Feedback on False Positives from Drug Testing, page 28

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 positive for cocaine and benzodiazephines
Date: 12/13/2007
A friend of mine had gone to court, where he was given a surprise urine test. It tested positive for cocaine and benzodiazephines. He was tested again, at his request and the same results showed up. He takes medications for his bipolar and was even taking oxycontin for a hand injury. Are there meds that would false positive like this? He DOES take Klonopin, which would explain the benzo positive. He also takes a few others, but I’m not quite sure what they are. When he got to jail, they brought him to the infirmary and gave him a blood work up and he then tested negative for cocaine. What’s this all about? If urine tests positive for it, then shouldn’t blood? Could he have actually used cocaine and it was out of his system by the time the blood work was done? I’m really confused.

Melissa

AskDocWeb: Depending on how much time passed, it is possible the cocaine could have left his system. It is also possible that the first test result was a false positive and the second test was a GC/MS confirmation test which showed what was really there, i.e. no cocaine.

Subj: Positive for THC
Date: 12/14/2007
AskDocWeb, I’m currently undergoing a situation dealing with a drug test coming back positive for THC. The nanograms count came back 40, and this is a Public Works job (government) in a Chicagoland area suburb. I had already meet with a RMO and compiled with all of the necessary steps, including a comprehensive medical exam, and am still being harassed to this day! I have never used “pot” ever since 1969, and still to this day don’t smoke or do any illegal drugs. I did take four 800 mg tablets of Ibuprofen a day (stopped treatment the day my drug test came back positive) that has been proscribed to me from a past spinal injury that I sustained while working at this very same job. I know that Ibuprofen can result in a “false positive” for THC, when I told my family about my situation, my son then told me that Ibuprofen could do this, and like I stated above, I stopped taking the medication, resulting in constant head and neck pains.

Here are some examples of my physical and mental status: Over excessive…Night mears, intestinal complaction (using the bathroom constantly, upset stomach, lack of appetite, “sick” feeling, etc…), anger management problems, confusion spells, lack of energy, drowsy feeling, short tempered, fear of losing my job resulting in foreclosure/seizer of my house, loosing my job resulting in no income to support a family of 5, hard time focusing on task(s) at hand, extremely hard time trying to sleep properly resulting in tiredness on the job thus reduced performance at work, excessive loss of hair due to stress induced situation(s), illrational outbursts towards family and strangers, heart palpitations, headaches (intense and brief), nervous system breakdown/unexplained occurrences of “shooting pains/tingly sensations” in appendages, stiffness in the head and neck areas, and my list goes on and on. If you can please respond back to me any and/or all information regarding my situation at hand, I would truly appreciate it. I feel like I’m at the end of the road in keeping my job, and can not afford to lose everything that I worked so hard for and my family due to a faulty positive THC drug test. Thank You Very Much for Your Time!

Patrick

Subj: Absolutely impossible
Date: 12/14/2007
I am a 32 year old mother of 2 and I am in a methadone program and I have recently found out that I am 7 1/2 weeks pregnant. And the reason for my involvement in the meth program is I was abused in my last relationship and I was given oxycotins for pain. When I tried to stop taking them I couldn’t so I needed help. I have been testing negative for drugs for awhile now and all of a sudden I’m testing positive for cocaine and that is absolutely impossible. I haven’t done any kind of drugs except (Benyline extra strength cold and flu tabs) and maternal vitamins and depression medication. I am very upset about this HELP! If someone could…

Tracy

AskDocWeb: If you really haven’t taken anything illegal then we can think of only two possible explanations; 1. The lab may have made a mistake in processing (not likely over several tests) and 2. You may be getting a false positive from the cold medicine that you are taking. In either case, you should get a GC/MS confirmation.

Subj: Dichlorobenzene
Date: 12/15/2007
Can dichlorobenzene have any affect on drug testing? I have this in my water and recently I tested positive for cocaine. I haven’t used, so I am trying to figure out what gave me this result. It was a urine test.

Jennifer

AskDocWeb: We haven’t come across any reports of dichlorobenzene showing up as cocaine but that doesn’t mean it can’t happen.

Dichlorobenzene is used to control moths, moulds, and mildew. It is also use as a disinfectant in waste containers and restrooms and has the characteristic smell associated with urinal cakes.

Subj: Tramadol
Date: 12/16/2007
I have a question, I am having a really bad tooth ache and can’t afford to go to the dentist but my girlfriend has some tramadol. If I take these pills will I get a dirty u.a. when I go see my probation officer?

Joseph

AskDocWeb: It is possible, however, in most places it is against the law to take a prescription drug unless that prescription is in your name.

Subj: Ambien
Date: 12/18/2007
Can ambien on a regular base test positive for benzodiazepines thank you

Ed

AskDocWeb: No, Ambien is a non-benzodiazepine hypnotic of the imidazopyridine class of drugs.

Subj: Positive for methadone use
Date: 12/18/2007
I came up positive on a urine test for very high methadone use last week. I would like to know if my medications could have caused this. (I have never used Methadone) I just started taking strattera last week before the test and have been on wellbrutrin, zocor, protigil, and excedrine PM with no incident. Could there be in error in the lab or is there any combination of the prescriptions listed above that could give a false positive? Thank you,

Rose

AskDocWeb: Lab errors do happen occasionally. Of your listed drugs only Wellbutrin has been reported to show up on a urine drug test.

Subj: Positive for oxy and PCP
Date: 12/18/2007
I currently take Suboxone 24 mg/daily, Effexor XR 300mg, Hydroxyurea 1000mg, Vitamin B Complex, Iron, Baby Aspirin, and a multi vitamin. I went to my Suboxone doctor today and the drug screen came back positive for “oxy” and “PCP”! I have not done oxy or ANY opiates for almost 2 months, and PCP for 13 years! How can this be??

Carolyn

AskDocWeb: Effexor Tablets (venlafaxine hydrochloride) have been reported to show up as a false positive for PCP (Ref: 27 and 33).

Subj: Tested positive for alcohol
Date: 12/19/2007
I just recently tested positive for alcohol, and I haven’t drank anything for a very long time, the only thing that we could figure out is that the cough drops that I was taking that day caused the false positive. The cough drops were the Halls Blast Apple Surge flavor. I was told that it was the menthol in the cough drops. Do you have any information on this?

Char

AskDocWeb: Sorry, we have no information on that.

Subj: Positive for benzodiazephines
Date: 12/20/2007
I completed detox for alcohol abuse. I got out of detox on 11/16. I do not take any other drugs. I had a urine test that showed positive for benzodiazephines. I can not figure it out. What could have happened to cause this false positive test. I do have 1 to 3 non alcoholic beers daily.

Vincent

AskDocWeb: It is possible that you may have taken an over the counter cold product or something prescribed that may have caused this. While you are subject to urine testing, you may want to avoid taking anything for headaches or colds until you are through this.

Subj: I was terminated
Date: 12/21/2007
I just a urine test at work and the results came back with a reading of butabital and of course I was terminated. I’m just trying to find some answers. I know I haven’t taken anything that would cause me to fail a drug test. What would cause a false positive for this. I am 50 years old don’t take drugs. Thank You,

Freddie

AskDocWeb: The list of things that can cause a false positive is still growing. Check this page to see if anything you are taking may have caused a problem.

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