Alcohol detox on librium
Posted , 34 users are following.
Please ,,any help or advice appreciated. I've been drinking since Friday..got script today for 10mg librium to start tomorrow morn..told i cant start now cos im drinking today..how soon can i take it? Want to b in work tommorow..if i get up early and take it round 4 or 5 will it help me..HELP please..
3 likes, 123 replies
PaulJTurner1964 cherry123
Posted
I do alcohol detoxes all the time, it is my specialist area of expertise as a qualified nurse.
You should NOT be going to work while undergoing alcohol detox. I would advise you not to take the medication and contact me so I can get a better picture of your situation. Please call me on the number I am sending to you by private message. I will be able to ask you a few questions to get an idea of your situation and be able to advise you better.
10mg of Librium will be nowhere near enough if you have been drinking very heavily.
The sort of questions I would ask are:
1. How much have you been drinking and for how long?
2. How do you cope all day at work without a drink, do you ever have withdrawal symptoms or (this is totally confidential) do you find that you have to top up with a drink during the working day?
3. What happens if you go a full day (24 hours) without a drink? Do you have shakiness, sweating, anxiety and restlessness?
I am appalled that somebody has given you a prescription without the appropriate level of support.
cherry123 PaulJTurner1964
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cherry123 PaulJTurner1964
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PaulJTurner1964 cherry123
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Those doses of Librium are very small for an alcohol detox. I normally use 20mg four times a day and reduce down to zero over a week. Some people need even more than this.
You can't do an alcohol detox and go to work. It WILL make you very drowsy and the cumulative effect means that you may well be more tired on day 3 than you are on day 1. Did you tell your GP you were planning work whole doing this? Have you explained to your boss that you may fall asleep during your working day, or that you are taking a large risk driving or operating any machinery?
Take the time off Cherry, it is ESSENTIAL that you rest while doing an alcohol detox.
Good luck and well done so far
cherry123 PaulJTurner1964
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PaulJTurner1964 cherry123
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I don't want to come across as negative because I believe you did the right thing contacting your GP and it appears you are getting there
l71207 PaulJTurner1964
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PaulJTurner1964 l71207
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RHGB PaulJTurner1964
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PaulJTurner1964 RHGB
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Sober_As PaulJTurner1964
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Why is it that some Posts in this Discussion are marked as "over a year ago"?
Others are just hours or minutes ago.
I am asking you because you feature in both.
Alonangel 🎇
PaulJTurner1964 Sober_As
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Sober_As PaulJTurner1964
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It's amazing ... the things that I notice ... then feel the need to investigate, when I should be sleeping ! 🤔
cherry123 PaulJTurner1964
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RHGB cherry123
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Is there no patiend/use guidance notes with the medication?
From the leaflet I have:
Taking Librium with food and drink.
Take the medicine before or with your meals.
Do not drink alcohol for as long as you are taking Librium capsules. Alcohol will increase the effects of the capsules and this can be dangerous.
PaulJTurner1964 cherry123
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cherry123 PaulJTurner1964
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RHGB cherry123
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Just be careful on your last dose of the day, as if it is not late, you can suffer during the night.
PaulJTurner1964 cherry123
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Some people report vivid dreams. A large part of that is that you only remember a dream if you wake up during that dream, in other words, during REM sleep. Excessive alcohol causes fitful sleep. It should settle down as more time passes since your last drink.
As long as you are not getting shaky, it seems like your dosage is adequate.
cherry123 RHGB
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cherry123 PaulJTurner1964
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cherry123 PaulJTurner1964
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craig50304 PaulJTurner1964
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PaulJTurner1964 craig50304
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Hello Craig,
I am sorry, I would be on extremely dodgy ground advising you what to take as I have not seen you or examined you and know nothing of your medical history and current medical situation.
I must advise you to talk to the person that prescribed the Librium for you initially.
