False positive drug test

[Forevryoung]

Well here is a new one for me- I'm rejoining the volunteer fire department and needed a physical completed by a specific company (not my doctor!)

I received an "important" phone message from the office.

The woman at the office stated that I had tested positive for amphetamines/methamphetamines and that I was going to be reported because I am not prescribed any medication that would cause a positive result.

After several phone calls throughout my very busy day (I'm student teaching so it's not like I can use my phone at whim!) I finally reached my doctor.

2 minutes later he informed me that the Physician's Desk Reference states that my prescribed medication WILL produce a false positive due to the metabolism of it in the body.

So, that's been my day! And for the record, Emsam (an MAOI) will cause a false positive amphetamine test.

I was appalled at the accusation and the attitude I received as I tried to calmly sort it out. I don't even drink alcohol!

 

[SueM in MN]

sounds like you need one

 

[OlderMan]

...my company interviewed and offered a job to a fresh-faced college graduate.

We had a mandatory drug test policy.

His urinalysis came back positive for, I think, cocaine.

Our HR Dept was saying that this kid is bad news, this kid is a junkie, etc.

We called him back into the office for a "follow-up" after the drug test and asked him what he had for breakfast the AM before his drug test.

His response was, "What I have almost every day, a poppy seed bagel!"

Wow! A false positive!

Mystery solved, and HR had egg (or is it bagel) on their collective faces!!

 

[OneLittleSpark]

Sorry they were so rude and incompetent! Very sucky indeed! Glad you got things sorted out in the end, though.

Good luck with the rest of your application process!

 

[Ms_Butterfly]

His response was, "What I have almost every day, a poppy seed bagel!"

That reminds me of the "Seinfeld" episode when Elaine was having to take a drug test but kept ending up eating poppy seeds before the test!