Why didnt xanax show up on drug test??

scottsi69 · 04-01-2008, 04:12 PM

I see my physician on a monthly basis and I am prescribed 1mg of xanax 3x/day. Last month when I visited my Dr I was told that I needed to take a drug test to which I agreed. Today when I went to my Dr they had the results of my test and I was told that the Xanax did not show up (along with nothing else)!! The Dr then told me that he would not prescribe me any more Xanax being it did not show up on my test. It was apparent to me that they Dr just needed to make sure that I was taking the meds and not selling them. I asked him this and he said yes that it would indicate that I may be selling them or not taking them at all. I informed him that I do in fact take the medicine pretty much as prescribed (sometimes less than 3 a day but always something) and dont understand why it didnt show up. I immediately asked for another drug test as I have taken my meds last night and today prior to seeing him and he complied. I am just lost as to why it wouldnt show up. In his words, "there wasnt even a trace".

Anyone have any ideas? I take no other meds but I do drink alot of water during the day. I know that most of the people here are looking for ways to get things not to show up on a DT but I am looking for the opposite.

I appreciate any help you could give me.

Captain Cannabis · 04-01-2008, 04:23 PM

try taking mad amounts of xanax the week/days before your test

ldavisa · 04-03-2008, 08:16 PM

How many panels was the test that you were given? 5? 10? Depending of the number of panels it may have not even tested for it. You should look at the copy of the results to see if you were tested for benzodiazepines (look for this in one of the panels listed). It wouldn't be listed under Barbiturates, which would be in a 5 panel test, benzodiazepines would not be included on a 5 panel test.

Most Dr. offices will use a 5 panel drug test (usually UA) b/c it is much more cost effective than testing with a 10 panel test, which is much more expensive. Insurance companies usually won't reimburse for a 10 panel testing (which most pre-employment companies will have you take).

Most likely you had been tested with a 5 panel test, therefore Xanax (alprazolam) was not tested for if indeed you had been given a 5 panel drug test.

Also to note: the body will fully metobolize Xanax in usually 12–15 hrs with no trace of it left in the body so take that into consideration.

If you really want to prove that you are taking this prescribed medication; go to a nearby Concentra or other drug testing center (just look in phone book) and have it done yourself-10 panel test only-then give results to the Dr. to prove that he was wrong. Also explain that if you were given a 5 panel drug test that Xanax would have not been tested for.

Hope this helps.

Dezzy · 04-04-2008, 03:56 PM

Dude why would the Dr. not test for benzos when thats the drug he is looking for come on you think the dr would actually do that

ldavisa · 04-06-2008, 11:49 PM

I just was being informational in the fact that benzo's don't show up on a 5 panel drug test; only a 10 panel.

Perhaps there was some miscommunication between the Dr and the testing center as to which type of test needed to be done.

That's why I asked if there was a panel that read "benzodiazepines " on the test. If there is none then it wouldn't have tested for it.

I do agree with you in the fact the it seems improbable that the Dr. would assign a drug test that didn't test for Benzo's. I was merely trying to explain how this could happened in which a drug test was taken an no traces of benzo's were found. The only reasonable explanation I could think of is what I had posted above. That's all nothng more that that Dezzy.

**~~wiseco~~** · 04-07-2008, 12:09 AM

dude, 5 panel tests include THC, Opiates, Methamphetamines, Pharms, and Cocaine I'm pretty sure.

ldavisa · 04-07-2008, 07:23 PM

Originally Posted by wiseco

dude, 5 panel tests include THC, Opiates, Methamphetamines, Pharms, and Cocaine I'm pretty sure.

Yeah but "pharms" is pretty general catagory (assuming you meant "pharmaceutical drug"). I am pretty sure (cannot be 100% as it has been a while since I had to take a UA for 5 panel) that Benzo's don't get tested for; I know with 100% certainty that a 10 panel drug test does however.

If someone was taking Oxycontin it would show up under opiates, but this drug is, however a pharmaceutical drug, so why would they have a duplicate panel in which they would have tested already for it under "opiates"?

I dunno; in regards to the OP-just look at the paperwork that list the results of your drug test to see if there is a "benzodiazepines " panel. Then you will know for sure; we all are just "speculating" as to what the reason could be as to why it did not show up.