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Overdose Of Alprazolam,slept After,fine,how To Remove The Overdose From Body?

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Posted on Sun, 20 May 2012
Question: My girlfriend took an overdose of Alprazolam - about 15 tabs of 0.25mg and 15 tabs of 0.5mg - yesterday afternoon after a fight. She spent most of the time sleeping till today morning. She is completely fine, up and working now in 24 hours!! She is feeling embarrassed to go see a doctor. What should I do? Is there some diet that would help remove the medicine faster from her system?
doctor
Answered by Dr. Pragnesh Vachharajani (51 minutes later)
Dear XXXXXXX

Thanks for posting your query.

First of all be careful,what ever she has done is too XXXXXXX The drug is taken in very heavy dose.Fortunately she did not had any problem so far.You should have taken her to a doctor soon after the incident.

Any way as you say she is fine and working,it is likely that she may have withdrawal symptoms due to the drug now.Normally in 12-15 hours the drugs is excreted from the body.There is no diet that will help to remove the drug faster,as sufficient time has passed and now the drug is well absorbed in the system.Ask her to take plenty of fluids as that will help the drug to wash out from the system.

Still she may have withdrawal symptoms like headache,nausea,abdominal pain,diarrhea,mood swings,low blood pressure,giddiness etc.It is better to visit a doctor without shying just for general check up and any missed element.

Apart from this she needs psychiatric advise and consultation as this was a XXXXXXX step and you have to make sure that she do not do it again.For this counseling is a must.Females are very sensitive and sometimes this indicates underlying depression which needs to be taken care of.

Bye for now,I hope you query is taken care of,still if you have something more to ask,I will be available for follow up.

Bye and take care.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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Follow up: Dr. Pragnesh Vachharajani (1 hour later)
Dear Dr.,

Thank you for your reply. I have been nursing her from last evening. I presumed it won't be fatal as Trika is anti-anxiolitic. I have been forcing her to have a lot of liquids - water, coconut water, juice and light food...

I was wondering if there was any medicine she can take to flush out the drug or if she should have any vitamins etc.

Thank you once again....
doctor
Answered by Dr. Pragnesh Vachharajani (3 hours later)
Dear XXXXXXX

Good to hear from you again.

Your impression that the medication is fine is wrong. Though the medication is indeed anxiolytic, over dosage can lead to severe reactions. Fortunately for her, she did not have any.

The way things are progressing, the chance that she might have major issues is less likely. But as mentioned earlier today, there are chances of withdrawal symptoms. You may take a chance and wait and watch. Report to a doctor immediately, if she experiences any of those problem.

As far a medications is concerned, there are antidotes available. But they are not safe to be administered without monitoring vital signs and physical changes. Antidotes can be tried here (if needed) only under guidance of a doctor.

Vitamins have no role to play here.

Hope I have answered you adequately.

Bye and take care.
Note: For further guidance on mental health, Click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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Answered by
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Dr. Pragnesh Vachharajani

General & Family Physician

Practicing since :1995

Answered : 4036 Questions

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Overdose Of Alprazolam,slept After,fine,how To Remove The Overdose From Body?

Dear XXXXXXX

Thanks for posting your query.

First of all be careful,what ever she has done is too XXXXXXX The drug is taken in very heavy dose.Fortunately she did not had any problem so far.You should have taken her to a doctor soon after the incident.

Any way as you say she is fine and working,it is likely that she may have withdrawal symptoms due to the drug now.Normally in 12-15 hours the drugs is excreted from the body.There is no diet that will help to remove the drug faster,as sufficient time has passed and now the drug is well absorbed in the system.Ask her to take plenty of fluids as that will help the drug to wash out from the system.

Still she may have withdrawal symptoms like headache,nausea,abdominal pain,diarrhea,mood swings,low blood pressure,giddiness etc.It is better to visit a doctor without shying just for general check up and any missed element.

Apart from this she needs psychiatric advise and consultation as this was a XXXXXXX step and you have to make sure that she do not do it again.For this counseling is a must.Females are very sensitive and sometimes this indicates underlying depression which needs to be taken care of.

Bye for now,I hope you query is taken care of,still if you have something more to ask,I will be available for follow up.

Bye and take care.