Check out some similar questions!

youdipidipwedip · Mar 17, 2012, 07:43 PM

DrBill100: I was just recently pointed in your direction as far as seeking advice on this whole EtG testing thing. I'd really like some expert advice!

I'm not normally a heavy drinker, but this past weekend I had 3 pints of beer (all about 5% in alcohol content) late Friday night and then 2 1/2 12oz bottles of beer this evening (Saturday). I was just given then heads up that I may have to test on Monday. I've never had to test before and I'm nervous. Given this time frame, do you think I'd have a clean urine screen for EtG/EtS?

DrBill100 · Mar 17, 2012, 07:56 PM

Let us look at your case closely, that will require:

1) Your age, gender, weight, height; and
2) when you began drinking the forenoted 3 pints on Fri night, and when ended (last drink); and
3) provide same timeline for the bottles of beer on Saturday.

As stated you consumed 4 standard drinks [US] on Fri (timeline undefined) and 2.5 drinks [US] on Sat (timeline undefined)

youdipidipwedip · Mar 17, 2012, 08:11 PM

. I drank the three initial beers starting at about 1045 Friday night and ending about 1230am-ish. Drank the 2 1/2 beers today at about 5pm ending at about 7pm.

DrBill100 · Mar 17, 2012, 08:57 PM

Now we're rollin'

Your rate of consumption is informative. The consumption Fri-PM>Sat-AM resulted in an appoximate BAC of .09 (+/-). That BAC (but not EtG) had reached 0 by the time you drank at 5 PM Saturday. Your drinking on Saturday 5-7 PM resulted in BAC of approximately .055 (+/-).

Assuming a BAC of .055 Saturday at 7:30 PM would require right at 3 hours to BAC=0*.

Now from 10:30 PM Saturday calculate the hours until the test and we can compare that with past results.

*based on elimination of .018 per hour.

youdipidipwedip · Mar 17, 2012, 09:10 PM

Alrighty, let's see here... IF I am called to test, I am assuming it will have to be in the early afternoon. I'll guess and say 1pm. (This is mostly speculative and not certain that I will HAVE to test, but if I DO, I'm wondering if there is any point on Monday at which my urine sample would be clear of EtG)

youdipidipwedip · Mar 17, 2012, 10:09 PM

So I guess that would be approx 36-38 hours until assumed EtG testing. Would that amount of time be enough to clear my system?

DrBill100 · Mar 17, 2012, 10:36 PM

Originally Posted by youdipidipwedip

Alrighty, let's see here... IF I am called to test, I am assuming it will have to be in the early afternoon. I'll guess and say 1pm. (This is mostly speculative and not certain that I will HAVE to test, but if I DO, I'm wondering if there is any point on Monday at which my urine sample would be clear of EtG)

No there is not. EtG production/elimination cannot be predicted within the range of an hour or three.

The amount of consumption and time from last drink to test places you in a range of detection. It would be my guess that you would not show positive. But you could.

The fact that in both cited drinking episodes your consumption was in a moderate range leads me to that conclusion. The Friday drinking (4) should clear EtG within 39-48 hours and Saturday (2.5) within 26-39 hours. However it's too close to call with certainty.

The biggest problem with the above figures are the small numbers of individuals tested (less than 100 in total).

So overall the odds are in your favor but don't bet the ranch.

youdipidipwedip · Mar 17, 2012, 10:49 PM

Thank you so much. I'm assuming that now I just have to A) hope I don't have to test and B) hope that my metabolism runs in my favor. Which leads me to another question... I take levothyroxine for a thyroid problem. My normal (doctor prescribed) dose is 112mcg/qd. I have been taking 125 mcg/qd for quite some time now (at least 4 or 5 months), but I'm not sure if that amount difference is enough to really boost my metabolism enough to matter. Any experience/information regarding this and how it might affect the test?

Also, would I actually be doing myself a service by exercising or drinking excessive amounts of water in anticipation of this test? Or do last-ditch efforts like this really not do much in the end?

youdipidipwedip · Mar 17, 2012, 11:08 PM

AND one more (sorry, I'm just super paranoid now): is there any chance of nasal spray containing oxymetazoline hydrochloride producing a false positive on a drug screen? (I'm sure if I have to test for alcohol, they'll test for drugs, too.)

DrBill100 · Mar 17, 2012, 11:27 PM

Exercise is questionable but a significant deficiency/flaw in this test is that EtG is water soluble and directly influenced by diuresis.

There is also an association between thyroid dysfunction and excessive alcohol intake (1). I am not well versed in the interrelationship with alcohol use disorders.

The influence of Levothyroxine in relation to EtG synthesis or elimination has not been investigated. Suffice to say that any condition that interferes with alcohol metabolism probably influences EtG synthesis and/or elimination.

1) Ozsoy (2006) THYROID FUNCTION IN EARLY AND LATE ALCOHOL WITHDRAWAL: RELATIONSHIP WITH AGGRESSION, FAMILY HISTORY, AND ONSET AGE OF ALCOHOLISM

DrBill100 · Mar 17, 2012, 11:39 PM

Originally Posted by youdipidipwedip

AND one more (sorry, I'm just super paranoid now): is there any chance of nasal spray containing oxymetazoline hydrochloride producing a false positive on a drug screen? (I'm sure if I have to test for alcohol, they'll test for drugs, too.)

There is indeed. Oxymetazoline can cause a false positive for amphetamines.

Nasal sprays can cause false positives for opiates, marijuana and amphetamines. (1)

1) Example: Legal bulletin

If you have further questions on this matter I will pick-up tomorrow. Signing off for night.

youdipidipwedip · Mar 18, 2012, 07:16 AM

Well. Crap. I've had a cold recently, too, and have used both nasal spray AND cold medicine with dextromethorphan. How long do these stay in your system to register on a urine test?

youdipidipwedip · Mar 18, 2012, 07:17 AM

And Motrin, too! Jesus Christ, am
I just going to test dirty for everything?