Employer "wellness screenings" and cotinine testing.

[KY_Rob]

Reading this thread has me wondering what my cotinine levels really are. I vape 3-6ml's of 6mg juice a day, at 20w. Just ordered my first batch of 3mg liquid today.

I might just buy a couple of those swabs just to see how much is really in my system!

 

[dekkra42]

Yesterday, I switched from 12mg to 0mg eliquid in preparation of taking my company's wellness screening. Last year, I switched to 0mg for 10 days, and the cotinine test came back clean. This year, I am only going to do 0mg for 6 days.

We have a fairly large user community here, so I thought it might be interesting to see what we can learn from each other's experiences. If you've had to take a wellness screening for your health insurance, or your employer, please take a moment to provide the following details:

• Did you pass the test?
• What was your normal eLiquid strength in mg?
• Did you stop vaping or switch to no nicotine eLiquid before the test?
• If "Yes" to the above question, how many days prior to the test did you stop or switch?
• Did you "cheat" at all prior to the test?
• What type of test was administered (blood, urine, saliva, other)?
• If available, what was your cotinine level?

My answers from last year:

• Did you pass the test? Yes
• What was your normal eLiquid strength in mg? 18mg
• Did you stop vaping or switch to no nicotine eLiquid before the test? Switched to 0mg
• If "Yes" to the above question, how many days prior to the test did you stop or switch? 10 Days
• Did you "cheat" at all prior to the test? Yes, Nightly. I dripped 10-15 hits of 18mg eLiquid.
  
• What type of test was administered (blood, urine, saliva, other)? Blood
• If available, what was your cotinine level? 0 ng/ml

Sometime in the next 2-3 weeks, I will update this post with this years' results!

Thanks for this! I was just informed that hubby's employer will be including saliva swab for nicotine for our wellness bioscreening. YIKES! I have been secretly vaping for over a year now. So I rescheduled my bioscreen for a week later to give myself more time.

I am at level 15 nicotine and vape about 3-4 times a day as an appetite suppressant. Last vaping day was Jan 22 (when I found out about the test) I did take a few puffs on Jan 25, but my battery was low, and didn't feel like I got much of a hit. Test is scheduled for Feb 2. This gives me 12 days (with one minor cheat 9 days) before the test.

I also am taking stuff I feel like that will help ; 4-6 apple cider vinegar tablets, Zip-fizz drink (which is vitamin packed energy powder supplement with lots of stuff to cleanse system). I walk 4 miles 3-5 times a week. Trying to drink lots of fluids. I looked up a bunch of nicotine detox stuff and decided to buy something called NAC (N-Acetyl Cysteine) from the Health Food store. It is promoted as an antioxidant and I found it in some expensive Nicotine detox. I didn't want to pay $30 for the box, so I just bought the main ingredient of NAC for $6-7.

I will post again to let you all know if I passed.

 

[skiball]

Opps im dumb

 

[dekkra42]

Thanks for this! I was just informed that hubby's employer will be including saliva swab for nicotine for our wellness bioscreening. YIKES! I have been secretly vaping for over a year now. So I rescheduled my bioscreen for a week later to give myself more time.

I am at level 15 nicotine and vape about 3-4 times a day as an appetite suppressant. Last vaping day was Jan 22 (when I found out about the test) I did take a few puffs on Jan 25, but my battery was low, and didn't feel like I got much of a hit. Test is scheduled for Feb 2. This gives me 12 days (with one minor cheat 9 days) before the test.

I also am taking stuff I feel like that will help ; 4-6 apple cider vinegar tablets, Zip-fizz drink (which is vitamin packed energy powder supplement with lots of stuff to cleanse system). I walk 4 miles 3-5 times a week. Trying to drink lots of fluids. I looked up a bunch of nicotine detox stuff and decided to buy something called NAC (N-Acetyl Cysteine) from the Health Food store. It is promoted as an antioxidant and I found it in some expensive Nicotine detox. I didn't want to pay $30 for the box, so I just bought the main ingredient of NAC for $6-7.

I will post again to let you all know if I passed.

UPDATE 2/3......I passed. Or so I assume. They had me suck on a swab thing for 3 minutes and then go to another nurse tech for height and weight. When I came back to get paperwork, I couldn't hear her question, but the other tech that was filling out paperwork answered "negative." Nobody said anything to me about it, so I am guessing I passed Nothing was noted about it on the paperwork I was given. I did have some nic cravings during the 9-12 days off vaping, But today I don't crave it so much. I probably will slow my vaping down cuz I was getting dry nasal cough no matter how much water I drank.

 

[Jimi]

My last employer, as part of their wellness program, would pay $100 each year for vape gear and supplies for each family member over 18 yrs old.

 

[dcarpentier]

My last employer, as part of their wellness program, would pay $100 each year for vape gear and supplies for each family member over 18 yrs old.

Wow.. you dont hear of advanced thinking like that very much these days.

 

[CharlieK]

Wellness screening is mandatory, really? I think, it's too expensive for companies to test all the employees. About drug testing, I'm absolutely sure that far not all the employees are tested. And if you were tested, you would know it. The process of testing is well described here https://dnasu.com/services/drug-test/ Companies won't test unsuspected people at jobs where drug test is not required.

 

[Kimtexas1026]

Can an insurance company DO that?! That seems really intrusive. I mean, I understand that if you smoke, or have other certain "health risk factors", they think they can raise your premiums (with the assumption you might be less healthy than a person who doesn't), but jeez! Testing for nicotine or nicotine metabolites seems extreme! Do they also want to know how often you pop an Aleve?! LOL I mean, if you get frequent headaches, maybe they want to raise your premiums too. That's "less healthy" than someone who never gets a headache. For me, that's almost at the level of them asking for my Facebook password. It's none of their business. Of course, I don't have a job like that, so it's easy for me to say. Good luck!

 

[UncleRJ]

Can an insurance company DO that?! That seems really intrusive. I mean, I understand that if you smoke, or have other certain "health risk factors", they think they can raise your premiums (with the assumption you might be less healthy than a person who doesn't), but jeez! Testing for nicotine or nicotine metabolites seems extreme! Do they also want to know how often you pop an Aleve?! LOL I mean, if you get frequent headaches, maybe they want to raise your premiums too. That's "less healthy" than someone who never gets a headache. For me, that's almost at the level of them asking for my Facebook password. It's none of their business. Of course, I don't have a job like that, so it's easy for me to say. Good luck!

Sadly as a condition of employment, they can pretty much make you to submit to any testing that they require as long as everyone in that same position is equally tested.

For most of my years, I have always been supplied with a company vehicle.

Which came with an expection of random drug test.

And I do mean random!

I remember one year, when in a single three month time frame, my number came up THREE FRIKKING TIMES! And before you ask, my immediate superior (and others) made a point of assuring me that I was under no suspicion of drug or alcohol use on the job or after hours. Just random numbers generated at corporate HQ.

Gigantic Pain In The ASS as the way it worked, your number came up, they called your boss, you boss called you on your cell phone and you had to drop whatever you were doing (even if you were having lunch with a customer or in a meeting with a customer) to get to the lab within 90 minutes of being called.

However, the employees that did not drive a company vehicle, only had to be drug tested before being hired and never again unless their boss thought they were using drugs on the job

Now days, it seems that Nicotine is the new "Drug" that we all need to be protected from!

Asshats!

 

[MD_Boater]

This year, they made me sign a paper saying that my wife was smoke free as well. I suspect that they will actually test spouses next year. I think all this testing is part of Barrycare. Let's hope Trump repeals it. This will probably go away, or made voluntary if you want a discount on a private plan.

 

[Merrick92]

Can an insurance company DO that?! That seems really intrusive. I mean, I understand that if you smoke, or have other certain "health risk factors", they think they can raise your premiums (with the assumption you might be less healthy than a person who doesn't), but jeez! Testing for nicotine or nicotine metabolites seems extreme! Do they also want to know how often you pop an Aleve?! LOL I mean, if you get frequent headaches, maybe they want to raise your premiums too. That's "less healthy" than someone who never gets a headache. For me, that's almost at the level of them asking for my Facebook password. It's none of their business. Of course, I don't have a job like that, so it's easy for me to say. Good luck!

