I came back with a false positive for opiates got 2nd results and they said it was codeine.

Question

I came back with a false positive for opiates got 2nd results and they said it was codeine. These are the only medications i take Citalopram 40 mg per day ( generic of celexa) i took zyrtec d 5 mg once before drug test, ibuprofen , and bactine for my tattoo...what of these could have caused this?? This is bothering since none of these are coedine, plus i don't take codeine??? Please someone help me understand this.

Answer 1

Could you have taken a tylenol with codeine and not realized it had codeine in it and just thought you were popping a regular tylenol?  

Answer 2

This is rather unusual, since after a spcific confirmatory test would indicate the presence of codeine, I'm really at a loss, as none of the agents that you describe would have any remote cross-reactivity with codeine.  I'm also not sure why the first screen was deemed "false positive" if the confirmatory test was clearly positive for an opiate agonist.  I frankly can't come up with a reasonable answer with the data provided, my apologies.

I recommend that you make an appointment to speak about this matter with the medical officer involved with the urine tox. screen at the laboratory.

Answer 3

It was hard to find much, but the ibuprofen was listed in one place.  I saw info on antidepressants causing false positive test, but those were the older tricyclics.  Celexa is a SSRI-a different group of antidepressants.

Ask them about false positives and the meds you are on.  Did you eat anything with poppy seeds in it?  Muffins, cakes, etc..Poppy seeds can cause false opiate positive test.