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Lamotrogine and drug testing
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An_243008 posted:
Dr. Goldberg,

I currently take 90mg of Cymbalta and 200mg of lamotrogine (sp?) a day. I am moving to S. Korea to for a job and in S, Korea they absolutely frown down upon any mental health disorder. I have to get a drug screening (i am not sure what type honestly, but i was told it's for illicit drugs.. sorry I can't be more specific). I am a little worried because any positive result will put me on the next flight home. I have read that lamotrogine can cause false positives for pcp. To reiterate this is not America so there is no, "they can't discriminate against you" policy.

So to sum up my main questions.
1. Is it true that lamotrogine can cause false positives for PCP
2. I saw an earlier discussion of yours that it will take 5 days for the drug to leave your system after the last pill. Is that still accurate?
3. If I stop taking the lamotrogine, I will have to go back to the step up procedure?
4. Is there any concern about the Cymbalta?

An expedited response would be much appreciate as I am due to arrive in Korea on the 19th of Feb and will have the drug test that week. I guess I would need to stop soon to be absolutely safe.
5 Replies |Watch This Discussion | Report This| Share this:Lamotrogine and drug testingDr. Goldberg,<br /><br />I currently take 90mg of Cymbalta and 200mg of lamotrogine (sp?) a day. I am moving to S. Korea to for a job and in S, Korea they absolutely frown down upon any mental health disorder. I have to get a drug screening (i am not sure what type honestly, but i was told it's for illicit drugs.. sorry I can't be more specific). I am a little worried because any positive result will put me on the next flight home. I have read that lamotrogine can cause false positives for pcp. To reiterate this is not America so there is no, "they can't discriminate against you" policy. <br /><br />So to sum up my main questions.<br />1. Is it true that lamotrogine can cause false positives for PCP<br />2. I saw an earlier discussion of yours that it will take 5 days for the drug to leave your system after the last pill. Is that still accurate?<br />3. If I stop taking the lamotrogine, I will have to go back to the step up procedure?<br />4. Is there any concern about the Cymbalta?<br /><br />An expedited response would be much appreciate as I am due to arrive in Korea on the 19th of Feb and will have the drug test that week. I guess I would need to stop soon to be absolutely safe.
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shania09 responded:
I have read it can happen, but I never had a false positive personally. But I know it happens more often when docs use the rapid urine tox screen such as you get in the ER. As for the more in depth drug screening I do not know. But then again the Vicks Inhaler can test positive for Methamphetamine! I been on lamtical for little over a year and cymbalta. Although this would be lying, and probably not a wise move for a potential employer, but since S.Korea frowns on mental disorders, lamtical also is used by people who have cluster headaches and/or migraines.
Nobody can make you feel inferior without your permission.....
Report This| Share this:Lamotrogine and drug testingI have read it can happen, but I never had a false positive personally. But I know it happens more often when docs use the rapid urine tox screen such as you get in the ER. As for the more in depth drug screening I do not know. But then again the Vicks Inhaler can test positive for Methamphetamine! I been on lamtical for little over a year and cymbalta. Although this would be lying, and probably not a wise move for a potential employer, but since S.Korea frowns on mental disorders, lamtical also is used by people who have cluster headaches and/or migraines.
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Joseph F Goldberg, MD responded:
Dear An, I have never heard of lamotrigine causing a false positive PCP on a toxicology screen. Lamotrigine, with a half-life of 24 hours,leaves the bloodstream in about 5 days. in someone who has been off of lamotrigine for more than 5 days, the manufacturer recommends restarting the titration from scratch. drug screens generally measure illicit or controlled substances. nobody would find lamotrigine or Cymbalta in a drug screen unless they specifically were looking for those medicines. Dr. G.
Report This| Share this:Lamotrogine and drug testingDear An, I have never heard of lamotrigine causing a false positive PCP on a toxicology screen. Lamotrigine, with a half-life of 24 hours,leaves the bloodstream in about 5 days. in someone who has been off of lamotrigine for more than 5 days, the manufacturer recommends restarting the titration from scratch. drug screens generally measure illicit or controlled substances. nobody would find lamotrigine or Cymbalta in a drug screen unless they specifically were looking for those medicines. Dr. G.
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Joseph F Goldberg, MD replied to shania09's response:
Frowning on mental disorders is rather like frowning on lung disorders or stomach disorders, no? Dr. G.
Report This| Share this:Lamotrogine and drug testingFrowning on mental disorders is rather like frowning on lung disorders or stomach disorders, no? Dr. G.
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leaponover replied to Joseph F Goldberg, MD's response:
I 100% agree with that. It cost me a marriage and I told my wife that she suffers from kidney stones and it is another physical impairment that is no different but she wouldn't understand that. Anyway, so doing a search on the internet and seeing a lot of instances where there are false positives are nothing to be concerned about. I'm not so worried about stopping the lamotrogine as I am finding an English speaking psychiatrist down there to get me the initial step ups so i can go back to the 200mg, of which i have 6 mos of.
Report This| Share this:Lamotrogine and drug testingI 100% agree with that. It cost me a marriage and I told my wife that she suffers from kidney stones and it is another physical impairment that is no different but she wouldn't understand that. Anyway, so doing a search on the internet and seeing a lot of instances where there are false positives are nothing to be concerned about. I'm not so worried about stopping the lamotrogine as I am finding an English speaking psychiatrist down there to get me the initial step ups so i can go back to the 200mg, of which i have 6 mos of.
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leaponover replied to leaponover's response:
Here's an example of what i've come across:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3047872/
Report This| Share this:Lamotrogine and drug testingHere's an example of what i've come across:<br /><br /><a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3047872/">http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3047872/</a>
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