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Do Diphenhydramine And Acetaminophen Cause False Positive Results For Meth?

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Posted on Mon, 2 Mar 2015
Question: I take alprazolam,ibuprofen,allegra D,diphenhydramine,phenylephrine,acetaminophen,and a psoriasis compound that I'm not positive what all is in it besides 2%Sal acid, LCD Betatrex, all in velvachol. Of course I'm not taking all the allergy meds or pain reliever at the same time, that's just the different ones I have. Any chance of a combination of any of them would test positive for methamphetamine in a lab test? Could my body chemistry change it into either of the two isomer d or l versions or show up that way? Solvent used in making methamphetamine , either that's left over after some meth strained out. Absorbing that into your hands make a positive test results?
doctor
Answered by Dr. Jyothi B L (1 hour later)
Brief Answer:
Numerous false positives known.

Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Thanks for asking.
I am Dr. Jyothi BL and I will be answering your query.

Based on your query, my opinion is as follows:

1. On urine immunoassay test, false positive for methamphetamine can be seen due to ibuprofen, diphenhydramine and phenylephrine.These can interfere with the drug screen and cause false positives.

2. Yes, your body can change it, and its the reason, its false postive.

3. Solvent or meth, not impossible. These drugs especially pain relievers and allergy meds can interfere and cause false positives.

Hope it help.
Any further queries, happy to help again.
If you think, your query is solved, you can close the discussion and rate the answer.

Dr. Jyothi BL
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Shanthi.E
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Jyothi B L (1 hour later)
That's a good answer to my question, but I'd like to go a step further. Since you have confirmed my suspicion that a false positive was most certainly caused by more than 1 combination of my meds, and my body chemistry can change the methamphetamine isomers as my body processes, is it because of the natural process of it all the reason I don't feel a ''hi'' of sorts as if I had taken actual street drugs methamphetamine or amphetamines? My next question is about lab test. In a GC and or MS analysis, it could very well result in confirmation of the d or l isomers present couldn't it? I've even read as the sample enters into the tube of the GC or MS analysis, it can and will change or alter the isomer.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Jyothi B L (36 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
GC and MS analysis can confirm.

Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Thanks for asking again.

1. Diphenhydramine and phenylephrine are known to be sedatives and at higher doses can cause loss of inhibition. It can cause sort of "high" feeling in few and addiction is known to occur to these medications. However, the high like methamphetamine is not felt due to the reason, the metabolites possibly giving positive results is different in both.

2. GC and MS analysis can confirm as they are more specific. Urine analysis by immunoassay is a sensitive test, but non-specific test.

Hope it help.
Any further queries, happy to help again.
If you think, your query is solved, you can close the discussion and rate the answer.

Dr. Jyothi BL
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Ashwin Bhandari
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Jyothi B L (1 hour later)
You seem to have missed my point or, gven the nature of the complexity of the circumstances, gave me a vague response. The process in which my body chemistry processes the combination of meds and the metabolites released as a result of, the conclusion based on facts are that amphetamines and or methamphetamine of the d or l as well as other isomers can be present in lab test. The certainly of illegal drugs in my system cannot be proven beyond the shadow of a doubt. I haven't committed my body to clinical testing so who's to say exactly. Would you concur in your professional opinion?
doctor
Answered by Dr. Jyothi B L (6 hours later)
Brief Answer:
GC-MS is not 100% accurate.

Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Thanks for asking again.

Yes, both d and l isomers are present when amphetamines or it related drug is taken. This can be detected by GC-MS. However, GC-MS cannot separate between d and l isomers. l isomers can be found due to false positive medications as I mentioned in earlier conservation. GC-MS not helpful as it can give false positives.

Now for certainty, whether it is really amphetamine or other medications, there is method called as chiral column chromatography or Capillary electrophoresis - mass spectrometry. This will separate both d and l isomers and quantify each separately. This will prove, whether illegal drug was taken or not. However, theoretically it is helpful, but real usage of this method is still under study as sensitivity of test is still poor.

Hope it helps.
Any further queries, happy to help again.

Dr. Jyothi BL
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Jyothi B L (22 minutes later)
Thank you very much. This was very helpful and I am so happy to have put a end to the mystery.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Jyothi B L (1 hour later)
Brief Answer:
You are welcome

Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Thanks for replying.

You are welcome.

Do close the discussion and rate the answer.

Thanks for asking.

Dr. Jyothi BL
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Jyothi B L (35 hours later)
Are there any other Dr.s of the 148 online that would disagree on the subject or have a different point of view? What title would a specialist in this discussion have? The reason I ask is, some people who would like to think they are well informed about the subject matter seem to have a problem with the answers given. It would seem to me that the extent of their knowledge is outdated and they are yet to get up to date on the subject. Plus they think that they are always right.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Jyothi B L (2 hours later)
Brief Answer:
Pharmacologist or biochemist could be helpful.

Detailed Answer:
Hi,

I spoke with the customer relationship manager of the site and asked them to recreate your query and to get it answered by a different doctor.

If you need to find any other doctors, if they intend to disagree, you need to keep asking, until somebody disagrees. You need to close this discussion.

If you can find a pharmacologist or a biochemist, it would be a more appropriate discussion.

Everybody has different knowledge (few are fresher's, few are old ones - knowledge will vary, depending on their updates and experience), and few would not be ready to accept new knowledge, due to the possibility of them having fixed ideas. So, its very difficult to convince everybody, who consider themselves always right.

Hope it helps.
Any further queries, happy to help again.
If you do not have any further queries, you can close the discussion and rate the answer.

Dr. Jyothi BL
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Ashwin Bhandari
doctor
Answered by
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Dr. Jyothi B L

Pathologist and Microbiologist

Practicing since :2003

Answered : 849 Questions

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Do Diphenhydramine And Acetaminophen Cause False Positive Results For Meth?

Brief Answer: Numerous false positives known. Detailed Answer: Hi, Thanks for asking. I am Dr. Jyothi BL and I will be answering your query. Based on your query, my opinion is as follows: 1. On urine immunoassay test, false positive for methamphetamine can be seen due to ibuprofen, diphenhydramine and phenylephrine.These can interfere with the drug screen and cause false positives. 2. Yes, your body can change it, and its the reason, its false postive. 3. Solvent or meth, not impossible. These drugs especially pain relievers and allergy meds can interfere and cause false positives. Hope it help. Any further queries, happy to help again. If you think, your query is solved, you can close the discussion and rate the answer. Dr. Jyothi BL