Sorry I can't be of more help. Last thing I need is to be hauled up before a panel with the possibility of suspension from the nursing register for 'practising outside my remit' which it would be if I took the liberty of advising someone else's patient how to use medication prescribed by them.
caroline_84414 PaulJTurner1964
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Hi Paul I have been drinking almost a bottle of vodka every night for the past 2 years, I am due to start librium on Monday I don't know what dose yet as the nurse will be bringing it to my home. I was wondering how long before I take it would I have to stop drinking? I am a terrible sleeper so usually up until 5am then when I go to bed only get about 3 hours sleep. The nurse won't be at my house until 9:30 and I have 3 kids so don't want them to see me withdraw I haven't experienced bad withdrawal much as I usually have a drink when I wake to avoid withdrawal
PaulJTurner1964 caroline_84414
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I would imagine the nurse will take a breath test and then advise you what time to take your first dose. How long after your last drink do you start to get withdrawal symptoms, normally?
I would give them a call and ask as they must have some policy they adhere to with regard to how long before their visit you must dtop drinking. When I was working in the NHS, I used to encourage detox patients to stop drinking around midnight as a standard thing and vary it for those who couldn't manage to go even a short time without a drink.
Ellabella11 PaulJTurner1964
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Very impressed on your care and reaching out to help so many.
i am in the same boat as many on this thread, I have been a heavy tequila drinker for 4 years now and have been weaning myself off and have gone from almost a full bottle a day to half a bottle a day, I now have Librium but was given no instructions, and I use the alcohol to sleep, so if I use the Librium in the day to ward off symptoms can I use it at night as well?
I have 2 ounces when I wake and then every 4-6 hrs another 2-3 ounces and then 5 ounces thru the night to try to keep me asleep.
I need to know how many I need each day/night and duration.
if you could please help me with any advice I would be very grateful.
thank you,
Ella
vickylou Ellabella11
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Ella
you need to go back to the dr who prescribed the Librium. Paul does answer posts and gives excellent advice, whether or not he'd be allowed to tell you how to take the Librium, I don't know. How is it you were not given any instructions , all medicines come with an information leaflet. I'm no doctor, but I'd be concerned about someone taking Librium and consuming half a bottle of tequila. Did you tell your dr you were drinking with Librium?
Ellabella11 vickylou
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Thank you for responding,
I plan on not drinking when I start the Librium, I haven't started it yet... I wanted advice on when I stopped drinking and and if I could use the Librium at night
RHGB Ellabella11
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Paul is very busy with his business these days, so doesn't come on quite as often as he used to. The best way I have found to detox, is to carry on drinking as normal into the late evening, then have the medicaation and a glass of water next to your bed and take them as soon as you wake up in the morning.
That way the alcohol will be pretty much out of your system, but the withdrawal symptoms shouldn't have kicked in.
Ellabella11 RHGB
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how quickly to detox this way?
PaulJTurner1964 Ellabella11
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As others have said, I would be on very dodgy ground advising you what to take when I have not examined you and know nothing of your medical history or current medical status. I am not clinically responsible for you and am therefore not allowed to give clinical advice to you. I could get into serious trouble for doing that.
Where did you get the Librium from?
vickylou PaulJTurner1964
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Hi paul
i hope you didn't mind me posting that you probably couldn't give the advice she wanted.
I too wondered where the Librium came from. Seemed odd for a dr to prescribe it, without a dose or instructions. Also most drugs contain an information leaflet.
RHGB vickylou
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I know they used Librium on me in hospital, but my GP always gave me diazeapm.
vickylou RHGB
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I'm going off topic a bit here, but wondered if you had any info on how long you can take campral. The first time I was told no longer than 12 months max due to potential liver damage. This time,different dr, who said 6 months and then very gradually introduce small glass of wine, pint of beer or lager and see how you go, but no spirits. Do you think you'll ever drink the odd pint ever again (you don't have to answer that!)
