Feedback on False Positives from Drug Testing, page 55
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: Drug screening through a hair sample
Date: 1/23/2009
I applied for a job as a Medical Assistant/Phlebotomist and they performed a drug screening through a hair sample. I was told that they found codiene, they said in order for the to move forward with their hiring procedures this drug has to be prescribed to me. I have bad headache’s but I only took Ibuprofen 600mg. I had my pharmacy give me a print out and there was no findings of codiene. Could it be a false positive? If so, should I do my own investigation and have a hair drug screening elsewhere?
Tanisha
AskDocWeb: Sorry Tanisha, the information here only applies to urine drug screening. We don’t have the resources to take on other types of testing.
Subj: I do not understand
Date: 1/25/2009
I do not quite understand the reason you are not informing your audience that they can have false negative or positive results from tests regardless of whether they take any medication. Tests are not fallible, they do produce erroneous information. Even in Chem labs, a chemist always replicates a test before he/she reports results. Why not with drug tests, particularly when reputations, jobs, and lives are at risk.
PenRoss
AskDocWeb: You are correct in that false negative results do happen but the subject we are discussing here is false positives from urine drug tests. We leave false negatives on pregnancy tests and such to other websites. In a perfect world every drug test that gives suspicious results would be followed by a GC/MS test to confirm or deny the results but in the real world that doesn’t happen. If people don’t know about the GC/MS confirmation test then they don’t have the option of requesting one.
Subj:Ibuprofen
Date: 1/25/2009
I have bad kidneys and have taken ibuprfen can this cause me to test positive for thc
lee
AskDocWeb: According to references 1, 3, 16, 18, and 29 Ibuprofen sometimes shows up as a false positive for THC (Marijuana).
Subj: Seroquel
Date: 1/25/2009
Can seroquel make u test positive for any drugs. I am prescribed to it and I’m in the military so can it make u test positive for anything?
Cory
AskDocWeb: Thank you for your service to our country Cory. Seroquel is not on the list and no reports about it have been received.
Subj: Positive for benzodiazepine
Date: 1/26/2009
Today, I had a positive drug test for benzodiazepine (for pre-employment). I recently started Bactrim. I also take: lisinopril, HCTZ, Lipitor, Zyrtec, Sudaphed, Allegra, Zicam nose gel, Ibuprofen, Tylenol, Naprosyn, Zantac and generic of Mucinex. I am convinced the Bactrim is the culprit, but can any definitive literature to substantiate it. Can you Help
Chevy
AskDocWeb: Sorry Chevy, we don’t have any reference that says Bactrim might cause any problems on a drug tests.
Subj: Urine test
Date: 1/28/2009
Can zoloft and tylenol extra strength show up positive in a urine test for amphetemines during the first three days of taking them?
MarkAnthony
AskDocWeb: Urine drug tests seem to have a problem correctly identifying several of the Tylenol products, see this list.
Subj: Bontril
Date: 1/28/2009
I was taking a prescription diet pill known as bontril. I just recently took a drug screen and it came in that I had marijuana in my system. Can this be from the bontril?
Jim
AskDocWeb: Sorry Jim, Bontril is not on the list.
Subj: Diluted Urine and new urinalysis with hair follicle test
Date: 1/28/2009
A couple of weeks I had a urine drug screen done and it just came back diluted. I have no idea why, but I think its because I drank too much soda or water prior to going. I just had a new drug urine test done and hair test done. I have been reading about the hair follicle test and about a couple months ago I had my wisdom teeth pulled out and I was on Ibuprofen, Hydrocodone and Amoxicillin. Do these drugs frequently cause false positives on the hair test?
Diluted Urine
AskDocWeb: Sorry, the information here only covers drug testing with urine samples.
Subj: Cocaine
Date: 1/28/2009
I recently had a drug test for work and it tested positive for cocaine, I don’t do it. My boyfriend told me he had done some with the guys could I have gotten it in my system from having sex.
Lori
AskDocWeb: Yes, unfortunately the powdered form of cocaine can be absorbed through the skin and most readily through mucous membranes such as the mouth, nose, lips, eyes, etc.
Subj: Fat burner Meltdown by VPX
Date: 1/28/2009
I have an upcoming drug test, but I have been taking the fat burner Meltdown by VPX, which is sold at GNC. I wanted to know if Neosynephrine and R-beta-Methylphenylethylamine or N-Methyl-beta-Phenylethylamine will cause a false positive on my drug test. I stopped taking the fat burner over 10 days ago so I was wonderin if I will be alright because I don’t do any illegal drugs and want to make sure I get this just
Joey
AskDocWeb: Neosynephrine has been reported to show up as a false positive for Amphetamines (Ref: 3, 18, 26).
