One Glass of Wine. PETH Test. Did I mess up?

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Hello all, 

I recently started the program after joining for testing positive on a random drug screening. Long story short, I was sporadically taking Ambien to help with insomnia. My prescription was expired. Hence here I am. Although I know I'm not allowed, I did have a glass of wine (5 ozs, 11% ABV) on Friday night to bring in the new year. This was around 8PM Friday evening. Today I was selected for a PETH test. Am I completely screwed? 

To be noted, this was my first drink in over 5 months. I've read a lot of research on line which seems to be inconclusive. Anybody have any information about this? 

Thanks in advance.  

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So much conflicting information out there on this question. Please keep us posted! Hoping for a negative result. Personally, one glass of wine does not seem worth the possibility of having to stop working and go to treatment, so to answer your question honestly, I’d have to say yes, you messed up, but hopefully you’ll be negative and have a new lesson learned. 

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Specializes in SNF/rehabilitation.

From everything I've read it sounds like you have to drink quite a bit on one occasion to test positive. Good luck and let us know the outcome! 

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I got my results back today. I passed the PETH test. What a relief! I definitely will be taking this program a lot more serious. An important lesson learned. 

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YAY! 

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And a general FYI, these programs love to test around/after holidays, and alcohol is usually part of the panel. For 3.5 years, I never had a PETH test, but they started included Peth tests every 2 to 3 months. I've never messed up, nor had a positive. But for my program, usually there is a screen surrounding Thanksgiving, Christmas, and another one right after the New Year. This time a Peth on the 3rd. They also started adding random observed urines about 3.5 years in as well, as well as various new screens I had never had before. So, truly full compliance is the only way I have managed to keep a shred of sanity. 

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You aren’t the only one who had a PETH on the 3rd. I recently won the “random” lottery and got to get a $229 haircut, where they cut chunks of hair out of the back of my head to the size of “two index fingers”. Not to mention, I just had that done not to long ago during my “eval”. I am fully compliant, but riding a fine line when it comes to keeping some sanity. Also riding a fine line of throwing in the towel on my license, I need to keep working for probably another year, and hopefully I feel different when the time comes, but as of right now, the towel is going in a large fire. Should probably go call my sponsor now…..

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On 1/13/2022 at 7:52 AM, RueTrue said:

You aren’t the only one who had a PETH on the 3rd. I recently won the “random” lottery and got to get a $229 haircut, where they cut chunks of hair out of the back of my head to the size of “two index fingers”. Not to mention, I just had that done not to long ago during my “eval”. I am fully compliant, but riding a fine line when it comes to keeping some sanity. Also riding a fine line of throwing in the towel on my license, I need to keep working for probably another year, and hopefully I feel different when the time comes, but as of right now, the towel is going in a large fire. Should probably go call my sponsor now…..

Oof, that sucks, I'm so sorry. I actually have completed the program now, and I thankfully never had a hair test. But I I wasn't placed in the program for controlled substance use, so I don't know if that's why. I know dilute urines or positive screen at program start will trigger increased testing, including hair, and/or observed screens. I had one dilute urine in 5 years, and the increased testing from that alone drove me to pretty much stay some level of dehydrated the entire 5 years to avoid it again. And truly, the first year is the absolute worst. I wanted to quit too many times to count just trying to adjust to the program. But I am leaps and bounds happy I stuck it out now.

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