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How Long Does Codeine Remain In The System For Drug Urine Test?

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Posted on Wed, 15 Jun 2016
Question: Will taking Tylenol 4 w/codeine neutralize alcohol in a drug urine test ? If not, is there anything that will ?
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Answered by Dr. Dr. Matt Wachsman (59 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
no, not at all.

Detailed Answer:
First, the use of narcotics with alcohol is dangerous and makes overdose with either much more likely.

Second, codeine is a controlled substance that can be easier to detect and more serious when it is detected than the alcohol and would most likely cause a more serious failing of the drug test.

Third, it just won't work. Alcohol might reduce tylenol overdose toxicity--this is controversial--but it certainly does not interact with tylenol in a drug test.

Alcohol detection in urine tests depends strongly on which test is done and all are somewhat dubious in their reliability. The simplest is looking for alcohol. Diabetes out of control gives alcohol in the urine without any alcohol actually being taken. Alcohol leaves the urine promptly (under a day most of the time) and is highly variable based on liver and kidney function. Dilution of the urine DOES help this but at the cost of having a dilute urine which is not only flagged but can cause the specimen to be thrown out.

A newer test is a breakdown product of alcohol that stays around a lot longer. Ethyl glucuronide. Hand sanitizer causes false readings
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/0000
The test is positive in heavy drinkers for up to about 5 days
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/0000 but likely 2 days at most after a single drink. Increased water intake likely will speed this up (slightly).

serum carbohydrate deficient transferrin is a better more accurate test, but it is blood tested so......
Note: In case of any other concern or query related to prevention, evaluation, diagnosis, treatment, or the recovery of persons with the any type of addiction or substance use, follow up with our Addiction Medicine Specialist. Click here to book a consultation now.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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Answered by
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Dr. Dr. Matt Wachsman

Addiction Medicine Specialist

Practicing since :1985

Answered : 4214 Questions

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How Long Does Codeine Remain In The System For Drug Urine Test?

Brief Answer: no, not at all. Detailed Answer: First, the use of narcotics with alcohol is dangerous and makes overdose with either much more likely. Second, codeine is a controlled substance that can be easier to detect and more serious when it is detected than the alcohol and would most likely cause a more serious failing of the drug test. Third, it just won't work. Alcohol might reduce tylenol overdose toxicity--this is controversial--but it certainly does not interact with tylenol in a drug test. Alcohol detection in urine tests depends strongly on which test is done and all are somewhat dubious in their reliability. The simplest is looking for alcohol. Diabetes out of control gives alcohol in the urine without any alcohol actually being taken. Alcohol leaves the urine promptly (under a day most of the time) and is highly variable based on liver and kidney function. Dilution of the urine DOES help this but at the cost of having a dilute urine which is not only flagged but can cause the specimen to be thrown out. A newer test is a breakdown product of alcohol that stays around a lot longer. Ethyl glucuronide. Hand sanitizer causes false readings http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/0000 The test is positive in heavy drinkers for up to about 5 days http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/0000 but likely 2 days at most after a single drink. Increased water intake likely will speed this up (slightly). serum carbohydrate deficient transferrin is a better more accurate test, but it is blood tested so......