Could my friend have died in this situation?

Question

Hi, I just wanted to tell a story about a friend of mine that he shurgs off as just something stupid but I see as what should be a tremendous wake up call to the lifestyle he is living.

So one night he was hanging out with a friend and he took a couple of sleeping pills (Ambien). Soon after, he started heavily drinking Jack Daniels. The friend that was with him told me he told him to stop but he insisted that he would be fine.

Long story short, he passes out in bed at his house (they were doing the drinking at the house). I called him the next morning and when he woke up he said he had a medium to large amount of vomit that REEKED of Jack Daniels and nastiness.

I said "Dude you could have died!" Because I figured that if he had been laying face up he could have choked on his own vomit. He insists that he would have woken up if that had been the case. Either way, I feel like if you were so passed out that you couldn't have known you were vomiting, that he could have died.

Do you think I'm overreacting or under reacting?

Answer 1

No you're not overreacting, someone died from choking on their own vomit.

I'm sure there has been a few cases like that.

He shouldn't just shrug it off

Answer 2

It is possible, so I believe that your reaction is totally acceptable.

Answer 3

You are 100% right to be concerned.  First off, he should not mix alcohol and sleeping pills.  Lots of people HAVE died from this combination.  Also, it is very easy to asphyxiate and die if you vomit while passed out (which he was).  Please tell him to ask a doctor or other friend too, so that he will see you are right.  Good luck!

Answer 4

You are certainly overreacting. If he had started choking he would have woken up...

Answer 5

yeah he could of died

u can die jsut from about anything nowadays

Answer 6

no, its not a good idea to drink when you just took sleeping pills. no offence but your friend is an IDIOT! yes if you are passed out laying face up he could have definetly choked on his own vomit and died, you are not over reacting.

Answer 7

Not overreacting.

To quote from other websites so I don't seem like some paranoid nut:

"Alcohol and Other Drugs

Alcohol can be dangerous when other drugs and medications (including over-the-counter preparations) are taken. Alcohol magnifies the effects of sleeping pills (e.g. Serepax, Valium, Mogadon), cannabis, strong painkillers, some antipsychotics and antidepressants"

Magnifies the effects. So yeah. He could not had woken up - chocking or not. Seriously, booze and pills and he expects to wake up?

"Alcohol has sometimes been shown to cause sleepwalking, and it can also magnify Ambien's effects, according to Dr. Mark Mahowald, director of the Minnesota Regional Sleep Disorders Center at Hennepin County Medical Center, who is also involved in Dr. Schenck's study.

Ambien's alcohol warning is apparently ignored by many people. But Mr. Head, the defense lawyer, says he has concluded that no one should take Ambien the same evening they have been drinking alcohol. "Not even a toast," he said"

Not even a tiny toast and Ambien! Forget heavy drinking...

"Avoid alcohol. Never mix alcohol and sleeping pills. Alcohol increases the sedative effects of the pills. Even a small amount of alcohol combined with sleeping pills can make you feel dizzy, confused or faint. Alcohol alone can cause insomnia."

You're not overreacting. Your friend is a tad cracked.

On a side note - Ambien is supposed to lead to memory problems among few people... So...

"Ambien, is showing up with regularity as a factor in traffic arrests, sometimes involving drivers who later say they were sleep-driving and have no memory of taking the wheel after taking the drug."

Basically everything he did was harmful and dangerous.

He shouldn't shrug it off. Not at all.

People don't just 'jump' awake after popping sleeping pills and alcohol...

"On 18th September 1970, his reflexes swamped by a high dose of sleeping pills, Jimi Hendrix choked on his own vomit and died in the back of an ambulance."

Lovely.

He had just sleeping pills.

Your friend had alcohol too.

Slim chance he would have woken up, but seriously - why should he ever put himself in a 'slim chance' when it concerns his life? Slim chance he could or could have not woken up... Too dangerous in my opinion.

Answer 8

nope, not overreacting, your friend needs help. Even though he isnt willing to admit it, it might have still scared him too. Or it could be a cry for help in and of itself, and he is happy you are so concerned.

Answer 9

Yes he could have died and you are not overreacting.