Posted on Aug 5, 2019
SGT Motor Transport Operator
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I am looking for information on the weight loss pill Phentermine 37.5. I have a SM who has been taking this and recently produced a positive UA for COC. I understand that COC can only be found in certain products but doing research it looks as if there are connections between the to. I If any information please let me know, this SM is to good and hardworking to let go?
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SFC Retention Operations Nco
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Contrary to popular belief, UA's don't produce a false positive. There are two tests when doing a UA, the first is a cheaper, broad metabolite test, that's the kind that can produce a positive result for a different drug because many drugs produce similar metabolites after use. When there is a positive in that test, the sample is then tested using a gas chromatography test, which is extremely accurate and will even detect the amount of the metabolite in the sample. The DOD thresholds for positive results are high enough that if someone has a positive UA, there was definitely that drug in their system. Once they receive the positive UA, their medical prescriptions are reviewed to ensure it wasn't something that was prescribed in the last 6 months.

You can't outsmart the test and it doesn't lead to false positives. The only way to contradict the results is if the sample was mishandled or some urine from another positive sample contaminated other samples in the box. But, gas chromatography is the gold standard for chemical testing and what comes out of the results is a dead on analysis of what went in.
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SGT Motor Transport Operator
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Thank you.
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SSG Laurie Mullen
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Edited >1 y ago
I work for a sheriff's office and was on Adipex (phentermine 37.5) for a while. Each time I got a new prescription I asked for a drug screen letter too just to cover me. We are subject to random drug/alcohol screens at any time. I will say this about phentermine, it is some nasty stuff. When I was taking it my mouth was always dry, my sleep sucked, and I was always antsy. When I took a break from it I had really bad sugar cravings for a few weeks. I tried taking only half a dose, but it didn't help much. You will lose weight, but you regain it all back and then some after you stop taking it. I advise everyone to stay away from it. The short term weight loss just isn't worth it.

**I know I didn't answer your question, but some one else may read this and decide to try using phentermine to lose weight.**
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SGT Retired
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Does the SM have a prescription? Was the prescription valid during the time of UA?
Phentermine isn’t that big of a deal. Of course, it can be abused. So can Tylenol. But when taken as prescribed, it’s not an issue. On a side note, The SM should let the tester/CC know that he/she has been prescribed Phentermine, as it may produce false positives.
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SGT Motor Transport Operator
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Yes, the SM had a prescription for Phentermine. The results for the UA was COC, which is cocaine.
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SGT Retired
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SGT (Join to see) - The SM needs to have a talk with his commander and Doc. Any false positives from phentermine would generally indicate amphetamines. If his UA came up hot, it was then likely tested with a gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GS/MS) test.

FAR more accurate. Is capable of providing a false positive? Of course (see attached links). Is it likely to produce a false positive? Of course not. The soldier needs to be brutally honest, as do you and the leadership.
Best of luck.

http://www.annclinlabsci.org/content/25/4/319.full.pdf
https://www.drugs.com/article/false-positive-drug-tests.html
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