Benzos Anyone ever have issues with their benzo not showing up on urine screens?

[DeathIndustrial88]

Hi there,

I've been on a benzo for years & years for severe anxiety & panic attacks. And every single time I need to get a piss test done (for a different doc), it NEVER shows up on any of my tests. It won't show up on the 12/15 panel ones & it doesn't show up on the comprehensive lab ones. It use to show up on the lab ones & then it stopped.

It's not making ANY sense to me, because I know damn well I take it. I'm prescribed 1.5mg a day. The last test I did, I took all 3 doses the night before I went in & it still didn't show up. It's making me look like a liar who's not taking it. And it's bullshit.

Either these tests are insanely flawed or there's some kind of natural/explainable reason why it won't show up. But this has shown me that these tests aren't accurate & I actually fear & worry about people who are on things like criminal probation or who are required to be taking something & then these stupid ass inaccurate tests make them look like liars. That's playing with real people's lives, yet doctors treat these tests as if they're gospel & can't be wrong, when clearly they are because I know damn well what I'm putting into my body.

Anyone else ever run into this problem? What are some explanations for this? How is this happening? I don't get it.
The cut off point for benzos appears to be 20ng per mL. So that's pretty damn low & it should still be able to detect my pretty low dose of meds. It's not making any sense to me whatsoever & actually making me quite angry.

 

[Keif' Richards]

Hey @DeathIndustrial88 I'm going to try to learn a little bit more about Benzodiazepine false-positives. I wish I had something better for you. I do have a personal anecdote that might be somewhat enlightening.

I've been on and off the clinic for a long time now. In almost a decade of different clinics, I believe I had one false positive. It was for Methamphetamine and when I protested and also demonstrated never having before or since tested positive for it, they gave me a pass.

Now, I start at this new clinic in Vegas. Now, mind you, I'm taking:

Methadone
Lisdexamfetamine (Vyvanse)
Cannabis

My very first drug screen comes back. I'm postive for Fentanyl, nothing else. Now, I get takehome medication and to lose that would instantly throw my entire life into a tailspin. I protested severely. They kept saying "well the lab will verify and then we will find out". I kept protesting saying I wanted another test,. the next one came back Methadone, Amphetamine, Cannabis.

So, in my situation, the lab techs clearly just switched my urine for someone else's without even noticing it. Yes, that is terrifying, but not likely to be what's happening to you. However, I tell you this story and give the backstory for it as I am making a point: it seems that the quality of laboratory staff has suffered recently, as I'm not the only one complaining.

I believe it's not taken as seriously as it once was. My job hangs in the balance of a drug test. What if your children or your marriage hung in the balance of a drug test that someone just messed up. Scary thought.

I will get back here when I know enough to make a better comment.

 

[DeathIndustrial88]

I wish I had something better for you. I do have a personal anecdote that might be somewhat enlightening.

Hey man, nah I truly appreciate you even taking the time to comment. Thank you for that!

It's an incredibly confusing situation. If I TRULY wasn't taking it or whatever, then sure, I get it. Even if I weren't taking it or was doing something fishy with it, most people would know to take it before going in to get tested, just to make it look like they're taking it anyway.

For awhile, I thought maybe it was due to the fact that I take my benzo sublingually...that maybe because of bypassing first-pass metabolism, I wasn't creating & excreting enough metabolites or something. So this last test I did, I purposefully took all 3 of my doses orally, so that it would HAVE to go through my liver & all that. And it still didn't show up.

My very first drug screen comes back. I'm postive for Fentanyl, nothing else.

That's insane! Like how the hell can they fuck up something like that so severely!? I suppose accidentally swapping your urine for some one else's would make sense in that case, especially if all your other meds didn't show up. You're right that that didn't happen in my case though, as some of the other meds I took did show up. Ironically my welbutrin didn't show up either, even though I took that as well.

My job hangs in the balance of a drug test. What if your children or your marriage hung in the balance of a drug test that someone just messed up. Scary thought.

It's very scary! Very concerning what these drug tests could do to people's lives. My benzo is the only thing I have to kill a panic attack in it's tracks. Thankfully my doc who prescribes it actually believes me & doesn't bother piss testing me for it anymore because it's redundant if it's not gonna show up anyways. But my addiction doc does piss tests on me a few times a year & she absolutely refuses to believe me. So at the moment, as long as my other doc trusts me & is understanding, I should be alright. But obviously, the fear that these piss tests could actually cause me to get my benzo taken away at some point definitely stays in the back of my mind.

I appreciate you commenting man. I'm at a loss on how this is even possible. Only thing that makes sense is that these tests are NOT as accurate as doctors & the government treat them as. They can't be or my shit would be showing up like it should.

