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Mumsnet has not checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you need help urgently or expert advice, please see our domestic violence webguide and/or relationships webguide. Many Mumsnetters experiencing domestic abuse have found this thread helpful: Listen up, everybody

Original poster

To witness a really close friend having a 'fit' due to alcohol dependency. HELP

46 replies

Monty100 · 21/06/2009 23:49

I've been trying to support a really special friend who has a problem with alcohol. I've had the lieing the usual, butI witnessed her having a fit earlier. She has had several recently and has been hospitalised. She is now on my sofa asleep, her children are with her lovely sister (they saw it at the time and have seen it before, I hadn't).

I wanted to take her to casualty and she wouldn't go.

I'm so distraught I can hardly even articulate but I think there might be some people who will tell me what to do.

OP posts:
llareggub · 21/06/2009 23:53

Seek medical advice. She needs to detox under supervision. Fits can be fatal.

Call NHS Direct now.

llareggub · 21/06/2009 23:54

sorry for blunt post.

Baby has colic, crying.

You are a good friend to do this for her.

Doodle2u · 21/06/2009 23:57

Call NHS - drink & fits are a baaaad combination. Just ring them now and explain.

Original poster
Monty100 · 22/06/2009 00:02

LL Thank you for your post. I've been on al alnon and everything I'm ending up asking people for support! I love her so much and I can't believe how physically ill she is, her eyes are yellow!

Gawd, I feel like she's going to have chronic chirrossis or something, she puked up a while ago. (black)

Sorry, bugger, may I call you that? And I apologise for bothering people, hope baby's colic has calmed down.

OP posts:
llareggub · 22/06/2009 00:06

She needs medical attention. I've been there. DH is a recovering alcoholic and has been sober for 2 years. Has she tried to go cold turkey?

wrinklytum · 22/06/2009 00:08

Please seek help for your friend x

cathcat · 22/06/2009 00:10

When you say she vomitted and it was black was it coffee grains vomit?
I am no expert but I think this is very dangerous and you should consider phoning an ambulance now. At the least phone NHS24 and see what they advise.

Original poster
Monty100 · 22/06/2009 00:10

Doodle, thanks I'm so scared but she won't let me do anything anyway. I can't go to bed she's on my sofa and I just keep checking her. She has water, I saw her at midday and then we went to dinner at her sister's she has had no alcohol that I know of today. But she's in a bad way. She would NOT got to hospital when she fitted and her 11 yr old dd was begging her to go and later i tried again and she won't take any medical treatment.

OP posts:
wrinklytum · 22/06/2009 00:13

Please dial 999.If she has fitted this is serious.She may not agree but I think that you should.The nhs can offer psycholgical support and detox programmes.

Original poster
Monty100 · 22/06/2009 00:13

Gawd thanks everyone. I wanted to phone an ambulance when she fitted. She wouldn't have it so she is on my sofa, then after that she was sick and I'm watching her. One move and I'm 999 whether she likes it or not.
Does that sound right?

OP posts:
llareggub · 22/06/2009 00:15

I agree. Call an ambulance. This is very serious. If she won't go to hospital voluntarily she may need sectioning.

LadyGlencoraPalliser · 22/06/2009 00:15

No do it anyway. Do it now.

llareggub · 22/06/2009 00:16

Don't wait, do it now. I know you want to do what she wants but at the moment you need to act quickly. Fitting can be fatal.

wrinklytum · 22/06/2009 00:19

Yes.

Black vomit is not good.

PLEASE seek help for her.She may rant and rave and call you names from pig to dog and worse,but if she is vomiting and fitting she needs urgent help.

llareggub · 22/06/2009 00:20

She will thank you for calling for help one day, I promise.

Original poster
Monty100 · 22/06/2009 00:25

It was about 8pm when she fitted, I've been watching her like a hawk I'm just really scared, I've just been in to see her again and she seems absolutely fine.

Believe me I think she should be in hospital but she is not having it. And I'm no softie but she won the argument so I'm just waiting for another sign.

I've just been in to see her again and she seems fine. wish I'd done it at the time but she wouldn't have it.

She has had no alcohol the whole time. Would that be why she's fitting?

OP posts:
cathcat · 22/06/2009 00:30

alcohol withdrawal info here

llareggub · 22/06/2009 00:31

Yes. It is really dangerous to go cold turkey. The only way to do it safely is to decrease alcohol intake slowly. When DH did it we got advice from the GP, managed his alcohol intake and gave him plenty of sugary stuff to maintain blood sugar. He also had medication.

wrinklytum · 22/06/2009 00:33

Black vomit is usually an indication of "OLD BLOOD" somewhere in her gastro-inntestinal tract.It is probably the alcohol he had earlier that has caused fits.alcoholics are the worlds greatest manipulators (I have an alcoholic bil)She needs help and will deny it.All you can do is seek help...the rest is up to her.But fits and old bleeds are not a good sign

Original poster
Monty100 · 22/06/2009 00:38

Been in again, she's snoring. A welcome sound for once in my life. I'm still afraid to leave her. But I think she's ok now do you? What is the black sick? She wasn't drinking the whole time that I was with her.

OP posts:
Original poster
Monty100 · 22/06/2009 00:39

Sorry wrinkly cross post. She's not a well person. i'm devastated.

OP posts:
llareggub · 22/06/2009 00:40

When she is reasdy to quit the AA will help.

Original poster
Monty100 · 22/06/2009 00:46

She is such a great woman. I adore her two dcs. She must be so down the line. I posted several months ago about her on the addicts thread and did my research on al anon and stuff and drew the conclusion that she needed to hit rock bottom. I thought she already had at the time but obv not. She seems to not care about anything. Her dcs are beautiful little people and coping with her in their own way. It's tragic. But she seems to be on some suicide mission.

OP posts:
llareggub · 22/06/2009 00:50

I'e got to go to bed now. Baby calm at last.

Good luck, I hope she stays stable. Please call nhsdirect though. x

Original poster
Monty100 · 22/06/2009 00:54

I'm going to get off now, please don't think I'm not answering anyone. I think I'll sleep on the other sofa just in case.

I'm very grateful for the support I've had on here, I was walking up and down before. One sign and its 999 whether she likes it or not.

Nite all and thanks again.

OP posts: