Talk to me about false positives...

comatheart

Active Member
difficult child failed his random drug screen at school on Friday. He openly told me later in the evening and swears it must be his prescrption medications causing the false positive for PCP. I was impressed he was so forthcoming about it and believed him. I googled his prescriptions and indeed, Lamictal can flag as PCP.

I tried to let it go, but couldn't so I emailed the director who confirmed the test results and explained they give the kids 1 day to tell their parents about the failed test. (So he hadn't come to me on his own accord after all) His test has been sent off to the lab and we should know more later in the week. The director did say his previous random tests did *not* flag for PCP. If this was due to the Lamictal, wouldn't it flag it every time? Anyone know? If it matters, the drug test was given in the late afternoon, difficult child hadn't recently taken his prescription.

Deep down, I'm afraid difficult child is using DXM again which i read would also flag for PCP.
 

Kathy813

Well-Known Member
Staff member
Oh, comaheart, I hope it was a false positive. I don't know anything about false positives for drug tests but hopefully the lab results will give you the information you need. Did the director say what would happen if your son really did use DMX?

~Kathy
 

InsaneCdn

Well-Known Member
If this was due to the Lamictal, wouldn't it flag it every time?
Not necessarily, especially if the random testing happens at different times in the day. If the drug test happens close to when he took the medication, it may not be metabolized at that point like it would be later in the day. There are just too many variables at play here... A REALLY good lab can tell the difference between the various sources.
 

Nancy

Well-Known Member
I don't know much about false positives either but whenever my difficult child submitted to a drug test they asked what medications she was on and it was written on the sheet that went to the lab. I took her for random drug tests on my own many times and they always included that info on the lab sheet and she was on lamictal and strattera at the time. I will tell you that when difficult child was in aftercare her drug test came back positive and she swore to me it was her medications and finally came clean a couple weeks later that she relapsed. I really wanted to believe her :(

I really hope it was the medications.
 

comatheart

Active Member
Thanks guys. We were told the lab would confirm what he's taken and results would be in by the end of the week. Did I mention I'm not a very patient person?!? The director also said they'd be testing the kids again later today. It will be interesting to see if it flags again. The test today will be given at about the same time (4pm) as the one on Friday was. difficult child takes one dose of Lamictal in the morning and another before bedtime, so it wasn't like he'd just taken it before the drug test was given.

difficult child spent a LOT of time "at meetings" this weekend. Pretty much, that's the only place he goes without my husband or I. He isn't driving right now, so usually I drop him off and his sponsor brings him home. (Who is just 17 himself, and supposedly 8 months clean)

I don't know what happens if he turns out positive for DXM!? It's just so soon since he got out of treatment.... :-( I'm disheartened. He turned 18 just over a week ago, so he now has free access to those OTC cough syrups... We don't give him money, but then again that never stopped him before.
 

AnnieO

Shooting from the Hip
I wish I had better news for you. Belle told us when in Residential Treatment Center (RTC) that Zantac flags positive for meth... But I don't know. Given the fact that I am sure she's using again already...
 

PatriotsGirl

Well-Known Member
That is what difficult child swears, still to this day, that is what gave her a false positive for meth. She is so blatantly honest about everything else...I have to wonder...

Sent using ConductDisorders mobile app
 

comatheart

Active Member
The random on Monday was positive for PCP again.

difficult child started taking a prescription heartburn medication right after he came home from treatment. Also about the same time as his first random drug test- which was negative. I googled the medication. and it said it can cause a false positive for Pot, not PCP so I just dont know what to think about that! We should have results back from the lab tomorrow. The counselor really pressed difficult child and he swears he's telling the truth. I sure hope so but it's hard to trust anything he says. He is starting to slip back into some of his difficult child behaviors. Sneaking around the house after we've gone to sleep. We discovered his window screen ajar and so we know he's sneaking out at night too. (We confronted him and he says it was to smoke) Speaking of smoking, he's never been a smoker but after 2 weeks at this recovery school he's a full fledge smoker. All of the teens there smoke. Their parents say they are picking their battles and would much rather them smoke then do drugs. I get that. I guess I'm more concerned that difficult child doesn't seem to have a backbone. If he's going to take up smoking when offered, whats to stop him if one of them offers him heroin?? I'm such a mess still. I am trying SOOOOOO HARD to let go and let God. I can't control this. If he's going to smoke or back to doing drugs I can't stop him..... BUT I WANT TO!!!!!!!!!!!:obeyhypnosmiley:
 

Kathy813

Well-Known Member
Staff member
Unfortunately, recovery and cigarettes seem to go hand in hand. My difficult child smokes and it is on the bottom of my worry list.

