According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the United States is the world's biggest consumer of oxycodone per capita. While this is mostly prescribed to treat moderate to severe pain, illicit opioid use is now thought to be more common than heroin, coke, and meth combined.
So, given all this, you would think it is routinely tested for, right? Well, this is not always the case, but it's always good to know the facts , though, such as when you'll be tested for oxycodone, how to estimate the detection time for oxycodone in urine, and what to do before a drug test.
When will you be tested for oxycodone?
You may be surprised to learn that oxycodone is currently not tested for in US federal workplace programs, which many private corporations emulate. This is because the opiates panel of the SAMHSA 5-panel drug test only detects morphine (which also comes from codeine, opium, and heroin). Morphine is only a minor metabolite of oxycodone, so it's unlikely to trigger a positive result (a fail).
Does this mean you're safe? Maybe you are, but also keep in mind the following:
- High doses of oxycodone can produce enough morphine to fail for opiates.
- There is considerable interest in including semi-synthetic opioids in the standard opiates panel, so it may well happen in future.
- Extended drug tests will generally always look for oxycodone.
What's the detection time of oxycodone in urine?
Oxycodone is thought to be detectable in urine for about 3-4 days after last use. Of course, there are many factors at play here, and you shouldn't take it for granted that you will be clean after four days. The only way to be absolutely sure is to test yourself.
If you have the time, it may well be worth going through a weeklong detox program to clear your system of oxycodone.
How can you prepare for a drug test?
If you need to take oxycodone to relive pain, it may not be feasible to stop taking it for four days. If you also want to keep your health status private, you will need to take steps to avoid failing a test.
With testing procedures becoming ever stricter, a convenient way to prepare for a drug test is with a detox drink. When used according to the directions, these drinks will set about flushing drug metabolites out of your urinary system. The effect may be temporary, and they only work for urine drug tests, but these drinks can give you a precious few hours in which you can take your drug test.
What about saliva and hair drug tests?
Saliva drug tests can also detect oxycodone use for about four days, but these can be easily prepared for by using a special detox mouthwash shortly before going to your test.
Hair drug tests, meanwhile, can detect oxycodone use for around 90 days later. Fortunately, special detox shampoos can help you prepare for them.
