Does Viagra Show Up On a Drug Test?
When it comes to treating erectile dysfunction, effective medication is by taking Viagra.
While this is medically approved, it still stirs up concern for people who will need to take medical examinations and other related tests. One of those is a drug test –which leads to the question: does Viagra show up on a drug test?
There are a few things you should know about Viagra as well as drug testing. You will have to understand what Viagra is and how drug tests work to understand the process and clear yourself of worries completely.
An important thing to note is that Viagra is an erectile dysfunction medication that the FDA has approved. Whether it shows up on your drug test or not, it won’t necessarily cause significant problems.
The Basics on Drug Testing.
To start, drug tests are usually conducted as a part of medical examinations to screen the body for any illegal or under-prescription drugs. There are different kinds of tests done to determine this.
The two most common methods are:
Blood testing provides more accurate information on what drugs and medications have been consumed during specific periods. It can also determine the concentration of the consumed drugs. In clinical settings, this is usually done however it is instead a costly method. Urine testing is a standard method mainly because drugs that undergo metabolism after consumption will be excreted through urine. A urine test is commonly done to detect physical issues. However, it also detects what was consumed during a short period (approximately 48 to 72 hours).
During a drug test, you will have to undergo two phases. The first is the screening, followed by the second, which is confirmation. Most of the time, multiple drug tests will be conducted to produce much more accurate results.
Viagra: What It Is and How It Works.
In identifying whether Viagra shows up on a drug test or not, it’s equally important to know precisely what Viagra is. Simply put, Viagra is the name of a brand for erectile dysfunction medication.
ED is known as the condition wherein a man has trouble becoming erect. The primary purpose of this kind of medication is to help the consumer produce an erection, if not for the overall improvement of the erection itself.
The main reason this is possible is that the medication contains Sildenafil, which helps in increasing the flow of blood to the penis, allowing it to become erect. Since the erection occurs with the help of medication, it can remain in this state for up to 6 hours maximum.
A common concern is whether or not the consumption of the medications brings immediate effects. The answer to this is no. Viagra will not cause you to have an erection unwillingly.
One of the factors that trigger the medication to do its work is sexual arousal. As usual, the erection will only occur when aroused; the medication works the same way.
Why Does Viagra Show Up On a Drug Test?
Depending on the type of test that is conducted, it is likely that Viagra will appear. There are instances where the test is done to determine whether or not certain substances are present, usually harmful or illegal.
When the test is focused on locating these selected substances, Viagra will not show up in your results even if it was present when you got tested.
This medication is not illegal to consume, so it is often deemed insignificant when the drug test is being performed to identify the use of illicit substances in the body.
While it can show up during the test, most drug tests don’t normally include the detection of Viagra and therefore aren’t specified in the results as suspicious or harmful.
What Happens When Viagra is Detected During a Drug Test?
Viagra is, as mentioned earlier, used for medical uses. It is approved to be used to treat certain conditions, particularly erectile dysfunction and other similar instances.
Because of the nature of this medication, it can likely be detected during a drug test. However, it won’t be marked as anything negative.
It would usually take up to six hours for the medication to eliminate itself from your system. The effect would last up to 4 to 6 hours, depending on your dosage.
The length of time it takes for the medication to take effect and wear off can also vary on how high your dosage is and the state of your condition.
The length of time it stays in your system will also determine whether or not it can be detected. Regardless, even if it is shown that you have consumed Viagra, it isn’t considered faulty.
Things to Keep in Mind Before Consuming Viagra.
Before you consume erectile dysfunction medication, consider a few things to ensure that further complications don’t occur.
The common side effects from consuming Viagra include headache, redness, dizziness, and feeling sick. Do not take the medication simultaneously as nitrates as this could cause problems with your blood pressure. You must be over 18 to be able to consume Viagra.
How Antidepressants Show Up on a Drug Test.
Avoiding a False Positive Result on a Drug Screen.
Nancy Schimelpfening, MS is the administrator for the non-profit depression support group Depression Sanctuary. Nancy has a lifetime of experience with depression, experiencing firsthand how devastating this illness can be.
Steven Gans, MD is board-certified in psychiatry and is an active supervisor, teacher, and mentor at Massachusetts General Hospital.
Kirby Hamilton / Getty Images.
If are taking a prescription antidepressant medication like Prozac (fluoxetine), you might worry that it could show up on a drug test. This is especially a concern if you must take a pre-employment drug screen for a new job.
Because antidepressants are not considered "drugs of abuse," they are not included in common urine drug screens. However, there may be cross-reactions that can produce false positive results for the substances these tests are designed to detect.
Learn the actions you can take to ensure your drug test results are interpreted accurately and your rights are protected.
Common Drug Screens.
Antidepressants do not show up as antidepressants on standard drug tests. The lab would have to do specific additional tests to look for antidepressants.
If you are in treatment for depression, the good news is that antidepressants are not the drugs that an employer is looking for in an employment drug screen. The types of substances tested for on a typical employment drug screens include:
Amphetamines, including methamphetamine Barbiturates Benzodiazepines (tranquilizers) Cannabinoids, including marijuana Cocaine Darvon (propoxyphene) Opiates, including heroin, oxycodone, and hydrocodone Phencyclidine (PCP)
Sometimes, however, an antidepressant will trigger a false positive on a drug test, showing up on the test as an amphetamine or lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD).
