False Positive Benzodiazepines (Top voted first)

I have been taking suboxone for almost a year and had to move to a new doc. They drug tested me and said I tested positive for benzos. The funny thing is I have not taken ANY benzos. I have to go take another test today at 5 and I am scared s**tless cuz they said if benzos are still in my system then they can not see me. Knowing that I haven't taken any benzos makes me wonder if I might still test positive for it again. I did take some cough syrup and some percs but that is it. What could cause this?

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I am a pharmacist and I have been hearing patients report similar circumstances. One pt taking only risperidone and trazodone showing positive for benzos.

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Thanks very much for your reply. Im just really really frustrated. I know ppl just think Im lying (although I have over 2 yrs clean, & my drug of choice was opiates) Its an awful feeling to really not know what caused this.. I take the same things so I would think that the Elavil would have shown up before. They have not taken my carry status away as they are "giving me the benefit of the doubt" But I just wish I knew what was causing it.. Food showing up as benzos? Alcohol? Liver disease? I would actually pay for the more extensive testing just to know what the heck it is. When I called her to ask her about it today It sounded like she didnt know how we would even go about it. (remember I told you she initially told me that there wasnt even such a test) It just feels like Im fighting a losing battle on my own. I havent even slept since hearing this on Tuesday. I really appreciate the help you have given me here. I will not be taking the Elavil anymore just so be on the safe side.. Im just hoping (against hope) it was possibly human error & this will be a one time thing

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I failed a drug test for parole for benzodiazepines.. what could have made this come up I take benadryl and sleep aids

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Okay, I tried to do a little more reading up on this, to see if I could help everyone. From what I have learned from this research, it seems there are two types of test on the market.

The first and most expensive is a certified test, these are much more accurate in the metabolites that they detect and rarely give a false positive from something else you took. The problem is, however, that most places are not required to use them, for instance the Federal Government does, but your regular employer or doctor's office is not required to use these ones and pay the extra money for them.

That leads us to the second kind of test, which is the non-certified one and they are much less reliable and will give a false positive anywhere from 4 to 50% of the time they are used. Since they are cheaper and there is no law requiring them to pay more for the certified tests, most employers and doctors offices will use these ones.

With the details I have provided above, I am guessing I don't need to go into the types of problems this can cause, especially since you are all experiencing them.

Nancypants, I'm sorry but the resources I use for false positive information don't go into any foods or beverages that may cause them, they only detail various medications, so I can't tell you if there are any foods or such that might do it. The information I am finding on anything like that isn't very comprehensive or scientifically proven.

Cecil, no, I don't show either Neurontin or Methadone on the list as possibly causing false positives for Benzodiazepines. Have you taken anything else? Even over the counter products?

https:/­/­rxchat.com/­wiki/­Methadone/­

https:/­/­rxchat.com/­wiki/­Neurontin/­

hd458, yes, that is correct on the Suboxone, but only to a point. It is a synthetic opiate, so it can show up on tests as a positive for other synthetic opiates or semi-synthetic ones. It doesn't, however, show up as Benzodiazepines.

https:/­/­rxchat.com/­wiki/­Suboxone/­

Is there anything else I can help with?

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Ummm, your attorney is full of crap. There are countless scientific websites that will tell you that instant drug tests are notorious for false positive results.

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I too am on methadone and tested positive for benzo's the false positive was due to (NSAID) a common non steroidal antiinflamitory found in Excedrin migrane as well as many other over the counter medications. This has been well documented by the medical community.

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I asked a question on this thread about a false Positive for Methadone while I'm in subutex clinic.
It was a standard pee test the kind that give instant results. So I had to go to a specilized Lab and pay $150.00 for the infrared test which is fool proof. It came back negative and all is back to normal.
I wanted to share with alk of you addicted, I consider us all friends as we have this aweful illness that normal people have no clue of what its like. I was hard core pill head for over 30 years in fact they hadn't even started prescribing Hydrocodone-Vicodin when I got hooked. It was Codeine then after sometimes 60+ Lortab 10's I took the path of MMT methadone for 10 years. 180 mgs daily and monthly take outs as I didn't like or could not function if I drank or took a benzo with Methadone. Listen closely, if you are addicted to opiates your last choice should be Methadone. I believe it is without any doubt the hardest opiate to get off of. I would be dead from suicide had it not been for a loving familt and Subutex. My point is this, if your on Methadone you are still getting high, you know it and I understand Suboxone treatment is almost impossible w/o insurance or your rich already.
Look for resourses in your area that can assist $$
for one day you will have to stop methadone and ifyour not healthy and taking care of yourself, or drinking or doing pills with Methadone it will happen. The cool thing about Subutex is you ccan't build a tokerance to it. You don't need more the longer your on it, unlike methadone.
Sorry about that speech. Back to in house drug test. They are absolutly faulty. Try it out for proof. I did. They said I tested positive for benzos and I had not taken a benzo in years. I have a famiky member in medical practice and 1 hour after I failed a benzo test he tested me at his office 4 times same urine 3 negs 1 positive. That test is nothing but a money maker for clinics that likw minw charge tiu extea for UA'S.
Goodluck my fellow addicts and find a way to get iff of opiates totally, w/o any chemical.
I'm on my way. I'm on 1/4th the subs I started at and quit amoking, started walking, rhen Tennis and Mt. Biking and anything else. It works.
I also attend AA NA and tet helping others like me.

