I am totally abstemious; I´ve never had a drink, not even a cocktail. The mere smell of alcohol makes me sick. It is an anxiety disorder called Methphobia, or Popophobia, the fear of alcohol, drinking it, smelling it, or even seeing people drinking an alcoholic beverage. The symptoms are multiple and include short breath, tachycardia, hand numbness, severe sweatiness, and paralyzing fear. Sometimes I have even suffered panic attacks. And yet, even though my system was clean, I was charged with a DUI (Driving Under the Influence of alcohol).
Not everybody knows that consuming certain types of medications can contribute to a positive DUI. So, unless you carry your doctor´s prescription with you all the time, it can represent a serious problem and a terrible experience. Not to mention an overwhelming embarrassment, while you prove your innocence. From antihistamines to muscle relaxants, through anti-flu, analgesic, anti-epileptic, antiparkinsonian, and also anxiolytics, antipsychotics, and antidepressants. Pain, sleep and cough medications might also trigger a false-positive in urine. Amphetamines, metilamphetamines, methadone, opiates, phencyclidine, barbiturates, cannabinoids, and benzodiazepines are on the list as well.
What medications affect a DUI test?
- Ibuprofen (motril, Advil)
- Naproxen (Aleve)
- Diltiazem (Cardizem)
- Labetalol (Trandate)
- Diphenhydramine, found in Benadryl and sleep medications like Tylenol PM and Advil PM
- Tramadol, a prescription-only pain reliever
- Venlafaxine, found in SNRIs antidepressants
- Dextromethorphan, active ingredient on OTC cough syrups including Robitussin and Delsym
- Doxylamine, found in OTC sleep medications like Unisom
- Phentermine (Adipex-P)
Other medications can cause false-positive results for opiates, hallucinogenics, amphetamines and methamphetamines, like:
- Diphenhydramine (Benadryl)
- Fluoxetine (Prozac)
- Metformin (Glucophage)
- Methylphenidate (Ritalin)
- Pseudoephedrine (Sudafed)
- Sertraline (Zoloft)
Proton pump inhibitors like omeprazole, esomeprazole, antoprazole, prescribed for gastroesophageal reflux diseases can also result in a false-positive urine test. There are some antibiotics like levofloxacin and ofloxacin for urinary infections, pneumonia, and sinus infections that can test positive for opiates. Ofloxacin has also been shown to cause a false positive for amphetamine or methamphetamine.
Also, there are some foods known to throw off drug test results, like poppy seeds baked into bagels and pastries. High levels of tonic water might cause a false positive result due to quinine, which might lead to suspicion of opiate abuse.
If you are an athlete, or a job applicant, an employee, or part of a rehabilitation program and need to contest false-positive results, you can request a retake or show written documentation provided by your doctor or a pharmacist, certifying you are under treatment with that medicine.
If you ever find yourself in the above situation, as I did, let me give you a piece of advice: take it easy, keep calm, and don´t go crazy. Driving takes a set of skills that requires us to be focused and alert, and officers are just doing their jobs and making our streets safer for all of us. Just take a pill and move on.
