False Positive Drug Test

I was offered employment at company X if my pre-employment contingencies were met (drug test and background check). So I filled out paperwork, and did a hair follicle test and went about my normal life.

Fast forward one week, I receive an email from someone in human resources saying that my pre-employment contingencies were met, and that I was free to resign my current employer. So I began packing up my stuff, looking at new apartments, and tying up loose-ends at home (my new job is several hours from my home in a different state).

Well yesterday I receive an email from the Lab saying my hair follicle test indicates Iâ??ve used cocaine in the past. Mind you, this is after I received an email saying that I was in the clear from HR. Now the HR department at company X is mandating that I retake the hair test.

I know this has got to be a false-positive; I have never touched drugs in my life. Iâ??ve never smoked weed, touched a cigarette and I seldom drink alcohol. They withdrew hair from my armpits, so basically anything in the past year could show up. The thing is, I rarely go to parties and all of my friends are clean (as far as I know). Iâ??ve taken amoxicillin in the past 6 months, which Iâ??ve read could cause a false positive for cocaine.

The most fucked up part is that Company X told me I could resign my current job and Iâ??ve already signed a year-long lease at a place. I have no family, but imagine if I did?

What should I do? I paid for my own drug test yesterday and came back clean. I also paid for my own blood panel check and physical to make sure I am healthy (which I am). Iâ??m going to bring my script for the amoxicillin to the drug retest. Iâ??m really torn over this.

Take the test again, if they were using methods like HPLC or gas chromatography they can be finicky and are subject to some interpretation. You could request they send it to another lab or use a different sample like urine or blood.

I deal with drug screens day in, day out. Most companies allow you to have the SAME sample sent to another lab to be tested if you think it was a false positive (usually at your expense). Did the Medical Review Officer contact you to ask about prescriptions before declaring your test positive?

I took a urine test several days ago at my own expense and came back clean.

The medical review officer never asked me about prescription meds and I never wrote any down prior to the test. I will contact the medical officer and email him my insurance records of the amoxicillin,

[quote]24Animal7 wrote:
I took a urine test several days ago at my own expense and came back clean.

The medical review officer never asked me about prescription meds and I never wrote any down prior to the test. I will contact the medical officer and email him my insurance records of the amoxicillin, [/quote]

Hair goes back to 6 months where urine is short term.

What did the MRO ask you when he called?

[quote]Derek542 wrote:

[quote]24Animal7 wrote:
I took a urine test several days ago at my own expense and came back clean.

The medical review officer never asked me about prescription meds and I never wrote any down prior to the test. I will contact the medical officer and email him my insurance records of the amoxicillin, [/quote]

Hair goes back to 6 months where urine is short term.

What did the MRO ask you when he called?[/quote]

All the MRO stated was that I was exposed to or have used cocaine in the past. I told him that I’ve never, and mentioned that I took antibiotics in the past 1/2 year. He said that wouldn’t cause a false positive.

[quote]24Animal7 wrote:

[quote]Derek542 wrote:

[quote]24Animal7 wrote:
I took a urine test several days ago at my own expense and came back clean.

The medical review officer never asked me about prescription meds and I never wrote any down prior to the test. I will contact the medical officer and email him my insurance records of the amoxicillin, [/quote]

Hair goes back to 6 months where urine is short term.

What did the MRO ask you when he called?[/quote]

All the MRO stated was that I was exposed to or have used cocaine in the past. I told him that I’ve never, and mentioned that I took antibiotics in the past 1/2 year. He said that wouldn’t cause a false positive.
[/quote]
Who is the companies DER (Designated Employee Representative) someone has to handle the results, sometimes it is a HR person for the company or they third party it out to companies like mine.
You need to discuss with them that you would like to challenge the test and what steps you can do to challenge.

From what I understand, doesn’t most US currency notes have at least trace amounts of blow on them?

So, that means, if you have been making it rain, and/or been counting your Benjamin’s every night, that could have you testing positive…

Long shot, but…

[quote]countingbeans wrote:
From what I understand, doesn’t most US currency notes have at least trace amounts of blow on them?

So, that means, if you have been making it rain, and/or been counting your Benjamin’s every night, that could have you testing positive…

Long shot, but…[/quote]

Yes…I am sure if Scrooge McDuck ever gets tested, he can use that defense.

The rest of us?

Well, maybe if you say the washing machine broke and all you guys had to bathe with was old dollar bills taped together…which just begs the questions why you didn’t just buy some fucking towels!

[quote]Professor X wrote:

[quote]countingbeans wrote:
From what I understand, doesn’t most US currency notes have at least trace amounts of blow on them?

So, that means, if you have been making it rain, and/or been counting your Benjamin’s every night, that could have you testing positive…

Long shot, but…[/quote]

Yes…I am sure if Scrooge McDuck ever gets tested, he can use that defense.

The rest of us?

Well, maybe if you say the washing machine broke and all you guys had to bathe with was old dollar bills taped together…which just begs the questions why you didn’t just buy some fucking towels![/quote]

I’m saying, OP is a stripper, and a damn good one at that… Rubbing up on bills 4-6 nights a week. And I think we all know that a shit ton of blow happens at strip clubs…