I would be worried about the secretive behavior, though, especially the sneaking out. I can't see anything good coming out from that.

Let us know what the lab results say. Did you ever find out what the director of the school is going to do if it is positive?
 

susiestar

Roll With It
I would be VERY careful about asking questions about the lab BEFORE trusting ANY results. I say this from personal experience. I am a pain mgmt patient and have been for years. I take my medications as prescribed and do NOT ever abuse them in any way. The aspie in me makes me uber safety conscious and a dad who taught jr high made me terrified of illegal drug use of any kind.

About five yrs ago I had some sort of withdrawal that caused seizures due to not keeping medications down for several days due to a severe migraine. I lost three days, totally have no memory. Woke up in the hospital being told I overdosed on meth. I have not even SEEN meth, much less touched it. the hospital doctor would not even speak to me, nor would she call my doctor or my pain mgmt specialist. She knew they would kick her off the case as she is the worst doctor in our hospital, bar NONE.

My pain doctor saw the lab reports the hospital ran and laughed. Said they made every single possible mistake because the doctor's notes were to find meth in the samples, not find what the patient was taking. He explained how sensitive the tests are, and how specialized the lab must be if you are taking any rx medications of any kind, because they can and do USUALLY cause false readings esp false positives. His office does a presumptive test to see if you have what you should present, and the temperature of the sample. Then they send it out of state to a lab that does ONLY drug tests, no other lab tests. WHY? the tests are so specialized now that you need labs that specialize or you end up iwth results that are garbage.

The doctor who did these tests in the hospital lost her license a year ago for turning patients in to the DEA for rewards when they did not take any drugs of any kind. She and a few lb people were cooking up false positives and then finding ways to get rewards for turning her patients in.. Total hIPPAA violation and violation of many other things too. I was far from the first person to wake in restraints due to her 'care' and my doctor said that with-o her 'care' I would never have lost those days. I would have lost maybe 12 hours but she gave me medications to keep me out and to help her get the results she wanted. He had to have his lab analyze what she did to be sure she didn't give me meth or a similar drug to get her results, nad he showed me in my records what she gave m e that was far from appropriate for my condition.

Ask the lab how much they spcialize in drug tests an how reliable their results are. with one rx medication it should not be too off, but if he takes more than one it could be a problem. Then go with your gut. Kno that meetings are often a great place to find drugs, but that it is only your son's responsibility if he takes them. Relapes are incredibly common and are to be expected. he can get back up and start over if he wants to get clean.

Are YOU going to meetings? it will help you immensely and it will also help him immensely if you do. Think of it as helping him with homework. You would spend an hour doing that any time he wanted, wouldn't you? this is more important, and truly WILL help him just as much as it will help you.
 

DammitJanet

Well-Known Member
I was going to point out some of the things Suzie said. I seem to have awful luck with drug tests. I also have pain docs who cant seem to read the chart. I dont know why they should be shocked that I pop positive for benzo's and amphetamine when I take xanax and adderal!
 

comatheart

Active Member
Thank you, I will definitely be asking questions about the lab. My difficult child takes like 6 prescription medications right now, its ridiculous. The lab is going to need to be good to decipher what is what.

I am going to alanon and it does help!
 

comatheart

Active Member
Still waiting for results. I was told he needed to sign some paperwork and they have to send it to another lab. Now we won't know till next week.

I have no clue why, the program director didn't go into any details with me. Talk about messing with my emotions, especially if this returns out to me nothing!
 

comatheart

Active Member
Labs come back yesterday. He's clean! I'm so relieved.

Also, he came out to us a few daty ago that he recognizes the feeling he gets over the cigarettes, they are triggering him. He's h oing to try and give them up.

He broke one of the rules on our home contract a few days ago.( He password protected a social media account) This instantly threw up red flags but he claims to have forgotten and put it on to keep his little brother off. Regardless, he is taking the consequence with grace. No fighting it, no attitude. ...

Wow! Who is this kid??
 

InsaneCdn

Well-Known Member
He password protected a social media account
In our home... they are allowed to password protect these accounts... but they have to give us the password. We find that less risky than having accounts not password protected.
 

comatheart

Active Member
Yes, I should have clarified, he must give us the password.

DXM an ingredient found in cough syrups and cold medicines often abused by teens.
 

diana71

Member
Thank you. I had found cough syrup in my sons room a couple weeks ago. I took it and got rid of it. I found out he was putting it in drinks to get high. I didn't know it was called that.
 
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