Positive PEth in a non-drinker

Posted by kpm @kpm, May 7, 2022

My husband has NALD which has turned to cirrhosis. Last May his MELD score reached 15, meaning time get on a transplant list. During the process we were shocked to find out his blood work came back with a high PEth score and continues to do so. He does not consume any alcohol whatsoever!!! We need help desperately as to what could be going on with his body to cause this. We are now going for a 2nd opinion as we thought he would be sent to some type of specialist to determine what's causing alcohol to present in his blood work and instead they only want to continue with the blood test. We have even asked that he be hospitalized to determine what's going on. We realize that doctors get lied to all the time, but it's now fair to punish someone that has something unexplainable going on. If alcohol were causing the issue - we would have numerous ways to deal with the problem. But again he doesn't drink anything alcoholic. Desperate for answers - can anyone help.

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Transplants Support Group.

@kpm

My husband's are always in the high 800 to 900 range and he does not consume any alcohol whatsoever and has never been an alcoholic as I stated before if you do have an alcohol problem there are multiple things that could be addressed to help.
We are still fighting to get my husband listed and have recently spoken with a lawyer. There has to be some way with all of the medical advances to determine the reason his blood shows alcohol. We have two doctors (not from the transplant team) supporting us as well. We will not give up the fight for him to have fair treatment and prayerfully the medical field will somehow determine what's going on.

Jump to this post

Thanks for replying, I hope the Dr.s you have can figure this out too. You would think that with multiple positive PEth tests from multiple people would throw a red flag up at Mayo Dr.s and maybe do some research on it too. Hope you and your husband get this straightened out.thanks again Jim

REPLY
@johnnoregon

I'm wondering maybe a EtG test caused the result? I did them concurrent with PEth's for 2 years while on the transplant list. An EtG test is a urine test (stands for ethyl glucuronide). I seem to recall the NIH states this test is subject to false positives. Anything containing alcohol - hand sanitizers, anything fermented, even some food products with vinegar may cause a positive. You don't have to drink it - topical applications count. I was kicked of the list and had to continue weekly testing, all the way raising cain with them. Every Monday, I dreaded getting the results. This is zero help but it sure resonates with me.

Jump to this post

Thanks for the thought, we are very frustrated and confused. We have just now started to really look at ingredients of food and health products but think it is something else causing it. Just guessing?

REPLY

I hope you are successful in getting listed, Iam praying for you and your husband. Iam in contact with a nurse and am trying to convince them that she hasn't drank and don't know how she tested positive, also let them know that I posted this on the connect site and have had a few responses like yours so maybe they could let her come back for care at Mayo. Again I wish you the best and good luck and will keep checking with you guys to see if you can get listed. Have a great day and keep fighting, Jimdandy1

REPLY

Hi Jimdandy, so if I am understanding you Mayo just denies u for your TP b/c they cannot figure out why u have a score showing u r drinking. The Dr. does not want to help u find out why!
I wish u the best and I can imagine how frustrating this must be. I hope u get some help very soon.

REPLY
@myfablife

Hi Jimdandy, so if I am understanding you Mayo just denies u for your TP b/c they cannot figure out why u have a score showing u r drinking. The Dr. does not want to help u find out why!
I wish u the best and I can imagine how frustrating this must be. I hope u get some help very soon.

Jump to this post

Yes that is what they told us, because she had 2 negative PEth test results before they say she was not being abstinent from alcohol. That was transplant committee decision. I am going to try and plea with committee to try and reinstate her but I have little hope. I've tried emailing her nurse and Dr. and have gotten nowhere. Not giving up yet!

REPLY

Jimdandy 💪yes I hope u can win this fight I feel so bad for u and your wife I know what it is like to be sick from liver disease, I am almost 3yrs. LTP.
God be with the TP team nurses Drs. that they help u figure this out💚

REPLY
@jimdandy1

Yes that is what they told us, because she had 2 negative PEth test results before they say she was not being abstinent from alcohol. That was transplant committee decision. I am going to try and plea with committee to try and reinstate her but I have little hope. I've tried emailing her nurse and Dr. and have gotten nowhere. Not giving up yet!

Jump to this post

My husband has never had a negative PEth test in the almost two years they have been testing and urine is consistently negative - how can you even explain that??? Rather than making accusations and denying us a transplant - why are they not testing to see what's causing this???
I have almost had a mental breakdown due to this, because of not having a way to prove he is not consuming alcohol. He even did breathalyzers with the sheriff's department, had them signed off on and they were always negative as well. We just wish they could and would hospitalize him for a month of 6 weeks to prove we are being truthful about the not drinking. If you get answers please post. We are not giving up as well. Our loved ones have a right to life.

REPLY
@kpm

My husband has never had a negative PEth test in the almost two years they have been testing and urine is consistently negative - how can you even explain that??? Rather than making accusations and denying us a transplant - why are they not testing to see what's causing this???
I have almost had a mental breakdown due to this, because of not having a way to prove he is not consuming alcohol. He even did breathalyzers with the sheriff's department, had them signed off on and they were always negative as well. We just wish they could and would hospitalize him for a month of 6 weeks to prove we are being truthful about the not drinking. If you get answers please post. We are not giving up as well. Our loved ones have a right to life.

Jump to this post

You're absolutely right, we should be able to have right to find out why instead of just dismissing you. I don't know if this is going to help but I am going to write a plea to the committee with our ,yours and other's that have had this happen to them.And hopefully make them understand that this is not an isolated incident. I will post when and if I hear back from them. All the best, Jimdandy1

REPLY

I hope u all get some answers for your loved ones. I will continue to follow your post for updates.

REPLY

My husband was denied a transplant because of a positive Peth Test (300). He retested five days later and was negative. He had not had any alcohol in almost 6 months. He died a few weeks later. The only thing I can think of that could have caused this result (other than the tests are erratic) is sugar substitute. He would drink iced tea with Splenda and I know he drank that before his blood test.

REPLY
Please sign in or register to post a reply.