Questions about False Positives in Drug Testing, page 254

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.

False positives for barbiturates?
11/20/2012
Hope you can please clear this confusion. I do not take any medications whatsoever until recently, which was a prevpac…mainly omeprazole but this was just recent but ive tested my self on rapid drug test and barbiturates keeps coming up positive. Ive tested myself several times over like the last 2 weeks and still the same. Even before i took any omeprazole or prevac. Please help me understand. Thanks

Confused Eli

AskDocWeb: Omeprazole has been reported to show up as false positives for THC on urine tests but not barbiturates. False positives for barbiturates most often involve asthma or pain medication. If you are taking either of those then look up your med on this list.

Positive for meth
11/20/2012
I’m in drug treatment and it has been 17 days of being clean and my UA is coming back positive for meth why?

Crystal

AskDocWeb: For most individuals having used meth, the general consensus most often noted is that methamphetamine remains detectable for a maximum of 10 days on urine tests. Usually this is more like 3 to 5 days from last use. If you are still testing positive after 17 days there are two possibilities: Either you are getting false positives or you are using again. In our database most of the possible causes for a false positive come from sinus, cold, and allergy medications. Are your tests going for confirmation by GC/MS testing?

THC in my system?
11/21/2012
I take over the counter acid reduced for heart burn. I had pain managent yesterday and they asked why I had THC in my system. I said I do not know I don’t do drugs. I just use the Butran patch. This is the 2nd time. They said the acid reducer can cause it. Why use these tests with so many false/positives? Does the acid reduced cause false/positives everytime? And do they show small amount so they know I’m not doing drugs or does it just show positive?

Melissa

AskDocWeb: The tests usually just give a positive or negative result. In order to get quantified results a more expensive test would be required. The cheap urine tests are a trade-off between accuracy and cost.

Drugs that reduce acid do not produce false positives every time but they do often enough that it is no surprise. These include the following proton pump inhibitors (PPIs):

  • Aciphex (rabeprazole sodium)
  • Dexlansoprazole
  • Esomeprazole
  • Kapidex
  • Lansoprazole
  • Nexium
  • Omeprazole
  • Prevacid
  • Prilosec
  • Rabeprazole
  • Zegerid

It appears that most PPIs may test positive for THC (Reference 37)

Beta-phenylethylamine or methylphenylethylamine
11/22/2012
Will beta-phenylethylamine or methylphenylethylamine cause a false positive drug test?

Mlm

AskDocWeb: Neither one has shown up in the research on false positives. One thing you might consider if you are subject to drug test is that you can test a supplement out on yourself by using a home drug test kit.

Traces of hydrocodone?
11/23/2012
I take oxycontin and oxicodone prescribed by my pain management Dr. I had a urine test show up positive for the oxy. but also trace amounts of hydrocodone. This has really upset me because I do not take any form of hydrocodone, so how could this happen? Thanks for any help.

Rhonda

AskDocWeb: The initial urine tests are not 100% accurate so they occasionally give false readings. If you have the same sample tested by GC/MS and get a negative result then you have proof that the original test result was a false positive.

Weight loss causes positive test result
11/24/2012
I am in a court D.U.I. program wich I get tested for drugs and alcohol. I tested positive for marijuana while in jail because I did use it. I was in jail for 30 days my nanogram count was 24 I got out and got a job a week later I had tested negative for 2 urinie test on the 3rd test I came up positive again for THC when test results came back it was 12 nanograms. I did some research and found that yes weight loss can cause THC residue to drop because of the fact that it is stored in fat cells. I was reading one the questions on that and just would like to confirm for you that yes weight loss can cause a positive test result if you are a user and quit it can drop out randomly as wieght is lost. It was the fact that I went from being non active to active and burned fat that caused me to test positive. I have since tested negative.

Kevin

AskDocWeb: Thanks Kevin, it’s always helpful to have confirmation.

Xeloda
11/24/2012
Can Xeloda cause a false result on a drug test? Specifically on THC and COC?

Francesco

AskDocWeb: Xeloda (Capecitabine) has not been reported to cause false positives on urine drug tests for drugs of abuse.

False positive for benzos?
11/24/2012
My prescribed meds are Ibuprofen 800mgs, Lisinopril 40mgs, Protonix 30mgs, Cyclobenzaprine 10mgs, Buspirone 10mgs, Dexmethylphendidate 10mgs. Ova the counter, Diphenhydramine HCI 25mgs – Antihistamine.

Corey

AskDocWeb: Hi Corey, welcome to the forum. Some of your medications are known to show up on urine drug tests but not for benzodiazepine.

If you suspect that your drug test result was a false positive then getting a GC/MS test is a good idea for two reasons. First it would remove that entry from your medical record and second, it could prevent you from having legal action taken against you or developing a police record. Both of these could follow you around for years.

Power energy drink
11/24/2012
I leave for boot camp in a week and i took a mouth swab and tested positive for amphetamines. Later someone told me that 6 hour power energy drink which are like 5 hour powers but stronger can make you test positive for that. Is this true and how do i get something like that out of my system in a week?

Ashley

AskDocWeb: We do not have the time to track all the ingredients in the many different energy drinks on the market. However, if your energy drink contains 2-Amino 4-Methyl Hexane, also known as Methylhexanamine, in it then there may be a problem. Its chemical structure is very close to that of amphetamines but a confirmation test should be able to tell the difference. Methylhexaneamine has a short half-life, somewhere between 4 to 12 hours so it should be out of your system within 3 days.

Positive reading?
11/25/2012
I Sam recently in hospital at 24 Weeks pregnant and I have never done drugs just weed once but that was way before I got pregnant like it was since march of 2011 but I have traces of meth how can I get it a positive reading?

Vbaby

AskDocWeb: Using weed would not have anything to do with a test indicating meth. Several allergy and cold meds are known to show positive for meth on cheap urine drug tests. Fortunately the GC/MS confirmation test can tell the difference.

Sudafed?
11/25/2012
Would taking sudafed daily cause you to have a dirty hair folical test for meth?

Kimmy

AskDocWeb: Sudafed might cause an initial false positive for meth but a confirmation test would eliminate that kind of error.

Urine tests always say something else
11/26/2012
I have been consistently testing positive in urine tests for amphetamines and opiates and my dr’s can’t seem to figure out why. I take Zantac 150 every day, benedryl sometimes and X-strength Excedrin for h/a…when they do hair folicle tests, they always come back clean, but for some unknown reason, the urine tests always say something else….any ideas??

Melinda

AskDocWeb: The urine tests that are usually used are comparatively inexpensive, which may account for their being the least accurate. Although urine testing accuracy has improved over the years they are not 100% accurate.

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