Questions about False Positives in Drug Testing, page 239

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 this forum is not for medical or legal advice.

Drug test for nursing school
10/8/2012
I had a drug test today for nursing school entrance. I am concerned about having a false positive for meth. I started taking a pre-workout drink that contains dimethylamylamine and I have read that it can trigger such false positives. The testing is being done through CRL. If I do test positive, what should I ask them to do to clear me?

Matt

AskDocWeb: You are on the right track by asking what to do ahead of time. Being well prepared makes the difference between having a crisis and having an inconvenience. Talk to your doctor before taking the drug test to assess how helpful a resource he or she might be if you test false positive.

Hopefully you are aware of the need to supply those doing the test with a list of prescription drugs and anything that you are taking that might trigger a false positive. Providing this list before the test looks better than afterwards.

If you get what you believe to be a false positive, tell them that you are contesting the results and give them the contact information for your doctor.

If that doesn’t resolve the issue you may have to retain an education attorney or an employment attorney and have the attorney submit a letter objecting to the test and require them to administer a new test due to the possibility of a false positive. You may or may not need to threaten them with legal action if they do not cooperate.

You could also have a different lab administer another drug test for you, and if negative submit the results to the University as soon as possible. Hopefully none of this will be necessary. Good luck!

False negatives
10/9/2012
I am prescribed 6mg of klonipin a day. 1mg every 4 hours and my doctor keeps piss testing me with an onsite cup test and the klonipin is producing FALSE NEGATIVES. I was given a test that proved im an “ultra rapid metabolizer” and other accounts from people suffering the same problem with klonipin not showing up. I am not being viewed as a pill hoarder/seller and my doctor has lowered my dosage. I take my medication diligently and have panic disorder with agorophobia, ptsd, bipolar, adhd, and bpd. im on 200mg lamictal, 2mg suboxone (NOT for drugs they gave it to me as a last resort b/c my doctor said it has been proven to help ppl resistant to medication and it has helped me), now 5mg of klonpin because my dr lowered my dose due to the false negatives.

Another patient from the same doctor in the same facility also voiced to me that he was having the same issues with his klonipin not showing up but when i brought this up to her she said that “im the only pateint having this issue” even though my boyfriend was also there to hear the conversation with the patient and was also present to tell my doctor that the patient did in fact say that. i asked for them to send the results to the lab but the klonipin still didnt show up. i have been tested at least ten times now and it has only showed up twice and the one time it did show up was on the exact same day the tests had just came in so i think the fact that they were brand new was the only reason it actually worked.

Why is this happening to me and so many other people? please help im sick of being bullied and treated like a criminal when all i want/NEED is mental help. i have never been so stressed in my entire life before this. my doctor said she legally has to drug test me every month because im on such a high dosage of klonipin and its a new state mandated law of new jersey but the past two months i saw her she didnt request a test.

Does anyone know what are the actual laws regarding drug tests in mental health facilities for people in new jersey that are on controlled substances? PLEASE HELP!! i cant afford to have my dosage lowered anymore or i am going to end up in an inpatient psyciatric unit i know this for a fact.

Kaity

AskDocWeb: Hopefully someone familiar with New Jersey State law can help with this.

Tested positive for THC
10/9/2012
Hi, I was dignose with two autoimmune diseases ( lupus and thyroid disease) about a year ago and my doctor put me on levothyroxin sodium and plaqunil. Just recently I tested positive for THC, and I have never once taken any type of durg.

Candie

AskDocWeb: Neither of these, Levothyroxine sodium (Synthroid®) or Plaquenil (Hydroxychloroquine), are known to cause a false positive for THC but your test result could have other explanations. Depending on your situation, you may want to get additional testing to contest the results.

THC levels
10/9/2012
I used to smoke but once I got on probation I quit. I failed the first test but they believed that it was due to it still being in my system from previous years of smoking I just went in for my second test and failed again. They said I would be fine as long as my THC levels didn’t increase which they shouldn’t because I have now quit but I was recently diagnosed with fibromyalgia and have been prescribed hydrocodone cymbalta venlafaxine HCL naproxen tylenol 3 and am also taking phentermine along with B12 shots for energy and vitamin D would any of these increase my THC levels?

Amber

AskDocWeb: According to a Toxicology Lab Technical Brief from Dr. Joseph Graas, Ph.D., Naproxen may test false positive for THC. How this might affect your THC level is unknown.

Positive for alcohol
10/9/2012
I had a drug screen come back positive for alcohol. I am somewhat baffled by this because I had a gastric bypass surgery 9yrs ago & have not been able to tolerate alcohol since. As a result of the surgery I have reactive hypoglycemia which is mostly controlled by diet. I have a history of kidney infections but do not take any medications aside from an occasional tylenol or asprin. I absolutely do not drink. Do you have any idea how this could have happened?

My next question is so embarassing…. My husband does drink and we had intercourse the night prior to my drug screen. Is there anyway this could have affected my drug test. I am far too embarassed to ask my OBGYN this question and even further mortified to even consider offering that explaination; however, it may set my mind at ease as to how this could have happened. I don’t drink.

Melissa

AskDocWeb: Those EtG (Ethylglucuronide) tests are known to produce a lot of false positives. Here is a list of items that have been reported to cause a false positive ETG test result.

  • alcohol (of course)
  • balsamic vinegar
  • beauty product that contains SD Alcohol 40
  • breath drops
  • cooking Vanilla is 30% alcohol by volume
  • extra sour dough bread
  • fake alcohol such as O’doull’s, Near beer, and Fre’ wine products
  • hair dye
  • mouthwash
  • soy sauce
  • teriaki sauce
  • waterless hand soap. (Proven by recent clinical study)

Sterling Reference Laboratories states that the EtG (Ethylglucuronide) test is a sensitive biomarker of ethyl alcohol exposure and that a low-level positive EtG could result from sources other than beverage alcohol. A low level test result may be termed an innocent positive if it is believed to be caused by other sources. Also see the post by Stephen.

5 drug urine panel
10/10/2012
Can carbocaine lidocaine and septocaine cause a false positive on a 5 drug urine panel?

Linda

AskDocWeb: Ah, we see where you are going with that. Those appear to be examples of names that were chosen because the products produce a numbing effect similar to cocaine, not because they contain it or come from the same source.

I’m shocked and devastated
10/10/2012
I’m in the military and I was getting a normal physical done. On the urine screen I came back as positive for TCH?? I have Crohn’s disease and I take 6MP, multivitamins, and lisonpril for high blood pressure. I took the test twice in the same day and it was still positive. I don’t smoke or do drugs at all!! They sent my results to a different lab for a confirmed gc/ms test. Have you heard of anyone on my medication or with Crohn’s who has had this problem? Also I will find out my results tomorrow afternoon. I’m shocked and devastated because I DON’T DO DRUGS!!

Domonic

AskDocWeb: Sorry Domonic, none of your medications are on the list of possible causes for a positive THC test result. Crohn’s disease is not known to cause false positives for drugs of abuse. Hopefully the lab result will come back negative and clear you.

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