I took one hydrocodone pill today (Saturday) for a headache. It was given to me by a friend when I asked if she had anything for a bad headache. I totally forgot I am supposed to take a drug test on Monday to return to work after being on medical leave. Will hydrocodone show up in a drug test within 48 hours? I am not a drug abuser. I just was not thinking and looks like I messed up. Thanks...

Studies suggest about a week.

Yes, it will show up. "Stevetcg" is correct. There are many factors, including the length of time it's used, the dosage taken, but I would not be confident I'm clean for a week.

I'm a little surprised your friend is handing out Hydro. There was a recent thread, I believe on the legal board, by someone who gave her friend medication and the friend overdosed. The person posting was criminally charged.

It was not her fault. I had a bad headache and asked her for it. I only took one. I asked my niece who is graduating to be a doctor in June and she looked it up in some little drug computer thing she has and said I should be OK in 2-3 days and to drink a lot of water to excrete it out through your kidneys. I took it Saturday afternoon and I am not going to drug test until Wednesday. I think I will be OK... I will let you know.

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Originally Posted by snowedinn

It was not her fault. I had a bad headache and asked her for it. I only took one. I asked my niece who is graduating to be a doctor in June and she looked it up in some little drug computer thing she has and said I should be OK in 2-3 days and to drink a lot of water to excrete it out through your kidneys. I took it Saturday afternoon and I am not going to drug test until Wednesday. I think I will be OK... I will let you know.

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I'm not talking morally and judging the extent of your headache. I'm saying that you both broke the Law by giving and receiving drugs prescribed for another person. Your niece, the Doctor, didn't have a problem with that?

If you drink a lot of water to "excrete" it through your kidneys and advanced testing is done that "water it down" cure shows up in the lab work.

Assuming you don't have a history and took only the one, you may be okay.

No, I do not have a history of taking drugs. I took ONE hydro. Never have taken it before... All I knew was it was a pain pill and I had a headache. Do you honestly think it is going to stay in my system for seven days? Exactly what medical expertise do you base that answer on? It seems like there are several opinions on it. How do you know which one is correct?

It basically depends on your metabolism, but Judy is correct. I frequently do drug screens on pregnant women in labor so that I know what to expect from the baby when it is delivered. I have had a positive opioid drug screen on a woman who took hydrocodone a week earlier.

If your urine is dilute (drinking too much water) it raises suspicions with the lab doing the test.

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Originally Posted by snowedinn

No, I do not have a history of taking drugs. I took ONE hydro. Never have taken it before...All I knew was it was a pain pill and I had a headache. Do you honestly think it is going to stay in my system for seven days? Exactly what medical expertise do you base that answer on? It seems like there are several opinions on it. How do you know which one is correct?

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Well, there are too many variables to give you a concrete answer. How many mg was the pill? How much do you weigh? What is your metabolism rate? What other chemicals are in your system? What testing method is the drug facility using...

See where I'm going with this?

You may not get caught. You may. We're basing our answers off averages and other research data.

Just wanted to let you know, I took the urine test this past Friday and passed. I took the pill the previous Saturday so it was six days. The half life of hydrocodone is 4 hours, so technically from what I have been told it should have been gone in 24-36 hours anyway but I just wanted to be sure. It's back to work for me tomorrow...

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Originally Posted by snowedinn

No, I do not have a history of taking drugs. I took ONE hydro. Never have taken it before...All I knew was it was a pain pill and I had a headache. Do you honestly think it is going to stay in my system for seven days? Exactly what medical expertise do you base that answer on? It seems like there are several opinions on it. How do you know which one is correct?

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If I didn't honestly think that, hadn't researched it a hundred times, I wouldn't post it.

I have taken up to 30 mgs of hydro and 24 hours later passed u.a.'s not just once but all of the time it does depend on your metabilism. Also my friend has been taking them for over a year everyday with rando drug test that include saliva, hair, and urine twice a week and as long as she has given it 24 hours without taking any measures such as "flushing" she has been fine never failed a single one for hydrocodone.

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Originally Posted by dynamic duo

i have taken up to 30 mgs of hydro and 24 hours later passed u.a.'s not just once but all of the time it does depend on your metabilism. Also my friend has been taking them for over a year everyday with rando drug test that include saliva, hair, and urine twice a week and as long as she has given it 24 hours without taking any measures such as "flushing" she has been fine never failed a single one for hydrocodone.

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Perhaps this is your experience but I would not depend on it as your experience and that of your friend defies medical research and the experience of a registered nurse.

I would not recommend assuming a person can pass the drug test 24 hours after taking 30 mgs of hydro.

I have to drug test people all the time with the work I do. I have yet to see anyone who had used hydro within the past 7 days not come back positive for opiates. Just my experience.