Urine test showing positive for alcohol and I dont drink.

meekandhumble,

Though office drug tests are good, they are not infallible. You can ask to have a sample sent for a GC/MS analysis. But, you will probably have to pay for it.

The gas chromatograph/mass spectrometry instrument can determine everything that is in a sample, and the amount.


There are cases of alcohol showing up in the urine a diabetics, but this is usually when they are in crisis. Once they hit this stage, the death rate is very high.

There are cases of instrumentation being contaminated, causing a false positive. However, that should not occur every time.

If it is contamination from something you are using, those alcohol products usually contain quite a bit of isopropal alcohol, so a GC/MS would pick up both the isopropal and ethyl alcohol, proving it was a contaminant.


But, in any case, you are going to have to have a long talk with your physician. Pain management is based totally on trust, and this is going to have a big impact. You need to get the physician to understand that you do not drink any EtOH, and what can you do to show him this, other than the testing. Or if they will send a sample for the GC/MS testing.


(Of note, in the military, no drug test is considered positive until it has been shown to be positive on three different types of testing, the last one being the GC/MS. And only if it is up to a certain level. The military does not use, "any detectable level" because of the overly high false positives rates when that is used.)

Hope you find out what is going on. If you do, please let us know, so that other members can be helped with that knowledge. Good luck.

Its funny you mention diabetes as a possible cause. I go to my GP every 6 weeks or so to have my blood taken for liver/ cholesterol/ hormones ( for menopause) because I am concerned about taking meds and my liver. I just want to make sure Im not destroying my insides. So far so good with my liver. I also lost 30 lbs in the last 6 months and lowered my cholesterol. My GP did say my blood sugars were high and borderline diabetic and to cut out sugars.

Thank you so much for your response. I do appreciate it. I just hope my Pain Dr will believe me. We do have a very good relationship, one that I do not want to destroy. He even has told me Im one of his most compliment patients and that Im a breath of fresh air for him. I pray it all works out. Thank you again.

To Meek and Humble:
I have been an RN for many years and have a renal tubular defect where I spill glucose in the urine at high levels. My blood glucose is normal. I have gone through many tests where I failed the ethyl alcohol test implying that I consumed alcohol when I do not drink. Finally, I insisted on a breath test and/or blood test when urine tested and no alcohol was detected because I did not drink. MD's and scientists are learning that in diabetics and in some urinary tract infections, the glucose in the urine actually ferments and forms alcohol making you have a false positive for alcohol. If you have a physician that doubts you, have him test you simultaneously with a breath test or blood test and his/her and your fears will be OVER sweet lady. I also pray that you find another physician because if they doubt you, they are in the wrong business. I would give you my phone number if I could, but a lot of research has been out since 2005 about this issue and your doctor may not be reading and researching, in my opinion, for potential false positive causes. For me, I spill regardless of my blood level and the next employer that embarrasses me stating I was drinking will get blown off the map with the law suit I place on them. It's simple science, sugar + yeast/bacteria = fermentation which ='s alcohol. Here are a couple of references:
Thierauf, Annette et al: Urine tested positive for Ethyl Glucuronide and ethyl sulfate after the consumption of yeast and sugar, Forensic Science International, 202, 2010, e45-e47; Helender, Anders et al: Postcollection Synthesis of Ethyl Glucuronide by Bacteria in Urine May Cause False Identification of Alcohol Consumption, Clinical Chemistry, 53, No. 10, 2007, 1855-1857.

I hope this helps and May God Bless You. Signed, an RN who cares and is married to a wonderful physician.

I also go to pain management also and my last urine test said i tested for alcohol! i dont get why because i dont drink. i tested positive for hepatitis c in 2006 and have dont treatment for it and remain undectable , but i did go to my pcp the day before and he gave me a high dose steroid shot. i wonder if that is what caused it

I also go to pain management also and my last urine test said i tested for alcohol! i dont get why because i dont drink. i tested positive for hepatitis c in 2006 and have dont treatment for it and remain undectable , but i did go to my pcp the day before and he gave me a high dose steroid shot. i wonder if that is what caused it

can any one help me i got hit by a car while riding a bike i woke up in the hospital with bleeding on my brian i also test positive for alcohol never had a drink in 5 years help

thanks I never drank in my life am a Diabetic had a positive alcohol urine.thank god my clinic believes me. I hate alcohol. but im concerned what if this wld happen again. an Im so scared i take glucophage .my mom died from diabetis an amputation.so was my sugar running high? cld i have died? thanks again for ur posting.