Feedback on False Positives from Drug Testing, page 36
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: Xanax, Zoloft, Viagra and energy drinks
Date: 3/25/2008
I wanted to ask a question. My soon to be son-in-law accepted a position for a job and was given a drug test which they said he failed. He told them he was on Xanax, Zoloft and Viagra which he has prescriptions for also he consumes 10 to 12 energy drinks per day. The doctor who prescribed the meds told him to cut way back on the energy drinks and quit smoking. Anyway, the employer told him to come back in 1 week to repeat the test. Would any of these meds or drinks cause a positive drug test?
Trish
AskDocWeb: When it comes to drug testing, others have reported problems with energy drinks although that has yet to be verified. The Xanax may pose a problem because it contains benzodiazepines. And Zoloft has been reported to cause some false positive results for benzodiazepines (Reference 31)
Subj: Retested come back clean
Date: 3/28/2008
For two years, I was taking UA’s for the county. Two of my tests came back positive for Meth, cocaine and opiates. I knew it was wrong so I had them retest. They both came back clean the second time. They said that two out of three positives that are retested come back clean.
Jennifer
Subj: Methadone
Date: 4/4/2008
Can methadone cause a false positive for cocaine. I need documentation ASAP for my son. Thanks,
Joy
AskDocWeb: Methadone contains synthetic opiates (Reference 18).
Subj: Tested positive for morphine
Date: 4/12/2008
My mom recently failed a drug test for testing positive for morphine. I know she is no more on morphine than I am. She offered several times to take a hair or blood test at her own expense to prove she was not taking morphine, but the doctor would not even return her calls. After finding a new doctor, blood work showed that her thyroid is too high. Could this or do you know of any other medical cause that could have caused the false reading? Thanks,
Sami
AskDocWeb: Yes, there are more than two dozen medications that could have caused a false positive for morphine. You might have your mom check whatever she is taking against this list.
Subj: Tested positive for meth and THC
Date: 4/11/2008
My son, who has been clean for 3 years tested positive for meth and THC yesterday. He is taking a combination of naproxen, pantoprazole, ranitidine HCI and promethazine. These were prescribed to him by a doctor. My question is, can this combination cause a false positive in a urine test? It is very important for me as his mother to find out if this is possibly what happened. Any help you can give me would be greatly appreciated! Thank you so much!
Thelma
AskDocWeb: Yes, both naproxen and promethazine are reported to cause a false positive for THC. A GC/MS confirmation test will eliminate the possibility of a false positive.
Subj: Zyrtec or Tramadol?
Date: 4/15/2008
I went for a drug test last week and was informed I was positive for methamphetamines. The ONLY things I have taken were OTC Zyrtec and Tramadol for a neck spasm from a sample. Will this test false positive and if so how much Zrtec or Tramadol does it take to test positive? I am in a bind on time and would greatly like info ASAP. Thanks for your anticipated fast response.
Dwayne
AskDocWeb: Neither one has been reported to cause a false positive.
Subj: Energy pills?
Date: 4/15/2008
Can energy pills give false positive for cocaine?
BJ
AskDocWeb: That depends on the ingredients. There are many different energy pills on the market. Be especially careful about the use of Chinese herbal energy pills.
Subj: Tetracycline?
Date: 4/16/2008
Can tetracycline cause a false positive UA for THC?
James
AskDocWeb: No.
Subj: Valproic acid?
Date: 4/16/2008
I have a question, can you fail your drug test for amphetamines because you take Valproic acid?
MizHawk
AskDocWeb: We have not heard of that happpening.
Subj: Zoloft
Date: 4/17/2008
My son is an alcoholic. He went through outpatient detox and is now going to AA meetings and began meetings at Greenbriar Rehab in Pittsburgh. He has and continues to teat positive to Benzo’s (Serex) which he claims he is not taking. He was tested last Monday and again 3 days later. His levels tripled in those three days(from 198 NG/ML to 673 NG/ML). I realize that he could be lying but he is not showing any signs of someone who is on benzo’s. He does take Zoloft and I read in an article on AskDocWeb.com by Robert Hsiung, MD that Zoloft can sometimes give false readings for Benzo’s. The toxicologist at Greenbriar claims it could not be caused by a false reading from the Zoloft. As a result my son is not permitted to return to the program. Would you have any input into this situation. Respectfully,
Jim
AskDocWeb: Sorry Jim, the article you read is one that is used as a reference (number 31) but the article is not published on this website. If they have ruled out the possibility of a false positive caused by Zoloft with a GC/MS test then you can take their word for it. If not then we would get that GC/MS test to confirm or deny it.
