Had a relapse
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2018
Posts: 2
Had a relapse
I am sad to say I had a relapse after 3 years. I talked to my chaplain today because it is confidential and I feel a lot better after that. I suppose I let stress get to me and didn't pursue the correct avenues.
I was told I am getting a CDT blood test, I know it can detect heavy drinking up to 2 weeks back. I had 5 beers on Sunday night, so I am scared to death that the test will pop positive...anyone have experience with this blood test?
I was told I am getting a CDT blood test, I know it can detect heavy drinking up to 2 weeks back. I had 5 beers on Sunday night, so I am scared to death that the test will pop positive...anyone have experience with this blood test?
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Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Upstate New York
Posts: 51,560
Hi bigtallguy. I can't imagine how that test could detect those 5 beers after days have gone by. I relapsed after 3 yrs. sober too - but I went back out for a very long time. I'm glad you're here for support & encouragement.
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Join Date: Jan 2018
Posts: 26
Originally Posted by Hevyn 
Hi bigtallguy. I can't imagine how that test could detect those 5 beers after days have gone by. I relapsed after 3 yrs. sober too - but I went back out for a very long time. I'm glad you're here for support & encouragement.
Forum Leader
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Wisconsin, USA
Posts: 16,945
I've not taken the test either, although it looks like it tests not for alcohol but for a protein associated with heavy alcohol consumption. Your best bet is to stay sober however, did you follow a plan or program during your 3 years sober?
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Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: York County, PA
Posts: 302
Nope, no experience w/ that test.
Is there some reason you can't or won't be honest about your alcohol consumption with your doctors? I don't know a lot of professions that won't let someone drink at all, so I imagine there's something more here . . .
5 beers in one day? I didn't like beer much, but I sure as hell drank a lot more than that.
By the way, what you should be more scared of is what will happen if you don't find a way of maintaining a healthy sobriety that works. If you're truly an alcoholic, it'll eventually destroy everything around you before destroying you.
Is there some reason you can't or won't be honest about your alcohol consumption with your doctors? I don't know a lot of professions that won't let someone drink at all, so I imagine there's something more here . . .
5 beers in one day? I didn't like beer much, but I sure as hell drank a lot more than that.
By the way, what you should be more scared of is what will happen if you don't find a way of maintaining a healthy sobriety that works. If you're truly an alcoholic, it'll eventually destroy everything around you before destroying you.
Member
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 147
Hi, BTG. The CDT test shows alcohol consumption over a period of 7 - 14 days. It measures Transferrin levels, which remain in circulation for this period of time. So, the 5 beers would effectively show as consumed over a period of between one and two weeks. Hope this helps.
http://www.viapath.co.uk/sites/defau...%20report2.pdf
http://www.viapath.co.uk/sites/defau...%20report2.pdf
Member
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: CA
Posts: 1,060
Welcome BTG to SR,
I have to take that test randomly for my work also. All I can say is don't drink alcohol, drink plenty of water, take some B-complex vitamins, and eat healthy. I hope that your liver returns to normal before the test but there is nothing you can do for what you've already done.
good luck BTG
I have to take that test randomly for my work also. All I can say is don't drink alcohol, drink plenty of water, take some B-complex vitamins, and eat healthy. I hope that your liver returns to normal before the test but there is nothing you can do for what you've already done.
good luck BTG
Member
Join Date: May 2013
Location: fort worth tx
Posts: 1,373
What's the worse that could happen? You loose your job? Just remember God has a master plan for you. He will move you around like a chess piece. Just try to do the right thing. It's going to be fine. Just don't drink again. That's the key.
Member
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Florida., USA
Posts: 3,252
Hi BigTallGuy -
I extrapolated the following from the article Corriec sent:
- With current commercial assays for CDT’s in normal subjects who consume little
or no alcohol less than 1.6% of their blood transferrin is in the carbohydrate
deficient form.
- Typically the level of alcohol intake required to produce a CDT result of 3.0% is
100-150 g alcohol/day. This equates to about 5 pints of beer, a bottle of wine or one
third of a bottle of spirits daily.
- Intermittent or “binge” drinking can increase CDT levels. The extent to which this
occurs is dependent on the frequency of “binges” and the amount of alcohol
consumed on each occasion. Someone drinking 200-300 g alcohol two days a
week, but abstaining on the other days, could have a CDT level of 1.5-3%.
Conversely, someone who only has one “binge” in a 14 day period and does not
consume alcohol for the rest of the time period is unlikely to have a raised CDT, as
the normal transferrin produced on the other 13 days would ‘dilute’ the CDT
produced on the day of drinking.
I extrapolated the following from the article Corriec sent:
- With current commercial assays for CDT’s in normal subjects who consume little
or no alcohol less than 1.6% of their blood transferrin is in the carbohydrate
deficient form.
- Typically the level of alcohol intake required to produce a CDT result of 3.0% is
100-150 g alcohol/day. This equates to about 5 pints of beer, a bottle of wine or one
third of a bottle of spirits daily.
- Intermittent or “binge” drinking can increase CDT levels. The extent to which this
occurs is dependent on the frequency of “binges” and the amount of alcohol
consumed on each occasion. Someone drinking 200-300 g alcohol two days a
week, but abstaining on the other days, could have a CDT level of 1.5-3%.
Conversely, someone who only has one “binge” in a 14 day period and does not
consume alcohol for the rest of the time period is unlikely to have a raised CDT, as
the normal transferrin produced on the other 13 days would ‘dilute’ the CDT
produced on the day of drinking.
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