Ellabella11 PaulJTurner1964
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it takes a month to get in to see my physician and this is why I have turned to this advice column in hopes to get information before I begin taking the medication.
thank you for any advice
RHGB Ellabella11
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I am not a doctor, but in my experience, for the first couple of days, I took a pill just before bed otherwise I would waken during the night with withdrawals. After the first couple of days, it usually gets easier and you don't need a night time pill.
RHGB vickylou
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Jesus wept, I do despair at the total hogwash spouted by the medical profession.
The guidelines are 12 months or 6 months. 12 months being the maximum that it has any benefit. After that it has no effect, in the same way, if you had a headache, you wouldn't keep taking ibuprofen for a week, because it would be a waste of time. 6 months seems to be the optimal usage, but in certain cases, where the person has been seriously alcohol dependent, it might go to 12 months. There is also the psychological factor (which for most people is what drinking is about) that taking the medication away makes the patient think they are vullnerable to alcohol. And once again, if that start thing about that and alcohol, they are likely to carry out that scenario and start drinking.
Liver damage my a*se, are these people stupid? I can't put links, so here is a bit of cut and paste.
In comparison with naltrexone and disulfiram, which are the other FDA-approved treatments for alcohol dependence, acamprosate is unique in that it is not metabolised by the liver and is also not impacted by alcohol use, so can be administered to patients with hepatitis or liver disease (a common comorbid condition among individuals with alcohol dependence) and to patients who continue drinking alcohol.
Acamprosate is excreted through the kidneys and is contraindicated for individuals with severe renal impairment.
In English, that last bit means it goes out via your kidneys in your wee, not the liver, but people with kidney problems may be advised against using it, but people with liver problems are fine.
As for your last question, contrary to popular opinion, I am human and just like everybody else. Yes, I have the odd drink at special occasions, for example it was my mum's 80th birthday party last month (in a hotel in London) and it was a free bar (how I would have hit that hard a few years ago) and I had a couple of glasses of wine. My wife's brithday next month, so maybe a couple of drinks then.
I've gone past the stage of having issues with alcohol and I'm quite happy to just have a couple of drinks and leave it at that. I don't keep alcohol in the house (although the wife does) and I don't go to the pub. It's just nice to know, when the occasion calls for it, I can join in without worrying and I don't have this constant thing in my head, not another drink ever in the rest of my life time.
I also had very good test results back from my full set of bloods (about 26 different tests), ultrasound and gastroscopy, from May/June, so I must be doing something right.
vickylou Ellabella11
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Ellabella
paul has already explained that he can't advise you on your medication as you're not his patient. Suppose for example, he told you to take a tablet and something went wrong, he would lose his job.
As I said before, if you are unsure about how many tablets to take and when to take them, contact your doctor, or ask to speak to him. Most GP surgeries allocate a certain length of time to take telephone enquiries or if unavailable, will call you back.
Failing that your next option would be to speak to the pharmacist who dispensed the. Far better than asking a bunch of strangers. A quick phone call would put your mind at rest
PaulJTurner1964 vickylou
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No, didn't mind at all![smile](http://s8.patient.media/forums/emoticons/smile.gif)
PaulJTurner1964 Ellabella11
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I don't know the dosage 1 three times a day would be still as I don't know what mg Librium you have.
After a recent horrendous experience when I was reported by an NHS nurse (wrongly and I was cleared of all wrongdoing after her allegations were exposed as untrue), I am not taking any risks that could have me back in that situation where I had to attend a hearing at which I could have potentially had my registration suspended.
I have never advised people on the dosage of Librium they should take but I am even more careful now.
I hadn't mentioned this publicly on here before, but I feel people should realise the tightrope I walk when giving advice. It is the reason for me posting here less frequently recently.
The allegation made against me was not related to anything I said on this forum.
RHGB PaulJTurner1964
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Well done for explaining it, obviously I already knew the reason for your not posting so much. It must mean that the shock factor has settled down a bit and you are feeling slightly more comfortable about the situation, even if it is not forgotten.
