My partner is still drinking while on Librium and Clonidine, please advise.

Not to defend the reason he is doing this, he taked his meds

in the morning and will drink in the afternon, after work right

up until he goes to bed, them takes his evening meds.

I can't get him to stop drinking and he doesn't want to stop the

meds.

He was told NOT to drink at all, but he doesn't listen and still is.

The doctor has told him many times to not take the meds if he is

going to continue to drink. He has fallen, has had confusion and says

my fault.

He doesn't think its a problem he can't beat it. That thye don't

know what they are talking about.

Yep, well the Librium (similar to good old Valium) stops all the nasty effects that happen to someone when they come off alcohol. Going cold turkey and stopping alcohol without it, is very unpleasant and can be dangerous if they are a very heavy drinker, plus because the effects are so bad, people end up drinking again, to stop them.

Librium stops this, but does nothing if someone continues to drink. From what you say, it doesn't sound like he will stop drinking of his own accord, alcohol does that to you and no amount of willpower is enough.

The confusion probably comes from one or two things. One, lack of thiamne (a vitamin), and the liver not removing ammonia from his body, causing hepatic encephalopathy. You can Google 'thiamine deficiency' and 'hepatic encephalopathy'. Thiamine tablets and lactulose (for ammonia) are usually non prescription in most countries, certainly in the UK, but I think you are US based. I would suggest you get both, he can continue to drink whilst taking these, it will not have any side effects.

With regards to your message to Vicks. No one is judging him by the way, most of us here, are here because we've had an alcohol problem and a few of us ended up in hospital for it (me, for one). But, the Librium is doing nothing whilst he continues to drink, in fact it is worse that he takes it, because it can cause more problems with the interaction with the alcohol.

I know the mixture od the med and the later continued consumption of alcohol can't be good

Please advise the risks for better education.

I have tried to explain. but if you want something, that describes all the possible side effects (unlikely), but here you go.

Chlordiazepoxide (Librium) is intended to relieve the acute symptoms of alcohol withdrawal; however, some people may use the drug to increase the hypnotic and sedative effects of alcohol. Like alcohol, chlordiazepoxide also induces sedation. When mixed with an alcoholic drink, its sedative and hypnotic effects are also amplified. The effects of mixing alcohol and chlordiazepoxide may resemble the symptoms of a chlordiazepoxide overdose, such as:

Extreme drowsiness

Excitation

Muscle weakness

Loss of coordination or balance

Fainting

Euphoria

Respiratory depression

Hypotension

Hypothermia

Coma

this way I know what side effects to look out for.