[GuiltyCrown1]

DrBill100, I am a thirty something male, average weight (84kg) and height (5'10"). I drank approximately 750ml of 11.5% abv wine over two hours on a Friday from 10am until 12 noon after having been abstinent for several months. I was randomly tested the next Monday and submitted a sample at 4:30pm. Over the previous 2.5 days, I did drink extra water, but mostly because I was working outside and my work is always hot. My cutoff is 1000. I surmise that I could be at a precarious point, but there are few studies which cover elimination following consumption of 7 or more standard drinks, or that have, at least, easily traceable whisker graphs. I have noted your comments which indicate the 72-80 hours mark is only for extreme cases, but what constitutes "extreme drinking?" Is it anything beyond 4-5 standard drinks in 24 hours? Do you, personally, calculate a possible clearance window based upon time of last sip, or time of BAC = 0? Also, I have a question about something which confuses me. I have noticed some studies referencing cut off values in ng, and other in micrograms. Which is it, as the difference between the two is quite significant?
Thank you for your consideration and expertise in this matter. At any rate, I now feel the "it's not worth it," sentiment expressed by so many other posters on this site. I suppose I am merely seeking hope that I didn't just screw up my life.

[DrBill100]

Your consumption 750 mL of wine is roughly equivalent to 5 standard drinks (US) or right at .83 g/kg of body weight, pure alcohol. There should be no detectable EtG or EtS at the time you provided. In relation to your further questions:

Extreme cases is poorly defined but generally refers to prolonged heavy drinking. The term was used by Wojcik & Hawthorne (2007) referencing the studies that were conducted in detox units where BAC at time of admission ran as high as .34 and the majority of subjects were chronic alcoholics.

BAC=0 as opposed to last sip can be used to access additional studies thus giving a greater range of comparison when needed. BAC=0 is the point where EtG synthesis ceases so in cases that result in high BAC it is helpful.

In the US cutoffs are based on ng/mL while in European countries mg are more likely to be used. The actual cutoffs are the same just expressed in different units. It is wise to make note of that fact or else it can result in confusion. It is also important not to rely on any expression of standard drink as that term is used in some studies from various regions. Can mean anywhere from 8 grams to 19 depending on the country. Most of the more recent studies measure alcohol intake in relation to body weight (g/kg of pure alcohol).

[GuiltyCrown1]

Thank you for the rapid response. However, I was using a couple of different BAC calculators, and came up with, dependent upon the 11.5% content of the wine, that 750ml of it has roughly 86.25 grams of pure alcohol in it. That would bring the dose/kg body weight to 1.07 grams/kg, and resulting in a BAC of about .11% or more. Does this greatly affect the overall clearance in terms of passing an EtG1000 test? Also, when you said there should be no detectable EtG or ets in the time frame provided, was this in reference to the time of BAC = 0, or to the 75+ hours after the last drink? Furthermore, is that statement based upon clinical consideration of the 100, 500, or 1000ng/ml test? Thank you again for your insight into this matter... it has, at the very least, kept me from anxiety-fueled emesis. :-)

[GuiltyCrown1]

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