PaulJTurner1964 RHGB
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Ellabella11 PaulJTurner1964
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I appreciate what you have been thru, all I was seeking was advice, it didn't mean I was grasping and running and going to accept... I am doing as much research as I can prior to taking this and had stumbled on this site, didn't intend to offend anyone or get shamed.
Ellabella11 RHGB
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thank you
PaulJTurner1964 Ellabella11
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Please don't feel like that Ellabella, I didn't mean it that way at all. I was just explaining why I couldn't give advice on dosage and others here know that I have been a lot quieter for a while so I used this opportunity to explain why. You did nothing wrong at all by asking![smile](http://s8.patient.media/forums/emoticons/smile.gif)
vickylou RHGB
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Thanks very much indeed for the detailed info regarding campral. You've explained it perfectly. In other words my dr was talking a load of b******s!! If
the campral is excreted through the kidneys, how can that cause
liver damage?
I only intended taking it this time for six months and your explanation of why no longer than 12 months makes perfect sense
Glad to hear that drinking alcohol is no longer important to you. My husband has always maintained that his weekly visit to a nearby pub (roll back 50 years kind of pub, minus a spittoon and sawdust) is not really to get wasted, but to enjoy an 'excellent' several, pint with the lads and that he would really miss the camaraderie and he wouldn't bother going if he couldn't drink. Thanks again for the very useful info.
vickylou Ellabella11
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Ellabella
no-one has been offended and you're not shamed. Paul has explained why he isn't as active on this forum as he used to be. Hardly surprising under the circumstances.
carrie00 PaulJTurner1964
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I'm looking for some information on this medication re: alcohol withdrawal and suicidal thoughts. Do you know if this medication could cause or increase suicidal thoughts?
PaulJTurner1964 carrie00
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I assume you mean Librium. It is very difficult to say. Librium needs to be used correctly to ensure that the dose is sufficient to stop withdrawal symptoms. Alcohol withdrawal can be very unpleasant and even dangerous if insufficent dosage is used. It needs to be properly monitored by somebody qualified to do so.
There are occasions when, while detoxing, people can go through a grieving process if they believe that they are losing alcohol forever, particularly if drinking has been their only way of dulling feelings of despair. In these cases, there can be a risk of self-harm. Librium itself doesn't cause or increase suicidal thoughts.
It is important that a person going through detox is given adequate support. Unfortunately, this is not always the case.
It is also important that the person detoxing should be aware that there is a treatment available which isn't total abstinence, a medical treatment which works on the cause of the problem, rather than therapy to help them get through cravings while abstaining. Google 'The Sinclair Method' to find out more.
cortney27045 PaulJTurner1964
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RHGB cortney27045
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PaulJTurner1964 cortney27045
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Hello Cortney. I couldn't help you however much Librium you had as I have explained on the forum before, because I know nothing of your medical history, current medical situation and have not met and examined you.
As RHGB said, 3 Librium tablets (or capsules) is not enough to treat withdrawal symptoms which can last days after your last drink.
Please go back to the person who prescribed that or find somebody else that help you do a detox properly. Good luck!![smile](http://s8.patient.media/forums/emoticons/smile.gif)
Therob176 PaulJTurner1964
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michele_2028 PaulJTurner1964
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Hello Paul, I have found this patient portal and your responses to people's situations really helpful. My husband stopped drinking on Thursday morning at my request because his drinking had gotten excessive. I had no idea just how excessive it truly was though because he went in to withdrawal and had a seizure at our house Thursday night. We spent the night in the emergency room and he left with a prescription of 25 mg of Librium every 6 hours. I've been following that schedule for 24 hours and he has been completely asleep the entire time other than when I wake him up to feed him and give him another dose. He can't keep his eyes open for more than 5 minutes before going back to sleep. Our appt. with his physician isn't until Monday and I'm concerned the consistent dosage of 25 mg every 6 hours for another 2 days is too much. Is it safe to stretch the time between the pills to see how he does? They are 25mg capsules so I can't half the dosage if I wanted to but I feel like maybe it's just too much for him. For the next 48 hours. I'm afraid he'll just end up getting withdrawal from the Librium after being on the same dose for 4 days. Any advice would be appreciated. Thank you!
