Feedback on False Positives from Drug Testing, page 101

False Positives Forum

This forum is intended to help those who Do NOT Abuse Drugs. We do NOT support the illegal use of any substance. If you have experience with false positives, share your experience. What would you tell someone about drug testing and false positives? Please remember that we do not give medical or legal advice.

Subj: Tested pos 4 THC
Date: 9/8/2010
I recently took a drug test (court ordered)and tested pos 4 THC. I haven’t smoked n almost 20yrs- been around it at all! I do take advil, aleve, tylenol whatever is handy because of headaches almost daily. I also have liver disease, been taking amoxicillan, methadone, & adipex! How can this happen and where can I get accuracy percentage list for these pee n cup tests.

Melissa
AskDocWeb: There are a verity of urine tests on the market, and each may have a different error rate. If you can find out the name of the test that they used then you may be able to check the manufacturer’s website for the error rate of that test.

Subj: Big trouble
Date: 9/8/2010
I have lupus and blood clots. I take pain meds over the counter and perscription. I was so shocked when my PO tested me and I was positive for THC. I dont smoke at all. I dont see how this is happening. Will ultrams or morphine or any meds make me test false positive for THC? Please help cause now I am in big trouble.

Ackley
AskDocWeb: Neither Ultram nor morphine have caused false positives for THC. However, other substances (listed here) have caused false positives for THC. Whenever you suspect a false positive, always have the sample sent out for confirmation testing at an independent lab. If you don’t do that then the message you are sending is that you accept the results as true, and that may go on your record as drug abuse.

Subj: Pain patches
Date: 9/8/2010
I have chronic back problems and take hydrocodone and mobic for pain and I use lidoderm patches, well I went to my pain management doctor and tested positive for methadone. I dont even take anything unless I’m suppose to and I definately dont take methadone. Would these pain patches make that show up in a UA?

Mickey
AskDocWeb: You may have to do a little research to find out what ingredients and medications are in the pain patches. Once you know what the specific ingredients are, you can look them up here.

Subj: Methamphetamine
Date: 9/8/2010
My name is Casey and for my EMT-B class they require us to get finger printed and drug tested. I went in today, 7-9-10 and had a 10 screen drug test. All were negative except the methamphetamine. I have been sick for the past 4 days and I have been taking Vick’s Nyquil/dayquil, Contac cold+flu day/night 4 times a day and 2 pseudoephedrine 30 mg tablets about every 4-6 hours cause they wear off and stop working. I also have used 4-way nasal decongestant nasonex and zyrtec. I dont know what to do cause there are more than likely going to kick me out of my EMT class when I’m 18 and have never done meth.

Casey
AskDocWeb: Ideally you could tell them that you believe the result was a false positive and have the sample sent to an outside lab for a confirmation test, which would show negative. That is, if they allow you that option. Even if you have to pay for the confirmation test out of your own pocket it could be worth it to maintain your good record.

Subj: Cephalexin
Date: 9/8/2010
I recently was screening for a medical study and tested positive for opiates in a urine screen. The only drug I have taken in the last weeks was Cephalexin 500mg capsules PERIOD. Can this drug cause a false positive here?

D.T.
AskDocWeb: The only reference we found to false-positive results involving Cephalexin were from tests for glucose concentration, not drug screens.

Cephalexin is a cephalosporin antibiotic used to treat certain infections caused by bacteria such as pneumonia and bone, ear, skin, and urinary tract infections.

Subj: This has to be wrong
Date: 9/8/2010
My daughter does not use drugs or alcohol. During childbirth, she had to give a urine sample, results stated barbituates, anti depressants and marijuana. This has to be absolutely wrong, I know that she does not believe in the use of drugs or alcohol and would never harm her unborn child. What is our recourse in removing this from her medical chart?

Gloria
AskDocWeb: That probably depends on her doctor’s knowledge of drug testing (and false positives) and how helpful they are. Some doctors do not seem to be inclined to educate themselves on this subject.

Subj: Positive for Ecstacy
Date: 9/10/2010
Help, I need a answer by Monday. I just began drug testing 2 times a week. The first urine test I took was positive for Ecstacy. The results of the second test hasn’t come in yet. I never in my life took Ecstacy. I’m on Trazodone 200mg;Toprol XL 100mg;Wellbutrin XL 150mg;Valium 5mg; Effexor 150mg; Maxalt-MLT 10mg; Darvocet 100mg; Lisinopril 10mg; Valtrex 1gm; Vitamin D 400 IU and Amoxicillin 1000mg before dental procedures. Could any of these medications show positive for Ecstacy. Please respond ASAP, I’m going to Court on Monday Sept 13th and I need an answer for the Judge.

