Do other prescriptions cause a positive drug test for methamphetamine?
Question posted by Jlynnp1978 on 17 March 2025
Last updated on 17 March 2025 (7 weeks ago) by reneeusername
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Answers
Right from the website, I found this:
"Immunoassay testing for methamphetamine uses antibodies to look for certain drug metabolites (these are the compounds a drug breaks down into), and is the most common test used for initial screening. However, these antibodies may detect drug metabolites with similar structure and characteristics to methamphetamine, leading to false-positive results. For this reason, immunoassay testing should only be considered preliminary and should be followed up by confirmatory testing whenever a test comes back positive. Confirmatory tests are much more specific, but are costly, take more time, and require experienced laboratory personnel. They can distinguish between the l- and d-isomers of methamphetamine (only the d-isomer is psychoactive and illegal).
Usually, an immunoassay screening test for methamphetamine is a methamphetamine/amphetamine combined test, so will detect any medication or substance that resembles methamphetamine OR amphetamine. Medications that have been reported to cause false-positive results for methamphetamine or amphetamine include:
Amantadine, a drug that can prevent the flu and treat symptoms of Parkinson’s disease
Aripiprazole, an antipsychotic drug
Atomoxetine, an ADHD treatment
Brompheniramine, an antihistamine
Bupropion, an antidepressant
Chlorpromazine, an antipsychotic drug
Desipramine, an antidepressant
DMAA (1,3-dimethylamylamine), found in some dietary and weight-loss supplements
Ephedrine, a medication that treats low blood pressure from other medications
Fenofibrate, a cholesterol-lowering medication
Fluoxetine, an antidepressant
Labetalol, a blood pressure-lowering drug
Metformin, a diabetes medication
Nefazodone, an antidepressant
Ofloxacin, an antibiotic used to treat ear infections
Promethazine, a drug that treats allergies and/or motion sickness
Pseudoephedrine, a decongestant
Ranitidine, a drug used for ulcers and gastroesophageal reflux disease (discontinued in 2020)
Phentermine, a weight loss drug
Phenylephrine, a decongestant
Selegiline, a drug for Parkinson's disease or depression
Trazodone, an antidepressant/sedative
Thioridazine, an antipsychotic drug
Vicks Inhaler, contains l-methamphetamine, an isomer of methamphetamine useful for nasal congestion that is legal because it has little activity in the brain."
Source:
https://www.drugs.com/medical-answers/medications-false-positive-methamphetamines-3566578/
Related topics
methamphetamine, drug test, prescription, drug
Further information
- Methamphetamine uses and safety info
- Methamphetamine prescribing info & package insert (for Health Professionals)
- Side effects of Methamphetamine (detailed)
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