pain pill overdose

Has anyone ever been through an accidental overdose on pain pills who is willing to discuss it.  I am just hoping to know what the symptoms are.
Thank you for sharing

[It_was_worth_it]

I am familiar with such things, but in my opinion, this is VERY uncommon for addicts to actually OD. I am sure there are those that will disagree, but its kind of hard for someone with a tolerance to OD with pain pills. In all likelihood, a heavy oxy addict could take 400mg at once and live (but puke and sweat there brains out), while a non user would certainly perish. It is especially hard for someone (my opinion again) to "accidently" OD. Even still, it is remarkably simple to reverse an OD with an antagonist.

The one case that stands out in my mind as having actually ocurred near my area is as follows. Two young teens showed up to a party with a bunch of 80's, sold them, and showed everyone how to use them (insuflated). As you can imagine, a completely naive opiate user who insuflates 80mg is very very likely to die, or come close to it without imdeadiate intervention. This is exactly what happend, some kids died, it was all over the news. It was absoultely TERRIBLE. Now the kids who sold the 80's are sittin in jail. Can you imagine doing a full 80 for your first time ever? Most people find 5 - 10 mg oral to be overpowering on their first use.

PS. My post is my opinion, and not medical advice.

[It_was_worth_it]

Forgot to mention the symptoms.

While most people usually associate an opiate OD as a pleasent way to go out, it is in fact not so. The accidental overdoser will be faced with a terrible feeling of impending doom as oposed to the usual euphoria. Vomitting, severe sweating, headache, and eventually respitory failure followed by either death from choking on your vommit, or death by slowed and or stopped breathing (which will likely be very painful). It is not a pleasent topic too discuss, and it is very unfortunate when this type of thing happens. The saddest part is that most over doses can be reversed if immediate action is taken (calling the paramedics). If you ever feel you, or someone has done such a thing, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE seek help. You will not get into trouble for it, and even if you did, nothing is worth your life...Nothing! Be careful, stay safe...

[It_was_worth_it]

One other thing I thought I should mention here. Although obvious, it should be stated as some people may not be aware of it, and I know of people that this has happend to in my area (and it killed them). Mixing methadone with a benzo is a VERY dangerous. I know somoene who died from doing this.

Also, another obvious point, but there are a number of people who OD on pain pills in a different way. Pills containing tylenol (acetameaphen SP) taken in excess will lead to sudden liver failure over a prolonged period of ingestion in some people. You should never exceed the given FDA guidline on dosing, and even some people who follow the guidlines will still face problems. Alchohol does not mix either. This is more of a long term thing, but you never know when that next pills going to shut your liver down for good after you have been taking it for so long. It could be the straw that breaks the camals back. (See cold water extraction)

[studiogirl]

Thank you very much for this info

[122 Tactical Fighter Group]

Naturally it is me that steps up to the plate again....first advice is not to take any pills in the dark. I already had a few in me. Then i went into the kitchen and grabbed the three tylenol #3 that were stashed there. Wrong. Those were the 100mg methadone tablets that i had forgotten about.

I really don't remember some of what went down - actually a lot of what happenned....I just remember putting a movie in the dvd and sitting down in the barcolounger. It was a pleasant buzz until lights out time and I went down fast and solid.  Don't know where i was, but it was most peaceful and serene. So much so that i was kinda ticked that someone was messing with me. Glad that someone was messing with me though - it was the Doc's in the ER ..... I had been transported unconscious and in respiratory arrest. I was a little slow waking up from that one. I vaguely recall some forms moving about the room and hallway - hypoxia isnt very good for most bodily functions - and then my sons face gradually morphed into focus at the bedside. He was saying, "Dad - you have to wake up, they think you tried to kill yourself." That was like a light switch being flipped and I sat up and yelled "What?" Found myself in the ER with plenty of gear around me and in me. And I wasnt feeling nearly as good as the previuos hours - naturally the EMT's had suspected a narcotic overdose - I had botles of Norco sitting out - and they had IV'd me with a hefty dose of narcane. Now we all know that narcane is not the answer to a methadone o.d. - remember the anaphalactic shock boys and girls? Well, the story at least has a happy chapter ending - obviously the pro's got me going properly again. But I wouldnt recommend it to anyone. And I am considerably more careful with anything that I store around the house these days......there is more to the story, but i think that i hit the highlights - - - and the people in the ER surely remember me ......if you want to hear more about it just pm me - I wasnt prepared to tell that story tonight...

[studiogirl]

Well thank you for that info.  Im  sorry that you answered it if you werent prepared to tell that story tonight.  If it is any consolation, it has made me feel much better to read it.  I am glad you are okay.

