UA came back positive for Morphine... TWICE!

[monkey business (OP)]

Hey everyone,

So I've had this bizarre situation at my MMT clinic that I just can't seem to figure out. So basically, twice now I've had a UA come back positive for opiates which were both GC/MS'd and later showed positive for Morphine. Problem is, I haven't touched any Morphine in ages or any other illicit opiate for that matter. I've also ruled out poppy seeds as I've made sure to avoid them after my first incident, so I know there's gotta be something else going on.

I've tried researching this online, however I haven't been able to find anything that would explain why this would occur.

For those of you familiar with GC/MS testing or anyone who'se dealt with a similar situation in the past, any ideas as to what might be causing these results would be greatly appreciated.

PS- Aside from methadone, I also take dextroamphetamine, Gabapentin, and Lyrica on a regular basis, and also occasionally take Ambien for sleep.

Oh and before anyone asks - Yes, I'm 100% positive I didn't take any Morphine and also couldn't have taken any accidentally, unless of course someone drugged me in my sleep or Walgreens put some in one of my prescription bottles disguised as one of my meds.

[theSWPK]

Typical Walgreens, fucking classic.

No for real though,
We're you using PST before? It can stay with you for awhile.
You mentioned being sure to avoid poppy seeds after the FIRST ua. Personally I don't ever use poppy seeds so it's not hard to avoid at all.

[Thoms]

How far apart were they? Were you 100% clean for both test? I assume you were Clean 100% for both but if not pst can hang around for weeks. Other than that it's hard to say. Contamination perhaps? Are any other done patients having the same problems? That sucks dude, be thankful it isn't for probation or something.

[Guts]

These are gcms verified results? I know dip tests can have false positives but I don't think gcms tests can... can they?

I know a person that goes to my clinical refuted his failed drug tests by saying "I've been using the same piss from the same bottle, how can I keep failing for different things?" As you can imagine, that didn't go over so well lol... but he swore it was the same exact piss and he kept failing for different drugs... dunno how that happens other than the lab screwing up.

[Wildcat]

Re: Urine screen showing morphine


Here's something to keep in mind-

 false positive depends on the quality of the laboratory that does the testing. There seems to be about 1,200 of these labs in the United States currently testing for drugs. Less than a 100 of these meet federal standards and MOST of the individual states do not regulate drug test labs. The number of false positives returned range from 4% to over 50%, depending on the lab.

 Was the lab used for your specimen CERTIFIED?

If you need to convince someone that a particular false positive is possible then you need an authoritative reference.
 The three best sources are:
 1.The manufacturer of the drug
 2.The manufacturer of the drug tests
 3.Government agencies responsible for testing



good luck.

[monkey business (OP)]

Just to clarify, I wasn't using PST at all before either of the tests. My only exposure would've been from food, so it wouldn't be much, if any.

Also, I had another idea- So for the past few months I've had an on/off UTI infection, could this perhaps be affecting the test results and causing a false positive?

[Roman Totale]

Taking Benadryl or Robitussin recently by any chance?  From my searches, I pulled up lists of what doctors consider to be "common" causes of false positives, and unfortunately Lyrica is not one of them -- especially not for morphine, at least logically (if not empirically) it could cause a benzo false positive.  But those two meds -- I think any 1st gen antihistamine, really, I saw Phenergan on one chart too -- seem to give false opiate positives.  Oh, Imodium does, too.

[dizzle]

Please keep us informed as this is very very interesting, if I were you I'd demand a retest, and if it is fucking you up at the clinic then pay for it yourself and after you get a clean urine they should pay you back and give y an apology...

Just my opinion, for what it's worth....

[nick]

Poppy seeds can be discounted with GC/MS by checking thebaine content.

So,either you're taking morphine or it's lab error.

I'd put my money on it being the lab fucking up. 

