Drug test + for PCP?!?!

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Holy cow!

I had my pre-employment physical today for my dream job. The first step was a urine drug test-- NO PROBLEM! I had a margarita after finals on Friday-- but it's legal.

I tested positive for PCP! I couldn't believe it. They showed me the little container and it was true. I was so embarrassed. They dismissed me from the physical immediately.

I went home and called my pharmacist and asked if my prescribed medications could cause this. I guess Effexor (which I'm on) causes a false positive for PCP in a certain drug kit. I copied the information he sent me and immediately went back to the hospital. They are going to retest my urine in a more controlled test in the lab.

I couldn't believe it. I wanted to let you guys know just in case this happened to you! I hope this doesn't affect my new job. :confused:

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Yes, unfortunately, things like this do happen. It's so stupid that, in this day and age of modern science, toxicology tests aren't as specific as they should be. FYI- poppy seeds are another food/drug that will cause a false positive on urine tox screens.

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W

Holy cow!

I had my pre-employment physical today for my dream job. The first step was a urine drug test-- NO PROBLEM! I had a margarita after finals on Friday-- but it's legal.

I tested positive for PCP! I couldn't believe it. They showed me the little container and it was true. I was so embarrassed. They dismissed me from the physical immediately.

I went home and called my pharmacist and asked if my prescribed medications could cause this. I guess Effexor (which I'm on) causes a false positive for PCP in a certain drug kit. I copied the information he sent me and immediately went back to the hospital. They are going to retest my urine in a more controlled test in the lab.

I couldn't believe it. I wanted to let you guys know just in case this happened to you! I hope this doesn't affect my new job. :confused:

Wow...that is very, very good information to know.

What is even more sad is that the drug testing company failed to let the employer that was using the test that very important piece of information, so they could have obtained a drug list for you and then said that they needed to repeat the test.

To me, that was stress you didn't need to go through..I am so sorry that happened to you.

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To me, that was stress you didn't need to go through..I am so sorry that happened to you.

Thanks for your thoughts! This is crazy. I know my test will come back clean but I'm still scared-- geesh!

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ANYTIME that you test positive for a drug test and can't explain it, immediately insist on a confirmation. It's more exact and can not only tell you what drug caused the false positive, but how much is in your system.

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I went home and called my pharmacist and asked if my prescribed medications could cause this. I guess Effexor (which I'm on) causes a false positive for PCP in a certain drug kit. I copied the information he sent me and immediately went back to the hospital. They are going to retest my urine in a more controlled test in the lab.

Did they ask what medications you were taking before they administered the drug test? When I had mine, they asked me to list all the meds I was on. I take meds for ADD, so they said if it showed up they would just have to verify with my doctor that I indeed have a legal prescription for it. It ended up not even showing up since I only take it PRN.

Anyways, I am so sorry this happened to you. You were smart to call the pharmacist and march back down there with the information and insist on another test. I hope it works out for you. :icon_hug:

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Specializes in Did the job hop, now in MS. Not Bad!!!!!.
Did they ask what medications you were taking before they administered the drug test? When I had mine, they asked me to list all the meds I was on. I take meds for ADD, so they said if it showed up they would just have to verify with my doctor that I indeed have a legal prescription for it. It ended up not even showing up since I only take it PRN.

Anyways, I am so sorry this happened to you. You were smart to call the pharmacist and march back down there with the information and insist on another test. I hope it works out for you. :icon_hug:

:yeahthat:

MAN, this makes me steamed. :angryfire: Absolutely they should have had you fill a form with any drugs you've taken over the past 7 days!! And if someone in that idiot chain didn't match up the meds you take w/ the results and questioned it, they dropped the ball. Heck, even being on no meds, it's scary enough having your future hang in the balance when you pee into that cup.

I'm so sorry this happened to you. I didn't know this about Effexor either so thank you for telling me. I'm on Provigil and about to start Zoloft. Hmmmm....?

Go get em to give you a retake. That's insane!

Chloe:smokin:

RN-BSN, BA

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Specializes in Pediatrics Only.

Hopeful is right - you didnt need to go through that stress!!

I'm glad you were proactive about it and called around to find out what was going on.

Now, maybe after this event, everyone will be better prepared next time and the hospital will have learned something as well.

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Well, last year I was injured at work. I had to go to employee health and take a urine test. Lo and behold it was positive for marijuana. I was floored. The nurse got really cold and aloof. I sat there saying "no way man!" but she just looked down her nose at me.:banghead: I did fill out a form for her prior to the test that listed all 2 of my routine meds, one of which was Protonix. Well.......they sent it out & the lab said, YEP, PROTONIX WILL TEST POSITIVE FOR MARIJUANA IN THOS STUPID LITTLE KITS!!!!!!! :rckn::anpom:So, I go back to the employee health nurse and she confirms this, never apologizes for acting like I was some HUGE junkie, and then just slunk off. I was really p-oed. Ya know? I was made to feel very, very, VERY small by that woman and will NEVER forget it.

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Specializes in Did the job hop, now in MS. Not Bad!!!!!.
Well, last year I was injured at work. I had to go to employee health and take a urine test. Lo and behold it was positive for marijuana. I was floored. The nurse got really cold and aloof. I sat there saying "no way man!" but she just looked down her nose at me.:banghead: I did fill out a form for her prior to the test that listed all 2 of my routine meds, one of which was Protonix. Well.......they sent it out & the lab said, YEP, PROTONIX WILL TEST POSITIVE FOR MARIJUANA IN THOS STUPID LITTLE KITS!!!!!!! :rckn::anpom:So, I go back to the employee health nurse and she confirms this, never apologizes for acting like I was some HUGE junkie, and then just slunk off. I was really p-oed. Ya know? I was made to feel very, very, VERY small by that woman and will NEVER forget it.

This is the same type mentality that immediatly labels a pt/customer/employee as "drug seeking" without ever looking at any other possibilities or alternatives. Oooooooooooooooh! That steams me. :angryfire:

Thanks for the tip on the Protonix Neurogeek!!

Chloe

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Specializes in being a Credible Source.

Stuff like this is one of the reasons that I'm so opposed to employment drug screening.

I hope things work out for you, Dani.

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Hey guys,

I wanted to let you all know that my final drug screen came back clean as a whistle-- they called me this afternoon. I'm going in on Wednesday to finish up my physical.

Thank you for all of your well wishes and support!

Dani

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