All the best
Rainbrain

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I don't think you're lying. I'm on suboxone for the last the years and am ordered to take monthly urine tests. Well today my doctor tells me that i am positive for BENZOS!!!! Ok, if I'm gonna slip trust me I'd be taking something way better than benzos!! Only thing i take on a regular base is subs, ibuprofen, and nausea pills. If it were one of those, the nausea pills or ibuprofen I'm sure it would've showed up a time or two before as a positive!

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I am finding information that some of the NSAIDs can cause false positives for Benzodiazpines, ones that is very well know to do it is Daypro, which contains Oxaprozin.

Therefore, it would make sense if some of the others might cause it, as well, since they are in the same drug class. So both of your positives might stem from using the Diclofenac.

https:/­/­rxchat.com/­wiki/­Benzodiazepine/­

Can I help with anything else?

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Don't know the answer, but do know that if you eat a lot of poppy seed - muffins, cakes, bread - 6 slices of poppy seed bread can do it - you can test positive for opiates!

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What over the counter medication can make me show up positive for benzodiazapines?

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am on methadone n test positive for cocaine n am scare they take the baby away from me i need help my drug of choices is opiates

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Interesting 'reverse' reply - Klonopin often does not show up on standard Benzodiazepine tests and must be tested for separately. Just an FYI if you go in for Klonopin detox as I did and they doctor claimed to find none when I'd taken about 14mg a few hour earlier.

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I have been on suboxone for over a year for a huge narcotic addiction. Suboxone saved my life! My sister is in drug court ( a program you may be able to enroll in exchanged for a reduced sentence). Drug court participants get drug tested at least 4 or 5 times a week. My sis doesn't take anything illegally, failing a drug test could cause you to be kicked out of the program and returned back to jail for the rest of your time. Her urine screen just tested positive for benzos!! And she flipped out! They asked what she had taken and she said all she had taken was generic tagamet ( a heartburn pill you can buy anywhere). She gave her drug counselor the tagamet bottle with the remaining pills and they sent it to the main lab for further testing. Results came back, that it was the tagamet that caused her to test positive for benzos. They also said to be careful when taking stomach pills because several of them cause the same result. Have you taken anything like that? Hope this helps
Jess

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I've been on Suboxone of 3 months and i haven't taken anything else ..... not even aspirin! i tested positive for benzos. My Dr sent it off to be certified, he told me he sees this all the time with Suboxone patients and 90% of the tests sent out come back clean. I haven't received my results back yet but ill keep you posted.

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I would just be honest, they know these tests come back wrong sometimes, tell him to do a blood test if they really want the truth

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I just tested myself twice to see if I would test positive for opitates while taking Tramadol. Strong negative for opiates but strong positive for Benzo's!!!

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Elavil or amitriptyline will make you test positive for benzos. I was on it years. Let your doctor know that you're prescribed them and he should understand. If you do have to stop em then get some strategies in place for some mild mood swings. .

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I know this was a long time ago, but my issue is basically identical to Nancypants. Form. Canada, on methadone, and just had a second false positive for benzos, and they were never a problem for me. In fact, I wasn't even sure what a benzo was! Lol... Regardless I know they hear every excuse in the book,but I didn't tKe anything along those lines. All I did differently was : had an IUD put in, and suffered from the 24 hour flu. With that I took all natural gravol with Willow Bark and Ginger... And I had a day/night package of Tylenol cough pills. And a glass of wine... Does anybody know if any of these things could excuse this false positive?
My doctor is a great man and I'm confident he won't tAke aWay my carries., he's seen extreme improvements in me in the past year and knows I wouldn't screw it all up over one pill I don't even know what it is..lol
Alas, I'd still love to clear it up.

Any help would be extremely appreciated...

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The tylenol Pm has something in it that will give you false positive. Im for sure because it happend to me when i was sick and i did a lot of research.

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