Feedback on False Positives from Drug Testing, page 39

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: Switched from zoloft to prozac
Date: 6/23/2008
My young daughter tested positive for some form of methadone and a light trace of Marijuana: with her doctor she recently been switched from zoloft and is now on prozac and benadryl. Could this medication show any false positives. Thanks,

Kim

AskDocWeb: Some urine drug tests show a positive when Zoloft is used. Benadryl (Diphenhydramine) has been reported to show up as false positives for Benzodiazepines, PCP, and Tricyclic Antidepressants 2-4 days after a single use. (Reference 45).

Subj: Motrin, dimetap, Flovent, or benadry?l
Date: 6/23/2008
I have tested positive for drugs in a urine test that tests for amphetamines, heroin, cocaine, meth, caffeine, etc. I occassionally take motrin, dimetap, and benadryl. I also regularly take my asthma medications. My doctor assures me it couldn’t be my puffers but I don’t know whether to believe her. I currently take Flovent HFA and ratio-salbutamol HFA 100UG regularly.

Andi

AskDocWeb: Both Motrin and Dimetapp have been reported to show up as false positives on some drug screen tests.

Subj: False positive test
Date: 6/25/2008
Hello, I’m inquiring about the method and type of test that was utilized in your research in “false positive test”

Antonio/Case Manager

AskDocWeb: Our research consists of finding credible sources of information on false positives. For example Dr. Lindsey R. Baden and a research team at Harvard Medical School in Boston, MS, investigated 13 different types of antibiotics to find out what affect they have on drug tests for opiates. The researchers used five different commercial tests. Most of the antibiotics caused a positive result on at least two or three of the five tests. Cipro resulted in a positive test in one out of the five tests. Other sources such as the National Institute of Health, NYU Medical Center, United States National Library of Medicine, Toxicology Labs, New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services, Food and Drug Administration, etc. are high quality sources of information.

Subj: Energy drinks
Date: 6/26/2008
Can you test positive for meth by drinking energy drinks such as Red Bull?

Ruth

AskDocWeb: Several people have reported testing positive after consuming energy drinks, enough that it makes us wonder if there might be a problem although there is no evidence yet.

Subj: Concerta and Drug Testing
Date: 6/27/2008
Will Concerta show up in a drug test if I only take once in a while? How long does it stay in your system? I only take 36mg. Thank-you,

Kelly

AskDocWeb: There are antidotal reports of Concerta showing up as meth but no documentation to back that up. The mean half-life is only 3.6 hours so your body clears it out of your system in less than 24 hours.

Subj: Shocked and devastated
Date: 6/29/2008
Hello, First let me say that I don’t do Methadone here is a List of “ALL” the Medicines I do take on a Everyday or Occassional Basis. Which Include Oral Transmucosal Fentanyl Citrate 400mcg (Generic for Actiq 400mcg) Xanax 1mg for Anxiety, Depakote ER 500mg for Bi-Poloar, Wellbutrin XL 300mg for Depression, Soma 350mg as needed for Back Spasms & Cramps, Adipex for Weight Loss, Occassionaly Ibuprophin as Needed, Occassionaly Nyquil For Colds, Occassionaly Tylenol Night Time Cold With Benadryl for Sinus’s & Allergies, Lunesta When I Cant Sleep, & Zofran 4mg as Needed for Nausea.

Well on June 24, 2008 When I Went to the Pain Center Where I am Prescribed my Oral Transmucosal Fentanyl Citrate 400mcg (Generic for Actiq 400mcg)for my Permenant Nerve Damage to my Eyes Which Gives me Unbearable Headaches which is the Only thing that Helps my Pain and they also prescribe me my Soma 350mg as Needed for Back Spasms & Cramps. They gave me my Random Drug Test, and I was shocked and devastated to learn that they found Methadone in my System. I Broke Out in tears cause I “DID NOT” Take Methadone. And now if the next drug test comes back positive for Methadone which I sware on my life I don’t take, their gonna quit treating me with my Oral Transmucosal Fentanyl Citrate 400mcg (Generic for Actiq 400mcg) for my permenant nerve damage to my eyes which gives me unbearable headaches which is the only thing that helps my pain and they also prescribe me my Soma 350mg.

I need your help. Please is their anything I’m taking that could show a false positive for Methadone?? And what can I do to prove to them that I’m “NOT” taking Methadone?? I am really upset & confused why something like Methadone which I “DON’T” take showed up in my Urine Test and they didn’t believe me. I really hope you can help me clear this up and prove to the Pain Center I am being honest & I don’t take Methadone. I look forward to hearing from you. Thanks & God Bless!!!

Dorothy

AskDocWeb: Several of the drugs you are taking are on this list and it seems that we can’t say it often enough. If you get what you think is a false positive result from a drug test then get a GC/MS confirmation test.

