Foods and products to avoid

[hppygr8ful, ASN, RN, EMT-I]

I promised you all a listed of foods to avoid if you are under EtG testing - I'm surprised the boards are still using the test but change is a slow process.

The Nurse support group I was in while in diversion worked with me to put together this list most of it is anecdotal as some items were added if they had been eaten with 3 days prior to a positive test.

Generally speaking you want to avoid all processed foods such as salsa's, sauces, fermented soy products like miso and soy sauce. Bar-B-Q sauce. Avoid restaurants that uses a lot of sauces or gravies. A list of restaurants that people have associated with positive tests are.

Italian

Mexican

Japanese

Sushi

Pollo Loco

Specific products to avoid using at all are:

PAM cooking spray 86% grain alcohol

Listerine

Fabreeze

Hair spray

I will post a link in few minutes to a site that lists products with alcohol.

As for food you best bet is to get used to eating at home - cook fresh food, meats and veggies from the produce department - make you own sauces.

For household and industrial products that contain alcohol or alcohol metabolites go to this link and put alcohol or ETOH in the search field.

There is no way you can avoid all exposure so you can only do your best and turn it over to your higher power.

Household Products Database - Health and Safety Information on Household Products

Peace and Namste

Hppy

[Twoyearnurse]

Great list!!!

[Omaapecm, ASN, RN]

This is somewhat worrisome. I've never really considered foods except poppy seeds to be a problem. As far as products I avoid alcohol based sanitizer and mouthwash. I guess I am really lucky. I had no idea so many things out there can get you in trouble. !!!!!! I've never had any problems testing and I've been on the program over 2 years.

[Twoyearnurse]

It's a sticky wicket! Really any foods that partake in any fermentation (soy sauce is a good example) can create a false positive. This list is really good. I eat what I want but when it comes to Chinese food I moderate how much I eat and don't add soy sauce to anything.

[dirtyhippiegirl, BSN, RN]

I have to remind myself that some exposure does not equal an immediate false positive. Incidental exposure rates are built into the testing process. Also ancdotally, I feel like for every person I read or hear about who had a false positive, I read or hear about someone who was passing weekday etgs while still drinking on the weekend.

[hppygr8ful, ASN, RN, EMT-I]

As I said the list is purely anecdotal based on the experiance of nurses in my nurse support group. If if you have had a positive test in 2 years whatever you are doing is working so keep it uo

As for restaurants - I used to tell the waiter I was highly allergic to Alcohol and would have a severe reaction even if it was cooked into food. Most chef's will accomodate special orders if you ask.

Hppy

[Omaapecm, ASN, RN]

It would be just my luck that a few months before I am released from my program I go out and eat sushi with a ton of soy sauce😁😁😁😁😁. The information is awesome. I will certainly tread lightly these last months. Thanks for the information. I've also heard that IBU can give false positive ????

[Red Kryptonite]

The cooking spray alcohol content is the propellent that gets it out of the can, and anything left will evaporate. The substance in the pan is soy lecithin. I'm very confused as to how anyone thinks using Pam could trigger a positive test for alcohol use. And when food cooks, again, the alcohol evaporates. This is basic science.

[Earthmama]

The cooking spray alcohol content is the propellent that gets it out of the can, and anything left will evaporate. The substance in the pan is soy lecithin. I'm very confused as to how anyone thinks using Pam could trigger a positive test for alcohol use. And when food cooks, again, the alcohol evaporates. This is basic science.

When we sign up for our monitoring programs we are provided a long list of items that can give a false positive, given to our program by the lab that conducts the test itself. Pam is one of those items. Also, alcohol does not always completely evaporate, particularly when cooked at low temperatures (such as a crock pot) or if cooked for short periods.

But thanks for the lesson in basic science.

[hppygr8ful, ASN, RN, EMT-I]

The cooking spray alcohol content is the propellent that gets it out of the can, and anything left will evaporate. The substance in the pan is soy lecithin. I'm very confused as to how anyone thinks using Pam could trigger a positive test for alcohol use. And when food cooks, again, the alcohol evaporates. This is basic science.

If you have not been through this process but maybe you have you will no doubt have read that alcohol does not cook off entirely. The substrates left behind can in fact cause fals positive EtG test which does not test for the presence of Alcohol. It tests for metabolites formed by the liver when it processes alcohol substrate. I worked a very strict rigid program of complete abstinence and had a false positive after cooking with Pam. It was the only thing I had done differently. If you don't think it's true ask how many nurses had false positives from such items listed above. As I said the list is not scientific in any way - purely anecdotal and put together bay a group of nurses who were ultimately successful in Diversion and testing and want to help others avoid possible pitfalls.

Hppy

[hppygr8ful, ASN, RN, EMT-I]

There is some evidence that IBU especially in high doses 400mg or higher may cause positive results on EtG. Much better idea to use tylenol or get a prescription for higher doses if needed rather than just take more pills from the OTC bottle. Always fax any prescription no matter how innocuous it seems to your BON representative.

Hppy

[catmom1, BSN, RN]

I was monitored for 6 plus years (the "normal" 5 year sentence extended because I couldn't find a nursing job). I frequently took 800 mg ibuprofen and used alcohol-based hand sanitizer and never had a problem. I have read many scary stories about this or that causing a false positive. I remember calling my compliance monitor a couple of times about what was okay to use.

The first time I called was to ask if I could use my generic Scope-type mouthwash (which has alcohol) once a day for oral hygiene. She said it was fine as long as I didn't drink it. I have never abused alcohol so this was definitely not on my worry list, lol.

The second time I asked about a drug was when I needed dental work done and had heard somewhere that the lidocaine local anesthetic could cause a false positive for cocaine. She told me not to worry about it.

Check with your monitors before you ingest/use anything questionable and you will cover your butt.

I am glad that pressure is over for me now.

Catmom :paw: