I really need help! I am a 35yr old female who is 5'4 and weights 172lbs. On Tues night I drank 2 blue moons on tap back to back, the last one was at 9pm. Today is Friday and I was called for EtG testing through the nursing board and have to report by 6pm today. What are the chances I will pass? Please respond ASAP! Thanks for your help

Blue Moon = 5.4% abv.

The EtG created should be cleared from your system in the range of 18-39 hours from time of last drink.

Ref:
Halter, 2008 (http://www.springerlink.com/content/g31133r6lg253877/)
Wojcik & Hawthorne, 2007 (http://alcalc.oxfordjournals.org/content/42/4/317.full)

NOTICE: Any person or entity that is subjected to or relies on EtG testing should read this Advisory issued by US Department of Health and Human Services, September 2006 (http://kap.samhsa.gov/products/manuals/advisory/pdfs/0609_biomarkers.pdf) and in effect as of date of this posting.

I'm a little confused so please forgive me... so does this mean I can pass a EtG test after 24 hours of having one beer? I have also read in other statements where individuals consumed 2 beers and failed within taking the test 60 hrs from the last consumption.. how can that be? I just want to make sure I'm safe. My license are on the line and drinking was not worth it!

I am unaware of any published elimination study wherein 2 beers registered at 60 hours. Would like to have a look at that statement.

Noted previous is the study by Wojcik & Hawthorne providing a good overview of the studies on EtG elimination through 2007.

Due to the erratic nature of this test it isn't possible to state that one will pass or not... false positives are many. On the other hand using the "80 hour" standard false negatives are probably above 90%. That is those who consume 1-6 drinks are seldom detected at or near the 80 hour range. Those that gargle in the morning or inhale alcohol fumes, on the other hand, are accused of drinking.

EtG is dose dependent and follows a standard elimination curve. More alcohol > more EtG > longer elimination time.

It is safe to say that there will be no EtG remaining from the two beers you consumed at the time noted.

Several of the state nursing boards have stopped using the test. Vermont just disallowed it's use in the state Medicaid program (http://www.vtmedicaid.com/Information/BannerPages/Banner%20Messages%20January%2013,%202012.pdf).

Great! So basically I need to be less worried about my consumption and more about the witch hazel I use on my face in the morning and the hand sanitizer I used on Wednesday?

Does anyone know the cut off for the NCBON?

There are 1000s of products that will create a false positive on this test. That is not an exaggeration. But you hit it on the nose. The test is likely to falsely accuse those that do not drink and miss those that do.

Here is a link to the Ultimate Nurse (http://www.ultimatenurse.com/forum/f24/products-cause-positive-etg-16934/index2.html). Many on this site are on diversion and I'm sure someone will know the cutoff.

Here is a site, also nurses, that dicusses EtG. Not very active but once again someone would probably know cutoff. Go to Ethylglucuronide (http://groups.yahoo.com/search?query=ethylglucuronide&sort=relevance).

Dr Bill, you are doing a wonderful service and I want to thank you.. I have spent all day on this site reading comments from individuals ( some not so educated) thanks for not lecturing because I know I was wrong. For everyone else who judges these individuals. Well you know... I'm going in to test. I will let you know if I pass.

How do you know it's an EtG test? What option did you get selected for? I think that the NCBON uses 500 for a cutoff, but Firstlab's site states, "Thus, based on the available published literature, it is recommended that levels of 1500 ng/mL for EtG and 100 ng/mL for EtS be used by monitoring programs when attempting to make determinations of drinking relapse." I had read that NCBON uses FirstLab for testing. You can read the full report by going to the FirstLab site, going to resources/First Lab reports/Etg Ets biomarkers. If you have access to participant login, you may be able to find more info, but I can't view info there. I hope this helps.

Thanks for the insite RNBSN... it was option 2 that was selected. I've been testing for 1 plus years and never had to select option 2 until Friday. I didn't know there was a test like this at all. Please don't think I'm an idiot (more so I must say) but what is ets?

It was a total of 68 hours that went by from the time I drank until the time I test.. 100 ets biomarker seems kind of low. That's why I asked

I do think that option 2 does include EtG/EtS testing. EtS is another bio marker for alcohol. It has a similar (maybe a little shorter) detection time as EtG testing. Some labs run both tests together for "increased accuracy". EtS testing is even newer than EtG and is even less common. It is supposed to be free of some of the issues that EtG has (degraded/created by bacteria, etc.) I have seen EtS cutoffs to be either 50 or 100. I am not sure if the EtS test is only used to confirm a + EtG test or if it is done at the same time as the EtG. Dr Bill may know more.

Either way, with the amount of alcohol you consumed, you should be fine at 60+ hours.

With a 100 EtG - EtS will be 25 ng but is of no actual consequence as elimination is nearly the same as EtG. The tests are run concurrently but usually both must be present above cutoff to be a positive (when used in combination).

EtS is no more reliable than EtG but the discrediting research hasn't piled up against it as with EtG.

Interestingly, both of these direct ethanol metabolites (so claimed) have now been isolated in consumables. NA wine (1) shampoo (2), in totally abstinent individuals and alcohol naïve children, aged 1-10 (3).

1) Hoiseth, 2008 (http://alcalc.oxfordjournals.org/content/43/2/187.full?sid=5cf8d521-9b3e-49a3-a597-a10c9f4ed2b1)
2) Sporkert, 2011 (http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0379073811004841)
3) Rosano & Lin, 2008 (http://www.burlingtonlabs.com/assets/Uploads/ETG-Publication-JAT-vol-32-2008.pdf)

Ahatfield, I am in the same situation with the BON and drank a bottle of wine 2/15 into 2/16 appx 2am. I have not been selected yet and am almost to 144 hours post drink. From what I see, I should pass yet I am extremely curious as to what happened with your test.

Kkitty o took my test Friday and have not heard anything back as of yet... from all the research I have read, you my dear have nothing to worry about. I am in no place to tell anyone what to do but we have too much to loose so its prob best for us both to not drink anything... I just hope these tests r not as sensitive as people say. I go before the board in a few weeks to express my concerns. I wish you the best and will keep you updated

Tested today Firstlab/Quest Opt 3. It had been 168 hours, should I be okay??

I am not sure what option #3 is, but there will be no EtG in your system from 168 hours after alcohol consumption.

I just wanted to update you with my test results seeing that so many do not. My test came back negative! I want to add I did not run 100 miles or drink gallons of water or sit in any steam rooms. I'm happy with my results and do not want to chance a positive so drinking will not be on my to do list... thank you so much Dr Bill. I was going to actually skip the testing until I was provided enough research to boost my confidence that I could pass

I just wanted to update you with my test results seeing that so many do not. My test came back negative!! I want to add I did not run 100 miles or drink gallons of water or sit in any steam rooms. I'm happy with my results and do not want to chance a positive so drinking will not be on my to do list...thank you so much Dr Bill. I was going to actually skip the testing until I was provided enough research to boost my confidence that I could pass

Thanks for reporting your results.

Your choice to avoid alcohol while subjected to this testing is very wise. In the event of a false positive (all too common) then you have other avenues available for defense. Having consumed alcohol those doors are usually closed even if the read is in error.

Wish you the best.

Good for you ahatfield! I too was negative but it was 168 hours post drink. It is so not worth it, I love my career and want it back!