Originally Posted by Excargodog

1. While I have never taken Valium or advocated its use by anyone, it's a benzodiazepine and FAA/DOT drug testing does NOT test for benzodiazepines.



2. Serum half-life of Valium is about 50 hours and about 100 hours for its major metabolite which is still somewhat pharmaceutically active. Practically speaking, any drug is out of your system after five half lives, so Valium would be undetectable in the urine after about ten days and even it's metabolite would
be gone by 20 days. Plus there are cutoffs for detection limits because of cross reactions and false positives. Otherwise anyone eating poppyseed rolls before a test would test positive for opiates.



Again, not pushing Valium or illicit use of any drug but don't deny yourself appropriate treatment if you need it for fear of a positive random test. DOT Rule 49 CFR Part 40 Section 40.129 describes the procedures to be followed for a presumptive positive drug test. In that case a Medical Review Officer will contact the employee and offer them the opportunity to explain a presumptive positive. With the permission of the employee, the Medical Review Officer will contact the employees physician or dentist and validating they had a legitimate medical reason for the positive and that the medication was legally prescribed. If the medication was legitimately supplied (for pain after a tooth extraction, premed for a sigmoid exam, etc.) the presumptive positive is cancelled.

So no, DO NOT borrow your spouse's controlled drug or use an old bottle of pain pills from a previous dental procedure for your backache and expect that excuse to work, and don't fly on meds that would make you unsafe to fly but any meds legitimately prescribed for you that would explain a positive drug test will cause that positive test to be cancelled and even the designated drug test guy in your company will only be told it's an invalid test, not given your medical history.

Bottom line: Don't deny yourself proper treatment for legitimate medical problems or procedures.