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If a person has their children removed from them for failing a drug test and says that it was because they were taking non-prescription cold medicine, could they get their children returned to them? I am talking about if this person's children were removed from them before because of a drug addiction problem and they again have failed a drug test during a home trial period. How likely is it that the cw or even the judge will believe that they weren't using again. :thanks:
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RavenSong
Sorry guys, but I have to disagree with you on this one. If an OTC cold remedy contains ephedrine, it can show up as a "positive" for amphetamines on a tox screen or drug test. It all depends on the sensitivity of the lab test that is being used. ETA: False positives can also be caused by cough syrup containing dextromethorphan, OTC diet pills and supplements, and eating poppy-seed rolls (which cause a "positive" result for opiates.)
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suzyq18
Regarding the "poppy seed" one would have to take MASSIVE doses... pounds of seeds to test positive.
I have to agree with suzy here. I have been working as nurse in an out patient methadone clinic where we run random test and never have I seen any test come back with a high percentage(enough to constitute a positive) on a substance that was false. As I said we do oral swabs, where I can see a local anesthetic like novacaine reading a positive for cocaine(that is why we always ask before administering the oral swab if any dental work has been done)but NEVER ever a urine test. Those test readings come back with percentages of substances, it isn't just a pass fail test. We have had the urine be retested and the test still came back the same. Also, I could maybe give a tad of probability, but based on past history I am hard pressed to believe this was a false positive. Like suzy our lab can flag just about anything . There have been all kinds of things done to have a test appear negative. That is all the more reason to cast doubt and any tampering is an automatic positive. I do wonder though if the person who this thread is about , which drug the test showed. Was is it comparative for their drug of choice? Honsestly, I have seen cases where the person swore up and down that the test was wrong, but when the report went back to the PO it was still a violation. If it were a case of employment drug screening where the person did not have a history of addiction, it might be somewhat convincing, but many addicts have tried this methdod of denial and got no where. Raven, we are just going to have to agree to disagree here. We can link each other to kingdom come, but nearing two decades at the same job I simply cannot agree. My experience tells me otherwise. I was even asked by one girls probation officer and I could not in good conscience tell him the test was a false positive. EZ
EZ, I agree that we must agree to disagree, lol... I respect your position immensely ~ as you know, your opinion means a lot to me whenever we're talking on a thread about drug addiction. Personally speaking, I get really sick of addicts who try to fool the tests ~ I have a couple family members who take great pride in doing just that.I was just merely speaking as someone who was educated and trained in chemistry. Also, I discussed this issue not so long ago with a dear friend who heads up the New Mexico State Forensics Laboratory, where they do umpteen drug tests per day. The problem with false positives is NOT present in the more expensive screens and tests, such as the GC-MS...it's in the cheaper tests that are usually used as a "first" screen.
The volume of poppy seeds you'd have to eat is pretty staggering for it to cause a positive for opiates on a drug test. We're talking like 6 or 7 poppy seed bagels in an hour before you get a hit. A single roll or even a big slice of poppy seed bread/cake is not enough. (I'm basing this off a Ted Allen food test show I saw on TV this weekend. Clearly that makes me an expert.) ;D
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EZ2Luv
I have heard just about every excuse under the sun for people having tests come up dirty
suzyq18
Regarding the "poppy seed" one would have to take MASSIVE doses... pounds of seeds to test positive. These lab tests are designed to filter and flag for illegal substances. I have never seen a "false" positive in years I've had my employees test for drugs. I have seen "dilution" in urine where copius amounts of water is consumed with the hopes that the substance will be flushed out. It just alerts me to issues.
