What happens during a drug overdose?

Question

I have a end-of-the-year project. This year, it is a short story/narrative. I am writing a story from the eyes of a suicidal 14-year old. Don't worry, I'm not suicidal. =) Anyways, I need to know what happens if you were to take a bunch of pills- a mixture of different pills. Like, side effects. Do you vomit, do you pass out, then die?

I was inspired to use this concept by a kid at the local high school. He committed suicide. Specifically, he OD'ed on pills.

Anyways, I just need to know what happens when you OD on pills, and what sort of side effects you experience.

Please, mature answers. It's an extremely touchy subject to write about.

Answer 1

Different pills have different effects, dizziness, drowziness and vomiting are very common. The symptoms of an overdose are usually listed on a little pamphlet that comes with the medication. You can also google the drugs that you are interested in finding out about. There will be plenty of information on the internet.

Answer 2

Usually vomitting, sweating, dizziness, and fever, but some meds have very little sign so there is always that danger of overdosing and a sneaky death.

Answer 3

Your heart rate will slow down and eventually shut down due to lack of oxygen feeding the heart.  My buddy was close to OD on alcohol and was lucky enough to get to the hospital in time.  All he remembered was blacking out.

Answer 4

Different pills will have different effects, but some things are common. Here are some extreme examples.

Almost any medication taken in higher than usual dose will cause vomiting. It's your body's primitve, but very effective, method of protecting itself.

If the pills were pain killers or sedatives, then the person would likely just go to sleep after they vomited, then their breathing would slow down and stop. It could also happen the other way around--you go to sleep, then vomit and it gets in your lungs and you suffocate (but you'd probably stay asleep.)

If the pills were older anti-depression medications called "tricyclic anti-depressants" then the person would vomit, become confused, but probably not pass out. Evenually, they can make your heart go into an abnormal rhythm, it stops pumping, your blood pressure falls, you pass out and then die from your heart stopping.

If it was Tylenol, then you would vomit, but then feel OK for about 24 hours, except maybe a stomach ache. During that 24 hours the Tylenol would slowly destroy your liver, you'd go into liver failure. Since you need your liver to de-toxify your blood, toxins start building up in your blood stream and you become confused. Bile, which is bright yellow and usually gets excreted into your intestines by your liver, starts spilling into your blood and you turn yellow--this is called getting jaundiced. Eventually the toxins overwhelm your system, but it takes a few days.

Fortunately, the vast majority of people who take pills to hurt themselves do not take enough to do any significant harm.

Good luck on your story.