanical engineering so not any manual lifting. Any advice would be appreciated.

[Maria]

Back in the day back injuries/surgeries were the kiss of death for an RN so at first I admitted to having back probs. No jobs. But I was then away from work for over a year and thankfully I did start a Masters program in nursing so when I applied for a part time job while in starting my MSN program I explained the time away from work with "study" and I had chosen to work with preemie infants as it would be "light weight work" literally and didn't mention my spine stuff at all. I had not yet had a spine surgery or wasn't on any meds way back then.

After 1st spine surgery there was no way not to admit to it so I did and yet could bend over and touch toes for physical so passed and also during the physical and questioning I just said my back hadn't bothered me since surgery of course I had actually had 2 spine surgeries by this time and the latter one failing and my pain was much worse however I didn't actually have a scar because the 2nd surgery was "percutaneous" or band aid surgery so really the only scar that could be seen was one and it had been well healed.

I did say I wasn't able to sit long or do heavy lifting so I was seeking part time work and that's why at that point I went into a different type of nursing that didn't involve seeing patients at all (telephone triage/advice nurse) so I wasn't lying I just was careful what I said.

Re meds.. I have not worked while on pain medications. I wonder in your field if there is any kind of work with machinery that would preclude the use of medication (do not operate heavy machinery) or precision work for which the label on types of pain medication (may cause drowsiness) might be cause for an employer to be concerned. As I understand if you have a prescription for a medication even if it's an opioid medication and you list it that's not the same as if you were caught lying about your "drug habit" with drug testing.

Then again would the employer hire someone that isn't taking the medication who had the same qualifications and education/experience ... perhaps.. perhaps you'd be the one hired.

I was told that there are many nurses working on pain meds but I don't know whether they already had their positions or were hired after the fact.

Hope some people here will be able to help you out with their answers on this one.

[cherylstewart67]

It would depend on a few things...laws for driving under the influence, what the employer say, and if you can function on the pain meds that they give you. my employer told me that i could not be at work and taking narcotics. so if i have to go back on pain mgt, i will have to quit my job. you have to be unemployed to even file for s.s. disability and it takes up to a year to get. not to mention that you are usually turned down the 1st and 2nd time you apply unless you use an attorney. it's complicated to say the least. I checked my SS benefits if I filed, Id only get $14,000 a year. Who can live on that???

[Hooch]

If they don't drug test, I wouldn't tell them.

I hope the surgeons can get their shit happening and start to get some good results in T-spine ddd. Maybe stem cells will help in the future.

Best wishes.

[Aaron]

"Then again would the employer hire someone that isn't taking the medication who had the same qualifications and education/experience ... perhaps.. perhaps you'd be the one hired."


that is exactly the part I am struggling with. why would an employeer take a chance on someone who is on pain meds if there are 20 others not on them.

[dshobbies]

I've been on both sides of this fence. As an employer, I believe it's against the law to ask about diseases but ok to ask about a medical condition that might interfere with work. This would include your chronic back pain along with any meds to might take to control it.

If you lie and get the job, any medical insurance that might go along with it can be rescinded without payment of benefits or the requirements that any benefit be paid back. If you lie to get the job, you can be fired without unemployment benefits. If a drug test is required, you will probably fail and lose your job.

However, if you tell the truth, you may not be hired and as a previous employer, I wasn't looking for trouble and would steer clear of someone in your condition/predicament.

What to do? That's your decision. I think what I'd do is go ahead and get your meds going while still in school. As you begin to look for a job, begin to taper off so you won't have to lie. Try to work a couple of months with no drugs at all or perhaps just in the evenings and then begin again. Then again, you may be looking for longer than is tolerable to be off of pain meds.

You're in a difficult situation and you have to decide how to best handle it. I'm sorry you find yourself between the perverbial rock and a hard place. I do wish you well and please keep us posted.

Dale