Amphetamines include illegal stimulants like methamphetamine (meth), and MDMA, prescription drugs like Adderall and Vyvanse. But they can also make users feel very agitated, have delusions and hallucinations, and may cause amphetamine psychosis. If you have signs of a methamphetamine overdose, a healthcare provider may also order other tests. These can include a fingerstick blood sugar test, an acetaminophen test, and an electrocardiogram (ECG). This is done to rule out other health emergencies or monitor your condition.
Follow up care varies depending on many factors related to your test. Sometimes there is no follow up after you have been notified of test results. Talk with your healthcare worker about any concerns or questions you have regarding follow up care or instructions. People can benefit from undergoing a detox program, where staff can monitor symptoms and mood as they withdraw from amphetamines and cleanse their bodies of these substances. Experts report that some people may benefit from antidepressant medications as they complete the withdrawal process. Amphetamines are prescription medications that stimulate the central nervous system.
What are related tests?
People who take amphetamines and opioids simultaneously are at increased risk of irregular heartbeat, seizures, overdose and even death. Below is an overview of the side effects of using amphetamines alongside other drugs. Amphetamines are stimulant drugs that are highly addictive and speed up the rate at which messages are sent between the brain and the body.
- Concentrations greater than 0.2 mg/L show a sign of amphetamine abuse, and concentrations greater than 2.5 mg/L can result in fatal overdoses.
- Timing of tests may be based on increased and decreased levels of medications, drugs or other substances in the body.
- This test is used to evaluate for suspected drug abuse or overdose[1][2][3].
- Most of these types of test detect the actual drug rather than something produced by the drug.
- If you have a problem with amphetamines, your school, employer, or the courts might send you to a drug treatment facility to get off them.
- Abusing these drugs can also cause other serious health problems.
Bingeing entails ingesting multiple doses at a time in order to maintain the drug’s “high” effects. Half-life cycles are multiples of the standard half-life time window. On average, up to 90 to 95 percent of amphetamines leave your system after four half-life cycles. This means, 90 to 95 percent of amphetamine materials leave your system within eight to 48 hours provided you’re in good health. Under general circumstances, Adderall will stay in a person’s urine for 24 to 48 hours.
Amphetamines: Everything you need to know
A good rule of thumb is that if you feel the effects of using amphetamines, it is still possible to detect it in the blood in most cases. The meth detection window may be slightly longer, for example, how long do amphetamines stay in your blood than dextroamphetamines. The Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) [2] has categorized them as Schedule II controlled substances. It means they have high abuse potential but also have medical uses.
- It is common for employers to drug-test employees, for example, to ensure it is safe for them to work.
- Hair tests are potentially the most reliable tests for detecting prior use of amphetamines, although they cannot detect recent or occasional drug use.
- Vyvanse works for about 8–12 hours but has unique pharmacology.
- We sell drug-testing kits for all types of drugs, and the kits are available with different testing strips for you to choose which drugs you want to be tested.
- Hair drug tests are effective because when a drug is used, it enters hair follicles and ends up in the hair’s growing strand.
Tell your healthcare worker about all of the medications and supplements you are using before this test is done[4][3]. How long amphetamines affect you depends on the dose and the way they are used; however, they typically affect you for up to 12 hours. While they are unlikely to affect you beyond 12 hours, they may still be detected for much longer. The length of time it takes for amphetamines to kick in depends on the specific drug and their method of use. When slowed in pill or tablet form, they will typically take about half an hour to begin to take effect, as they must first be absorbed in the intestines. When injected or snorted, amphetamines kick in much faster, generally within a few minutes.