what can cause you to test positive for amphetamines when you have not taken them?

Considering the implications and wide scale impact of failing a drug test today a false positive is definitely a mistake that can cause a significant amount of stress and anxiety. Moreover, with the high level of focus on drug abuse, some parts of society may even start to act noticeably different. Amphetamines act as stimulants as well as appetite suppressants and alter the chemical levels within the body in order to trigger signals in the nerves and brain. The full effect of the substance will also see it increase heart rate and blood pressure. Although some medical conditions will require a prescription of amphetamines for effective treatment such as in the case of narcolepsy and attention deficit disorder, this will be done so with the highest levels of supervision and care that the patient does not get addicted to the drug. Moreover, when on amphetamines, it is essential that the individual not be operating any heavy machinery, driving a car, or caring for a toddler as he or she may tend to experience blurred vision, dizziness and extreme restlessness. One of the major concerns with the substance that the medical profession faces is the fact that a number of patients come to depend substantially on the drug and any sudden stop in administration of the medication will result in very prominent withdrawal symptoms.

When being subject to a false positive, it is important to remember that the quality of results depends largely on the quality of the laboratory where the testing has been performed. A recent study on laboratories in the United States of America show that of about 1200 laboratories inspected, less than 100 of them actually met the federal standards in place. As a result, the 4% false positive tests encountered all over the country are not at all surprising. While there are no legal over the counter drugs that contain amphetamines, there are a number of commonly used medication that could lead to a false positive. For example, a number of nasal sprays are known to do this. Most people will tend to dilute their systems with a substantial amount of water when going to be subjected to an amphetamine test for a period of 24 hours before the test. While this is definitely not a fool proof way of getting through the test, it diminishes the prominence of substances that could possibly cause a false positive by a significant amount.

Submitted by M T on January 28, 2010 at 02:54

Tests for amphetamines could be a part of a larger drug toxicology screening, which is designed to check for drugs of all varieties. This means that it could be legal drugs as well which would be screened for, in addition to the usual illegal drugs. Reasons for doing so could be diverse and are generally of a medical nature or of a legal nature. A common example of the latter would be the screening of athletes on account of the many performance enhancing drugs that are freely available and which mar different sports. Let us take a closer look at amphetamines, since there are certain tests designed to check for these. There are a number of prescription drugs which naturally contain amphetamines. For instance, due to its property of curbing the feeling of hunger, amphetamines are included in diet pills which may be obtained with the help of a prescription. In fact, this is the most common prescription source of amphetamines. The use of amphetamines is varied since it is not just helpful when it comes to curbing those usual hunger pangs. It tends to make people feel good and is also sought after since it makes a person feel more alert. This is particularly thought to be helpful when tired or drowsy since it brings with it a sense of wakefulness and renewed energy levels.

Talk to your doctor about the current prescriptions that you are under and about any concerns for that amphetamine screening test. You might have not intended to take amphetamines, but might have been taking prescription tablets containing them. Amphetamines might show up, depending on a large number of factors in about 2 hours up to a total of roughly 4 days. Such a screen would obviously be influenced by individual factors such as body size and metabolism. You would need to watch out for different prescription medications that have either amphetamine or methamphetamine. There is also concern about the active ingredient of certain kinds of prescription medication that could be metabolized to either amphetamine or methamphetamine. Clobenzorex, for instance, would be one of the many active ingredients that could eventually be metabolized into amphetamines. This is a concern because the result would be positive for a standard amphetamine or methamphetamine test thanks to such ingredients. However, there are still a number of intervening factors so, if you are scheduled to take a drug test for amphetamines, talk to your doctor and be clear about the current medications you are taking.

Submitted by M T on January 21, 2010 at 03:52