If on Saturday night I had 1 beer (Corona light) and 3 mixed drinks, 2 of cranberry juice and green apple vodka, one green apple and sprite, and they were in coffee cups 2 of the mixed drinks were full and the other one was 1/4 a cup and I started drinking at 10pm and finished drinking at 11:30pm and had a urinalysis Monday at 9:30am, would I fail the test? I am 5'8 and weigh 116lbs. I also am a runner and have a fast metabolism.

If on Saturday night I had 1 beer (Corona light) and 3 mixed drinks, 2 of cranberry juice and green apple vodka, one green apple and sprite, and they were in coffee cups 2 of the mixed drinks were full and the other one was 1/4 a cup and I started drinking at 10pm and finished drinking at 11:30pm and had a urinalysis monday at 9:30am, would I fail the test? I am 5'8 and weigh 116lbs. I also am a runner and have a fast metabolism.

About 33 hours from last drink. At least 3 standard drinks. That is a very close call, a flip of the coin, if you are being tested for EtG. If it is simply a urine alcohol test you are completely clear at that time.

About 33 hours from last drink. At least 3 standard drinks. That is a very close call, a flip of the coin, if you are being tested for EtG. If it is simply a urine alcohol test you are completely clear at that time period.

I've had a lot of fluids since then, and have used the restroom a lot since. Do you know if the state Maryland tests for EtG?

I've had a lot of fluids since then, and have used the restroom a lot since. do you know if the state Maryland tests for EtG?

Not familiar with the tests by state. If you are subject to total abstinence requirements it is safe to assume that EtG is used at least intermittently. Do you know if they send the test out to a lab? EtG cannot be used on site. Lab based.

Not familiar with the tests by state. If you are subject to total abstinence requirements it is safe to assume that EtG is used at least intermittently. Do you know if they send the test out to a lab? EtG cannot be used on site. Lab based.

They did send it out to a lab. So the EtG checks for everything all drugs? Because about 2 weeks ago I was in a house for a few days with a bunch of people that smoked weed, I didn't but there was a lot of smoke could that effect the results?

They did send it out to a lab. So the EtG checks for everything all drugs? Because about 2 weeks ago I was in a house for a few days with a bunch of people that smoked weed, I didn't but there was a lot of smoke could that effect the results?

EtG testing checks only for EtG, a metabolite of alcohol. Detects nothing else. So they may be running EtG. If so, you still have about a 50/50 chance of passing at that time span.

If they are using the sample to test for other drugs THC (marijuana) would be a component. Exposure to marijuana smoke seldom shows up in urine. Hair is a different matter.

Also according to my scale I have 12% body fat. I don't know if that changes anything

EtG testing checks only for EtG, a metabolite of alcohol. Detects nothing else. So they may be running EtG. If so, you still have about a 50/50 chance of passing at that time span.

If they are using the sample to test for other drugs THC (marijuana) would be a component. Exposure to marijuana smoke seldom shows up in urine. Hair is a different matter.

Ok, well they said they were testing for all drugs is that possible in one urine sample? I am not a heavy drinker and really just started drinking this year so probably only drink the amount I had Saturday every few months. Sorry for all the questions just very anxious and curious.

Ok, well they said they were testing for all drugs is that possible in one urine sample? I am not a heavy drinker and really just started drinking this year so probably only drink the amount I had Saturday every few months. Sorry for all the questions just very anxious and curious.

The one urine sample can be used to test for any and all drugs and alcohol as well as metabolites.

Let us know the results, if you will. Your only concern should be the EtG and you have a good shot at passing that.

The one urine sample can be used to test for any and all drugs and alcohol as well as metabolites.

Let us know the results, if you will. Your only concern should be the EtG and you have a good shot at passing that.

Will do, thank you

Hello Dr Bill. I went on a pretty good bender and had approximately 16/17 drinks over a 12 hour period, stopping at around 5AM. I then woke up and had a mimosa at breakfast at 10AM. This was my last drink. I had a pop-up ETG exactly 94 hours later. Did not drink a lot of fluids/normal intake. I am a healthy male 34 yrs old/ 6'1" 205 lbs. Any chance of this test showing positive.

Hello Dr Bill. I went on a pretty good bender and had approximately 16/17 drinks over a 12 hour period, stopping at around 5AM. I then woke up and had a mimosa at breakfast at 10AM. This was my last drink. I had a pop-up ETG exactly 94 hours later. Did not drink a lot of fluids/normal intake. I am a healthy male 34 yrs old/ 6'1" 205 lbs. Any chance of this test showing positive.

