finding number in a string

I understand that it starts at 0.  it should still work.  i had it working before.  i must've changed something. 

here is my code for passing to the function:

$query = mysql_query("SELECT friends, pendingFriendRequest

FROM members

WHERE username = '$userID'");

if (mysql_affected_rows() > 0) {

          $row = mysql_fetch_array($query) or die(mysql_error());

          $friends = $row['friends'];

          $pendingFriends = $row['pendingFriendRequest'];

}

// If the user exists in the waiting list, then

//continue (we must confirm that they are first by checking the DB

$test = findUserID($pendingFriends, "25");

if($test){

          // If they are, then continue to add them

          $test = confirmFriend($pendingFriends, "25");

          if($test) {

                    echo "<br />You have confirmed " . findUserName(24) . "as a friend.";

          } else {

                    echo "<br />Error: Please try again, or contact us.";

          }

} else {

          echo "<br />Error: You either have this person as a friend already, or there was an internal error.";

}

thanks for this, but first i have to check if the user exists first in the field.