Does Strattera show up on a drug test? 

Does Strattera show up on a drug test? 

Strattera (Atomoxetine) does not generally show up on a drug test or make you fail one. However, there is one case reported in which Strattera was the only prescription medication used and it produced false positive results for Amphetamines (1). 

The person in question denied the use of any controlled substance. The study concluded that there could be a possibility of Atomoxetine, the active drug in Strattera, or any of its metabolites causing a false positive. 

It has never happened in any case before or after this particular one. So I think it’s safe to say that Strattera is not commonly associated with producing a false positive and it probably won’t, but you should consider it a teeny tiny possibility. 

How long does Strattera stay in your system? 

Strattera has a half-life of about 5 hours, which is the time taken by this medication to reduce its concentration to half in your body (2). 

The remaining concentration of the drug keeps reducing to its half after every 5 hours and the process continues until the drug is completely washed out from your body. 

The entire process can take up to a day or two to complete. This time duration can vary from person to person as it depends on factors like age, weight, dosage strength, frequency, underlying health conditions, and overall physiological well-being. 

How to avoid getting a false positive on Strattera? 

As I have discussed in previous sections, it is highly unlikely for you to fail a drug test because of Strattera and it doesn’t generally cause a problem. It was just that one case reported and nothing before or after that. 

However, you can either try going for a more accurate testing procedure – if you can afford one – or you can avoid taking Strattera for 24-30 hours before your test – if your health condition allows it. However, it is not likely to happen so don’t worry much about it. 

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References

1.-

Fenderson JL, Stratton AN, Domingo JS, Matthews GO, Tan CD. Amphetamine positive urine toxicology screen secondary to atomoxetine. Case Rep Psychiatry. 2013;2013:381261. doi: 10.1155/2013/381261. Epub 2013 Jan 30. PMID: 23424703; PMCID: PMC3570929. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23424703/

2.-

PubChem [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): National Library of Medicine (US), National Center for Biotechnology Information; 2004-. PubChem Compound Summary for CID 54841, Atomoxetine; [cited 2023 Jan. 9]. Available from: https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Atomoxetine