Debbie

AskDocWeb: While several of the drugs you are taking have shown up as false positives for other things, none have been reported to show up as Ecstacy. You might ask your legal representative about getting a GC/MS confirmation test. If your urine test produced a false positive the confirmation test should show that.

Subj: Nuvigil
Date: 9/10/2010
Does nuvigil give a false positive?

Jennifer
AskDocWeb: Nuvigil (Armodafinil) is not on the list, which means that we have not found a professional reference that says it might cause a false positive on a urine drug test.

Nuvigil is used to treat excessive sleepiness caused by narcolepsy (a condition that causes excessive daytime sleepiness).

Subj: Tylenol Simply Sleeps
Date: 9/10/2010
I failed a drug test for benzodiazepines but the only thing I took was 2 tylon smiply sleeps, would that make benzodiazepines show up?

Lacey
AskDocWeb: The ingredients in Tylenol Simply Sleeps are Diphenhydramine HCl, Carnauba wax, cellulose, croscarmellose sodium, dibasic calcium phosphate, FD&C Blue #1, hypromellose, magnesium stearate, polyethylene glycol, polysorbate 80, and titanium dioxide. Diphenhydramine has been reported to sometimes show up as a false positive for PCP but not benzodiazepines. None of the other ingredients have caused any problems on urine drug tests.

Subj: Levothyroxine?
Date: 9/12/2010
Can Levothyroxine make a test be positive for THC?

Tiffany
AskDocWeb: No, Levothyroxine has not been reported to cause a false positive on urine drug tests.

Subj: Positive for methamphetamines
Date: 9/13/2010
I recently had to take a Urine test because I was in a vehicle with an open container which was a beer. I went to court and had to take a urine test following court I took some excedrin about thirty minutes before I got to the testing site. I knew I wasn’t on any kind of drugs and never ever tried to take drugs. My test came back positive for methamphetamines. I was startled when the lady told me this and told her that I don’t even smoke marijuana, I told her I would take a lie detector test. I do not know what could have made me test positive on that test. The only meds I am on is birth control shots and excedrin every once in a while could it have been excedrin?

Tomeka
AskDocWeb: The only Excedrin product that we have good references for is Excedrin IB, which has shown up as a false positive for Marijuana (Cannabis/THC) (References 3, 16, and 18), but not for methamphetamines.

Subj: Work out powders?
Date: 9/13/2010
hello, i came up positive for thc, which i hadent smoked or anything, i was clean, then i bought some new work out powders and supliments, could that be y

Jon
AskDocWeb: That would depend on the ingredients of what you are taking. You can check them against this list to see if any of the ingredients might be a problem.

Subj: Zero tolerance policy
Date: 9/13/2010
My father in law takes Lisinopril and metformin, for high blood pressure and diabetes, he came up positive for THC is this possible? Or a default in the drug test? His job honors the zero tolerance policy and has him in a bind. My question is can these medications show a positive for THC?

Justin
AskDocWeb: We found 6 reports of false positive results on drug screens involving Lisinopril but so far there is no documented connection. No problems have been reported with metformin.

Subj: Lisinopril-Hctz
Date: 9/13/2010
Does Lisinopril-Hctz dilute a urine screen?

Rodney
AskDocWeb: No.

Subj: Antibiotic Cephalexin
Date: 9/14/2010
I just tested positive for THC using a instant result test. I am on cephalexin 500 mg 6 times a day a antibiotic would this have any thing to do with this being positive?

Rod
AskDocWeb: While some antibiotics have shown up on the EMIT urine tests Cephalexin is not one of them.

Subj: GC/MS test
Date: 9/14/2010
I take adderall for ADHD. Today i had a drug screen and didn’t tell them that I took that. This probably means i will fail the initial test for amphetamine, which would require a GC/MS. I understand that will clarify that it was adderall and not anything illegal. My question is: I havn’t smoked marijuana in roughly 30 days, but what if I was above the 50 ng/mL cut off for THC on the initial test but the GC/MS shows a level above 15 ng/mL would I then also fail for THC even though that’s not what made them conduct the GC/MS?

Andy
AskDocWeb: Sorry Andy but that is a possibility. If you were a heavy user then it still might show up on the GC/MS.

Read more feedback about false positives:

Read Previous
This is page 101 – NextLast Page 300


If you find this page page useful share it with others. All new questions will be answered by Doctors online.