RHGB michele_2028
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Whilst you are waiting for a reply from Paul, who in fairness, is a busy man who runs his on business, I will give a short reply.
Paul, is medically qualified, I am not. But I have been detoxed in hospital and had two home detoxes. So, I have a little experience of using benzos to detox.
The fact that your husband had a seizure, puts him at the serious end of the scale, I believe only about 5% of people suffer those. All to do with the person and the amount they drink, you cannot predict it, which is why most detoxes are supervised, or at least if the fit the pattern of people with a predisposition to have problems.
Although that is quite a fair amount of Librium and in the UK, they would keep you in hospital to monitor you if giving that amount. He is at the end of the spectrum that needs a decent quantity.
Personally, I would stick to the guidance you have been given, It is nigh on impossible to get addicted to benzos in such a short space of time and there is nothing to stop them giving him a lower dose over the following week, to taper off.
When you are that dependent on alcohol (I've been there in hospital for a long time), your body is so weak, it needs fluids and small amounts of food. And it wants to sleep most of the time - just let him, he will come around.
Anything he eats is good, try soup, but if he wants a burger from a takeaway, get him it, the body will be craving carbohydrates that it used to get from alcohol. Even a greasy burger is more nutrious than alcohol.
PaulJTurner1964 michele_2028
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Hello Michelle,
It is quite normal to give 30mg four times a day for the first 48 hours so that dosage doesn't seem excessive. However, it's difficult for me to comment on your husband's situation as I have not medically assessed him. Sedation is likely when taking Librium, but I speak to my patients and the person supervising them (normally a close relative or friend) before EVERY dose and insist that they have a blood pressure machine and check their blood pressure and pulse, which I take into consideration when setting their dose. When people are finding themselves over-sedated, I adjust the dosage.
It is very unlikely that he will get addicted to Librium within a few days so don't worry about withdrawal symptoms from that.
I'm in a very diffcult position in terms of giving any more advice than that but I will say that, if you have any concerns, you should get in contact with a doctor fior further advice. It would be wrong of me to interfere where somebody else has started a treatment plan. I would say that being sedated is preferable to the risk of seizures (and worse) as alcohol withdrawal without medication can be extremely dangerous.
Good luck!
d45684 PaulJTurner1964
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Hello I've never used one of these but I've been an alcoholic for 5 years recently went to the ER for withdrawal was prescribed Librium but I haven't taken it yet I'm trying to find out if its safe to take right now I drank 2 pints of vodka around 5 or 6 pm yesterday its almost 6 am now but I took 1mg of klonopin at 3am I'm starting to shake I'm getting withdrawls is it safe to take a 25mg of Librium right now please help
RHGB d45684
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As Paul doesn't always get time to visit the forum during the day, I'll answer in the mean time.
As it is 12 hours since you've had a drink, albeit a fair quantity, you should be safe to start taking the Librium. Do NOT start drinking once you have started the Librium, it should stop the withdrawals. Unless you really have to, don't take the Klonopin whilst you are taking the Librium.
Really, you should have a responsible adult (spouse/friend etc) with you, just to keep an eye on you.
gwen45436 RHGB
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PaulJTurner1964 d45684
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Yes. Librium with too much alcohol has a small risk of respiratory problems. I can't give you advice but I can tell you what my policy is. You really shouldn't have been sent away with Librium and no support.
I breathalyse the person and, if their alcohol level is double the driving limit or more, I hesitate to give Librium. However, if the person is clearly starting to get withdrawal symptoms either then or soon after, that becomes the clinical priority and I get them to take their first dose of Librium, although I often start them on a lower dose. I prefer it to be at least 4 hours after their last drink but this isn't always possible.
