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peamom · Feb 20, 2012, 10:21 AM

I am 5'5" and weigh 150. I drank Saturday night until about 4am Sunday morning. I am not sure how much that I had to drink. Irt was a lot. I drank wine and then tequila shots. I have an interlock device in my car and when I tried to start it at 1pm on Sunday, it failed. I have to report this to the company and they will report it to the PO. I am certain that she will be calling me in for an 80 hour alcohol test. I denied drinking to the intelock company and told them that I had sprayed some air freshener in the car and that is why it failed.

Please help me. How long should it take before I would be safe for the test. Any advice, even about the interlock would help.. I have been ndrinking so much water that I think that I am going to float away and taking AZO. Any other sugestions?

DrBill100 · Feb 20, 2012, 10:42 AM

Vehicle interlocks aren't trip switches they are breath analyzers that record your breath alcohol content (BrAC). While a deodorizer with high alcohol content could theoretically trip the device it would provide a very low reading. That statement will be questioned and probably compounds your problem.

Also, you will not be allowed to set a time. You will be required to report at a specific time and place. So that is a moot point.

Time > metabolism is the only factor that removes EtG and after drinking heavily you could also be tested for MCV* and/or PEth* both of which would confirm drinking.

*MCV = Mean Corpuscular Volume
*PEth = Phosphatidylethanol = positive after heavy or repetitive alcohol consumption.

NOTICE: Any person or entity that is subjected to or relies on EtG testing should read this Advisory issued by the US Department of Health and Human Services, September 2006 and remains in effect as of date of this posting.

peamom · Feb 20, 2012, 10:56 AM

Could you explain these other 2 tests please. And any idea what you think my BAC could have been at 1pm if I had my last drink at 3am?

DrBill100 · Feb 20, 2012, 11:28 AM

PEth, as well as MCV, is a blood assay. PEth is the most definitive and now recommended when the client denies drinking after a positive EtG.

Per Dr. Greg Skipper, "If they deny drinking and confirmation of drinking is desired then a phosphotidyl ethanol (PEth) test should be performed on blood. PEth testing confirms drinking because it only becomes positive after about 7 standard drinks, more than is possible from any form of incidental exposure". See Dr. Skipper website

Warde Labs has a reasonably brief description of the various tests that can be utilized including applicable times of detection.

It isn't possible to estimate BAC, let alone elimination, without knowing amount consumed, time across which drinking occurred, drinking history and physical characteristics.

All that can be assumed from your statement is that at the time you tried to start the car there was still alcohol in your system and therefore you were still synthesizing EtG at that point.