Does Mirtazapine show up on a drug test? 

Does Mirtazapine show up on a drug test? 

No, Mirtazapine does not show up on a drug test. Mirtazapine is an antidepressant and it is not something the standard panel drug test is focused on. 

This is because Mirtazapine is not a drug of abuse and it is not categorized as a controlled substance. This antidepressant is also not known for causing false positives in standard drug urine immunoassays. 

If you have a drug test coming up and you’re being treated with Mirtazapine, don’t worry. It’s highly unlikely for this medication to show up or make you fail a drug test. 

However, you can talk to your healthcare provider and inform the testing authorities that you’re currently taking Mirtazapine. Some antidepressants are known for causing false positives and it’s best to come clean with all the prescription meds you are taking (1). 

If a false positive does show up somehow, you can go for higher drug testing procedures like Gas Chromatography – Mass spectroscopy (GC-MS) to detect the exact chemical in your body responsible for causing a false positive (2). 

Make sure you don’t stop using Mirtazapine before your drug test as antidepressants should never be stopped abruptly or the dose should never be reduced without consulting your doctor first. 

How is Mirtazapine different from drugs that show up on a drug test?

Mirtazapine is structurally and chemically different from drugs that typically show up on a drug test. Drug tests are designed to detect specific substances, such as illicit drugs or certain medications that have a potential for abuse or misuse (3). 

Mirtazapine, on the other hand, is an antidepressant medication that belongs to a class of drugs known as noradrenergic and specific serotonergic antidepressants (NaSSAs). It works by affecting the levels of certain chemicals in the brain to help alleviate symptoms of depression (4).

Drug tests usually target specific compounds or their metabolites to identify the presence of drugs in the body. Mirtazapine does not share the same chemical structure or metabolites as drugs typically screened for, such as Opioids, Amphetamines, Benzodiazepines, or Cannabinoids. (5)

Therefore, when undergoing a drug test, the use of Mirtazapine is unlikely to result in a positive finding for illicit drugs or substances targeted by the test. 

However, you should ensure the safe and effective use of Mirtazapine. Mirtazapine is generally a good antidepressant and it works well. However, if you think it’s not working well enough, just talk to your doctor. Do not increase the dose on your own.

Furthermore, Mirtazapine should not be stopped abruptly. The best way to come off Mirtazapine is to gradually taper it off – which helps in managing potential withdrawal symptoms.

What side effects are common with Mirtazapine?

Mirtazapine may cause the following side effects:

  • nausea
  • increased weight and appetite
  • confusion
  • drowsiness
  • dry mouth
  • anxiousness
  • anger and agitation
  • dizziness
  • palpitations
  • constipation
  • vomiting

Mirtazapine can also cause some rare side effects, including allergic reactions, optic nerve damage, tightness of the chest, breathlessness, etc.

Mirtazapine may cause more pronounced side effects when paired with other medications that can affect your brain, like some antipsychotics (Abilify, Seroquel, etc), benzodiazepines (Alprazolam, Clonazepam, Lorazepam, Diazepam, etc), other anxiolytics (Buspirone), other antidepressants, antihistamines (Diphenhydramine) etc.

Final words

To sum up, Mirtazapine does not show up on a drug test or cause a false positive. However, it’s important to disclose all medications you are taking to the testing personnel or healthcare provider to ensure an accurate interpretation of the results.

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References

1.-

Alyson Schwebach, Jennifer Ball. Urine Drug Screening: Minimizing False Positives and False Negatives to Optimize Patient Care. US Pharm. 2013;38(12):1-6. Available at: https://www.uspharmacist.com/article/urine-drug-screening-minimizing-false-positives-and-false-negatives-to-optimize-patient-care

2.-

Ramoo B, Funke M, Frazee C, Garg U. Comprehensive Urine Drug Screen by Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS). Methods Mol Biol. 2016;1383:125-31. doi: 10.1007/978-1-4939-3252-8_15. PMID: 26660182. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26660182/

3.-

McNeil SE, Chen RJ, Cogburn M. Drug Testing. 2023 Jan 16. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2023 Jan–. PMID: 29083751. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK459334/

4.-

Jilani TN, Gibbons JR, Faizy RM, Saadabadi A. Mirtazapine. 2022 Sep 7. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2023 Jan–. PMID: 30085601. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK519059

5.-

Moeller KE, Lee KC, Kissack JC. Urine drug screening: practical guide for clinicians. Mayo Clin Proc. 2008 Jan;83(1):66-76. doi: 10.4065/83.1.66. Erratum in: Mayo Clin Proc. 2008 Jul;83(7):851. PMID: 18174009. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18174009/

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