Subj: Positive for cocaine
Date: 4/18/2008
I am a soldier in the United States Army. I fell into a bad rut where I was on probation in the civilian sector. While on probation I was required to go through drug screens. Two of my drug screens came back positive for cocaine. During this time I was prescribed Amoxicillin. During some exhausting research I have seen on the WWW that this has been known to cause such false positives. My Chain of Command is not believing me in that I have never used any illegal drugs in my life. They have reprimanded me and have given me a substandard Evaluation Report due to this. I also want to note that I have had a splenectomy. I need some hard evidence from a doctor or other reliable source as to the likelihood of false positives for cocaine due to Amoxicillin. Any help I can receive from you would be very much appreciative.
Charles
AskDocWeb: Go to our reference page and check numbers 13, 16, 18, 20, 21, 26, and 29.
Subj: How do they determine it is a false positive?
Date: 4/19/2008
My husband just testing positive for benzodiazepines during a routine urine drug test for carpenters. He takes Daypro and has been taking it for several years. I read this can cause a false positive. However, he has had several urine drug screens while on this med and has never had a positive result. Why now? How do they determine it is a false positive? They said they “sent out” a sample. Will this come back positive or how do they determine it is from the Daypro? He has never done any drugs and has never even tried marijuana in his life. He is 42 years old. Please respond. Thanks!
Karen
AskDocWeb: A false positive can be revealed by testing again with a different test, a Gas Chromatograph/Mass Spectrometer or GC/MS confirmation test.
Subj: Tested positive for benzo’s
Date: 4/24/2008
I have recently tested positive for benzo’s and have not taken any. I take prescription methadone @amp; 4 daily and fexmid (cyclobenzaprine 7.5mg)@ 2 nightly. I also have had the flu and have been taking alka seltzer plus cold liquid for about 5 or 6 days with my medication and also about 4 aspirin and lots of b vitamins with other herbal supplements, will either of these in conjunction with each other cause this result?
Gerald
AskDocWeb: Yes, it may be possible. Check the list of what you are taking to see if any are on this list.
Subj: Positive for barbiturates
Date: 5/2/2008
I just took two drug for different employment and one came back positive for barbiturates. I was in the hospital and going they test me and it was neg. Ten days prior. Now the med were Zantac and naproxen and I’m positive.
Howard
Subj: False positive for cocaine?
Date: 5/6/2008
Can any of the following cause a false positive for cocaine in a urine test: Ambi 80/780, Maxifed 780/80, Effexor XR, Nicotine? Thanks,
Robert
AskDocWeb: No, none of those are on the list.
Subj: Positive for benzo’s
Date: 5/8/2008
I’m on Zoloft, and it came back positive for benzo’s…It’s on your list so I’m assuming it’s a false positive…. Question is, the dipstick says its positive, but the urine was sent to the lab for more extensive testing, will that also come back positive?
Rebecca
AskDocWeb: No, not if it is a false positive. If it is a false positive the GC/MS confirmation test will come back negative.
Subj: Positive for marijuana
Date: 5/9/2008
I do not use drugs and I was a bus driver for pg county Maryland and I took a random drug test and came up positive for marijuana. I take these drugs and the test showed I use marijuana never touched the stuff but lost my job because of it first there’s, percocet, nortriptylin, etodalac, risperidon, zoloft, simvastatin, sertraline, ducosate, doxazosin, omeprazo le, flexeriland that’s it. Can anyone of these cause a false positive? Too little too late.
Michael
AskDocWeb: Both percocet and zoloft are on the list but not for causing a false positive for marijuana.
Subj: Percocet?
Date: 5/9/2008
Could percocet cause a false positive for hydrocodone?
Amber
AskDocWeb: Percocet will test positive for opiates but it’s not a false positive. We haven’t heard of it causing a test to show positive for hydrocodone.
Subj: False lupus results?
Date: 5/9/2008
Which medications are the most likely to cause false lupus results?
Cheri
AskDocWeb: I believe that would be heparin. In some assays, a specimen with heparin in excess of 1 U/mL may result in a false-positive lupus anticoagulant result.
Subj: Positive for Cocaine
Date: 5/10/2008
I have been taking prescribed medication for a torn ligament in my knee. Hydrocodone/apap 5mg/500mg- tramadol 50mg-methylpredinsolone 4mg dospak 21’s- I have a sweat patch for drug testing for cocaine. I HAVE NOT USED ANY COCAINE BUT MY TEST CAME BACK 15.0 POSITIVE FOR COCAINE. Can any of the above drugs mess my test up? This week I was given naproxen 500mg with the tramadol.
JC
AskDocWeb: Hydrocodone contains synthetic opiates.
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