Will Phentermine Show Up On A Drug Test?

drug test

One concern for many people taking phentermine is that phentermine is said to give a false-positive result on an employment drug test.

In response to the many questions, we’re asked about phentermine and drug tests, here we explain more about the drug screening process, why phentermine can give a positive result, and how to avoid these causing problems with your employer.

Keep reading, or check out the infographic below, to learn more about phentermine showing up on a drug test.

What Does The Drug Test Look For?

The most common drug test method is urinalysis, which will most typically test for five categories of illegal substances. Known as a 5-panel drug screening, this test looks for evidence of THC, Opiates, PCP, Cocaine, and Amphetamines.

Drug testing is an action an employer or prospective employer can take to determine if employees or job applicants are using drugs.

Rather than acting as a test of impairment or whether recent behavior is the result of drug use, employment drug tests are implemented to create a safe working environment for all employees. Workplace drug testing aims to deter employees or potential employees from taking drugs, identify and help employees with drug and/or alcohol problems, protect the general public, and comply with employment laws and regulations.

In the event of a positive result in both the initial and confirmation tests, the medical review officer (MRO) then reviews the results and contacts the individual to ensure that there are no medical or other reasons for the result. It is only at this point that the MRO may report the results to the employer.

Certain medications can cause a false-positive result on the drug test. If this is the case and the employee can verify that he or she has been prescribed the medication and is taking it as instructed, then the test is reported as negative.

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Will Phentermine Show Up On A Drug Test?

drug test

Phentermine can show up on a drug test as a false positive for amphetamine. Although phentermine is not an amphetamine, its chemical structure is similar to that of amphetamine, meaning that phentermine can give a false-positive result for amphetamine in a 5-panel drug screening urinalysis.

However, following the information above, with evidence of your prescription from the doctor who prescribed your phentermine, the result should be declared negative.

A key factor is that you have to have been taking it as directed, so this is another reason to be sure to follow the prescription and not to take more than directed by your doctor.

If you have been taking more than the recommended dosage, then excess levels of phentermine might raise questions for the MRO reviewing the positive result.

Although phentermine is not an illegal drug, it is a controlled substance, listed on page 12 of the Drug Enforcement Agency’s January 2016 List of Controlled Substances, and can only be legally obtained by prescription.

If you cannot provide a prescription to explain the presence of phentermine in your system following a drug test, then this would be considered illegal usage, and the MRO may insist that the positive result stands.

If you know that your employer may request a drug test during the duration of your phentermine prescription, then in some circumstances, it may be better to inform your direct supervisor that you are taking phentermine and to provide proof of your prescription before a drug test. This will avoid you having to retrospectively disclose that you are taking phentermine and the possibility of a false-positive reading being declared to your employer.

How Long Does Phentermine Stay In Your System?

Phentermine should not be detectable in the urine after a period of around four or seven days. Although this varies depending on the person and their urinary pH, phentermine (Adipex) has a half-life of about 16-31 hours under normal conditions. It may, however, be detectable for longer if you were taking more than prescribed or used phentermine for a long time.

Due to confusion between phentermine and the now-banned weight-loss medication Fen-Phen, as well as a general misunderstanding of what phentermine does, many phentermine users choose to keep phentermine a secret. Therefore, it is not surprising that some people may prefer not to disclose that they are taking phentermine to their employer.

To avoid the possibility of a false-positive result, if you are aware that you will have a drug test soon, you may prefer to stop taking phentermine for a few days.

If you’re concerned about a false-positive result on a drug test due to phentermine, then another option is to take a phentermine alternative such as Phen Caps instead of phentermine. Phen Caps will not show up on a drug test as they do not contain ingredients similar to amphetamine, so you can benefit from the appetite-suppressing effects and energy boost without worrying about failing an employment drug test.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the half-life of phentermine?

The half-life of phentermine is around 16 to 31 hours. However, the drug’s half-life will vary depending on each person’s metabolism and the pH of their urine.

How long does phentermine stay in your urine?

Generally, phentermine will no longer be detected in the urine 4 to 7 days after the last dose was taken. However, the detection period could be longer if phentermine has been taken at a high dose or for a long time.

What does phentermine show up as on a drug test?

Phentermine can show up on a drug test as a false positive for amphetamine. This is because, despite being different drugs, phentermine and amphetamine have a similar chemical structure.

If you can provide your employer with evidence that phentermine has been prescribed for you, then a positive result for amphetamine should be declared a false positive.

