PassportCruiser

You had facts and that was the point of your post? Sure, I can also say, "Hey, don't use rubbing alcohol, it can cause a positive test." And my post was to bring that down to a practical level. You quoted some obscure and non-clinical study about mouthwash stating it can cause a positive test. Well, in reality, it will not because nobody uses mouthwash that way. Stop scaring people on here. When you post facts from medical studies, you have to evaluate the study to see if it has any clinical correlation to our real world, or is it just another "lab study."

No, I didn't "reiterate" everything you said. You are implying in your post that any of those things used even lightly will cause a false positive and you will fail a test. That is NOT true. You said, "Because mouthwash contains 15–30% alcohol, even swishing (not swallowing) can spike EtG." That's incorrect. You very well know that in the medical and science world, you have to actually READ the study, not just read the headlines. Swishing mouthwash for 45 min is not the same as using mouthwash after dinner. Belittling people? I am here to show people and nervous participants in monitoring clarity and that you don't need to be afraid of pumping your own gas at a gas station! Or using mouthwash before a date. Or eating Chinese food. Calm down and by the way of your posts, you think everyone is belittling you and against you.

The mouthwash study shows that you have to swish 60% alcohol mouthwash for 15 min, 3 times, each 1 min apart to have any noticeable urine ETG levels - that means you are swishing mouthwash for 45 min total time. Nobody uses mouthwash in that manner. The study involving gasoline and causing a spike in urine ETG are for people who work in the gas industry and are around solvents the entire day for days at a time and multiple weeks. Not for Healer555 who spends 5 minutes putting regular unleaded fuel into his/her vehicle and then is on their normal daily schedule. Be careful but let's not get out of control here with this kind of stuff. And this DEFINITELY includes avoiding entire genres of foods because you are in monitoring - that's ridiculous.

Understood and you have a great point. There are many people with a substance use diagnosis and in recovery, who are doing well. And not everyone in substance use recovery lie. But when someone is claiming on here and on Reddit, that they "used only hand sanitizer" but have a positive Peth test, let's get real. It's not a lie if you believe it. I wouldn't listen to every "claim" on here that they were only positive because of hand sanitizer, pumping gasoline or using mouthwash.

I understand that it's hard to get it, but that's how it is. When a person with a true substance use disorder defend themselves, it is natural to not tell the truth. And that includes an anonymous Internet forum because they are repeating the lie to themselves over and over. Regardless, why do you believe everything you read on the internet? It's the internet! Do you believe all the ridiculous political things that go on? Now even science is a target. Chinese food, Italian food, pumping gas, soy sauce, perfume, hand sanitizer etc does not doom you for etg tests. To say otherwise is false information and detrimental to the mental health of people seeking comfort and hope on this forum.

Because that's what people with substance use disorders do when they are in a monitoring program - they lie! You can't possibly believe everything you read on here. Doesn't all of us on here have a strong science background and an understanding of the human body? Pumping gasoline and spilling gas drops on you doesn't cause a positive alcohol test. Using hand sanitizer doesn't cause a positive urine etg test. Swishing mouthwash doesn't cause a positive test. don't believe everyone here - they lie.

People are avoiding entire genres of food and not pumping gasoline because they think it will cause a positive ETG test? Wow, this is insane people! Yes, monitoring sucks and we all become paranoid but this is another level. You know those people who have a positive test and they say something like, "Oh, I used hand sanitizer at work" or they may say "Oh, I used too much hairspray this weekend and that's why I tested positive." You know those people? They are lying. They had a drink and unfortunately, had to take a urine ETG close to the drinking episode.

How was the result? Like SheelaDavis said, the labs are not reliable with time required for tests. I had a Peth take 12 days to result.

Usually it's 2 or 3 "missed-checkins" allowed before they take some kind of disciplinary action.

Yes, I saw this and I think another on Google search where they compared hair in cocaine users and Alcohol for etg. The etg decreased quite a bit in the segments that had more wash cycles. So this shows etg decreases by itself with time.

A medical licensing attorney once told me - doesn't matter if you are in the NPDB or not. "Your recovery journey is a story that you will get good at telling and you will use it as an advantage in your professional career and life."

Unfortunately, she had had multiple drinking episodes and stopped 30 days ago. So I've heard of Peth staying positive for longer than 30 days depending on how much the person had drank even if 30 days passes. Hair ETG is still done commonly in many places btw. Also for probation (used to be a nurse in detention center). Fingernail ETG is not commonly used but monitoring agencies will do it. I'll suggest hair ETG then - she has thin hair. I think thicker, coarse hair retains metabolites more. That's where the variation among individuals comes in

Have a colleague in Virginia who has just been "accepted" into the monitoring program due to alcohol use. Already had an evaluation, etc. But she they are making her choose either 1) Peth, 2)Hair ETG or 3) Nails ETG as part of a continuing evaluation. What is the purpose of this if you are already into monitoring? In SC where I am, I got accepted into monitoring after doing all of these tests. Would they extend her monitoring time length or perhaps even the frequency of testing depending on the results of these tests? She last had alcohol (moderately - heavy) 1 month ago. I don't now the specific number of drinks. Would Hair ETG be the best option for her to take? I read even after 1 month of being sober, ETG washes out of hair even with normal shampoo and daily stress. Peth is very sensitive (up to 30 days) but it's still risky even though she's been sober for 1 month. If she drank heavily, even the peth might still be above 20. Nails ETG I heard is more sensitive than Hair ETG because it's hard to wash ETG out of nails? what's the best option to choose?

I applied it 4 days before the day of the test. As long as you do it at least 2 days before the test, it will give normal shampooing a chance to get out every last bit of metabolite. Most of metabolites will leak out AND chemically degrade when you actually do the relaxer process and neutralizing shampoo afterwards. But doing it a few days before the test gives it even more time to leak out.

Let us know what happens with your test - it will help everyone out. We can also try to see what to do depending on your lab result.