Millie
Member
HI, I'm due my blood test (as a high risk offender), so had another private test for peace of mind. My first was in July and was 1.7 - this was after 4 weeks of abstinence, and I was drinking heavily before that. So I was happy with this, and didn't drink at all until my next dummy run on Tuesday 6 October. This was a full 3 months off. EXCEPT for a one off binge (why oh why!!) of 1.5 bottles of wine in one go on 2 October. I thought my CDT at the time of the binge would be very low, so diluted by the binge. I'd also done a lot of research, which suggested a binge won't show up on CDT. This was stated numerous times on the internet by doctors. So I was shocked when my CDT came back as 2.4.
I know how foolish I was to have the binge and have hugely beaten myself up about it. Different people may well be different - I'm 5'2 and 7 stone, which may well have affected the result. But my word of caution to anyone approaching the blood test is that a binge could well show up. Mine did. And I PROMISE I'm telling the truth that this was all I had in 3 months. So do not believe even what doctors say about CDT.
I've now booked my official DVLA test for 4 November - the furthest away I can without being outside the DVLA 6 week limit. By then the binge will have been about 5 weeks before, so I'm praying my CDT will have gone down to less than 1.7. I need it to be, as my GP has me down as teetotal and doesn't know about the binge. If I'm over this, it may well raise Qs, even though DVLA guidance is under 2.3. This is fine for most people, but not me - I have an illness which mean I shouldn't drink, so the fact I did would perhaps alarm drs.
So, my advice is that however much research you do into CDT - and much is contradictory even when posted by doctors - avoid drinking above recommended levels before your test, and avoid binges. My 15 units or so raised mine substantially - because it was all in one go I assume.
I know how foolish I was to have the binge and have hugely beaten myself up about it. Different people may well be different - I'm 5'2 and 7 stone, which may well have affected the result. But my word of caution to anyone approaching the blood test is that a binge could well show up. Mine did. And I PROMISE I'm telling the truth that this was all I had in 3 months. So do not believe even what doctors say about CDT.
I've now booked my official DVLA test for 4 November - the furthest away I can without being outside the DVLA 6 week limit. By then the binge will have been about 5 weeks before, so I'm praying my CDT will have gone down to less than 1.7. I need it to be, as my GP has me down as teetotal and doesn't know about the binge. If I'm over this, it may well raise Qs, even though DVLA guidance is under 2.3. This is fine for most people, but not me - I have an illness which mean I shouldn't drink, so the fact I did would perhaps alarm drs.
So, my advice is that however much research you do into CDT - and much is contradictory even when posted by doctors - avoid drinking above recommended levels before your test, and avoid binges. My 15 units or so raised mine substantially - because it was all in one go I assume.