Would a doctor provide sleeping tablets to someone who has alcohol problem and is on anti depressants?

[Summerwhereareyou]

I am in despair, friend has massive drink issue, can drink from mid day through to the next day etc and is already on anti depressants but now a doctor has issued sleeping tablets? Would they do that if rhry knew person had a drinking issue.

It depends on what conversation they had with their doctor, what sleeping pills they prescribed, how many, the dose and the risk assessment involved.

I'm assuming the person hasn't been honest with the doctor. Unless sleeping tablets are part of a drink strategy?

Have you asked your friend what the doctor said, what are you concerned about, do you think they will deliberately overdose,.

Yes they would. I’ve worked in the NHS, there are a LOT of idiot doctors.

I'm 99% sure that they wouldn't . Sedatives cause shallow breathing, as does alcohol. So it's a double whammy. My psychiatrist has told me very loudly and clearly to never take my opiate based Pain relief or zopiclone after even 1 alcoholic drink.

A psychiatrist prescribed a GIANT quantity of sleeping tablets to my DSis when she was in the midst of a mental health crisis and was actively suicidal. I brought my DSis to my local GP practice for a medication review (of her antidepressants, but she was told to bring along all medications and supplements she was taking). A quick-thinking nurse practitioner immediately confiscated the sleeping tablets and gave my dSis melatonin and magnesium instead. I was very grateful.

If your friend had been honest with the GP re their drinking, the GP shouldn’t have prescribed sleeping tablets. As a PP said, they can be dangerous is taken with alcohol

Depends what you mean by sleeping tablets. Some ‘sleeping tablets’ are used as part of community management of alcohol reduction/withdrawal.

Grey this is what I was wondering,is there a slim chance it's deliberate.

Do you know what tablets the doctor has prescribed

Diazepam can be used to help sleep AND / OR for alcohol withdrawal so it depends what shes been given and for what purpose

Well I don't think they know the extent of her drinking!

Like pp says diazepam is used for both but its difficult to know unless you know what she has been prescribed

The doctor will only know what a patient tells them even if its untrue

If she takes sleeping pills with alcohol, it will enhance the drowsiness and inhibit her respiration, very dangerous. The GP is probably unaware of her drinking.

She doesn't think I don't think she's that bad because she's lived with it for so long and has her habits.
I'm just .....that with all the worry people do around her i'e the drink alone/added to anti depressants and now sleeping tablets.