Positive Result For Methadone, Could This Be Caused By Benadryl

Does benadryl give a false positive for methadone specifically?

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Can benadryl give give a false positive for methadone

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I would like to know this also

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Benadryl absolutely cannot give a false positive for methadone.
Heres why:
Methadone is an opioid (synthetic opiate) and passes the blood-brain barrier, which gives one the sensation of being high.
Now, benadryl (diphenhydramine) is a synthetic antihistamine, which blocks the effects of histamines by binding to special sites on cells called receptors, but its important to note that benadryl does NOT pass the blood-brain barrier.

**Lastly, and most importantly, methadone cannot be detected on ANY store bought 12 panel drug test, and is very, very rarely tested for in commercial and/or government drug tests. Methadone must be specifically tested for to be detected.
Benadryl can sometimes (extremely rare) show a false positive for benzodiazepines on a drug test and taking benadryl isnt accepted as a legitimate excuse for testing positive for any drug.

I hope I answered your question.
Be safe, and be smart!
--Retired Army Combat Medic
-S.W.

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Actually Benadryl is well known for false positive on the "quicky" test like those used in ER's. A doctor's office may also use these to speed up their testing. Google benadryl and methadone.

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WRONG WRONG WRONG!!! This happened to me and after the lab did a mass spec test on my split urine it showed the only thing I took was generic benadryl. If this happens to you request the lab does a mass spec test. It will tell you exactly what and how much. Very specific!!! Good luck to everyone in this situation.

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Combat Medic,

First off, thanks for your service!

Second: Benadryl (diphenhydramine) without question crosses the blood-brain barrier. Any number of scholarly journals will illustrate this. Wikipedia is a good jump-off point: wikipedia.org/wiki/Diphenhydramine#Mechanism_of_action

Diphenhydramine is widely known to cause positive test results for Methadone on immunoassay drug screens at levels of approx. 100-200 mg. That's quite a bit of DPH to have in one's system, the equivalent of four to eight 25mg Benadryl pills. Nonetheless, someone who is dealing with a lot of allergies and popping DPH definitely can test positive for Methadone when no Methadone has been ingested. Please reference: journals.lww.com/Rapid_Urine_Drug_Screens_Diphenhydramine.aspx

Methadone IS on nearly all 12 and 14-panel drug screens. It shows as "MTD."

While your info is appreciated, it is incorrect. I hope this helps.

-D.F.
-Emergency Responder and addiction specialist, WA State

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You are totally wrong..Antihistamines cause false positives for methadone..

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You are totally wrong..All your information is incorrect..Antihistamines in general are known to cause false positives for methadone..I take Ibuprofen PM's every night and I come up positive for methadone every time but I'm not taking it or any opiates..And methadone is on most drug tests now..

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I take atenolol,lisinoprol, lasix,wellbutrin xl,xanax,vistaril,ambien, phentermine, naproxen, oxycodone, oxycontin & lipitor for many health&pain issues. Can any of these meds give a false positive on a very detailed urine screen. I've heard stories and I have a screen early next month and Im worried. Any and all info appreciated.

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I was dismissed from a Pain Management group for off and on ten years. The doctor knew me and new my physical history. This year in January he said I have to discharge you because you have had dirty urines for Methadone. I was able to appeal which I did that day by going for blood work only for Methadone. It did not show any signs for the drug. Gave him the results; he threw them on the floor and said that shows that you do not have Methadone in your system now. I reported him to the State Dept. of Consumer Protection, Licensure in the Health Department. The State sent me eight pages to fill out and doctor reports, pharmacy run of prescriptions and said they would take my case. I am still awaiting for their Auditor to contact me. I also, asked that all my dirty urines be changed to false positives. I want to be reinstated to the Pain Clinic so I have doctor that can prescribe narcotics as needed. I will keep you informed.

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Yes. This site should have a list of OTC products that will give false positives.

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Re: Confused (# 9)

Ask for a mouth swab or blood test specifically for what your test revealed.

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Unfortunately it does as does many OTC products.

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Re: Don (# 7)

Please explain to me where you are contradicting my answer about false positives? I received my list from the lab that was testing urine.

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Re: Confused (# 9)

Read #7 on the top of this sheet and see what they say?

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Re: Confused (# 9)

If you know your pharmacist, ask him to go over your medications and see if one medicine is duplicating another, one medication could be eliminating the effects of the others. Doctors know ONLY WHAT THE PHARM REP. tells them. Your pharmacist should be your first contact. Tell him not to fill the script unless he finishes his research, give him permission to call your doctor too.

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Re: Don (# 8)

Read your response that you wrote to me, big discrepancy. I am saying there are many OTC products that cause false positives.

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Re: DF (# 6)

Thank you for putting in your excellent knowledge first hand. Also, thank you for your service and being the biggest target out in the field. My husband was a medic in Vietman.

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Yes, and many over the counter products. This website gave access to all false positives and it was surprising that few doctors were even aware of this. I was dismissed from a pain management program after knowing the doctor for eighteen years. The contract sited that the patient could appeal the false positive results by having a blood test which I did that same day. The blood test showed I had to history of methadone in my system. He still did not want me in his program because I saw a different pain doctor for injections while under anesthesia. The doctor of the pain management said "it's either Dr. So and So or me". I made a complaint with the state of CT and after their investigation I am supposed to be assigned an independent auditor (I do not know why) and bad doctor will be penalized. This was initiated last February.

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Re: blue eyes (# 1)

YES. Why is this being repeatedly discussed? What happened after the false positive results? What did you do to prove you did not have methadone in your system? Did you have to leave the pain program? If you were dismissed, did you appeal? Were your efforts to prove to the doctor that it was in fact a false positive by showing him different results? The BIG elephant in all these discussions appear to be WHAT DID YOU DO TO PROVE THE TEST WAS INCORRECT? Did they let you continue being a patient and change the results to false positive?

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Re: Confused (# 9)

As long as you get a print out from your pharmacist for the past six months or more pharmacy's if you more than one, make a copy of the list, and hand it to your pain management facility then they will be forwarned of your prescriptions and there should be no issues. Just out of curiosity, are all of these medications prescribed by one physician? If you have other physicians, do they have a list of all your prescribed medications? They should.

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