Impact of Antidepressants on Drug Tests.
False positive test results can sometimes occur if a prescription drug or its metabolite has a similar chemical structure to the target drug being tested for.
Some antidepressants can inadvertently trigger a false positive for a controlled substance. To avoid this, advise the tester about any medications you may be taking so that confirmatory tests can be performed to weed out any false positive.
Certain antidepressant drugs are more prone to false-positive readings. For example, Wellbutrin (bupropion), Prozac (fluoxetine), and Desyrel (trazodone) can all potentially show up as amphetamines in a drug screen.
Similarly, Zoloft (sertraline) may show up as a benzodiazepine. Less commonly, antidepressants have been known to trigger false positives for LSD.
Preventing False Positives.
If you are concerned that your antidepressant might show up as a false positive for another drug in a drug test, your best course of action is to be proactive.
Inform the Technician.
In addition to informing the technician about the antidepressant your take, bring along the prescription bottle and ensure that the drug is notated on your record. It is better to declare this before the test rather than after.
Request a Second Test If Necessary.
Due to the risk of false positives, all drug screen results should be considered presumptive until confirmed by a second testing technique, such as liquid or gas mass spectrometry.
If your drug screen is positive and a second confirmation test has not been done, demand that it be performed immediately, ideally with the same sample. Moreover, get a copy of both results to confirm that a different technique was used.
Talk to Your Doctor About Other Medications.
If possible, you may want to talk to your doctor about trying a different type of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) that won't produce a false positive. For instance, Prozac (fluoxetine) or Zoloft (sertraline) may produce a false-positive result, whereas Paxil (paroxetine), Celexa (citalopram), and Lexapro (escitalopram) do not.
If you're using an antidepressant to treat neuropathic pain, you may want to avoid taking Effexor XR (venlafaxine) and tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs), which are types of antidepressants that may be more likely to produce a false positive. Instead, you may ask your doctor about Cymbalta (duloxetine), which has a very low risk of producing a false positive on a drug test.
If you are using an antidepressant as a sleep aid, avoid using Desyrel (trazodone) if possible. Remeron (mirtazapine) or sedative-hypnotics are alternatives that have less of a chance of producing a false positive on a drug test.
Of course, if a specific medication is working well for your depression—and you and your doctor agree it's best not to change courses—be sure to show any and all medications to the lab technician conducting your drug screening.
Protecting Your Privacy.
Even if you are able to sort out any false positives from your drug screen, you may be concerned about the disclosure of your antidepressant drug use.
In most cases, any information you share with the tester won't be included on the result. The employees at the lab and your present or future supervisor will likely have no direct contact with each other. All your employer will receive is a list of positive and negative results to the requested drug screens.
Workplace harassment and discrimination for depression and other mental health conditions are prohibited under the Americans With Disabilities Act, but you may have valid concerns about your rights being upheld.
If you're concerned about confidentiality, ask the tester for a copy of the company's protected health information (PHI) documentation, outlining their legal duties and privacy practices as directed by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).
Although awareness about mental health conditions such as depression has grown over the years, it is still common for people with depression to worry about the stigma associated with a depression diagnosis.
It is understandable that you would want your depression diagnosis to be kept private, especially from a current or prospective employer. You may fear you could be discriminated against or singled out for the condition in the workplace, even with the legal protections in place.
Preparing for the Test.
First and most importantly, don't stop taking your medications or reducing the dosage unless you are doing so under the guidance of your physician. This is true even if you are concerned about false positives.
Even short-term interruptions in medication can have serious consequences for the treatment of your condition, not least of which is antidepressant discontinuation syndrome (ADS). Discuss any concerns you have with your mental health provider so you can take the drug screen safely and without stress.
It is also important to remember that antidepressants aren't the only drugs that can trigger a false positive drug screen. Others include:
Advil (ibuprofen) Aleve (naproxen) Benadryl (diphenhydramine) Cardizem (diltiazem) Dextromethorphan (found in Robitussin) Glucophage (metformin) Ritalin (methylphenidate) Sudafed (pseudoephedrine) Trandate (labetalol) Ultram (tramadol)
A Word From Verywell.
Facing a drug screen can make anyone anxious, especially when it is required for a job. You are not alone if you feel this way.
However, try not to stress unduly about taking a drug screen. Remember that false positives do happen and that most drug screening companies understand this. Simply divulge your prescriptions so that false positives can be avoided and your rights can be preserved.
Frequently Asked Questions.
Prozac (fluoxetine) could show up as an amphetamine or as lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) on a drug test and produce a false positive for one of these illicit drugs. However, Prozac doesn't show up as Prozac—or as an antidepressant—on a drug test because these tests normally don't screen for antidepressant use.
Lexapro (escitalopram) doesn't show up on a drug test because drug tests normally don't screen for antidepressant use. And, unlike other SSRIs, Lexapro does not produce a false positive for any other type of drug.
Zoloft (sertraline) could show up as a false positive on a drug test as a benzodiazepine or LSD. However, Zoloft wouldn't show up as Zoloft—or as an antidepressant—on a test, because people are usually not screened for antidepressant use during a standard drug test.
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