I thought I'd also mention that for the last 2 years or so, my tests have also been saying my creatinine levels are severely low. Like I think I was sitting at an 8 when it's suppose to be 20 or something like that. No idea why my creatinine would be so low all the time. It does say that low creatinine levels can make it hard to detect some drugs, but the 'benzo not showing up' thing has been going on long before the low creatinine levels. But I thought I'd mention it anyway.

 

[Keif' Richards]

Hey @DeathIndustrial88

As always, I'm just stoked someone got something out of my musings. All I can say people is, stand your ground with medical professionals. In instances where you FEEL something is not right, be confident and stand your ground. Don't ever become belligerent, but like any other interaction in life, be confident and don't let them push you around.

I'm absolutely not referring to situation where, for instance, you're not getting the drugs you want from your script-writer. You will always be at a major disadvantage in these situations and holding your cards close and remaining stoic is your best bet.

 

[SeekingOblivion]

Hi there,

I've been on a benzo for years & years for severe anxiety & panic attacks. And every single time I need to get a piss test done (for a different doc), it NEVER shows up on any of my tests. It won't show up on the 12/15 panel ones & it doesn't show up on the comprehensive lab ones. It use to show up on the lab ones & then it stopped.

It's not making ANY sense to me, because I know damn well I take it. I'm prescribed 1.5mg a day. The last test I did, I took all 3 doses the night before I went in & it still didn't show up. It's making me look like a liar who's not taking it. And it's bullshit.

Either these tests are insanely flawed or there's some kind of natural/explainable reason why it won't show up. But this has shown me that these tests aren't accurate & I actually fear & worry about people who are on things like criminal probation or who are required to be taking something & then these stupid ass inaccurate tests make them look like liars. That's playing with real people's lives, yet doctors treat these tests as if they're gospel & can't be wrong, when clearly they are because I know damn well what I'm putting into my body.

Anyone else ever run into this problem? What are some explanations for this? How is this happening? I don't get it.
The cut off point for benzos appears to be 20ng per mL. So that's pretty damn low & it should still be able to detect my pretty low dose of meds. It's not making any sense to me whatsoever & actually making me quite angry.

If the benzo in question is clonazapam, this still doesn’t show up on many standard 10 panels. They will detect metabolites of other benzos like Xanax and Valium easily, but not always clonazapam.

 

[DeathIndustrial88]

If the benzo in question is clonazapam, this still doesn’t show up on many standard 10 panels. They will detect metabolites of other benzos like Xanax and Valium easily, but not always clonazapam.

It absolutely is clonazepam.

Although, at first they were giving me the 10-15 panel drug tests & it wouldn't show up. But then after I moved further away, I started having my drug tests sent to a hospital, where they send it to a lab & they do the whole shebang, where they can even see if you've taken a benadryl, for instance. At first it would show up on these tests & then slowly over time stopped showing up on these ones too. And the parent drug & metabolites are listed on their results as being tested for. That's what confuses the hell out of me. Especially since I took 1.5mg not long before I even went in.

My piss tests for the past 2 years have also been saying my creatinine is incredibly low, which can make it harder to detect some drugs. So maybe that could have something to do with it. Why my creatinine is suddenly super low all the time, I have no idea.

What's also crazy is I also took my Welbutrin the night before I went in, about a half of a pill, so around like 75mg. And that didn't show up either. Which just blows my mind. So now it makes me look like I'm not taking my benzo OR my antidepressant. It's ridiculous.

 

[SeekingOblivion]

Genuinely many detoxes will take someone’s word when it comes to clonazapam because thr tests are so inconsistent. Extended bzo panel not necessarily 12+ panels etc.

 

[ChemicallyEnhanced]

Could you have gotten fakes?

I've only had the OPPOSITE problem. I was on a tapering program for Diazepam (Valium) and they told me because it stays in your system a long time it can take up to 6 weeks of being completely off of it to start testing negative. It took 13 weeks for me, and they accused me of secretly taking it again :/

 

[ChemicallyEnhanced]

Genuinely many detoxes will take someone’s word when it comes to clonazapam because thr tests are so inconsistent. Extended bzo panel not necessarily 12+ panels etc.

I did not know this?

Is it the same with Tramadol and opioid tests? 'Cause I used to test negative for opioids while prescribed that.

 

[Keif' Richards]

It's time for one of those, "wait, I knew that, I just forgot to say it" moments.

I'm saying this, as I feel like I let our man @DeathIndustrial88 down a bit. I wasn't searching my memory banks hard enough. I, personally, have experienced this on numerous occasions with Clonazepam [(Klonopin (US), Rivotril (Globally)]. I've never been very into Benzodiazepines, but as a man who has things in life he often would like to forget, they have their place in the tapestry that is my life.

