Drug Screen

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Specializes in Assisted Living, Med-Surg/CVA specialty.

I have been working night shift a lot lately and have been taking Benadryl to help me (I have a hard time sleeping during the day). I have a physical/drug screen coming up in a couple weeks for a new job and some places online I've read it can cause a false positive drug screen. True?

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Specializes in NICU.

I've been taking benadryl daily for... going on six years now? It didn't show up on my prehire drug screen.

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You should be given a questionairre to fill out prior to the drug screen. It will ask what meds you currently take. Be sure to list the Benadryl. I would actually list anything you have taken in the last month just to be on the safe side.

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Specializes in FNP, Peds, Epilepsy, Mgt., Occ. Ed.

I've never seen it show up on a screen.

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umm, benadryl is an OTC drug. You likely have nothing to worry about.

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It actually can cause a false positive for PCP. I've seen it happen only one time.

Like a previous poster stated, just declare it on your form and it shouldn't be a problem.

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Specializes in Emergency, Nursing Management, Auditing.

I've also seen it show up as a false positive for PCP. If you tell them ahead of time that you've been taking a lot of Benadryl, I doubt it'll be a problem. Good luck!

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Specializes in Acute Care Psych, DNP Student.

Even if it shows up as a false positive, they can run a gas chromatography test that will only detect actual substances - not false positives.

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Specializes in cardiac, oncology.

It depends on the type of drug screen they do. If they send it to a lab you should be ok, but please list any drug, including OTC, you have taken in the last several months, even if you only took it once. If they do the dip test right in the office, alot of OTC drugs cause a false positive for PCP and narcs. Advil can cause a false positive for PCP. Nyquil can also cause problems. As long as you list the drugs you are taking and have scripts for any prescription meds, you will be ok.

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Specializes in Med/Surg and Wound Care, PACU.

just make sure do don't eat any poppy seed bagels before you have the test

a false positive for opiates ( happened to me)

NICI

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Specializes in med-surg, telemetry,geriatrics.
just make sure do don't eat any poppy seed bagels before you have the test

a false positive for opiates ( happened to me)

NICI

My wife made poppy seed muffins the day before a pre screening drug test. I didn't think about it prior to the test, but lost the position and looked like a drugy for it. Then later I thought I ate poppy seed muffins duh:angryfire

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