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What Causes False Positive Test Results For Methamphetamine?

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Posted on Tue, 7 Jun 2016
Question: My husband tested positive at his pain management clinic in February for methaphanphedemine. He is 64 years old and has been on disability for 23 years from General Electric because of 2 rotator cuffs that cannot be repaired/. He has bad numerous surgeries, botox, nerve blocks, physical theraphy, etc. We retired and moved from XXXXXXX to our summer house on new river 2 years ago. He started out going back to XXXXXXX but it became impossible as the pain worsened. He started out on Fenenyl patch and 40 mg of ocycotin 3 tie per day. I could not make him change the patch because he said it made him feel funny and his heart raced and hurt. They changed him to 3 oxycotin 30mg. each and 5 oxycodone 5 ti mes per day. He has been on that for about 15 years. Since we moved here he has torn his med???floating under his knee cap and his leg locks. We have a child, still in school and I could not take him 5 hours away and he cannot drive that far Here they have pain management clinics that only give out medicine. Before we could obtain an appointment he became so sick, not just withdrawals but from the pain level, I took him to the emergency room where they contacted his dr. The dr. said they did not usually give that much medicine in the ER but he would give him 3, 40mg, oxycotin and 3 oxycodone. When we saw the pain clinic dr. he prescribed the same. It was not enough because as one gets started and later in the day when it leaves, I give him his meds that I keep locked in the safe, and I am the only one with the code. When he first was prescribed, he dd not want to take it because he was afraid he would become addicted. He asked me to join him at the dr. before he filled the prescription. His dr. told us both that his body would become addicted but warned he should never take more than was prescribed. After about 3 years, he asked me for an extra but I did not give it to him.because you have a finite number of pills and XXXXXXX amount of pain. I called his dr and told him the story and ask that he talk to XXXXat his next appointment in 3 months. He did and XXXX has never requested additional medicine. His dr. even asked him how he controlled it when none of his other patients did. XXXX said, you know my wife, and I would never want her disappointed in me. Now we see a pain clinic dr. who did not even review his history of injuries and MRI's, cat scans, theraphy, etc. even though I had everything including dr. notes, which I had put in a nice binder, in order so it would be easier to follow. He didn't even review it but gave it to an assistant to file away. Now they said his test and it came back positive for methaphine. I nor he know how that could happen. He has always passed the tests and the only meds that changed were natural vitamins and he takes 2 Claritin D tabs per day since she was here in Dec. He doesn't go anywhere but take XXXXXXX back and forth to school without me. I never give him extra medicine.Since he had 7 teeth pulled and 22 surgerical removed three weeks after he was given the pain meds. (He requested the dr. change his meds to something his insurance would cover) They changed him to morphine timed release at the same mg. which is not nearly as strong. He planned on changing back when he next saw his dr. but now the dr. won't see him because of the test. He has never in 23 years requested an increase in mg. even though he has built up a tolerance. He is a very quiet person and is just greatful for the help. I, on the other side, think it is a cruel punishment for something he didn't do. The surgeon that removed his teeth hit his sinuses and he is still severely infected after 5 weeks and they keep changing antibiotics but cannot give him pain medicine because of the pain clinic. My husand would not even request because he won't speak up to drs. I think it is better when they know everything. Both of us used the same doctors for at least 25 years before they retired or moved. We never leave them, they leave us. I just am at the end of my rope and the clinic will not see him. Any suggestions? please excuse spelling. XXXXXXX and XXXX XXXXXXX
doctor
Answered by Dr. Dr. Matt Wachsman (30 hours later)
Brief Answer:
Its a shame

Detailed Answer:
Ok... there are numerous sources of methamphetamine. If he had one of those surgeries within 5 days of the urine test, he might well have gotten methamphetamine during the surgery.

Ritalin, weight loss medications, ADHD medications, as an adulterant in *herbal weight loss medications*, asthma medications, maybe blood pressure medications, abilify, and maybe zantac. But most false positives are from problems with the assay and oot another medication and the cause isnt found.

Any GC mass spect analysis can be used to confirm or show it isnt there.

HAIR ANALYSIS is only done by the better testing methods, and shows use during the entire time the hair was growing (months to years).

So... first, I havent had anyone over 60 who did methamphetmine and didnt have a stroke. I have seen false positives for it. But first make sure he didnt take the methamphetamine! (ritalin, weight loss medications, surgery medicines ARE methamphetamine).
Note: For more detailed guidance, please consult an Internal Medicine Specialist, with your latest reports. Click here..

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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Answered by
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Dr. Dr. Matt Wachsman

Addiction Medicine Specialist

Practicing since :1985

Answered : 4214 Questions

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What Causes False Positive Test Results For Methamphetamine?

Brief Answer: Its a shame Detailed Answer: Ok... there are numerous sources of methamphetamine. If he had one of those surgeries within 5 days of the urine test, he might well have gotten methamphetamine during the surgery. Ritalin, weight loss medications, ADHD medications, as an adulterant in *herbal weight loss medications*, asthma medications, maybe blood pressure medications, abilify, and maybe zantac. But most false positives are from problems with the assay and oot another medication and the cause isnt found. Any GC mass spect analysis can be used to confirm or show it isnt there. HAIR ANALYSIS is only done by the better testing methods, and shows use during the entire time the hair was growing (months to years). So... first, I havent had anyone over 60 who did methamphetmine and didnt have a stroke. I have seen false positives for it. But first make sure he didnt take the methamphetamine! (ritalin, weight loss medications, surgery medicines ARE methamphetamine).