[122 Tactical Fighter Group]

I don't know what you are looking for - I would be glad to discuss it less cavalierly if you want to PM me and give me an idea of what you need. I do feel quite fortunate - it is very rare to get a second chance from where I went. For what its worth - I have no fear of death now - I do have a liver condition that already had me in chemo for a solid year - and its not a happy story - but life is good

[Sajonna]

I too took too many of my pills one night- scared half to death.  I was beginning to get too forgetful when I took my pills.  I thought I was being careful too because I always kept a notepad on my fridge and wrote down everytime I took a dose.  Well...almost everytime.  

One night I took 2 of my pills, then I took a shower.  Normally I would always take my pills AFTER my shower...so after my shower, I went and took 2 pills.  Within 20-30 minutes I felt flushed, my breathing was not normal and I had a terrible pressure on the top of my head.  I was really scared.  I thought it was an anxiety attack..but then I thought "Oh no..I doubled the dose I think."  I called a friend over because I thought I was ODing for sure. I felt like i was falling asleep, then I would jump up awake and my heart was pounding.  My friend got there and called Ask A Nurse and asked what the symptoms for oding was and if she needed to take me to the hospital.  She told her what I took and I have to say, the nurse had no idea what effect doubling the dose on Hydro's would do and recommended we go to the ER.  We figured by that time almost 2 hours had gone by and had I really od'd it would have hit me by then.  

The next day I woke up with the biggest headache..and THAT is what got me thinking to get off these pills for good and find a new drug for my pain.  If you wake up in more pain after taking your pain meds, then it is time to re-evalute your medicine.

Best thing I have done for myself in a long time.

[oxyaddict420]

I have been a heavy user of all pain killers for many years and over the last 2-3 years it had gotten very heavy.  I had been taking upward of 500-600mg of oxycontin.oxycodone per day.  Then when I ran out I would take whatever I could find, or get my hands on to keep from getting withdrawls. So After the oxy ran out All I had was 100 of the 5-500 vicodin, which is 5mg hydrocodone and 500mg tylenol.  Well, I was popping 6-7 of them at each dose, and then dosing every 2 hours.  Next thing I knew I was at 15,000mg of tylenol and started to freak out. Not from any symptoms or anything physical, just the fact that I was aware of the amount ingested in a short time frame.  So then I started looking up more info on tylenol overdose, and started getting really horrifed. Reading that I wouldnt even have any signs until it was too late and then I would be dead.  So it had been about 4 hours since my last dose, and even though I knew I had went WAY OVERBOARD, I took another 5 pills which put me at 17,500mg!!!  At this point I was so convinced that I had no control over my addiction and I was going to kill myself taking these pills.  I was only getting a very very mild buzz anyway for maybe 10 minutes from each dosing.  So at this point I called poison control and spoke with them, and they said to go to the ER NOW!  I was hesitant, but after telling my fiancee what had happened she made me go, and when I got there THEY FREAKED!  They were going to do all kinds of stuff at first but when they seen how calm I was and asked for my wieght they did dome figures and said I was barley under the lethal dosage. So they monitored me for a few hours and ran some blood tests and then let me go.  But not before I talked the DR into writing me 20 of the 5mg immediete release oxycodone pills that have no tylenol. CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT?!  

TRUE PERSONAL STORY, AND VERY ASHAMED OF MY ACTIONS.  I AM NOW AT A POINT WHERE I CONTROL MY MEDS AND GO THROUGH A PAIN MANAGEMENT DR TO MAKE SURE I AM DOSING PROPERLY.

[Magno]

This past thursday night....My friend was clean from oxys for 6 weeks after a serious 3-4 year addiction he decided to bump a little more than an 80 in one line.. He went to bed shortly after and when my friends went to wake up him friday morning and he was dead..  Everyone is different, everyones heart is different, you never know.

[Victor322]

I also know of someone whom went clean for about 4 months from oxy's then in 1 night took about 4 times the maximum prescribed dosage thinking that he would be ok since that's where his prior quit level was at.... and he died  in his sleep that same night.

It had created a cardiac arrest but the coroner declared it an accidental prescription overdose because of his high oxy content  blood levels which had triggered the cardiac arrest.

It was my brother....so pain pills can kill people, especially in weakened physical conditions.

[ladyboop]

I think oding is more commen than you may think! It happened to me once. I was young 20yrs. I had not used in over a year. I had just had a baby. He was 3mo's. I went out with a friend. She wanted to get high, So I thought what the heck, Next thing I know I was waking up on the floor with two guys over me, yelling what did you take.. The Dr at the E.R. found out about my son. Said he was going to take him. Well that was enough to keep me clean for years!! My pain pill addiction started after a medical problem..

