TPAPN/Etg

Nurses Recovery

Published

Does anyone have experience with TPAPN or the Etg test? I have been in TPAPN for almost 3 years and should graduate in September. I have been through some serious **** to make it this far. Sunday I was swimming with some friends and decided to reapply my sunscreen with a spray bottle. As soon as I doused my legs I could smell the alcohol and sure enough SD Alcohol 40 (50% v/v) was listed on the bottle. I know that I'm not supposed to expose even my skin to ethanol, but no one is perfect when it comes to incidental exposure. Monday I was not chosen for a test, but Tuesday I was chosen. I have a feeling that this was the 12 panel test because it was option 1 (the most chosen for me). I'm sitting her feeling physically ill thinking about being kicked out of the program with 90 days to go over sunscreen. Does anyone have any experience with TPAPN or Etg testing incidental exposure?

TL.DR Used sunscreen with alcohol in it. Gave urine specimen for unidentified panel 36 hours later.

OK, take a deep breath. You should be fine. Unless you were swimming in a pool of stuff. Really you have to ingest etoh for your liver to produce enough etg to test positive. Over last Christmas at a neighbors I drank some egg nog maybe 4 oz (that children were drinking) later found out it was spiked with Rum. I tested 2 days later with no problems. I was scared until I saw the results 1 week later it was option 3. Hope that makes ya feel alittle more at ease..... Peace

When I tested pos for etg "because I drank" it was option 2 if that helps. Thank goodness they gave me another chance,that is if I can find a job , that laps was 20 mo ago and I had to restart program if I can find job I can complete with no problem 17 mo. Invested in this 2nd chance good luck

Specializes in LTC, Psych, Med/Surg.

My license is off probation now and I will tell you my experience.

I used alcohol hand sanitizer daily (on my hands only, lol) and was almost always tested for ETG in 5 plus years of monitoring and never had any issues.

I think you will be fine, but I totally understand the fear. Been there myself.

Catmom :paw:

Specializes in long-term-care, LTAC, PCU.

I used aloe gel for sunburn all over my body before realizing that alcohol was the first ingredient. I called my CM to tell her and she said I should be fine . She did tell me to have my doctor write me a prescription for that exact brand of aloe gel just in case. I tested two days later and was fine.

Thanks guys. I just get really nervous about these kinds of things because TPAPN hasn't been super understanding of things that have happened to me. My very first UA was a false positive for alcohol. My case manager was on vacation, so this other lady called me about it and was not very nice at all. She told me I should be ashamed, etc. I demanded the 2nd specimen be ran and I was exonerated. I didn't get any kind of apology for her behavior. I also had to restart after I had passed the 1 year mark because I spent 2 nights on a mental health ward for panic attacks. I had stopped taking my SSRI on the advice of people in AA (horrible idea). My case manager told me I was lucky to be given a 2nd chance. Having to restart was devastating to me because I was blindsided and I had not relapsed on drugs/alcohol.

I don't have a 3rd chance to use with TPAPN so I can get a little antsy. I will be so glad when I finish in September!

Whew. So I checked my testing results this morning and I have a negative result for Option 1. I know my anxiety over the situation seems a bit excessive, but I'm SO close to finishing. I don't want to get kicked out with less than 90 days to finish.

OK, think I did a stupid thing. I have forever been dying my hair with no issues having tested Option 1 and 3 recovery trek. I assume Option 3 includes why. Don't know if ever tested the day after I did my hair, but today I pulled an option 2 and did my hair yesterday. Dye contained denatured alcohol. Stupid I know, but I'm sober, sober. Anyone have any consoling advice.

I think you should be okay. I had a couple of stupid incidental exposures in TPAPN and it was fine (ate waffles with poppy seeds, the sunscreen incident, etc.)

My TPAPN advocate tells me I'm crazy, that egt is on all the options and I did test after dying before. He is likely right. Gonna do my steps and leave it in God's hands. I know I'm sober and that's all that counts in the end

Negative here, even though I forgot to shake up the dye mixture and inhaled and absorbed a good dose of denatured alcohol. Not going to worry over false negatives anymore.

+ Add a Comment