I’ve grown three plants for personal use; White Widow, Super Lemon Haze and Kryptonite. I have a crushed S1, due to an L4/L5 herniated disk and severe neuropathy in my right leg. Surgery took care of the herniated disk but the pain remains. Like many people in my situation, I’ve been given Gabapenton, Tramadol, Cymbalta, Oxy, muscle relaxers, etc. First of all, I hate taking the Oxy, the effects wear off too fast and I refuse to take more than one a day. I grew the White Widow for a daytime smoke if I’m in pain but normally I don’t need it (cloudy tricomes with a few ambers). The Super Lemon Haze and Kryptonite I grew for evening and night time pain (mostly amber tricomes at harvest) and it works amazingly well! One small puff and I’m feeling so much better! The problem is that I’m still attached to the military as I transition to the VA and they get all of my medical records that are generated by the clinic I go to. I smoke so little, maybe half the size of a pencil eraser, in order to get the effects I need. Occasionally, on bad days, I will smoke two or three times but that’s only about once a week. I have another doctors appointment on the 28th of this month. What should I do? Stop smoking and be in agony until the doctors appointment in order to get all of my prescriptions refilled, relying on the Oxy and Tramadol to get me through, or have a heart to heart with my doctor and explain the reality of my situation? I don’t want to get hooked on the Oxy. How long should I stop smoking for prior to my urine test? I doubt that I’ve smoked a quarter ounce worth this whole year, I’m a real light weight but this takes care of my pain in low doses. Advice please…
@super_newby 
I am so sorry you are in this position. I don’t have any advice to offer, but hopefully some here who have experience in this type if situation, will weigh in.
Its just so unfair and inhumane to make us conform to some archaic notion that a substance that helps us so much is still vilified. Good luck to you in all of this.
I suppose you could ask your doctor if they also test for alcohol use in addition to drugs. To me it falls into the realm of self-medicating as well. and if they don’t why not. What makes alcohol okay and not cannabis.
…sorry off my soap box now.
Having been in the military I can tell you that failing a drug test is not going to help your situation @super_newby
You need to weigh the alternatives and make a decision.
A reminder that if you test positive, the penalties can be quite severe. I would abstain period. It isn’t worth it for such a short period of time.
I quit MJ for nearly 40 years because of drug testing. If I can do it for 40 years, you can do it for that short period of time.
Consider CBD Oil or tincture. It has all the Cannabanoids in it and no THC and will help you get through. They are available all over the internet. I use a place called Pure CBD Vapors.
A cheap vape pen is under 20 and the CBD Vape Juice, depending on the strength and size are generally under $100-
Please clarify if this is a medical doctor associated with the military or VA or is this your private doctor
This is a private practice doctor; I haven’t been in uniform for over a year so the military doctors couldn’t do anything so now I go to a private practice doctor, my Medboard package was submitted this past Feb. Yes, I have a lot to lose if I piss hot. I’ve only had two small puffs in the last two weeks, pain was too much to handle, so if I stop should I be okay by the 28th? Maybe if I piss clean, then talk to my doctor about it (I’m in Mass also). Honestly, I’m not even sure they test for it now that it’s legal but all of my records go to Hanscom and that’s the last thing I need. It’s all of that stupid heroin and fentynol that’s all over the place! The drug addicts are making my life difficult and I don’t even take the crap! Thanks for chiming in.
It is unfair. I don’t even drink alcohol! I finally found something that works and I can’t use it when I need it. I haven’t tried the CBD oil so I don’t know if it would work. We’ve even been warned that drinking beverages with hemp in it, or using hygiene products with hemp in it could cause you to fail. AND it’s legal in my state! Just can’t win sometimes.
I retired USAFR from Hanscom. I used the VA facilities as well.
If this is a private practice doctor I would talk to him or his nurse. It is legal in MA but if you are still on the books you are still subject to the UCMJ. I would be cautious!
I don’t want to overly concern you either. Talk to you doctor asap. @super_newby
Good plan, thanks bob31
If he does test and reports it then we can talk about a plan B. No sense fretting over something that may not be though.
You’re right, it’s just a very high stakes game I’m playing.
Brother, I hear ya.
Thank You for your service 
I understand how you feel, and I think you need to be very careful. I’m not sure a few tokes is worth a dishonorable discharge and a vacation to Kansas. I believe both of those carry a lifetime ban on VA benefits and many other things that can be quite valuable.
Think big picture here.
Insanity, ugh. @bob31 is a good guy, he won’t steer you wrong.
Thanks, man! Yea, I know it’s not worth it…but the pain just doesn’t stop! The only relief I get it with the weed. I’ll just drop it for the next 3 weeks and pick it up again when I get back from the appt.
Dude you need to stop the opiates if you can. I did and was hopelessly addicted for 3 years They slow your whole body down and that’s not good. I just went through the hell of withdrawal but someone told me about kratom. It contains something similar to opiates but not very addictive. It’s also pretty safe because if you take too much, you will throw it up. It worked for me. I was working and weed wasn’t an option because of piss tests.
If I can smoke week, I don’t touch the Oxy because the week works better and longer then the Oxy does. My mother OD’d on Oxy and booze about 5 years ago, if she could be snagged by it, so could I. I’m glad to say that she survived it and I’ve never taken more than one a day because of what she went through. I just wish there wasn’t such a stigma with weed; it works, there’s no hangover, you sleep like a baby and wake up feeling fine. All of the other crap I take makes me feel terrible. But I have to take a piss test because of all of the abusers that are around where I live. Not even my fault. Hell, I’ve never even had a speeding ticket! I’m glad the public opinion is changing but it’s not enough. Thanks @OldSkunk, I’m so glad that you were able to beat the addiction!
All doctors who prescribe opiates have to do piss tests on those patients. I believe it’s a DEA rule. If you have any “street drugs” in your system, you are cut off cold from the doctor and have to pee clean for 2 months and will be tested every week when you get the pills back. They also can have you come in and do a pill count and if you don’t show up when they say, you will be cut off. I just didn’t want to take them anymore. I was having to take 40mg 3 times during working hours just to be able to work. It was ruining my life.
Ouch, I’ll just refrain for the next 3 weeks. I’m so glad you got away from them!!
If I were in your shoes I would gut it out and abstain completely until I have to see the doctor. I would also buy a self-testing kit and test myself before I go to the doc so I know what results to expect. I just went through a job change and dealt with this because one of the jobs I had an offer for required a urinalysis. Even though the corporate policy on weed was the same as it is for alcohol (I am in MA), I assume the company’s insurance required it.
Maybe this will help
You’re right, I think I’m just going to abstain until the appointment. I’m a really light smoker so hopefully I’ll be clean by then. Getting the test kit is a very good idea, I think I’ll do that a few days prior. If I’m still hot, then I can cancel the appointment and reschedule, I can’t afford to fail it because I have so much to lose. Thanks, man!
Wow, that was really informative and there was a lot of stuff that I didn’t know. I feel better about having three weeks to be clean so I should be okay. I do think that I’m going to get a test a few days prior just in case. Thanks for posting, it really helped!