liquidocean
Bluelighter
I recently took a hair sample drug test for a new job and ended up testing positive for amphetamines. I have not done amphetamine or meth for over 5 months, but i did take a mellow hit of e about 1.5 months ago. The HR department of this company called me and told me this, and gave me the number of the Medical Review Officer, or MRO. I was wondering a couple things before i call him:
- Do you think they do a GC/MS test on every test that initially comes out positive? Or do they only do it when the person appeals?
- I have used ephedrine and pseudo in the last few months. Do you know if the initial test can tell the difference between them and illegal amphetamines? Do you know if the GC/MS test can?
How should i approach this MRO so that i can maximize my chances of possibly having this overturned?
And for all intents and purposes, my hair is short. Here's some information i've found on the net. - l/o
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Cross Reactivity
It is theoretically possible for substances other than the drug in question to give a positive result in an immunoassay, especially when testing for opiates, amphetamines, methamphetamines or pcp. This is sometimes referred to as "cross reactivity". For example, a substance called ephedrine/pseudoephedrine (found in many over the counter cold medications) may result in a positive test for amphetamines or methamphetamines. Prescription medications that contain codeine such as Tylenol 3® and generic equivalents may result in a positive test for opiates. Over the counter diet pills may result in a positive test for amphetamines, as well as the prescription drug Ritalin.
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An article appeared in the main news section of the "Washington Post" (October 25, 1990, page A3), that was entitled: "Federal Drug-Test Method Probed for Possible Flaws." This article (by Staff Writer Michael Isikoff) was extremely negative with respect to very great inaccuracy of urine drug testing, as was being carried out in some government-certified laboratories. It was reported that the National Institute on Drug Abuse was investigating a situation where a government-certified laboratory wrongly reported that workers had tested positive for illegal methamphetamine use when they actually had been using over-the-counter cold or asthma medicines. With one individual who had actually been removed from his job as a result of the testing, investigation disclosed that he had in fact been taking large quantities of ephedrine, a decongestant found in several over-the-counter cold and asthma medicines. This particular case was found not to be an isolated one; a number of tested employees had been mistakenly found to test positive for methamphetamines. The particular testing procedure upon which these mistakes were based was not found to be isolated to a single laboratory.
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AMPHETAMINE AND METHAMPHETAMINE: Urine drug
tests (immunoassay screening test) cross-react with various amphetamine-related drugs which are not abused: dopamine, isoxsuprine (a vasodilator), ephedrine (an asthma medication),
penylpropanolamine (widely used in over-the-counter cold and hayfever preparations), and nylidrin (a vasodilator). Other amphetamine-like drugs sometimes are abused and also cross-react: mephenteramine (Wyamine), phenmetrazine (Preludin), phentermine (Ionamine and other names), benzphetamine (Didrex), and fenfluramine (Pondimin). It should be noted that the gas chromatography/mass spectrometry testing procedures, which are the "confirmatory" tests used in urine drug testing, do distinguish the
cross-reacting compounds, assuring that final laboratory reports, received by the MRO or his/her equivalent, are not false positives.
-
Similarly, over-the-counter stimulants, such as dietary aids and decongestants (e.g., phenylpropanolamine, fenflurarnine, ephedrine) may cause the initial immunoassay screen for amphetamines to be positive. Again, GC-MS differentiates these ffm illicit amphetamines
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What common over the counter drugs test positive on the initial screening test?
Dextromethoraphan will cause an intial positive for PCP, but will confirm negative on GC/MS. Pseudoephedrine, ephedrine, and phenylpropanolamine will cause an intial positive for ampetamines , but will confirm negative on GC/MS.
- Do you think they do a GC/MS test on every test that initially comes out positive? Or do they only do it when the person appeals?
- I have used ephedrine and pseudo in the last few months. Do you know if the initial test can tell the difference between them and illegal amphetamines? Do you know if the GC/MS test can?
How should i approach this MRO so that i can maximize my chances of possibly having this overturned?
And for all intents and purposes, my hair is short. Here's some information i've found on the net. - l/o
--------
Cross Reactivity
It is theoretically possible for substances other than the drug in question to give a positive result in an immunoassay, especially when testing for opiates, amphetamines, methamphetamines or pcp. This is sometimes referred to as "cross reactivity". For example, a substance called ephedrine/pseudoephedrine (found in many over the counter cold medications) may result in a positive test for amphetamines or methamphetamines. Prescription medications that contain codeine such as Tylenol 3® and generic equivalents may result in a positive test for opiates. Over the counter diet pills may result in a positive test for amphetamines, as well as the prescription drug Ritalin.
-
An article appeared in the main news section of the "Washington Post" (October 25, 1990, page A3), that was entitled: "Federal Drug-Test Method Probed for Possible Flaws." This article (by Staff Writer Michael Isikoff) was extremely negative with respect to very great inaccuracy of urine drug testing, as was being carried out in some government-certified laboratories. It was reported that the National Institute on Drug Abuse was investigating a situation where a government-certified laboratory wrongly reported that workers had tested positive for illegal methamphetamine use when they actually had been using over-the-counter cold or asthma medicines. With one individual who had actually been removed from his job as a result of the testing, investigation disclosed that he had in fact been taking large quantities of ephedrine, a decongestant found in several over-the-counter cold and asthma medicines. This particular case was found not to be an isolated one; a number of tested employees had been mistakenly found to test positive for methamphetamines. The particular testing procedure upon which these mistakes were based was not found to be isolated to a single laboratory.
-
AMPHETAMINE AND METHAMPHETAMINE: Urine drug
tests (immunoassay screening test) cross-react with various amphetamine-related drugs which are not abused: dopamine, isoxsuprine (a vasodilator), ephedrine (an asthma medication),
penylpropanolamine (widely used in over-the-counter cold and hayfever preparations), and nylidrin (a vasodilator). Other amphetamine-like drugs sometimes are abused and also cross-react: mephenteramine (Wyamine), phenmetrazine (Preludin), phentermine (Ionamine and other names), benzphetamine (Didrex), and fenfluramine (Pondimin). It should be noted that the gas chromatography/mass spectrometry testing procedures, which are the "confirmatory" tests used in urine drug testing, do distinguish the
cross-reacting compounds, assuring that final laboratory reports, received by the MRO or his/her equivalent, are not false positives.
-
Similarly, over-the-counter stimulants, such as dietary aids and decongestants (e.g., phenylpropanolamine, fenflurarnine, ephedrine) may cause the initial immunoassay screen for amphetamines to be positive. Again, GC-MS differentiates these ffm illicit amphetamines
-
What common over the counter drugs test positive on the initial screening test?
Dextromethoraphan will cause an intial positive for PCP, but will confirm negative on GC/MS. Pseudoephedrine, ephedrine, and phenylpropanolamine will cause an intial positive for ampetamines , but will confirm negative on GC/MS.
