Blackouts After Overdose

[mytai]

Some of you know that I attempted suicide two weeks ago today. I overdosed on a large amount of narcotics. I was given Narcan at the hospital. My heart stopped at some point. I had an abnormally low heart rate while in the hospital. I found out that I did liver damage as well. While in the hospital I was prescribed Prazosin for nightmares.

After getting out of the hospital I started having a few blackouts. I turn and blackout, start to fall and then get my vision back and try to catch myself. This has happened 3 or 4 times now. I've been out of the hospital for a week tomorrow night.

I think my blood pressure is just dropping suddenly and that's the cause of my blackouts. I don't get dizzy before hand, and I don't feel like I'm fainting. It's very sudden and there is no warning.

Not sure what is causing this, if it is the prazosin or the overdose. I'm also finding my thoughts very slow since the overdose. That I have trouble forming thoughts and full sentences. I frequently find that I forget what I'm saying mid sentence. I'm a little scared and worried.

 

[franciemarnie]

Can you buy the blood pressure thingie at the store and check yours regularly? My husband went to emergency after a few months of near black outs and dizziness. It was low b.p. from dehydration.

You might be severely dehydrated after the overdose. If you took painkillers in overdose, they dehydrate big time.

I don't know if you are on any meds that dehydrate but a lot do. So please drink a lot of water (I do four 16 oz. bottles a day) plus a little glass of Gatorade to hold the water in.

A lot of things can cause a near faint. Stress and irregular breathing causing a lack of oxygen to the brain.

I was addicted to painkillers once and was familiar with near faints. I often had my head between my legs at unexpected times. The important thing is to get the blood back to your brain. You can also lay down and put your feet up so the blood leaves your feet and goes back up and pressure normalizes.

Without blood in the brain (oxygen), thinking can be very foggy, speaking difficult, etc.

Try to get up and walk a little every hour. Keep your system going. You have had a rough time.

Sure hope you are feeling better soon.

 

[franciemarnie]

Also, after overdosing a few times on tranquilizers, I had black outs for about a month each time. That is common for tranq o.d.'s. But I don't think tranqs are narcotics. I mention just in case..

 

[mytai]

@franciemarnie, I know my Cipralex causes dry mouth - so dehydration. I have to drink more when I'm on it.

I've never been addicted to painkillers, I'm actually the opposite. I avoid taking them if I can. Being given them in hospital is one thing but if they send me home with a prescription, I either never fill it or I fill it and use one or two doses worth and then the bottle sits in my medicine cabinet. That's why I had so many narcotics in my possession. I didn't have any tranquillizers, although narcotics are depressants. I won't list what I took, because I believe those kind of details are unnecessary, and I also don't want to give anyone who is suicidal any ideas about the quantity it takes to be successful.

I am "lucky" to be alive, that's what the doctors kept saying to me. Narcan is normally administered by mouth through a pill, I had to be given multiple doses intravenously because I was unconscious, and Narcan only lasts a limited amount of time. You can actually overdose again once the Narcan wears off, which is what happened to me.

I'm thinking it might be worth going into a nurse practitioner clinic and getting checked out, the blackouts are happening more frequently. I know I'm supposed to stop taking the prazosin if my blood pressure gets too low, but I don't have a way to monitor it, and I'm not prepared to drop the money on the system.

 

[billie]

Hey dude you have to get your bp tested at least. Can you get to a Dr asap? I like your idea of going to the clinic. Good luck

 

[Hope4future]

Prazosin is used to treat high blood pressure, so it can cause low blood pressure. I stopped taking it because it made me dizzy. I never blacked out. You may still want to see a medical professional; you might want to stop the Prazosin. It doesn't build in your system, so there aren't any withdrawals.

I'm glad your still alive. I hope things are a bit easier.

 

[franciemarnie]

I wish I had been like you and not taken painkillers. But I wish they weren't sitting around when the horrible moment came that your pain became intolerable.

But you survived thank God.

I know you don't want to drop money on the system but how about considering dropping money on you. They've got a thing like a wristwatch at pharmacies that monitors your b.p. so you don't have to sit down and take it thru out the day. You are so worth it @mytai.

Please do go to a nurse practitioner. Whatever you are comfortable with doing, because overdoses are like your body being nuked. It takes time and care to come back. Water, nutritious food, rest, moderate exercise, etc.

I get what happened with the Narcan. Shiver. Like you need more unpredictable emergency situations in your life.

But it's good to rule out other things too just in case. Like maybe get your blood work done. That can tell a lot.

 

[fly away home]

I have had narcan for an overdose. It was administered intravenously. It gave me a terrible headache and blacking out but not passing out completely. This didn't last longer than say three days at the most. I would be seeing a dr as soon as possible. I hope you are ok. Sending you positive healing thoughts.

 

[Bedbug]

I'm hoping that if enough of us ask you to get yourself checked out, or at least buy yourself a blood pressure monitor, then you will. ;)

Thinking of you, @mytai!

 

[scout86]

Maybe we should set this up in the form of a poll? How many think Mytai should go see a Dr (or nurse practitioner)? I DO!

Glad you're back!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Lucycat]

I certainly think you should see a professional. Also - if you were in the UK it might be possible to borrow a blood pressure monitor for a while from the clinic or community services . They do offer that service in my area. I appreciate you are actually in Canada - but no harm in asking!

 

[TimeToHeal]

Hi @mytai! I'm so sorry for what you have gone through recently. But I'm grateful you are still here, and are reaching out.

I have a bit of experience with Narcan - administering it mostly, as I'm a Paramedic. What you're experiencing should have nothing to do with receiving Narcan. It does sound like this new medication you're taking may be causing a drop in blood pressure. Do you notice it happening more often when you stand up from a sitting or laying position?

Also, what you described with your memory changes and difficulties forming sentences and such, is consistent with someone who has recently suffered a brief cardiac arrest - as you said your heart stopped. As you can imagine, when your heart stops, your brain also "stops," in that blood flow, and therefore the delivery of oxygen to your brain, is interrupted. It sounds like - thankfully - this was brief, as you are still with us. But it still have an impact on our thinking processes. Again, because it seems this interruption was fairly brief, I would expect this to improve over time. That's good news :)

I would be more immediately concerned about these blackouts, or near blackouts. They could potentially cause you to fall, sustaining injury. Please consider at least calling whatever Dr prescribed this new medication and describing your symptoms. It may be they can lower your dose or change the medication completely.

I hope this wasn't too confusing! Keep asking questions and please take care of yourself! :)