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AIBU?

Friend overdosed. Wtf to do?

227 replies

Littlefluffyclouds81 · 29/02/2016 19:31

My friend/neighbour has not been answering her phone all day and I just went to check on her. She's had a bit of a shit time of it lately so I was worried.

Found her in bed (I've got a key). She's taken 15 tramadol last night. She was trying to end it. She is conscious and pissed off that she's still here. Her head is hurting and she's feeling sick. I said she needs to go to hospital but she got really angry and said she will never forgive me if I call an ambulance. She said if she still feels bad tomorrow she'll go then.

I guess if she was going to die that would have happened by now but I'm worried she could have caused herself some serious damage. I've taken all the pills I can find in the house away from her and said I'll be back to check on her once dd2 is in bed. I really think she needs to get checked over but she is not at all happy with that suggestion. What should I do?

OP posts:

Report

cozietoesie · 29/02/2016 20:23

She needs to be in a more controlled environment as well - who knows if you found everything she had. She may have other pills that you didn't discover.

I hope you called the ambulance.

I'm sorry for your situation.

Schmoozer · 29/02/2016 20:23

This doesn't sound like a cry for help.
The suicidal person didn't raise the alarm.
The OP found her.
The suicidal person is pissed off she has been found, is still alive, and does not want OP to call for help.
This is a very risky situation, with a desperate person.
Please call 999.
NOT crisis team, not 111,
I would not advise giving the suidical person the heads up that help is on the way, she may see it as a last chance to really end her life before they get there.
Just ring 999 and be there to open the door.

Couldashouldawoulda · 29/02/2016 20:23

At least call the ambulance first then tell her you've done it afterwards. You can't let her talk you out of it.

almondpoisson · 29/02/2016 20:24

Ambulance

P1nkP0ppy · 29/02/2016 20:27

Ambulance and for gods sake hope she hasn't completely buggered up her liver and kidneys.
And hope she hasn't taken anything else to hand in the meantime......

TheAussieProject · 29/02/2016 20:29

Your friend didn't overdose, she tried to kill herself.
The OP could even get into trouble for failing to report it and prevent a further attempt. Yes she removed pills, but what about chemicals, knives, etc?
Call the emergencies services, even if only to report that you have found your friend in this situation and don't know what to do

MummySparkle · 29/02/2016 20:30

Hope you and your friend are off in the ambulance now. Please let us know how things are when you get a chance

Goalie · 29/02/2016 20:36

Spoke to my partner, who's a pharmacist. If she's being honest with the number of pills she's taken, your friend has taken circa 2 days of tablets at the max dose. It is hard to overdose on tramadol (as you need to take a lot), but it can affect your breathing at lower doses.

If she took them yesterday, then most likely she's not done any long term damage (as she's still walking / talking, however my partners advice is to call 111 and ask them. They will likely send an ambulance / police for her protection from future harm.

You're a good friend op - she'll need supporting through this.

Justaboy · 29/02/2016 20:39

OP if you are there and still feel awkward about calling an ambulance then call the police and let them do it. I've known this to happen like this before!

The police are usually very helpful in such situations. More often than not they will be called anyway to such events even if you just call an ambulance.

But if you haven't done it yet then please just do it right now for pity's sake!.

ForgivenNotForgotten · 29/02/2016 20:44

Blimey, only skimmed the thread because I want to say CALL the ambulance! You know about this now, so you have a duty of care even though you don't feel up to dealing with this.

I'm so sorry this is happening

After you have called the ambulance, who can you call to take care of you? ??

It's crap that you need to be strong when you are maybe not feeling strong. .. Do what you MUST do, then have a good wobble later. We will be here for you xx

goddessofsmallthings · 29/02/2016 20:50

It is difficult to overdose on Tramadol unless the tablets are crushed and injected and, although your friend took almost twice the recommended daily dose of 450mg, it's unlikely that she's done any lasting harm to herself.

I would suggest you follow through on your plan to talk to her later and call the police if you suspect that she is still intent on ending it all.

shazzarooney99 · 29/02/2016 20:52

Hope shes ok, i agree with everyone else. she needs to be where people can look after her x

TendonQueen · 29/02/2016 20:55

She definitely needs to be in the care of medical and mental health professionals. It's right to ring and make that happen.

Justaboy · 29/02/2016 20:59

oddessofsmallthings Having dealt with this caper before the best bet is always to get medical help as you do not know if she has taken anything else other than what she/he says they have. Sometimes they can and do get confused about what's happened and what they have done.

ShesGotLionsInHerHeart · 29/02/2016 21:06

Why would an ambulance be sent for someone who took an overdose 24 hours ago and appears to need no emergency treatment?

NHS 24 I would have thought.

LadyStoicIsBack · 29/02/2016 21:06

'Having dealt with this caper before...'

WTAF?

Straycatblue · 29/02/2016 21:09

One of the reasons for taking a person to hospital who has taken an overdose in the last 24 hours especially when its out of hours and access to mental health services is limited, is not only for them to be checked physically but also to get them access to a psychiatry team who will assess how much she is at risk of doing further harm to herself and admit her if required.

If admission is not required for either the physical side effects of her overdose or for her mental health, then at least she will have been seen by a psychiatry team and she will most likely get follow up, it will also mean her gp is informed so that at the very least her attendance at a&e will trigger follow up and support for her.

Op if you havent already, call an ambulance, you cannot cope with this on your own and she needs professional help. Her blackmailing you into not calling an ambulance is part of her illness.

Justaboy · 29/02/2016 21:10

LadyStoicIsBack maybe not the best word but around here that means something that has happened, usually past tense. Event or events would be more appropriate!.

ForgivenNotForgotten · 29/02/2016 21:10

Call 999 because we on the Internet are not experts on the long term effects of whatever she has taken. I believe Goddess, have seem her speak sense on many threads before, but this is an important issue, requiring immediate medical help

Childishorhonest · 29/02/2016 21:13

AMBULANCE!!!!! they can be 24, hour delayed reaction and death will come quietly as the body slips into dangerous OD
..

WonderingAspie · 29/02/2016 21:13

My assumption would be she wants you to leave her alone for a reason......pills aren't the only way!

Tutt · 29/02/2016 21:14

You have a choice...
You either do nothing because you are don't want to loss a friend and then try to live with the consequences.

OR

You seek the help she needs but doesn't want and hopefully save her life so she can have a future.

I know I couldn't/wouldn't be able to live with my conscience if anything happened to her and I did nothing.
It may be a cry for help, it may have been a serious attempt BUT most here nor you are qualified to make that judgement, regardless of what she says she needs help!

KERALA1 · 29/02/2016 21:20

Had this aged 14. I swore to my friend I wouldn't tell, ran downstairs and told my mum immediately who rang an ambulance. Was a no brainer. Awful situation

Littlefluffyclouds81 · 29/02/2016 21:27

Ok - update. I phoned 111 from my house and spoke to a nurse. She said that the half life of the tablets was over but there was a possibility of liver damage. Ideally, yes she needs to go to hospital tonight, but she said the immediate danger had definitely passed.

I have been with her for the last hour or so. Making her a cup of tea at the moment. I'm still trying to convince her that hospital tonight is a good idea. She seems like herself again and is talking rationally. I will carry on trying to talk her round to going in tonight. She says she just wants to sleep.

OP posts:

BillBrysonsBeard · 29/02/2016 21:34

I would call and risk losing the friendship. It would always be on your mind if you didn't and something happened...

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