[Roman Totale]

@nick Or he's getting false positive (twice...) for the common OTC meds I listed: diphenhydramine, and really any of the first-gen antihistamines; or two "odd" opioids that are non-mu active in theory (and would probably shock your drug counselor if he/she learned these meds were technically opioids), dextromethorphan for cough and loperamide for diarrhea.  Though I've heard a doc say the latter that is supposed to "stay in the gut" and not end up in a urine sample, I'm sure that is not always the case especially depending how much you take.

Some less common prescription drugs are also listed on the doctor's "sheet" of common false positive causing agents; you aren't by chance taking Levaquin or Cipro?  This is a somewhat shitty (in layout but same in content) as other such "sheets" I saw researching this isssue:  http://thepainsource.com/false-positives-in-immunoassay-urine-drug-screens/

[nick]

@nick Or he's getting false positive (twice...) for the common OTC meds I listed: diphenhydramine, and really any of the first-gen antihistamines; or two "odd" opioids that are non-mu active in theory (and would probably shock your drug counselor if he/she learned these meds were technically opioids), dextromethorphan for cough and loperamide for diarrhea.  Though I've heard a doc say the latter that is supposed to "stay in the gut" and not end up in a urine sample, I'm sure that is not always the case especially depending how much you take.

Some less common prescription drugs are also listed on the doctor's "sheet" of common false positive causing agents; you aren't by chance taking Levaquin or Cipro?  This is a somewhat shitty (in layout but same in content) as other such "sheets" I saw researching this isssue:  http://thepainsource.com/false-positives-in-immunoassay-urine-drug-screens/

It's possible and if he'd popped positive for morphine on a urine cup/panel test I'd be inclined to agree with you,but I think that's a lot less likely with GC/MS testing. 

[monkey business (OP)]

@nick Or he's getting false positive (twice...) for the common OTC meds I listed: diphenhydramine, and really any of the first-gen antihistamines; or two "odd" opioids that are non-mu active in theory (and would probably shock your drug counselor if he/she learned these meds were technically opioids), dextromethorphan for cough and loperamide for diarrhea. 

@Roman Totale , I haven't taken any DXM or lope in a while so I doubt that would be the cause.

you aren't by chance taking Levaquin or Cipro? 

@Roman Totale ,That's interesting you mention Cipro as its one of the most common meds for treating UTI's and I'm pretty sure I was given a shot of it when I first went to the doctor (coincidentally around the same time the first UA happened). I also think I received a prescription for it later on, not sure exactly when but I'm definitely gonna look into it now that you've brought it up!

Poppy seeds can be discounted with GC/MS by checking thebaine content.

So,either you're taking morphine or it's lab error.

I'd put my money on it being the lab fucking up. 

@nick , that was my logic as well, only I was under the impression that GC/MS testing was supposed to be pretty much error-free? Or is that not the case?

[monkey business (OP)]

Please keep us informed as this is very very interesting, if I were you I'd demand a retest, and if it is fucking you up at the clinic then pay for it yourself and after you get a clean urine they should pay you back and give y an apology...

Just my opinion, for what it's worth....

@dizzle , Yeah dude its totally crazy, I've never seen anything like this and it's totally pointless trying to argue my side as the clinic has no intention of believing my version of events. I already had them retest it but it was the same outcome, I told my counselor that from now on I'm going to provide two urine samples whenever I have a UA and then mail the second one out to an independent lab somewhere which will undoubtedly come back clean and also hopefully discourage any potential foul play (if that's what's going on).

[Chip]

I I have been following this with a fair degree of fascination - something isn't calibrated right or you had a very high endorphin count (I wish) that the equipment mistook as M
?

human error somewhere within ?

[dizzle]

that was my logic as well, only I was under the impression that GC/MS testing was supposed to be pretty much error-free? Or is that not the case?

Actually the machine process once the sample is imported into the gc/ms machine it's probably pretty error free unless the inside of the machine gets contaminated somehow, but I was thinking nick was referring to the people in the lab fuckkng up the sample somehow by mislabeling or somehow mixing samples up or cross contaminating...