bluebird38
If a person has their children removed from them for failing a drug test and says that it was because they were taking non-prescription cold medicine, could they get their children returned to them? I am talking about if this person's children were removed from them before because of a drug addiction problem and they again have failed a drug test during a home trial period. How likely is it that the cw or even the judge will believe that they weren't using again. :thanks:
EZ2Luv
No way would a non prescription OTC cold medicine yeild a positve drug screen.This is a VERY common excuse and while I understand why this person would want to deny and justify, it simply is not possible. Especially given their past history. I have heard just about every excuse under the sun for people having tests come up dirty,The only way a cold medication would yeild a positive test is if it were a prescribed medication for instance codiene based but NEVER an OTC.Do you know what the test showed positive for? Opiates,ect? As I always tell my patients, "Tests don't lie, people do" It would be better if the person just came clean with the truth and then get the services they need so that it does not happen again. Mommy2fiveplus,I too work in an out paitient substance abuse clinic(methadone) and we use both oral swabs ad uas (piss quizes). I find the tests to be accurate. EZ
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Many OTC cold alergy drugs are taken in conjunction with methadone to enhance the methadone high to mimic heroin.. Prescription pain pills and some OTC cold meds will definately produce a high. Benedryl OTC is know to make some people drowsy and different OTC drug affect people differently. I do know that Ephedrine drugs can cause jitters and a speed like feeling for mone people too. My guess is if she is an addct with a past history of drug use, unless she has one heck of a cold, she is trying to find something that will mimic a high. Also, some addicts just like to take pills, it is a mental thing where they think the pills will make them feel good. Don't forget even if an addict is given prescription pain meds, they will more frequent than not try and get high using the medication. EZ
Boulderbabe
My favorite was the bdad who looked at the caseworker and the GAL with a totally straight face, and told them that he must be testing positive because he had sex with somebody who was using. Dude.....sexually transmitted COCAINE?!?! :-)
EZ2Luv
Many OTC cold alergy drugs are taken in conjunction with methadone to enhance the methadone high to mimic heroin.. Prescription pain pills and some OTC cold meds will definately produce a high. Benedryl OTC is know to make some people drowsy and different OTC drug affect people differently. I do know that Ephedrine drugs can cause jitters and a speed like feeling for mone people too. My guess is if she is an addct with a past history of drug use, unless she has one heck of a cold, she is trying to find something that will mimic a high.Also, some addicts just like to take pills, it is a mental thing where they think the pills will make them feel good.Don't forget even if an addict is given prescription pain meds, they will more frequent than not try and get high using the medication. EZ
Truth be told, Many doctors who precribe pain meds are doing drug tests to confirm that the patient is in fact taking the drug. The market for illegal drugs and narcitics is so large and profitable for the economucally challenged. You would be suprised at the number of peoplewho obtain narcotics for the soul purpose of selling them. This is espeially true of those who go methadone. The continue to doctor shop to sell the pills. Bear in mind, I do not know the person you are speaking of but my guess is she is using the pain meds and the OTCs to enhance the high. Where there is so many prescriptions she is probably selling some too. Here is teh thing, because she does have a legal prescription, there is little that could be done. In other words, the legal prescriptions basically are giving her the green light to use. If this happened to one of our patients, we would have them sign a release to speak with the doctor who wrote the presdriptions. There is a very strong possibility he is unaware that this person has a history of addiction. EZ
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bluebird38
If a person has their children removed from them for failing a drug test and says that it was because they were taking non-prescription cold medicine, could they get their children returned to them?
EZ2Luv
Truth be told, Many doctors who precribe pain meds are doing drug tests to confirm that the patient is in fact taking the drug. The market for illegal drugs and narcitics is so large and profitable for the economucally challenged. You would be suprised at the number of peoplewho obtain narcotics for the soul purpose of selling them. This is espeially true of those who go methadone. The continue to doctor shop to sell the pills.Bear in mind, I do not know the person you are speaking of but my guess is she is using the pain meds and the OTCs to enhance the high. Where there is so many prescriptions she is probably selling some too. Here is teh thing, because she does have a legal prescription, there is little that could be done. In other words, the legal prescriptions basically are giving her the green light to use. If this happened to one of our patients, we would have them sign a release to speak with the doctor who wrote the presdriptions. There is a very strong possibility he is unaware that this person has a history of addiction. EZ