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Original poster

Help - DS paralytic

136 replies

OneHandFlapping · 10/01/2015 01:22

DH and I have got him home, and to bed. He's been sick, but is now either asleep or comatose in bed on his side, surrounded by plastic and bowls.

DH and I are going to take turns sitting up with him, but what do I need to look out for? Are there other dangers apart from inhaling his own vomit?

OP posts:
NeedABumChange · 10/01/2015 01:27

Age?

NeedABumChange · 10/01/2015 01:29

Make him wee if he wakes up or put a plastic sheet/towel under him to save the mattress.

LongDistanceLove · 10/01/2015 01:33

Numbers 6/7/8 m.wikihow.com/Take-Care-of-a-Drunk-Person

MaMaMarmoset · 10/01/2015 01:35

You can always call 111 if you're concerned.

Original poster
OneHandFlapping · 10/01/2015 01:35

He is 18, and not a very experienced drinker.

He went for a wee. I don't think we can get plastic sheeting under him now Sad. I might try a towel.

OP posts:
FightOrFlight · 10/01/2015 01:36

18 year old son has just come home totally plastered. Just heard him fall over upstairs - thought the sky was falling a la Henny Penny.

Just checked, he's fine (though won't feel too great in the morning).

As long as your son is on his side he won't choke - prop him up with pillows so he can't roll on his back.

When I was a teenager I had one of those beds with a pull-out drawer and I used to keep a sick bowl in there for these sort of occasions. One time I forgot to replace the bowl so ended up vomiting into the drawer itself. Clearing that up the next day was horrendous.

kormachameleon · 10/01/2015 01:40

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

wobblyweebles · 10/01/2015 01:40

Plastic sheeting? He can clean up the mess tomorrow.

I'd pop a bowl next to him, sleep in the same room, and make sure he isn't choking.

I did similar at 18.

Original poster
OneHandFlapping · 10/01/2015 01:43

LongDistanceLove - that was really useful. I'll keep a check on his breathing rate.

FightorFlight - that made me laugh.

I think he may have a bit of car cleaning up to do tomorrow. We caught most of it, but not all. Smelt like pure alcohol (boak)

OP posts:
SteamTrainsRealAleandOpenFires · 10/01/2015 01:46

Is it the first time he's been pissed?
Was he at a disco or pub btw?

In the morning show a little bit of no sympathy, then get him to clean up the mess (if any).

Later on, explain to him the importance of eating/drinking a pint of milk before drinking, and to have a pint of water/pop in between pints of booze and not to get into drinking contests. also not to mix shorts with beer/ale

Original poster
OneHandFlapping · 10/01/2015 01:47

Not sure how much he drank. I did see him with about half a bottle of vodka as he headed off. I nearly said something, but I doubt it would have made any difference. His friends seemed stone cold sober, so worst case, he could have drunk a hell of a lot. Plus some red wine or something by the look of it.

OP posts:
Original poster
OneHandFlapping · 10/01/2015 01:51

I doubt if it's the first time - he went to uni in September. Prior to that he was practically teetotal, so I'm not surprised at this. At least it's happened at home, and he's not alone in his uni room.

He will be so embarrassed in the morning. And will have the hangover from hell.

OP posts:
RandomNPC · 10/01/2015 01:52

Poor lad, I've not been that pissed for 20 years or so but I remember what it was like the next morning! I too was sick all over my mom's car at that age.
Check his breathing regularly, of course keep him on his side so he doesn't aspirate.

FightOrFlight · 10/01/2015 02:02

Hmm, half a bottle of vodka is not good if he drank it by himself. Add in some red wine and that's one gut-wrenching mixture.

Definitely keep an eye on him for the next couple of hours.

Worst thing about my drawer-vomit as that I also kept my collection of Private Eye magazines in there next to the (sadly absent) sick bowl so they had absorbed a lot of the liquid element of my expulsions. Next morning I was faced with soggy, vomity magazines and a load of half-digested "stuff".

Still, not as bad as when I went in to check my older brother when he was in a similar state and stepped in the pool of vomit on his bedroom carpet. I was barefoot so I had upchuck squished between my toes Sad Subsequently had to crawl to the bathroom on hands and knees to remove it so I didn't leave vomit footprints on the landing carpet ...

ah, the memories of youth

Hope all goes okay tonight and the worst that happens is a very hungover son tomorrow x

Original poster
OneHandFlapping · 10/01/2015 02:12

It sounds like you and your brother had a VERY misspent youth Fight.

This is going to be a long, long night.

OP posts:
nocoolnamesleft · 10/01/2015 02:16

Can you check his temperature? One of the other big problems with younger people drinking, particularly outside this time of year, is hypothermia.

Original poster
OneHandFlapping · 10/01/2015 02:24

I've only got a mercury thermometer, which is obviously not suitable. His hands and feet feel cold, but are not blue. His trunk is slightly warm, but not toasty. He's under the duvet.

How would I know?

OP posts:
RandomNPC · 10/01/2015 02:28

If he's been inside, and he's back home now under the duvet, then he's unlikely to be hypothermic.

BOFster · 10/01/2015 02:32

There's not much chance of him having hypothermia unless he's been trekking across the Arctic tundra as he's home in bed now and was well enough to go for a wee. The main concern is if he's not conscious enough to move if he vomits in his sleep, but it doesn't sound as though he's at that point. I'd put him in the recovery position and keep checking on him, then read him the riot act tomorrow- good luck.

Original poster
OneHandFlapping · 10/01/2015 02:36

I don't think I'll have to read him the riot act - he will be totally ashamed.

And in a way, I want my kids to know DH and I will always have their back when they do something stupid. I'd rather know the worst than have them not ask for help when they need it.

His friends were lovely, and looked after him and tried to get him a cab home, but of course they weren't having any of it. Quite right too. I don't mean they should have. He would have puked all over it for sure.

OP posts:
BOFster · 10/01/2015 02:37

Oh, and don't presume he'll have a dreadful hangover tomorrow- at that age they are exasperatingly resilient Grin.

Original poster
OneHandFlapping · 10/01/2015 02:39

I remember...

Bacon sandwiches were the thing the morning after, I seem to recall.

OP posts:
wobblyweebles · 10/01/2015 02:43

Oh I always had a horrible hangover, no matter how young and vital...

RandomNPC · 10/01/2015 02:47

I once drank 12 pints of Guinness one night at Uni; Oh god, the hangover the next couple of days...

Bogeyface · 10/01/2015 02:48

Having his back is a good thing, but......... I would read him the riot act simply about putting himself in danger. If he is so drunk as to be incapable then he could end up in a situation that he cant easily deal with. Mugged, raped, lost, abroad (it happens!) ... he needs to learn his limits. What if his friends had decided to let him try and get a cab and gone somewhere else? Anything could have happened and he needs to understand that.

And make him clear up after himself. A lesson I didnt want to learn, but never forgot, was being on the verge of honking my guts up (again) whilst emptying the sick bowl and changing the sheets from the night before. I was 17, and I soon learned my limits after that!

Having their back sometimes means tough love, otherwise you could find yourself still doing this in 20 years.