There is a chance but it is minimal at 94 hours. There are no measured studies at that level of consumption. Only BAC calculations are used to determine elimination times. To the best of my knowledge there have only been 3 or 4 people that tested positive in the 90-100* hour range (research literature) and I have never witnessed any detection above 78 hours regardless of amount consumed.

Did you have a period of sobriety prior to this incident?

* Helander, 2009 (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18971292) The results of this study are questionable. The 130 hour claim should never have been printed as it is clearly erroneous.

There is a chance but it is minimal at 94 hours. There are no measured studies at that level of consumption. Only BAC calculations are used to determine elimination times. To the best of my knowledge there have only been 3 or 4 people that tested positive in the 90-100* hour range (research literature) and I have never witnessed any detection above 78 hours regardless of amount consumed.

Did you have a period of sobriety prior to this incident?

* Helander, 2009 (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18971292) The results of this study are questionable. The 130 hour claim should never have been printed as it is clearly erroneous.


Had 1 beer 2 days before incident above and 2 beers 7 days before that.

I am a 31 year old female and weigh approximately 120 lbs. I had 3 beers and 3 shots on Wednesday, nothing Thursday, nothing Friday, and then took a urine analysis (EtG) on Saturday at 10:30am. I was unable to fill to the line, but my counselor said that she will send it to the lab anyway to see if it can be tested. I found out that the lab uses a cutoff of 100 mg/mL. There is a 55 hour window from my last drink to the test. Now it is basically a waiting game, a very stressful one. It would be nice to know if I am in the clear, but I do realize the difficulty in determining this. I am writing this so that when the results finally come in, I can share the findings with others in the forum.

I am a 31 year old female and weigh approximately 120 lbs. I had 3 beers and 3 shots on Wednesday, nothing Thursday, nothing Friday, and then took a urine analysis (EtG) on Saturday at 10:30am. I was unable to fill to the line, but my counselor said that she will send it to the lab anyway to see if it can be tested. I found out that the lab uses a cutoff of 100 mg/mL. There is a 55 hour window from my last drink to the test. Now it is basically a waiting game, a very stressful one. It would be nice to know if I am in the clear, but I do realize the difficulty in determining this. I am writing this so that when the results finally come in, I can share the findings with others in the forum.

Across what period did you consume the 6 drinks. First drink time, last drink time. Also your height?

On Thursday and Friday what was your food and liquid intake?

Across what period of time did you consume the 6 drinks. First drink time, last drink time. Also your height?

On Thursday and Friday what was your food and liquid intake?

The first drink consumed was at approximately 8:30pm and the last drink was sometime around midnight. I am 5'3". It has also been really hot where I live with temperatures reaching the high 90's. On Thursday, I spent most of the day outside in the heat and sweating. Not sure if it is worth mentioning but I am also a vegan, so on both days I ate light meals. I did drink a lot of water but nothing else.

That puts your BAC at about .15 at last drink, meaning you were still creating EtG for another 9 hours. These are averages but not too far off.

You have a pretty good chance of passing particularly if the cutoff is 500ng. Nothing certain because it's too close for comfort but 48 seems to be the magic number in the 5-6 drink range (with 100ng cutoff).

Wish I could be more specific but EtG elimination is a very imprecise calculation.

Wojcik & Hawthorne (http://alcalc.oxfordjournals.org/content/42/4/317.full)

That puts your BAC at about .15 at last drink, meaning you were still creating EtG for another 9 hours. These are averages but not too far off.

You have a pretty good chance of passing particularly if the cutoff is 500ng. Nothing certain because it's too close for comfort but 48 seems to be the magic number in the 5-6 drink range.

Wish I could be more specific but EtG elimination is a very imprecise calculation.

Wojcik & Hawthorne (http://alcalc.oxfordjournals.org/content/42/4/317.full)

Hi DrBill, Thanks for your quick response to my posts. My next session is in two weeks. As soon as I get the results, I will respond. Thanks for all of your help!

Hi DrBill, Thanks for your quick response to my posts. My next session is in two weeks. As soon as I get the results, I will respond. Thanks for all of your help!!



Did you pass?

Did you pass?

When I went in for my session, my counselor did not say anything regarding the test, so I guess that means that I am in the clear. :D

The risks involved from having just a few drinks days prior to a urine analysis are too great, so I would advise anyone that enjoys their sanity to not do it.

For anyone that is new to the forum, I had 3 beers and 3 shots on Wednesday night. I stopped drinking alcohol around midnight, took an ETG test on Saturday morning around 10:30am, and passed the test.

Dr. Bill, thanks for all of your help during the process!! <3, Elle