Toxicology Results

[sunbeachmom]

Hello,

My young brother recently died.  The toxicology reports were "inconclusive" and they are unable to tell us how he died.  He was only 39 and in good health.  There were preliminary "positive" results when testing for morphine/opiates.  My brother took anti-depressant medication for years and I am assuming he was still on it when he died.  Could anti-depressant medication show up on toxicology reports as a morphine or opiate?  Thank you for any light you can shed on this tragic situation.  What kinds of substances could result in a positive result comes back as morphine/opiate?  Thank you.

Veronica

[Ella789]

I'm so sorry for your loss.   I think this leaves so many unanswered questions that it is hard to sort them out.   Were there any belongings sent back with his ashes?  Did he have any friends over there, or a workplace?    
No answers will bring him back, and it is the family that has been left to wonder.  I think this is indeed so very sad and my heart goes out to you and his family.  I hope you can find closure with this someday.

Ella  

[bmdad]

This sounds like the exact same thing my family and I went through with my sister a little over 3 years ago. Her body pretty much shut down and was on life support. My parents had to make the very difficult decision to take her off of it after talking to every doctor possible that she could not be brought back. She was almost 31 years old and very healthy. I do know that she abused pain medication though. The thing is they only found a trace amount of vicodin in her system and the coroner said it wasn't enough to cause her death. She did have alcohol in her system but it was low at around .09. The results also came up as inconclusive. A day rarely goes by where we don't think about her. As time goes by you just have to accept the fact that our loved one is gone and is in a better place and try and find peace in that. I know it is easier said than done because I still wonder what exactly caused her death. I still believe it was just long term abuse to her body by taking pills and drinking. I think her body finally "had enough" and just couldn't handle it anymore. I'm not saying this is the case with your brother but is what I think happened to my oldest sis. I feel for your loss and know how difficult it is. Just try and find peace knowing he is in a better place and now watching over you and your family. I'm so sorry for your loss and what you and your family are experiencing. I still see it affecting my parents and I know some of that is not knowing exactly what happened or just not wanting to accept it. Just hang in there and it will slowly get easier over time. I wish you and your family peace and happiness even though it can be difficult to find. But eventually you will find it.
Brian

[sunbeachmom]

Thanks so much for your answers, they are what I was thinking but couldn't confirm for sure.  Unfortunately he died overseas and we are unable to travel there from the US at this time, he was cremated and shipped home to us though.  They're telling us there wasn't enough good "tissue" as he had been dead a few days before they found him.  Could morphine/opiate mean "heroin"?  Thanks again.

Veronica

[Some_life1976]

I am so sorry for your loss A loss like that leaves you sreching for answers, but i really dont belive antidepressiants would show up as opiats. when my dad died the report was so confuseing we asked for a meeting with the corner to go over it with us she was very good about answering ant questions we had, you may want to ask if your family can meet with someone from the office to go over the report with you once again i am so sorry for your loss

[Lisa034]

sorry to hear about your loss.  Holliee is correct an anti deprssiant would not show up as an opiate.  He must have been taking an opiate like hydrocodone, or oxycodone,  Hope this info helped you out any  
Best of Luck~~~~Let us know if there is anything more we can do for you
Lisa
Jacksonville

[Holliee]

Sorry for your loss and I don;t think an anti depressiant would show up as an opiate...

[whitie]

sorry to hear this, so sad.

I dont think so.

did he have any needle marks on his body? and when was he found?


positive results from the pre lim test for opiates/morphine, should mean he probably had respiratory failure would be my guess, from the morphine that showed up, whcih technically is an opiate, not a synthetic opioid ,like oxycotin or hydrocodone

I would think todays technology should be good enough to rule out any false positives ,like poppy seeds on a bagel.