Yet another ETG horror story

[Guest guest]

Omigosh, am I ever grateful for finding this group (Google kicks

butt)!

I felt like I was completely alone in my experience. I'm a

recovering alcoholic with almost three years of sobriety; I'm being

monitored by Florida's IPN (intervention project for nurses)

program. About a year and a half ago, a colleague reported that she

thought she smelled alcohol near me - I insisted on having a BAL

drawn then and there - it was negative. But the IPN folks asked me

to take an ETG. I agreed happily, since I was sure it would

exonerate me.

Wrong. I was flabbergasted when it came back positive. More than

flabbergasted - I was totally devastated. Absolutley nobody outside

my family believed that I hadn't been drinking. I had both the

psychiatrist I was referred to and the leader of my " nurse support

group " screaming at me that I was " a liar and a lousy nurse " . I lost

my job. I lost my license. I lost my medical insurance, since I

couldn't afford the COBRA payments. I had to undergo over half a

year of residential treatment. I'm about to lose my house, since IPN

still hasn't cleared me to return to nursing, and there's no way

that working as a telemarketer allows me to meet my mortgage

payments.

The thing that floors me, is that almost everyone insists " there's

no such thing as a false positive " . I find that hard to believe; I

worked in a family planning clinic, and was assured by the company

that makes our pregnancy tests that a false positive was impossible.

One day when the first six women I tested turned up positive, I ran

one on myself: it was positive. Did I mention I'm 59 years old and

had a hysterectomy 20 years ago?

Since my horrible experence, I've spoken with two other nurses in

the local IPN program with similar stories. We fantasize about class

action...

[Guest guest]

Judy--- I'm glad you found us, too, tho' sorry you had occasion to do so. Your story makes me cringe. I am a CA RN, DOC opiates, never etoh, 6 + EtG's in a 5 month period, none for 1 yr since discontinuing Tylenol. My age is close to yours. I went to "nurse support group" & think I had much the same experience as you describe....what a misnomer & a travesty. I am in Transition now (final phase) & no longer required to attend that group. WHEW!!!!! Interesting & illustrative experience you describe re: the false positive pregnancy tests. I don't suppose you received any acknowledgment when you shared that story w/ your case manager for IPN? You are among friends & supporters here, & we

truly understand how you are feeling in a way "others" can't---as they say, you have to be there to appreciate it. Again, welcome, & keep comin' back. MarshaJudy <floridajudy@...> wrote: Omigosh, am I ever grateful for finding this group (Google kicks butt)!I felt like I was completely alone in my experience. I'm a recovering alcoholic with almost three years of sobriety; I'm being monitored by

Florida's IPN (intervention project for nurses) program. About a year and a half ago, a colleague reported that she thought she smelled alcohol near me - I insisted on having a BAL drawn then and there - it was negative. But the IPN folks asked me to take an ETG. I agreed happily, since I was sure it would exonerate me.Wrong. I was flabbergasted when it came back positive. More than flabbergasted - I was totally devastated. Absolutley nobody outside my family believed that I hadn't been drinking. I had both the psychiatrist I was referred to and the leader of my "nurse support group" screaming at me that I was "a liar and a lousy nurse". I lost my job. I lost my license. I lost my medical insurance, since I couldn't afford the COBRA payments. I had to undergo over half a year of residential treatment. I'm about to lose my house, since IPN still hasn't cleared me to return to nursing, and there's no way that

working as a telemarketer allows me to meet my mortgage payments.The thing that floors me, is that almost everyone insists "there's no such thing as a false positive". I find that hard to believe; I worked in a family planning clinic, and was assured by the company that makes our pregnancy tests that a false positive was impossible. One day when the first six women I tested turned up positive, I ran one on myself: it was positive. Did I mention I'm 59 years old and had a hysterectomy 20 years ago?Since my horrible experence, I've spoken with two other nurses in the local IPN program with similar stories. We fantasize about class action...

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[Guest guest]

hi judy,welcome...you are not alone...class action is not a fantasy but a reality in progress...pm some of the movers and shakers in the forum and they will tell you what's happenin'...regards,rJudy <floridajudy@...> wrote: Omigosh, am I ever grateful for finding this group (Google kicks butt)!I felt like I was completely alone in my experience. I'm a recovering alcoholic with almost three years of sobriety; I'm being monitored by Florida's IPN (intervention

project for nurses) program. About a year and a half ago, a colleague reported that she thought she smelled alcohol near me - I insisted on having a BAL drawn then and there - it was negative. But the IPN folks asked me to take an ETG. I agreed happily, since I was sure it would exonerate me.Wrong. I was flabbergasted when it came back positive. More than flabbergasted - I was totally devastated. Absolutley nobody outside my family believed that I hadn't been drinking. I had both the psychiatrist I was referred to and the leader of my "nurse support group" screaming at me that I was "a liar and a lousy nurse". I lost my job. I lost my license. I lost my medical insurance, since I couldn't afford the COBRA payments. I had to undergo over half a year of residential treatment. I'm about to lose my house, since IPN still hasn't cleared me to return to nursing, and there's no way that working as a telemarketer

allows me to meet my mortgage payments.The thing that floors me, is that almost everyone insists "there's no such thing as a false positive". I find that hard to believe; I worked in a family planning clinic, and was assured by the company that makes our pregnancy tests that a false positive was impossible. One day when the first six women I tested turned up positive, I ran one on myself: it was positive. Did I mention I'm 59 years old and had a hysterectomy 20 years ago?Since my horrible experence, I've spoken with two other nurses in the local IPN program with similar stories. We fantasize about class action...