trying to figure out a friend

[lucky004]

what are the affects of taking cough medicine and tylenol together?  Is is something that would kill someone?

[snowflake620]

sounds like a cry for help to me to now mind you i'm no expert either but thoes are dark thoughts swirlin around but fear is taking over be there for him

[kim715]

I'm thinking theeagle is right about this one,attention from the jaded lover.If the police took him into custody and admitted him to the hospital.I'm thinking they did a 302 commitment on him.Which is an involuntary commitment where you can be held for up to 72 hours if the doctors agree that you are a threat to yourself or to someone else.Chances are he confessed to the police what his true intentions were by taking the pills.In any case it certainly sounds like a cry for help and hopefully they will keep him and begin to get him the help he needs.No matter why he took the pills in the first place he's exhibiting dangerous behavior.Even if he wasn't really trying to harm himself taking large amounts of tylenol like that can cause serious damage to the liver.Just be aware that your friend is in a dark place right now and needs his friends to rally around him  and offer him the help and support he needs.It sounds like you are doing just that,he's lucky to have you.I will keep him in my prayers.All the best...Kim

[122 Tactical Fighter Group]

well, this is certainly interesting.... i feel like its an episode of House or something.... Good things are that it was aberrant behavior on his part....if the Police took him to hospital he had a tox screen done that would show any and all substances.......Not sure wht theproblem is, but he wasnt attempting  suicide. I am sure that he had some pills left....correct me if I am wrong, but those pills dont come in packages that match the quantities you indicate. Someone that was seriously suicidal would take all the pills they bought.....you can kill yourself with a couple bucks worth of aspirin......my first guess was attention from jaded lover - and its sounding more and morevlike that is the case.....too many ways for even an indigent individual to kill themselves if they feel like it. Death is actually not the challenge - its living happily that is the hard part......But stay there for him even if you arent Mom - he needs someone right now to just listen and support him .....when he is ready you will hear the whole story .......different time frames for different people and drugs and length of use and on and on ........ best ofl luck to you - he needs someone to just talk with and soon he will open up ------

[lucky004]

I am not his mother but it was very out of the ordinary.  3 months ago he girlfriend broke up with him and he has been feeling depressed ever since but we did not know.  He was taken into custody by the police and he was admitted to the hospital.  The test for his liver came back clean but I know that it might take a couple more days for the effects to take place.  We also don't think that he has been doing this regulary as he had to go buy the stuff, he did not have it with him.  We are also trying to figure out if he was trying to hurt himself and that is why I am trying to do more research on it so that we can help him.

Also he didn't just take 10 pills at once he took 16, 10 tylenol and 6 tylenol cold tabs.

[122 Tactical Fighter Group]

None of what you are describing is good.... that amount of pills isnt as easy to die from as many perceive.....but the amount of acetominophen will do a job on is liver in short order......4000mg is the accepted amount of acetominophen that a liver may safely detox from within a 24 hour period. So he is in line for liver problems before long. There must be a reason that he feels that this approach to normal life problems is not "normal" - whatever that really is ......and how many people do you know that consider taking ten pills at once is normal in any way shape or form. Even the pill poppers that I know realize that. For whatever reason he decided to catch a buzz this way - - its even so poular in middle school that pharmacies have restrictions on otc meds ......... either to make methamphetamine or for the cough syrup high .....the dextromethforimin (not spelled correctly, I know) supposedly has acid like tripsand is affordable by evena teenagers salary ....... you are right to be concerned and your son is lucky to have you....................I have  gut feeling that he is going to be just fine ... and that perhaps an experiment and that isnt necesarily a bad thing. It has to have been a learning experience for him. Just maintain communication with him.....you are a good mother .................

[kim715]

Was he taken into custody by the police? Is there any reason for you to believe that your friend may have been trying to harm himself by doing this?

[lucky004]

no history of any drugs.  He gets good grades, 3rd year of college, he is a varsity athlete on a swim team in college.  He was also 2 hours away from his house when he did this.  He stopped to eat mcdonalds 45 minutes before he stopped at a walmart and bought the tylenol and cough med.  We are just trying to figure out what is going on.  He was picked up by the police because he was sitting in his car on the side of the walmart after taking the stuff.

[newmanagment]

if he is using drugs of ne kind to escape stress , he is prolly tryin to get high. thats wut we do, we use drugs to not have to deal with stress. I dont think that the amount he took will make him sick, other than a sore belly 2moro.
does he have ne other history of drug abuse?

[lucky004]

He was also claiming that he was stressed and he heard that this will relax you

[lucky004]

I just found out that it was 6 tylenol cold tabs and 10 tylenol.  Do you think that it would be trying to get high?

[newmanagment]

i dont think that it will be fatal, unless extreme amounts are taken.
also depends on the type of cough syrup taken. the danger here is the cough syrup, taken in large doses you can od on it.