As RHGB said, you shouldn't be taking two different benzodiazepines (Librium AND Klonopin) as that complicates the situation with having different half lives.
The aim of alcohol detox is to take enough Librium to stop you having alcohol withdrawal symptoms which can be dangerous but not so much that you get over-sedated. Remember that, with a 48 hour half life, Librium stays in your body a long time, so it has a cumulative effect. It may be two or three doses in before you start to feel a lot better but the first dose should, at least, give you some relief and prevent severe withdrawal symptoms.
I'm afraid I can't advise you regarding dosage as I don't know your medical situation and I have not examined you.
Good luck!
kelly52720 PaulJTurner1964
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Hi I have a friend who has just been diagnosed with alcoholic hepatitis and has been consuming over a half a gallon of vodka every day the hospital is releasing her after only having her for a few hours and they're prescribing her Librium I'm wondering if until I can get her into a medical detox if it's safe for me to give her a small amount of alcohol to take the edge off of the detox while taking Librium or what I should do because it's already night time and I'm not sure how quick I can find a medical detox without insurance
RHGB kelly52720
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PaulJTurner1964 kelly52720
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No Kelly, people should not take Librium and drink because it can cause breathing issues. She should have been given sufficient Librium to counteract the withdrawal symptoms. She should not be left alone during this time as alcohol withdrawal can be dangerous.
A medical detox consists of stopping drinking and taking Librium to stop the withdrawal symptoms. If the dosage of Librium is insufficient, she should speak to the hospital and advise them of this.
In the absence of Librium (i.e if she stopped taking it because it isn't high enough doses to help) then yes, she needs to drink to prevent serious alcohol withdrawal symptoms.
Do you really mean half a gallon ofvodka or did you mean half a bottle?
RHGB PaulJTurner1964
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If it's Half a US gallon Paul, then it is 1.9 litres.
PaulJTurner1964 RHGB
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Ah ok. Still a massive amount. I don't even see many men drinking that much
RHGB PaulJTurner1964
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Oh christ yes. I'm 6'2" and to give you an idea of size, when I left hospital, I was 14st and very underweight. At my height of drinking, I reckon (I wasn't really a spirits drinker) I could have managed a normal UK bottle a day or at a stretch. a litre bottle. But I wouldn't have been able to keep it up for long, that amount of neat-ish alcohol would've stripped my stomach lining.
PaulJTurner1964 RHGB
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RHGB PaulJTurner1964
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How do you tell. Having had gastroscopies both as an inpatient and an outpatient, I know they show it up, and by that I mean gastritis. But other than that, I'm not sure how you could tell, I doubt an ultrasound would show it.
PaulJTurner1964 RHGB
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By the symptoms described by patients. I'm not talking formal diagnosis here, just what is described to me which improves when drinking stops (during a detox). They get a burning sensation, nausea and sometimes vomiting.
kylie22189 PaulJTurner1964
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Hello, my partner is a alcoholic and drinks from the moment he gets up,
He's tried to get help but no one will help him. How does he get this 'Librium'? Please help us!
amber32755 kylie22189
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I guess it would depend on where you are located. I can give you advice if you are in the United States...
Option 1: Take him to the Emergency Room and have them hold him until he can get transferred to an inpatient detox center. Normally they go off of how many/when beds are available at the detox facility. It’s a lot easier to get into a detox center when the hospital is involved.
2: Go to your primary care physician to see how bad he is withdrawing and see if they will prescribe him Librium on an outpatient basis. They will go off of the 3 stages of alcohol withdrawal. Stage 3 is the most dangerous. They can prescribe him Librium when his alcohol level is at a low point.
3. He has to want to really stop. There has to be 100% support in and out of the home. Don’t isolate him after he detox’s, but don’t take him to the same places he used to drink at and if he drinks when he wakes up, if you are home, take him out for a walk to get his mind off of that first drink. Also, if you drink, it is imperative that you stop while he is in recovery.
shawna24541 PaulJTurner1964
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amber32755 shawna24541
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