Recovery- PEth test

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Hi all, I am in a recovery program (DOC: Alcohol) and was selected for a PEth test today. I have only been in the program for a few months and slipped up 11 days ago. I had 4.5 light beers. I'm pretty stressed because it's not likely that I will pass. What happens when you fail? 

Please save the lectures. 

Jpweston said:

Thank you, I'm hoping so too! 
I really don't understand how they can get away with this stuff. They don't give a *** about us, but preach that they do. 

Where I am they don't pretend to care about us at all. It's shady as can be where I am

 We get a million chances, anything to add time to our sentences.  It's so corrupt 

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Jpweston said:

4.5 beers is technically a "binge" and I thought it would show a "binge episode". Is the test just looking for frequent binge episodes over weeks? I've only had the PEth test one other time and didn't have to worry at all, I didn't do any research on it before now. 

It depends on the content of the alcohol. I've read it is very sensitive test but sensitivity can be affected by certain factors (eg if the drinks are spread out over days it is lower vs one episode, BMI, hgb, if you're a heavy drinker it is lower). The only safe option is to abstain completely though.

I had 2 glasses of wine (roughly 12 oz) at a friend's house that I genuinely believed was fruit juice (no taste of alcohol whatsoever). It was 5% abv, so I consumed 14g of alcohol (used an online calculator) and my test was negative after 12 days. My new rule is not to eat/drink at a friend's house because man it was not worth the stress.

In my state (NnJ), there is a relapse protocol listed in our guide, which includes inactivating license, getting tx, and attending 90 meetings in 90 days. A nurse who relapsed had to do all that and her contract was extended by a year. I felt bad because she had less than 6 months to go, but it was better than having to start all over (which I understand is more likely the closer you get to the finish line). From what I gather, they will give you another chance if you relapse, unless you're also missing check-in/tests/meetings & it is a recurrent issue (3 or more)

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Healer555 said:

Hoping it's good. For us we don't hear from anyone unless it's positive but we can check in the portal we use to check in. I think we also deserve to know what they are testing for but we are treated worse than convicts

My guess is that if we knew, it would be more extensive testing. And in my program, I think the more drugs/metabolites they screen for, the more expensive the test. Not knowing what the tests means participants will just abstain from anything that would result in a positive. 

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santi_05 said:

My guess is that if we knew, it would be more extensive testing. And in my program, I think the more drugs/metabolites they screen for, the more expensive the test. Not knowing what the tests means participants will just abstain from anything that would result in a positive. 

They don't care how much it costs us. I ask friends if there is poppy seeds or alcohol in anything they make or serve.  I only drink water at restaurants that serve alcohol.  I ask if alcohol or poppy seeds are present in anything at a restaurant too

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santi_05 said:

It depends on the content of the alcohol. I've read it is very sensitive test but sensitivity can be affected by certain factors (eg if the drinks are spread out over days it is lower vs one episode, BMI, hgb, if you're a heavy drinker it is lower). The only safe option is to abstain completely though.

I had 2 glasses of wine (roughly 12 oz) at a friend's house that I genuinely believed was fruit juice (no taste of alcohol whatsoever). It was 5% abv, so I consumed 14g of alcohol (used an online calculator) and my test was negative after 12 days. My new rule is not to eat/drink at a friend's house because man it was not worth the stress.

In my state (NnJ), there is a relapse protocol listed in our guide, which includes inactivating license, getting tx, and attending 90 meetings in 90 days. A nurse who relapsed had to do all that and her contract was extended by a year. I felt bad because she had less than 6 months to go, but it was better than having to start all over (which I understand is more likely the closer you get to the finish line). From what I gather, they will give you another chance if you relapse, unless you're also missing check-in/tests/meetings & it is a recurrent issue (3 or more)

In my program we have to be free of all mood altering substances for 2 years. I guess they'd extend it by 2 years for us. 

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Jpweston said:

I haven't heard anything. I'm not sure how long the test takes so I'm still stressing. The program I am in, no news is good news. They call if you have a positive. (Which I think should be illegal to not get your results directly.)

Yep, that's how it is in my program.  They only call you for positive tests.  My case manager did call me to tell me my FIRST peth test I ever did was negative, after a I went on a cruise.  She did that because "This is a test people are not used to, but we are going to do more of."  

I've had 3 more peth tests after that one (the finger prick kind, dried blood spot).

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Healer555 said:

In my program we have to be free of all mood altering substances for 2 years. I guess they'd extend it by 2 years for us. 

After 2 years, you are allowed to use substances? 

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santi_05 said:

After 2 years, you are allowed to use substances? 

Nooo. I'll rephrase. For your last 2 years you can't use any mood altering substances.  I think in the earlier part you can take Suboxone etc.  Your last 2 years have to have all negative tests. They add time to your sentence if you want to use suboxone etc. The suboxone must be approved 

 

Just curious, why did my comment here need approval before being published? 

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Specializes in Psych, BH, LTC, Rehab, Detox.
Healer555 said:

Nooo. I'll rephrase. For your last 2 years you can't use any mood altering substances.  I think in the earlier part you can take Suboxone etc.  Your last 2 years have to have all negative tests. They add time to your sentence if you want to use suboxone etc. The suboxone must be approved 

 

Just curious, why did my comment here need approval before being published? 

What is your program for if you don't mind me asking? And I guess what state? Bc they are all different. I can take anything as long as I have a script really. Mine isn't related to alcohol though and I don't get those PEth test done at all. I'm in NC. My consent order is basically for testing positive for fentanyl after a shift I had that worked in orientation. Didn't have patient contact. Then some other suspected diversion but nothing 100% proven. 

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PsychRNXXX said:

What is your program for if you don't mind me asking? And I guess what state? Bc they are all different. I can take anything as long as I have a script really. Mine isn't related to alcohol though and I don't get those PEth test done at all. I'm in NC. My consent order is basically for testing positive for fentanyl after a shift I had that worked in orientation. Didn't have patient contact. Then some other suspected diversion but nothing 100% proven. 

A sud I don't have. In case the powers that be are reading I don't post my state. 

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Specializes in Psych, BH, LTC, Rehab, Detox.
Healer555 said:

A sud I don't have. In case the powers that be are reading I don't post my state. 

Understand 

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How did this end up for you? Did you pass?

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