Can I get fired for taking phentermine?

If you take phentermine without a prescription, your employer may view this as illegal usage of the drug. This could result in disciplinary action.

Phentermine is not illegal, but it is a controlled substance. This means it should only be taken if you have a prescription.

Will phentermine show up on a military drug test?

Phentermine may show up as a false positive on a military drug test as it might register on an initial urine screening test for amphetamines. If this happens, another analysis will be conducted for confirmation. Phentermine will not cause a positive result on the confirmation drug test or be reported as positive through the military drug-testing program.

In 2018, the Defense Health Agency (DHA) added four generic weight-loss medications to its pharmacy formulary, including phentermine. The idea is to make more FDA-approved weight-loss therapies available to TRICARE patients but also give active duty personnel struggling with weight some alternatives for meeting standards. The documentation notes that “Active Duty Service Members requiring a weight loss drug should be enrolled in a Service-Specific Health and Wellness Program and must follow individual service policies.”

Will phentermine show up on urinalysis?

If you have taken phentermine, a urinalysis performed to screen for drugs may give a false-positive result for amphetamine. This is because of the chemical similarities between the two drugs.

However, if you can provide evidence that a doctor has prescribed phentermine for you, the result should be declared a false positive.

How can I pass a urine drug test for phentermine?

If you take phentermine, it is advisable to provide your employer with a copy of your prescription before you take the drug test. This proves that you are taking a controlled substance in the manner it was prescribed, avoiding the need for an explanation if the test should return a positive result.

How long does Labcorp take to provide urine results?

Labcorp aims to complete urine testing within a few days, but result delivery times for more complex tests may take longer. However, all tests are usually completed within two weeks.

If you request testing as an individual, your results can be accessed by logging into your Labcorp patient portal account. If your employer requests a drug test, the results will be sent directly to them.

Will Labcorp call you if you fail a drug test?

No, Labcorp will not call you if you fail a drug test. A drug test that detects an illegal substance will either be reported on your patient portal account or sent directly to your employer.

However, Labcorp may call you if they require you to provide a second urine sample, for example, if the first sample was contaminated or invalid for another reason.

How long will phentermine be detectable on a hair drug test?

Phentermine may still be detected in a hair drug test even if you have not taken phentermine for a month or longer. When comparing blood, urine, and hair drug testing, phentermine remains detectable for the longest period of time in the hair.

Does phentermine show up on a 10-panel drug test?

Phentermine may be erroneously categorized as amphetamine as part of the 10-panel drug test, as testing for amphetamine forms part of this particular test. Amphetamine and the other drugs screened for in a 10-panel test are chosen as they are the most commonly misused drugs in the USA.

The panel also includes cannabis, cocaine, barbiturates, opioids, benzodiazepines, phencyclidine (PCP), methaqualone, methadone, and propoxyphene.

Is Adipex a narcotic?

In countries including France, Adipex is considered to be a narcotic. However, in the USA, generic and branded phentermine (such as Adipex) belongs to a group of drugs called sympathomimetics or CNS stimulants.

Is phentermine meth?

No, phentermine is not meth. Phentermine is an isomer of methamphetamine or meth. This means that the two substances are made up of the same atoms, but the atoms are arranged completely differently.

This difference is very important, as it gives the drugs different properties. Despite sharing the same group of atoms, the structure of phentermine makes it far less potent than methamphetamine.

Will Topamax show up on a drug test?

Most drug tests do not test for topiramate or its metabolites. It is, therefore, unlikely that Topamax (the brand name for topiramate) would show up on drug testing.

Sally Cohen

Sally Cohen is a certified nutritionist passionate about promoting health at any size.

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145 Comments

  1. Hi, I only take 1/2 phentermine tablet (37.5) daily. A friend just informed me that this diet pill shows up as street drugs on a drug screen (hence what lead me to this site). I have a drug screen in 2 days for a very strict company and I don’t see even having a prescription being acceptable… my question is what is time frame to get this crap out of my body if i’m only taking 1/2 daily so I don’t look like a druggie??
    thanks!

