Feedback on False Positives from Drug Testing, page 68

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: My career is on the line
Date: 7/17/2009
I take effexor xr, zolot, lamictal, lunesta, fluticas nas sp, alot of ibuprofen for pain for endometrios, lupron injections, adderal xr and alegra. I have a mood disorder and have now been diagnosed with borderline diabetis. I showed up positive for marijuana and I have never even tried it! Please advise, are there in similar compounds in my perscriptions that would have caused this? My career is on the line. Thanks

Leanne

AskDocWeb: In our opinion it is easier to make them prove you are innocent then it is for you to try to do it. The only way to do that is with a GC/MS confirmation test. We would contest the results and demand to see the results of GC/MS confirmation test. Without that confirmation test they may not have a legal reason to fire you, but check with your lawyer to be sure. If you don’t contest that drug test then it becomes a part of your record and can cause even more problems later.

Subj: Tested positive for THC
Date: 7/17/2009
I take lamisil only, haven’t smoked anything in at least 30 days, but tested positive for THC. How could this happen I took 2 at test at home I purchased from a local store and passed those!

Evans

AskDocWeb: What test did they use to get that positive for THC?

Subj: Advil and Aleve
Date: 7/21/2009
I have been on the methadone clinic for 4 years now. I have been clean since I started, and have never tested positive for anything. Today I got a positive result back for THC. I take ALOT of Advil and Aleve as well as prescription Naproxen. From reading the list, I do believe this to be the cause of the false positive, because I haven’t smoked weed in over 5 years!

JM

Subj: Question
Date: 7/21/2009
If I am around someone who cooks up cocaine to make rock and then smokes it neer me can I fail a drug test for cocaine.

Becky

AskDocWeb: Yes.

Subj: Lexapro
Date: 7/22/2009
I would like to know if Lexapro would cause a positive test for alcohol. Thank you in advance for your response.

June

AskDocWeb: There are no reports of Lexapro causing any false positives.

Subj: GC/MS confirmation test?
Date: 7/23/2009
Where can I get this GC/MS confirmation test??? I am prescribed to; Adderall (amphetamine salts-80mg daily) **which it states below is positive for Meth**, Clonazepam **which contains Benzodiazepines**, Seroquel (400mg at night)**which states below that sleeping pills will test positive for Benzodiazepines too**. Also I have had a bladder infection for awhile…and have had symptoms of a kidney infection. **Which it states below can show FALSE positive for Amphetamine, THC, Ecstasy, and Opiates!** And I take about 15 or more Ibuprofen a day. **Which as stated below can show FALSE positive for Marijuana (THC).**

Lauren

AskDocWeb: If you have failed a drug test with what you think is a false positive then that same sample must be sent out to a certified lab for the confirmation test. Whoever conducted the original test has to maintain the chain of custody in order to avoid tampering. It is unlikely that you will ever see that sample again. The people doing the test know where to send it but you can ask them which lab they use.

Subj: Positive for THC
Date: 7/23/2009
My boyfriend’s UA came back positive for THC. His first test was negative but he pulled a muscle in his shoulder and I gave him Motrin and Tylenol #4 w/ codeine to ease the pain. That didn’t help so I gave him a Lortab to see if this would help. It put him to sleep but didn’t do to much for the pain. My mom gave him a capsule which I later found out was oxycodone. This of course helped the pain but his UA showed positive for THC. All of these medications were given within 48 hours of the test. Would either of these meds cause the test to show positive?

Rae

AskDocWeb: Lortab is a combination of acetaminophen and hydrocodone, which contains synthetic opiates. Motrin has been reported to sometimes show up as a false positive for THC (See references 1, 3, 16, 18, 20, 26, and 29)

Subj: Things that would cause false positives
Date: 7/24/2009
Is there a list of things that would cause a false positive for marijiana?

Anita

AskDocWeb: We don’t have a separate list for marijuana. You will have to go through the main list.

Subj: Seroquel or trazodone?
Date: 7/25/2009
I have previously read that seroquel and/or trazodone could cause a false positive for benzodiazepine. Could you confirm or deny this for me? Also can you tell me which other anti-depresents might cause a false positive?

S

AskDocWeb: Seroquel and trazodone are not on the list. The closest listing is Trazedone (See reference 32).