Subj: Effexor and vistaril
Date: 6/30/2008
I have been clean for almost a year and recently I have come up positive for 2 oral swabs. I am on effexor and vistaril. One came up for benzo’s the other for PCP. I am fighting it but no good has come except now my counselor is backing me and has ordered I take urines. Is any of the medicine able to cause this?

Sarah

AskDocWeb:
Effexor Tablets (venlafaxine hydrochloride) has been reported to show up as a false positive for PCP (Reference 27, 33).

Subj: Ultram and Zantac
Date: 6/30/2008
My mom has to take a drug test for a job and she is taking Ultram and Zantac. Could either one of these cause a false positive? She used an “at home” test and it was positive for meth. She doesn’t know what medications she’s taking could cause it. She’s never even taken a DIET pill in her life! Please help.

Libby

AskDocWeb: According to Dr Robert Hsiung, University of Chicago, some urine tests misidentify Zantac.

Subj: Positive for cocaine?
Date: 7/1/2008
I would like to know if taking zantac will it make people test positive for cocaine.

Barbara

AskDocWeb: We’ve read that Zantac sometimes shows as a false positive for Amphetamines on urine tests but not for cocaine.

Subj: Prozac?
Date: 7/3/2008
I work at a drug rehab and want to know can prozac show a false positive.

Judy

AskDocWeb: No, there haven’t been any reports of that happen.

Subj: Albuterol & Flovent for my Asthma
Date: 7/7/2008
I just took a saliva drug test which came back positive for amphetamines. This is sooo wrong I can not even begin to stress it. I do not use any drugs. I do however use Albuterol & Flovent for my Asthma. I have also been drinking Rockstar energy drinks. I’m betting it was the Asthma meds that caused the false possitive….

Angela

Subj: What urine test?
Date: 7/8/2008
I had recently failed a urine test for opiates, I was taking Ciprofloxacin for a Urinary Tract Infection. I saw that it can have a false positive, I was wondering what urine test was used that they recieved a false positive result for?

Julie

AskDocWeb: Sorry Julie, they didn’t say which urine test was used. We’re still looking for that kind of information.

Subj: Positive for cocaine
Date: 7/9/2008
I was in a car wreck back in 2001. I went to my doctor and they said that there is a new law and had to drug test for anyone taking narcotics. My test came back positive for cocaine. Is the test at the Doctors a reliable test? I had been sick and been taking Amoxicillin, Azo, Tylenol, and ibuprofen. He asked me if I had been doing cocaine and I told him no. Therefore, he took me off my lortab and other meds; He said he would send it off to another testing place where they could test it more thoroughly. Will that make a difference? Thanks,

Angelina

AskDocWeb: Testing more thoroughly typically means a GC/MS confirmation test and yes, it will make a difference.

Subj: Results came back positive
Date: 7/10/2008
My husband was recently put on probation for simple possession marijuana he stop smoking on May 14, 2008. He weighs almost 300lbs and is about 5’10 in height. He also is borline diabetic, and has high bloodpressure and cholestrol and is on lisinopril 25mg. He was given a drug test and the test results came back positive saying his levels went up, but he has not smoke since may 14th do u have idea why he might be getting these results?

Altondra

AskDocWeb: Sorry, no.

Subj: Positive for hydromorphone
Date: 7/10/2008
I recently got random drug tested at work, I take Hydrocodone 10 mg and have for 5 years now along with flexaril for DJD, well the drug test came back positive for hydromorphone! I have never taken anything controlled other than my own prescription medicine! I would just like some sort of explanation as to how this happened.

Kristen

AskDocWeb: The EMIT Urine drug tests are not 100% accurate and the error rate (percentage of false positives) can range up to 43%, depending on which test is used. (source: National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA))

Subj: Pre-employment drug screen
Date: 7/12/2008
I recently had to take a pre-employment drug screen for a hospital in western Wisconsin. The day of the test I took three Ibuprofen for a softball injury and two Sudafed for my nasal congestion. My test results came back positive for THC. My test result was 26 and the hospital cut off is 15. Could these over the drugs caused my false-positive test? I was let go on the spot, which I found hard to believe since I have been drug free since September of 1995. Please can you help me. I have worked my butt to get this position and find it hard to believe that I failed this test.

James

AskDocWeb: We found several sources that say Ibuprofen may show up as a false positive for THC (Marijuana) on the EMIT drug tests (References 1, 3, 16, 18, 29).

Subj: Phentermine drug test?
Date: 7/12/2008
I just want to know if I am taking the diet pill Phentermine, what drugs would possibly show up positive on my drug test?

Rose

AskDocWeb: Phentermine has been reported to show up as a false positive for Amphetamines and Ecstasy on urine tests (Ref: 3, 4, 11).

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