Does NyQuil Appear Positive On Drug Test?
Will NyQuil test positive on urine drug tests for recent use of methamphetamines?
Most people are familiar with the fact that taking the cold and flu remedy Sudafed, can result in false-positive drug test results. The only question is, can other decongestants like NyQuil also affect drug screenings?
Can NyQuil Cause You To Fail Drug Test?
As a decongestant medication, NyQuil is formulated differently to decongestants like Sudafed. However, NyQuil can still see users fail a urine drug test.
When a false-positive test result occurs, taking NyQuil will usually see you test positive for amphetamines.
Thankfully, false-positive results are less likely with NyQuil than they are Sudafed. However, if you are plan on using NyQuil, failing a drug test is something you might want to think about.
Thankfully, false-positive results are less likely with NyQuil than they are with Sudafed, and you can also dispute a false-positive drug test result if that happens. However, if you are plan on using NyQuil, failing a drug test is something you might want to think about.
Why Does NyQuil Return False Positive Results?
How and why false-positive drug test results can happen with NyQuil is simple.
All over-the-counter cold and flu remedies on the market contain antihistamines. In NyQuil, the dominant antihistamine present is Doxylamine Succinate. This is chemically very different from antihistamines like Pseudoephedrine (found in Sudafed). However, all antihistamines can affect drug tests.
- Research shows that Doxylamine Succinate can show up in urine drug tests as methadone, other opiates, and amphetamines like PCP.
- NyQuil also contains a cough suppressant called Dextromethorphan, which can also appear in urine drug tests as PCP.
- Both Doxylamine Succinate and Dextromethorphan have a half-life of approximately 10 to 12-hours. As a result, false-positive drug test scores usually occur within 12-hours of taking NyQuil.
How Can NyQuil Users Prevent Failing a Drug Test?
Because the active ingredients of NyQuil have a half-life of just 12-hours, most people will not need to worry about failing a drug test a day or more after taking the decongestant. There is just one problem.
Most people who use cold and flu remedies like NyQuil, take 15mg – 25mg doses every 4 – 6 hours while symptomatic. This being the case, many people constantly top up their levels of Doxylamine Succinate and Dextromethorphan.
When taken over long periods, active ingredients in decongestants like NyQuil can also accumulate in the body. This being the case, the only way to be certain to pass a drug test, is to not use NyQuil for several days before a drug screening.
How to Remove NyQuil from the Body Faster
Do you have an upcoming drug test that it might not be possible to pass because of your recent use of NyQuil? If so, don’t worry.
In addition to this drug having a short half-life, there’s research that shows ways to eliminate metabolites faster using THC cleaner kits. It’s important though to use research-supported supplements, not just generic detox pills from Amazon.
What Happens if You Fail a Drug Test?
Were you previously unaware that NyQuil and Sudafed could cause you to fail a drug test? As a result, is your employer already starting to ask a few awkward questions? If so, don’t worry.
If you know that you have not used opiates or amphetamines, ask your employer to allow you to take a confirmatory GC-MS-gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer drug test. Unlike a urine or blood test, this will show for certain that no illicit drug traces are in your system.