Subj: Positive for alcohol
Date: 7/26/2009
Hi, I’m in a program that requires urine testing. I’ve been fine until last month when I had 3 back to back weeks of positive alcohol. I havent had any alcohol, nor taken any meds that have alcohol in them (I did take nyquil capsules) Now I find out I’m 3 months pregnant and in jail. They are about to sentence me to 9 months of rehab that I dont need! I did find out that hair gels and toothpaste and vanilla ice cream and all kinds of things could increase my alcohol metabolites but I cant prove it. Does anything having to do with pregnancy cause an increase of false positives on alcohol UA’s? I’m desperate. I’ve been perfect yet being punished and threatend with having my unborn baby and my 17 month old removed from my custody! HELP!

Liz

AskDocWeb: Sorry Liz, we don’t have any information on false positives for alcohol testing but we will add that to the research list. If readers would like to share references we would be glad to check them out.

Subj: Tested positive for cocaine
Date: 7/27/2009
Today I went to the dentist and had a filling redone. I received some topical anesthetic and several shots of Novocaine. I then went and took a voluntary drug test, having been 5 months clean, that tested positive for cocaine. What happened?

Jen

AskDocWeb: It may come as a nasty surprise to some but the Novocain your dentist uses may show up as a positive for opiates. (Reference 52)

Subj: Positive for cocaine
Date: 7/27/2009
I am on many meds, methadone, valium, zanaflex, advair, albutaral (inhaler and nebulizer), topamax, nuronton, detrol la, reglan, benedryl, and pheneragan, and I do not do any other drugs others than those prescribed to me and I recently tested postitive for cocaine twice once at the urine screen then they said they were sending it to a lab (but I don’t think they did) and then it came back positive then. I don’t understand it, I’ve never done cocaine, any answers?

Rachael

AskDocWeb: We would not accept the validity of their test until seeing the GC/MS confirmation test results. If they really did send it out to an independent lab for confirmation then they should have no problem supplying you with a copy of those results.

Subj: Hepatitis and vitamin B complex
Date: 7/28/2009
Can taking a B complex vitamin daily for over 20years and having been diagnosised Hepetitis C in 2006 cause a false positive on a drug test?

Peaches

AskDocWeb: There are no reports of any false positives involving hepatitis on drug tests. The only B vitamin to show as a false positive is B2 but the length of time it is taken makes no difference.

Subj: Tonic water?
Date: 7/28/2009
Hello. My name is Rick and I’m active duty military. Just recently I had a urinealysis test and it came back positive for cocaine. It was reported 120ng was found in my system. Now just the day before I was drinking tonic water to help lubricate my knee. I just wanted to know is it possible to have popped on the test for drinking tonic water? If so what is the best way to show my commanding officer that it was a false positive and I’m being persocuted for no reason? Thanks,

Ricky

AskDocWeb: Thank you for your service to our country. We found a couple of sources (References 16 and 18) that say tonic water may show as a false positive for cocaine. As far as we know, the only way to show that it was a false positive is to get a GC/MS confirmation test.

Subj: We had sex the night before
Date: 7/28/2009
I was recently admitted into the hospital for high blood pressure. They ask me if I did drugs, I said no. They did a drug test and it came back positive. I know I haven’t done any drugs so I am puzzle by why it would come back positive. I haven’t even taken any cold medicine. I was looking through this website about false positive and came across medication my husband is taken. My husband is taken phenobarbital for seizers and hydrocortisone adrenal insuffeciency. We had sex the night before. Could is medication pass through me into my blood stream and give me a false positive drug test.

Tonia

AskDocWeb: Although we have not heard of that happening, it may be possible. Some drugs can be absorbed through the skin and easily through mucus membranes but we have not seen any documentation relating this with drug tests.

Subj: TASC in Arizona
Date: 7/28/2009
Just to let you know, TASC in Arizona stands for Treatment Assesment Screening Center. It is Federally approved and is used by the court system to test and treat participants in the drug diversion program for drug related charges. Just thought you might want the correct info. The other TASC you described is a completely different program.

Max

AskDocWeb: Thanks Max, we appreciate your help.

Subj: Advair, Klonopin or Albuterol?
Date: 7/29/2009
I am a Guardian ad litem and in a child custody case the mother has tested positive for hydrocodone (opiates). She is prescribed Advair, Klonopin and Albuterol. Would any one of these drugs or a combination cause a false positive?

DJ

AskDocWeb: Of those three the only one to show up on drug tests is the Klonopin, it contains benzodiazepines.

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