    1. Hi Cristina,
      Although it can vary depending on the person, phentermine should not be detectable in the urine after a period of around four or seven days
      Rachel, phentermine.com

  2. Hi I have never took this bed or to day and I only took 2 capsules As Told I was told I would do it drug test tomorrow or the next day what is the chances that it will show up this is not something that I’ve been taken every day I’m new to this

  3. I had a severe anxiety/panic attack during work and was taken to the ER. I had a 10 panel tox/UA w/micro and it came back negative. When i got home, I took my wife’s last 2 phenties and went to bed. Boss called me 12 hours later for company UA. will it show up positive for amp/mamp? What do I do?

      1. I have a question today is my first day of ever using us I took two two tablets as described and was told that I have a urine test tomorrow I’m trying to find out since I’ve only took two and I don’t take it regularly and I’ve never took it before today how long will it take my system

  4. If I took only one phentermine pill on Friday, and I have a urine screen the following Wednesday, how likely will it be out of my system? And if not, will I test positive for any substance? What about a false positive??

    1. Hi Whitney,
      Although it can vary depending on the person, phentermine should not be detectable in the urine after a period of around four or seven days. In 5 days it may still be in your system and could give a false positive reading for amphetamines on the urine test.
      Sally, phentermine.com

    2. Did your test come back positive? I’m in the same seat you were I took 2 pills on Saturday and 1 on Sunday, I was suppose to test today(Wednesday) but rescheduled it for tomorrow(Thursday) . Im worried it will still be in my system .

  5. I just had to do an UA yesterday and not thinking that the medication would show up on the test. Well I didn’t pass and it has been sent to the MRO. I showed them my list of medications but I still now have to wait for the “phonecall”. I am PRAYING that I don’t lose my job over this!!! Any words of advice or wisdom would be appreciated right about now. I’ve never failed a wiz quiz… EVER! It was so embarrassing.

  6. I have never had a positive urine only for what i am prescribed ,,but after taking Phentermine for 2 months after being prescribed ..my pain management doctor gives me a urine screen and it comes back positive for cocaine ,,i have never did anything other then what i am prescibed ..i have diabetes and kidney trouble also …i was released from pain management ..what can i do as i have had 14 surgeries and a really messed up back and i need my meds and the procedure i was getting on my back

    1. Your stuck trying find another pain management.
      But in meantime.
      Talk to your family dr about staying on your meds until you find a new pain management .
      Tell the truth to new dr.
      Make sure you tell new dr.
      Your willing to stop taking them
      That you didnt realise the severity of it.
      It happened to me.
      Same thing.
      I just found new dr.
      And told him what happened.
      That ive never had a positive urine for anything over the past 10 years.

    2. I also was taking phentermine I am not drug user. I tested positive for coke now CPS has my chikdren someone please help!!!

  7. I have been going to pain managements for years and i have never had a bad urine screen until i was prescribed Phentermine and i was told my last test was positive for cocaine ..when i questioned my pharmacist about it he said yes it is very possible to cause a false positive for cocaine since it is a stimulant ..but im not sure what to do about this ..any suggestions

  8. I never took phentermine. Today i took a half a pill at 1:00p.m and i took a U.A. at 830pm..i drank alot of fluids today and urinated at least 10 times easily before the test..was there enough of it to show up

  9. took 1/2 a phentermine pill today at 1:00 and didn’t think about the fact I was giving urine at 2:00 for my pain doctor. This was a 1 time thing haven’t taken it in many months. Doctor prescribed it a year ago.

  10. Hello, i take qysmia and i failed a ua for amphetamines/mamp i took home test and got the same results some im just waiting on the lab has any body had this problem???? They say qysmia has phentermine in and its like amphetamines and will show up in a ua as amp/mamp…. please help..

  11. I havent taken one in 5 months, just yesterday I took a half and come to find out I got the call for a job interview and a drug screen this morning is there a possibility that it will still show up on the drug screen?

    1. Hi Joe,
      Yes it’s very likely the phentermine you took yesterday will still be in your system.
      Sally, phentermine.com

  12. I took 1/2 a phentermine pill today at 1:00 and didn’t think about the fact I was giving urine at 2:00 for my pain doctor. This was a 1 time thing haven’t taken it in many months. Doctor prescribed it a year ago.

    1. similar. I had a prescription a year ago and took 15mg x 2 days before my drug test . I’m worried. Did you have any issues ?

