Resolved question:
Hello,
My mother is 66 yrs old and has Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Syndrome (RSD) for the past 20 years. It's at a level 3 (from 1 to 4)? She's been on morphine for 15 years. Her primary care doctor retired. She lives in a really small town and she scheduled an appointment with another primary care doctor. He said he would not write her a prescription for morphine unless she agreed to a urinalysis. She had no choice but to agree. The test results showed positive for what she is taking, but also showed positive for hydromorphone. The doctor accused her of taking dilantin and now is saying she is discharged from his practice. She has never taken dilantin.
I've attached all medications she takes along with the actual urinalysis drug screening. Could one of the medications she takes come back positive for hydromorphone?
What do you suggest we do? I'm worried without morphine, she could die as she's been on it so long and is in such a great amount of pain daily. I don't know what to do?
Thank you very much for your time and feedback.
Submitted:
February 11 2013
Category:
Neurologist, Medical
Hello,
Thank you for asking your query.
If hydromorphone is tested positive in a individual without any declared drug intake, its suggestive of drug abuse or opioid intake
But in your mother's case, who is already taking Morphoine, a positive hydromorphone does not mean anything ! Because Morphine itself can cause hydromorphone to be positive as both are opioids.
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/552168
(Please copy paste the link in your browser.)
Please see the above article for reference. In addition hydromorphone can be false positives in few occasions. Also hydromorphone is usually give as Injections. Putting all these matters into consideration I believe your Doctor might have overlooked/misjudged certain facts. I recommend you to discuss the things with your Doctor (citing the reference article) or to find another Doctor/GP.
Hope this helps