I have head story of many people dying in there sleep. cardiac arrest. I think it's because these pills make the heart work so hard. Ever taken your B/P 20 or 30 mintues after taken pain pills. I think you would be surprized...

    Lady

[studiogirl]

Thank you all for this info.  I read somewhere that it is more common for someone to OD right after a relapse because their bosy is not used to the pills and then they take a bunch and cant handle it.  Its worse than when they have a tolerance going.  

Oxyaddict - that really is an incredible story.  Dont be ashamed though, you are brave to even go to the ER and to even tell your story.  I cant even tell mine it makes me so upset.  I will say that last night I took a buch of pills and I woke up this morning with a MASSIVe headache and my body hurt all over, I was having trouble breathing and felkt nauseaus.  The worst part thogugh was I had uncontrollable chills and cold sweats even though it was so hot in my apartment.  I curled up with blankets over me and rode it out in bed.  But my body has been sore ever since.  That is why I asked the question.
To all that resonded-- your stories gave me the strength to tell mine so thank you.

[oxyaddict420]

Most OD's occur when people have been taking alot of pills for a period of time then quit for a while then go right back to that dosage thinking " that is what I used to take, so I should be OK" but that is fatal thinking! As some others in here have found out the hard way.  Your bosy builds a immunity to the levels of opiates in our system and when we quit for a while it breaks down that tolerance we once had not even that long ago. So what before used to get us high, Can KILL US!

Very important info to understand.  And some very honest and hard stories to read.  My heart goes out to all the people who have lost loved ones to this addiction. It must be horrible!

[kylee_k]

Most overdoses occur as a result of someone who doesn't realize their own personal limit. I must disagree with some people above who claimed that overdose of opiates is unpleasant and painful or a terrible feeling of doom will come over you! Ok most people I know who've overdose on pills just went to sleep and never woke up. My own boyfriend overdosed on pills and was brought back from the dead actually. Like most people he got high and nodded off and feel asleep. In his sleep he slowly stopped breathing, his sister noticed him gasping for air in his sleep and breathing funny, he however was completely unaware of what was happening, she said he would even sit up and look around and pass back out. Finally she noticed he'd stopped breathing altogether and began turning blue, that's when she realized something was wrong and he wasn't just messing around. The ambulance came and pumped him full of adrenaline and he said he remembers waking up and everything was blurry and he couldn't see and didn't know what was going on and started freaking out and they had him strapped down cuz he kept trying to swing his arms and pull tubes out of his throat, then he passed back out and actually died again and they brought him back a second time. He said the only thing that was painful was them doing CPR and the tubes and stuff shoved down him throat, he was unaware and unable to feel the actual overdose because he was so high. I'd say main signs is someone nodding off, and puking if your puking... its a sign that your body is rejecting it so don't do anymore, and just watch the amount and do the math, sometimes there are 24 hour pills to so be aware.

[Prospero73]

Thanks for your post indicating that your methadone OD was not a horrible experience (until you came out of it in the ER).  My son went through 4 of those over a 7 month period.  The first three were much as you described, and from his accounts afterwards, it was a peaceful experience and not unpleasant.  Prompt action by other family members and the paramedics averted disaster.  The worst part of it was the Narcane and the tube down the throat.

The last one was away from home, and he was brought to the ER by an acquaintance, too late.  If he had called 911, my son might have made it.

I suspect that the chief danger of an OD on opiates would be from a relapse during recovery, when tolerance is lower and the dosage is uncertain.  Methadone, in particular, is slow acting and stays in the body a long time, encouraging a "booster dose" that might well bring on an OD.

[stormey11]

MY ex-husband passed away from od on pills. I remember when we were married he would take any pills he could get his hands on. Lortabs was the main one.  I knew I would get that phone call some day saying he was gone. I was hoping I was wrong. Well a week before christmas I recieved that call saying he had died in his sleep that morning. It was hard to tell our little boy that his dad was gone. My grandmother had died of cancer 6 months prior to his death. The signs that you have a problem. His was going to different doctors, started having trouble with his heart, Living at the pawn shop, Not being able to pay your bills. He was the sweetest person you could ever meet. The addiction problem made him not so nice anymore that is why I divorced him. He would not get help. I try to remember him as the sweet person, open door for you type of person. I know when my son sees him again in heaven..He will be drug free and sweet like he once was..

[chuck452]

How do you mist 3 100MG pills. 100MG Methadone pills are very large pills with ability to break quarters off. Ive never saw any tylenol anywhere near that large. Did you mean 10MG methadone cause i could understand that mistake they are small round pills sorta like the old Tylenol 3 look like.