  13. What if I took one pill it for one day (Monday) and I recently receive a phone to do a drug test on a friday for a new job offer!. The test its on friday…would it appear on the test? should I be worried. Thanks

    1. Hi Yolanda,
      Although it can vary depending on the person, phentermine may be detectable in the urine for a period of around four or seven days. So, you should be prepared to show your prescription for proof in case there are signs of what appears to be amphetamines in your system.
      Sally, phentermine.com

  14. I took about 8 Phentermine pills (30mg) over a two month period. I took it yesterday and drug tested myself with the 5 panel urine test. I was shocked to see I was positive for amphetamines. With some quick research I found out that Phentermine can lead to false positives.

    My question is, will this be detectable in my hair? I would have never taken this if I had known it was a controlled substance.

    I have a hair test January 23rd. Do you think I could test positive for this?

    1. Hi Hopeful,
      We’re not completely informed about hair testing and phentermine, but we do know that hair testing is preferred in many cases of drug-testing as it shows drug use over the previous month or longer, while urine testing is limited to just a few days. However, as the article states, phentermine is not an amphetamine, it is a controlled substance in the same way that many prescription medications are. So as long as you have a prescription to show why phentermine is in your system then you have a reasonable explanation to show why you might test positive later this month.
      Sally, phentermine.com

  15. Our drug testing vendor does a 3-level test on amphetamines.

    The initial test is an immunoassay, showing the presence of amphetamines generally.
    The next test is GC/MS breaking it out between amphetamines and methamphetamines.
    The third test breaks out the meth into d-form and l-form isomers, with a percentage of each.

    Is it possible for Adipex to test 96% d-meth? Please explain.

    1. Hi Julie,
      We’re not sure about the exact statistics, we just know that phentermine is structurally similar to amphetamine. Perhaps it could be as similar as 96% but then that would indicate that the other 4% makes a lot more difference than might be suggested by the low number.
      Sally, phentermine.com

  16. I tested positive negative and had been taking phentermine but they called and said it showed methamphetamine molecules, I dont understand.. I’ve used in the past but its been years

    1. Hi,
      Since phentermine is structurally similar to amphetamine, the tests can incorrectly identify phentermine as methamphetamine. If they’ve analyzed the results and found methamphetamine then this is strange, especially as you say it’s been years since you used. If I were you I would request that the MRO analyzes the test again if it’s possible for you to do so.
      Sally, phentermine.com

  17. It CAN cause a false positive on a standard “dip” test if you take it often, but then it usually goes to a lab for the final determination of what it is, and phentermine isn\t something they specifically look for. So all should be well.

      1. Hi Meeuh! Although it can vary depending on the person, phentermine should not be detectable in the urine after a period of around four or seven days, but will likely show-up if you take a drug test before that. Regardless, be prepared to show proof of prescription in case there are signs of amphetamines in your system.
        Rachel, phentermine.com

  18. I tested positive for amphetamine gave all 3 prescriptions but medical review said it wasn’t this amphetamine in my urine which I didn’t understand due to that was all I was taking. Sadly to say I got termed.

    1. I’d recommend suing your previous employer if your story is true. This is a medication used to treat a real medical issue. You have as much of a case as a diabetic whose insulin caused them to come up with a false positive for amphetamines. The GC/MS test will put an end to what was really in your system and it should have been ran.

    2. I just went through same situation, except, I have been with my employer, a year. I take phentermine 37.5 and for awhile now, I took the test and tested positive for amphetamines and the MRO decided that is was in no way my phentermine and I have NOT taken anything else! I am beyond pissed and have no idea what and where too go next

  19. I’m sorry about that and I didn’t see this sooner I had the same issue but it was for pre employment. Everything went well for me and I hope it did for you as well.

  20. I did receive a positive result on a drug test and showed my prescription to the nurse at work but they still sent me home and I have to wait for the lab result – I had no idea I would fail a drug test with diet pills. I don’t know what is going to happen, they said someone is going to call me, I think to ask me about my prescription, I just don’t want to lose my job.

    1. It is good to get a note from your doctor stain he or she has prescribed Phentermine for you.The reason is not required because weight loss is only one.This should be sufficient the amount prescribed is between you an your physcian.
      Other uses although not FDA recognized is for adults with ADHD.esp.if Adderall is ineffective or its side effects are pronounced hyperanxiety and excessive symptoms ,a person may be too sensitive for metabolic or endocrine reasons.
      Phentermine is also used to stop smoking .For me a note from my physcian stain I was on Phentermine and if the employer had questions or concerns to please address with the physcian. This is a reminder that employers have a responsibility to the employee and must honor hippa.,confidentiality.Verification u r on it by ur doctor should be more than enough .