• BASIC DRUG
    DISCUSSION
    Welcome to Bluelight!
    Posting Rules Bluelight Rules
    Benzo Chart Opioids Chart
    Drug Terms Need Help??
    Drugs 101 Brain & Addiction
    Tired of your habit? Struggling to cope?
    Want to regain control or get sober?
    Visit our Recovery Support Forums
  • BDD Moderators: Keif’ Richards

Can you OD without passing out?

Status
Not open for further replies.
I think it's definitely possible to in danger of overdose while nodding very hard but not entirely passed out and yet that's not exactly being awake either.
 
I'm sure it's possible if you have certain health problems but if you overdose and it's fatal, you will pretty much be non-responsive when it becomes fatal.

Unless, life-saving measures are taken to prevent the fatal response to the overdose to happen.

Since this deserves to be discussed, I'm going to move this to Basic Drug Discussion.

Last point I wanted to say before I go: it is possible to have non-fatal drug overdoses where you do not pass out. :) I have had at least one or two before on methamphetamine.
 
Question on that...Is over-amping from smoking meth where you pretty much shut down and are in a semi-conscience, cannot move state considered an OD?
 
I'd say yes... But this depends.

Normal healthy individuals will normally go unconscious before falling victim to respiratory depression.

I think heart failure would be the culprit of a very-very acute overdose. (IV'ing)
 
I think in a technical sense, no. Since the death in most heroin OD is a result of asphyxia from respiratory arrest or depression. You will be unconscious within moments of entering a state of profound hypoxia. You'll in all practicality, be unconscious well before its fatal or dangerous. (Not to mention the sedating effect of the drug via other mechanisms)

That said. Depending on how you absorb or otherwise get your dose, you can go from fine to having a dangerous level of drug without much warning. I.e. injection of a large dosage..BAM. Or orally or nasally, as the drug takes longer then it might appear to absorb, and can climb into a dangerous level asymptomatically. Anything else that alters your response to the drug or autonomic arousal can change this too. (environmental variables that change day to day, other substances, foods, etc, even seemingly innocent ones)

Sudden Cardiac arrest (more of a cocaine thing, but any drug more or less can cause it) will render you incapacitated more or less as soon as it occurs.

You can have non fatal OD's on all kinds of things without loss of consciousness. You can have some dangerous/ones that become fatal
later ones without loosing consciousness right away. (more stims and psychedelics tho... serotonin toxidrome and refractory seizures, massive peripheral vaso-constriction leading to necrotic tissue, etc)

All that said. If you think you have done too much, for F***s sake, get some help, or at least have a buddy watch you.
 
Thank you all for the replies. Though I totally forgot about making this thread; as you may have guessed this was made while I was on a very high dose of heroin - I was a little freaked out that night.

Thanks for the solid advice rangrz and information.

Take care now
 
My one experience with an out of control heroin overdose was the opposite of that nodded out, shallow breathing thing that i expected. My muscles seized up and felt like they were purposefully bending and compressing themselves beyond their threshold for breaking. My jaw was shaking uncontrollably and I had to bite something to keep from knocking my teeth out. I really don't know what was happening to my body, but I guess this is what severe convulsions feel like. On the other hand, I think that when combined with a sedative such as a benzo, then it is close to impossible to stay conscious for very long during an overdose of that combo (or perhaps alcohol and h, or some other similar combo).
 
The one time I OD'd I started projectile vomiting and then poured sweat for an hour. Didn't even feel high, sucked ass.
 
rangrz said:
I think in a technical sense, no. Since the death in most heroin OD is a result of asphyxia from respiratory arrest or depression. You will be unconscious within moments of entering a state of profound hypoxia. You'll in all practicality, be unconscious well before its fatal or dangerous. (Not to mention the sedating effect of the drug via other mechanisms)

That said. Depending on how you absorb or otherwise get your dose, you can go from fine to having a dangerous level of drug without much warning. I.e. injection of a large dosage..BAM. Or orally or nasally, as the drug takes longer then it might appear to absorb, and can climb into a dangerous level asymptomatically. Anything else that alters your response to the drug or autonomic arousal can change this too. (environmental variables that change day to day, other substances, foods, etc, even seemingly innocent ones)

Sudden Cardiac arrest (more of a cocaine thing, but any drug more or less can cause it) will render you incapacitated more or less as soon as it occurs.

You can have non fatal OD's on all kinds of things without loss of consciousness. You can have some dangerous/ones that become fatal
later ones without loosing consciousness right away. (more stims and psychedelics tho... serotonin toxidrome and refractory seizures, massive peripheral vaso-constriction leading to necrotic tissue, etc)

All that said. If you think you have done too much, for F***s sake, get some help, or at least have a buddy watch you.
Click to expand...

This says it all really. I'm not sure what else can be added - I almost closed this thread when I first saw it, although I appreciate the HR value now - but really, if you are concerned, get some help. Don't wait til you are unconscious! Same if you are with someone and you think they have OD'd -don't wait til then are unconscious, get help immediately.

I'm going to close this now but if anyone has anything else they want to add, shoot me a pm :)
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top