I remember 6-7 years ago, I ended up using a lot of Benzodiazepines for a ~6 month period. I had a lady who would give me good deals on her pills. I noticed 50% of the time, when I'd be tested at the clinic with recent Clonazepam usage, I wouldn't pop for Benzodiazepines. The fun fact here: when I would binge, say, using more than 2mg per day for ~3 days or more, I'd pop for Benzodiazepines, and at that, I have tested positive for at least 2 weeks straight after one such period of heavy usage.

If I took 1mg Clonazepam even the day before the clinic tested me, I seemed never to pop. There is definitely something to this with Clonazepam.

This brings me to my next point, next in the series "The Chronic Failings of American Physicians". Yet again, I'm forced to say, apparently a History major who barely graduated and his flunky friends seem to have our fingers firmly on the pulse of modern medicine. If I'm able to recognize such an obvious pattern and I'm not even trying, how on Earth does a doctor

A: Prescribing potentially dangerous drugs

B: Holding his patients to a Christ-like perfection through drug tests

...not recognize the same thing. It is not our responsibility to know these things. It's not our responsibility to figure these things out. I'm gonna read around some more about all of this. I'd love to hear from one of our resident drug nerds on why this could be.

 

[DeathIndustrial88]

Could you have gotten fakes?

Nah, I'm prescribed it. The little yellow/green .5mg Teva ones. That's why it bugs me so much that it never shows up, cause then it makes it look like I'm not in taking it, when in fact I am. Other than heroin or good full agonists, nothing else touches my anxiety/panic like benzos do. So it just irks me that these tests make it look like I'm not taking it cause then I might eventually get it taken away from me, when I actually need it.

I remember 6-7 years ago, I ended up using a lot of Benzodiazepines for a ~6 month period. I had a lady who would give me good deals on her pills. I noticed 50% of the time, when I'd be tested at the clinic with recent Clonazepam usage, I wouldn't pop for Benzodiazepines. The fun fact here: when I would binge, say, using more than 2mg per day for ~3 days or more, I'd pop for Benzodiazepines, and at that, I have tested positive for at least 2 weeks straight after one such period of heavy usage.

If I took 1mg Clonazepam even the day before the clinic tested me, I seemed never to pop. There is definitely something to this with Clonazepam.

This is a good point honestly. I'm only prescribed 1.5mg a day, so I rarely take more than that unless I really need to.
They claim the cut off levels for clonazepam's metabolite is "20ng/mL". So even with the low doses, you would think it would still show.
But it's almost like it's incentivizing me to have to take over my prescribed dosage, just to get the damn thing to show up. And that's not good.

I've never been a huge fan of benzos myself personally, but they absolutely can help stop a panic attack or lower my anxiety symptoms enough to get things done here & there. But the pay off is generally constantly feeling more tired/sedated. And for some reason, clonazepam has always gien me the side effect called "taste perversion" (real medical term lol), where everything (food/drinks) feels slimy & a bit muted when I'm on clonazepam. Although this side effect is only really a problem in higher doses. But it can also make me a bit sick to my stomach & nauseous. I've never noticed these side effects on things like Xanax, Ativan or Bromazepam. So I kinda wish I could switch to a different benzo.

how on Earth does a doctor

A: Prescribing potentially dangerous drugs

B: Holding his patients to a Christ-like perfection through drug tests

...not recognize the same thing

Good question! I think it probably depends on the doctor I guess, but so far, most of my doctors jump right to the "well you must be not taking it / selling it" conclusion before they consider all the alternatives. Which is honestly so insulting.

I'm also totally stumped how my Welbutrin didn't show up. Admittedly I only took a half a pill the night before I went in (about 75mg of the XR version). So it should have still shown up as well, I would think.

 

[DeathIndustrial88]

I did not know this?

Is it the same with Tramadol and opioid tests? 'Cause I used to test negative for opioids while prescribed that.

Tramadol definitely needs a special test that looks for it, since it's an atypical opioid. It's molecular structure is actually closer to Venlafaxine (Effexor).

I once took tramadol & then had to do a 10 or 12 panel drug test & the tramadol caused me to pop dirty for PCP, MDMA, Morphine & Methamphetamine all at once. lol It's molecular structure can actually cause a shit ton of false positives like this.

I think an extended lab-urinalysis is needed to determine if there's tramadol & it's metabolites in urine.

 

[thurston]

Could you have gotten fakes?

I've only had the OPPOSITE problem. I was on a tapering program for Diazepam (Valium) and they told me because it stays in your system a long time it can take up to 6 weeks of being completely off of it to start testing negative. It took 13 weeks for me, and they accused me of secretly taking it again :/

It took me 83 days to test clean from weed.

 

[spypilot]

when i was taking lorazepam for recreation and anxiety it didnt pop up at all on the urine tests
maybe it had something to do with the other medications in my system

 

[ChemicallyEnhanced]

It took me 83 days to test clean from weed.

Fucking hell! Did you smoke it daily for a long time or something?