Technically, they can't raise your rates. That's illegal under current law. What they can do is set everyone's cost at x, and the screenings determine whether or not you qualify for 'discounts'. I.E.: Your body mass index is below a certain threshold, you get one credit, you don't smoke you get one credit, you manage chronic conditions with meds diligently(high blood pressure), you get one credit. You max out all your credits,and you cost per month drops by like 90 bucks.
So you can skip the screenings without being fired, but your not going to get any discounts to your health insurance.

 

[BigDaddyQ]

Technically, they can't raise your rates. That's illegal under current law. What they can do is set everyone's cost at x, and the screenings determine whether or not you qualify for 'discounts'. I.E.: Your body mass index is below a certain threshold, you get one credit, you don't smoke you get one credit, you manage chronic conditions with meds diligently(high blood pressure), you get one credit. You max out all your credits,and you cost per month drops by like 90 bucks.
So you can skip the screenings without being fired, but your not going to get any discounts to your health insurance.

Necroing thread to provide an informative response to this. Wellness screening at my company is not "mandatory" nor is the tobacco screening. However if you do not do them, you will have pay biweekly surcharges. The Wellness part amounts to 35 dollars biweekly and the Nicotine test amounts to 56 dollars biweekly. If you fail sections of the Wellness screening, we have to take a health coaching program. If we fail the nicotine test, we have to take a cessation coaching program. Otherwise, have to pay the surcharges. And yes, it is perfectly legal for them to do so.

Regards,

 

[MD_Boater]

2019 Update. It's been 5 years and 2 months since I switched to vaping. I haven't smoked a cigarette since. Early last year (not sure exactly when), I went from 3% nic to around 1.5%. Around mid summer, I cut another .3ml of nic out of each 30ml bottle I made, going from .5ml to .2ml. That's a little over .06% nic. As you can imagine, going to no nic for 7 days was SUPER easy for me this year. I didn't even notice the switch. Took the blood test at the lab this year since I was on vacation when they did the in office testing. Passed with flying colors. Let's do a little vape math: 5 years * 26 pay checks per year * $75 per paycheck for being a "non tobacco" user = $9,750

Vaping whatever the hell I want, whenever I want. Priceless.

Got home from the lab and mixed a batch of 3% just because I could. All that nic gave me a headache. Went right back to the .06% and there I shall stay. For now. At this point, switching from vaping to bubble gum would be super easy. Anyone know where I can buy some vape flavored gum to help me make the switch? Man, that would make the FDA's heads explode. Marketing gum to adults by making it in tobacco product flavors.

 

[JuicyLucy]

2019 Update. It's been 5 years and 2 months since I switched to vaping. I haven't smoked a cigarette since. Early last year (not sure exactly when), I went from 3% nic to around 1.5%. Around mid summer, I cut another .3ml of nic out of each 30ml bottle I made, going from .5ml to .2ml. That's a little over .06% nic. As you can imagine, going to no nic for 7 days was SUPER easy for me this year. I didn't even notice the switch. Took the blood test at the lab this year since I was on vacation when they did the in office testing. Passed with flying colors. Let's do a little vape math: 5 years * 26 pay checks * $75 per paycheck for being a "non tobacco" user = $9,750

Vaping whatever the hell I want, whenever I want. Priceless.

Got home from the lab and mixed a batch of 3% just because I could. All that nic gave me a headache. Went right back to the .06% and there I shall stay. For now. At this point, switching from vaping to bubble gum would be super easy. Anyone know where I can buy some vape flavored gum to help me make the switch? Man, that would make the FDA's heads explode. Marketing gum to adults by making it in tobacco product flavors.

Isn't that kinda what Nicorette is?

 

[MD_Boater]

Yeah, But didn't they make that taste like gum? I never tried it.

 

[JuicyLucy]

Yeah, But didn't they make that taste like gum? I never tried it.

I did when it first came out decades ago, lol

Can't remember, except I didn't like it and it didn't work

 

[Huckleberried]

Like black pepper.

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[JuicyLucy]

Like black pepper.

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So like old nicotine, lol

 

[Huckleberried]

So like old nicotine, lol

LOL, I hadn't thought of it that way, but yes. Like old, bad quality nic. Gotta say, before I knew better, and was new, I didn't mind that pepper kick in my juice. Now I'm "older and wiser". Sometimes.