Subj: Midrin
Date: 2/4/2009
I had a urine test reported as positive for amphetamine but I have not used amphetamine. I have used Midrin recently for cluster headaches. I could find nothing prior to taking it that would indicate it would cause a false positive for amphetamine but there is nothing else it could have been.
Goldie
Subj: False positive for benzo
Date: 2/6/2009
I have been taking zoloft and have been coming up as false positive for benzo please give me response.
Kim
AskDocWeb: According to Dr Robert Hsiung at the University of Chicago, Zoloft has shown up as a false positive for benzodiazepines.
Subj: The test was confirmed by GC/MS
Date: 2/6/2009
I had a positive urine drug screen last April. It was positive for oxymorphone. I have taken nothing to produce that result. The test was confirmed by GC/MS. The rest of the story: I had recently been hospitalized with acute asthmatic bronchitis and recieved large doses of steroids. I was still taking prednisone at the time of the test. I am a chronic pain patient and was going through a med change at the time. I was taken off lortab and fentanyl patches and put on methadone. I still had on a patch which had been on for 36 hours. I took the last lortab about 36 hours prior to the test. The lortab and the fentanyl did not show on the test, only oxymorphone. Also, I was taking a cough syrup with hydrocodone but none showed up on the test. I also use albuteral and seravent inhalers. Could any of this have caused a false positive for oxymorphone and why didn’t the hydrocodone and fentanyl show up? I have been a nurse for 15 years and never had a dirty drug screen before. I am in danger of loosing my lisence over this. Please help.
Patty
AskDocWeb: Sorry Patty, no matter how much we would like to help, we just don’t have all the answers.
Subj: Grandmother tested positive for drugs
Date: 2/9/2009
I was recently asked to drug test in order to be approved as caretaker for my grandaughter. My daughter is going through a nasty divorce and DCFS has become involved. I had been sick with the flu and also have a bleeding ulcer. I take Zantac and was taking several cold meds and vitamin & amino acid supplements. Suphedrine (made by Sudafed) and alza-seltzer plus as well as tylenol and ibuprofen. I normally drink a lot of water, I have a water bottle with me constantly. When I went in for the urine test, the woman told me that it looked diluted, but added that she would not mention it to the case worker. Four days later the results came back from a certified drug testing lab with results showing positive for crystal meth. I do not do drugs. I live a healthy life and eat very well.. So the results have now been read aloud in court that the Grandmother tested positive for drugs and I am not allowed to see my grandchildren. I looked the drug testing lab up on the computer and they say that they use GC/MS testing. They claim their tests are 100% accurate. I claim they are not. How can I prove my innocence?
Pauline
AskDocWeb: It would have been helpful to know the name of the lab that claims they are 100% accurate so that we could check them out. Of course we are not lawyers but you might take a close look at their “chain of custody” record for the test and make sure they followed proper procedure.
Subj: False positive?
Date: 2/9/2009
Can the combination of the following drugs provide a false positive Positive for Opiates and Amphetamines? Clonazapam 1mg, Ibuprofen 800mg, Cymbalta 60mg, Cymbalta 30mg, Ambian CR 12.5mg, Methylprednisolon 4 mg, Suboxone 2mg-0.5mg, Flexiral 10mg, Hydrocodone-APAP 7.5-500 mg, and Bacterium?
Rosalyn
AskDocWeb: The only one on the list is Hydrocodone which contains synthetic opiates (Reference 18).
Subj: Random drug test
Date: 2/9/2009
Love lemon poppy seed rows and take aleve for toothaches excedrin back & body over the counter should I list them on a random drug test?
Sharon
AskDocWeb: We would list anything that we thought might produce a false positive.
Subj: Positive on urine test and hair test
Date: 2/9/2009
My friend has never done drugs in his life. Now he’s on supervision through the court and he’s getting urine tests at least once a week. He was testing negative 6 or 7 times before he tested positive for cocaine on the one after that. They then went back and took a hair test and he tested positive also. But he has NEVER done cocaine or any other drug. He is prescribed Valium, Neurotin, and Soma. What could have caused his urine and his hair to test positive if he has not used any drugs? He said one of the tests was an Auto Split.
Ashley
AskDocWeb: Since he tested positive on the hair test, we can’t help. The information here only aplies to urine testing, not hair testing.
Subj: Positive for Oxycodone
Date: 2/10/2009
I took an urine test and tested positive for hydrocodone which I am taking as prescribed. BUT my test also showed up positive for Oxycodone. Never seen or have I ever taking this before. What is the deal? Is my doctor trying to get more money from me coming back every 2 weeks instead of a month and taking an urine test? Help me please find some factual document(s) that can support the reason for this false test results, so, next time I can bring it to my doctor. Thanks so much,
Jenny
AskDocWeb: This is one of the drugs for which more data is needed. Readers are encouraged to share your experience and references to help Jenny.
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