HRT and workplace drug testing

[Yip]

Hello again yes another one.

I work in a industry with heavy machinery, regular random drug testing for safety.
Certain things are not allowed to be taken by employee's as a general guide.

No illegal drugs natch and medications that can show as a substance in the test (Medication that gives a false positive for say cocaine for example or people on cocaine would use that medication to hide it)


This worries me about HRT,(MtF)  Anyone know whether this is ok in a drug testing environment?. Estrogen is obviously a natural substance and
since almost half the employment is female I cant see that as being a problem. But I don't know about T-blockers, anyone know?. If there could
be a problem is there enough choice that its likely I could find something that is acceptable for my work.

Just a reminder this isn't sports drug testing, this is work drug testing I don't think its quiet as strict, They simply don't want
people operating machinery out of there minds and killing someone. I'm just have a fear that HRT might not be an acceptable
medication that I can have... please someone end these fears with good news!!.

Oh and I do know theres a final surgical solution to remove the need for T-blockers just want to know what options
I have besides just the one.

[Beyond]

Drug testing is expensive and as a result they only look at cetain things.   And HRT is not on the list.  It's really that simple.

[Drik]

I dont think that estrogen (and t blockers) is classified as drugs. Testosterone on the other hand.. (in Scandinavia anyway)

[Buffy]

I have been involved in many workplace Drugs & Alcohol abuse testing programmes and have been very involved with Occupational Health Physicians and rehabilitation programmes.

There is no medical reasons to test for Estrogen or Anti-androgens as these are not known to cause any medical issues that are common with drugs and alcohol.

Buffy

[Yip]

Sounds good sounds really good,  very happy !!

[Mari]

besides; tests on hormones are on average more expensive than other lab
work... so i don't think they would spent their money on that, too
And even if they did; I don't think anyone would be so rude to ask more if
you say smth. like "an endocrinological disorder"

[sd]

I used to do drug testing, estrogen was never looked at.

We could tell if you had used something as minor as cough medicine recently, or taken too many vitamins, or used a "chemical cleaner" (which usually resulted in a retest days later or considered a fail). This was not a very expensive test either.

[Beyond]

This was not a very expensive test either.

That may be true individually.  But when you're talking about mass testing by a company on anybody involved in a mishap (Many companies do this), the total costs adds up.  And not only the cost of the test.  The person has to be escorted to the hospital and let's not forget the loss of productivity.  They usually only focus on commonly abused drugs, not HRT.

[sd]

This was not a very expensive test either.

That may be true individually.  But when you're talking about mass testing by a company on anybody involved in a mishap (Many companies do this), the total costs adds up.  And not only the cost of the test.  The person has to be escorted to the hospital and let's not forget the loss of productivity.  They usually only focus on commonly abused drugs, not HRT.

Exactly, widescale deployment is still not feasible. Give it another year or two though and you will start to see it. We were doing on site testing, but still it was little more than some of the cheaper tests. 

[Yip]

Ok maybe I need to explain it,  Its  random drug testing,
They pull up to the site, call out a list of people (randomly chosen)

They all go and provide a fresh urine sample, Thats tested.

Its fairly regular.   What i'm worried about is HRT (MTF) could be a medication thats going to be a false positive on something and so make it
impossible for me to either, continue in the industry, or have to come out sooner then expected (since they WOULD want to know what i'm on if it did)

[tekla]

I agree with those that say its only the specific drugs in question that they look for.  As most are pot, opiate-based, or alkaloids-based I don't see where HRT would show up in workplaces testing.  Where they would show up is in sports testing as Human Growth Hormones most likely, but if your not going to the Olympics its not going to be tested for. 

But, I'm sure that in the PDR (Physicians' Desk Reference) would have that information listed under the one or ones you would be taking.  But if it were me, I would really, really, ask a doctor or two.

[April221]

I'd be very surprised if HRT affected your test results. When blood or urine is collected, the sample is sent to a lab which will perform whichever tests are requested. Some tests are performed with chemically treated strips of paper which will change color if, for example, cocaine is present. Usually, the labs are only looking for illicit "recreational" drugs, marijuana, cocaine, heroin and it's derivatives like codeine, oxycontin, etc. Methamphetamine is also commonly tested for. Sometimes screening is also for alcohol. Since all of these are totally different from anything used in HRT, I can't see how they would show up. Estrogen will be found in genetic women, and to a much lesser degree, non-TS males, and spironolactone is often prescribed for several common medical conditions.

[sd]

Ok maybe I need to explain it,  Its  random drug testing,
They pull up to the site, call out a list of people (randomly chosen)

They all go and provide a fresh urine sample, Thats tested.

Its fairly regular.   What i'm worried about is HRT (MTF) could be a medication thats going to be a false positive on something and so make it
impossible for me to either, continue in the industry, or have to come out sooner then expected (since they WOULD want to know what i'm on if it did)

You have nothing to worry about Yip.

[Yip]

Yes !, Although can't be 100% sure until I talk to professionals its good to not have
it nagging me at the back of my mind every day as I make plan's.

[Melissa]

Some people naturally have a hormone imbalance.

[Yip]

That's right!  that's all it is...shifty eyes...

[Jeannette]

Dunno about the States but the French Government's very clear about drug testing.  They only look for the kind that impairs your brain, e.g, cocaine, heroin, pot, benzodiazepines, amphetamines & barbiturates, no HRT or medicine you might be on.

[Audrey]

HAHA ask them to  do a check up on your estrogen levels!  And watch the look on their faces. 
AudrEy

[Buffy]

Yes !, Although can't be 100% sure until I talk to professionals its good to not have
it nagging me at the back of my mind every day as I make plan's.

Yip... I am a professional, Its part of what I do. I design these work based programmes for a Drug & Alcohol abuse.

Buffy