Drinking alcohol whilst taking librium?!?!

General health and lifestyle
1

I've been taking librium for 3 days now...today is my 5th day with no alcohol and I'm craving it badly. Im going to have a drink...will anything bad happen as I'm taking the librium as well?

2

It sounds like the dosage of Librium isn't strong enough. What dosage have you been prescribed?

I had 20 mg four times a day for the first day, then three times a day the second day. Tapered off over a week.

Drinking whilst taking Librium can cause serious breathing problems. In my opinion you need urgent medical advice. I am no medical expert and this is only my personal experience.

3

I had 40mg 4 times a day on day 1..

30mg 4 times on day two..now day 3 down to 20mg...I just want a drink to take this feeling away...

4

Check with your doc or a pharmacist to be sure, but drinking on benzos has generated many a story of drunken excess and a "blackout" condition where you're still conscious and still drinking, but you don't remember anything about it. 

My non-medical recommendation? Avoid drinking on benzos at all. 

5

Good replies already. Careful and do not mix please.

6

I agree with vickylou - seek medical help, preferably from your prescriber in the first instance, as your dose may need to be adjusted.

Mixing alcohol and Librium can increase the effects of one, or both the alcohol and the Librium and cause serious and potentially very dangerous issues.

 

7

Hi Sarah

Seek medical help immediately, my Husband started drinking on Chlordiazpoxide (Librium) and breathing problems. I had to get him to A & E

Regards

JulieAnne

8

I dont know who to seek help from? My cravings are beating me....I've just been the shop. One drink down...

9

Talk to your doctor straight away. Don't drink more.

10

My doctors isnt open at this time of night....surely a drink or two won't do any harm. God knows...Im not exactly in the best place just now to be thinking rationally...

11

Ring 111 and ask them. I believe that your respirations could possibly become depressed if you drink alcohol whilst taking librium so you need advice tonight.

I'm not trying to scare you but it's better to be safe than sorry.

12

CALL 111 at once, Sarah.

13

It's just that (for one thing) it gets amplified with benzos. So set the drink down while you can and leave it till you can talk to your doctor. Perhaps call the Samaritans and talk it out with them, or the AA national hotline.  

14

If it were just the one drink, in the grand scheme of things, it wouldn't really matter.

However, you know that once you've had one drink, many more will follow and then it can cause serious problems. Drinking and taking benzos is like doubling up, they both have the same reaction on the brain. It is why you take benzos to detox, they do what the alcohol does, so you can come down safely. It can be dangerous to take both, especially if there is not another adult in the household to supervise you.

You would be better to take your Librium rate back up to what it was, until you can speak to your doctor, that is better than mixing it with alcohol. Plus if you're drinking, you might ruin the detox and the doctor might not re-prescribe it.

15

Any update? How are you? Drinking with your medication?

16

Well thankfully I'm still here...had a proper binge and feel like I've failed once again. Going for more support in the morning. Thank you all so much for the advice x

17

Go for diazepam for a home detox if the doctor will prescribe it (benzo) again.

And then speak to us before you start your course.

18

Hi Shaz 

There would be a leaflet in the box your Librium came in listing precautions, side affects and drug interactions. If you are well enough then consult this. If you are unwell then just go to hospital. 

I don't think a responsible Dr would prescribe Librium for an unobserved/home detox if if there is a risk associated with alcohol use as you are not in rehab and can drink if you choose.

Take care.

Kelly

19

You haven't failed. All of us think that we have, but we haven't. It is the nature of addiction. We are all still here for you and not judging you.

20

Hi Ruth.  I hope all is better now.  My experience with drinking while on benzodiazepines is immediate excitation... you can’t only have one because you desperately need the next few drinks to calm down.  Then later the sedative stage kicks in where breathing is slowed.  For anyone wanting to drink while on Librium or benzos.... please don’t do it.  Go to your nearest ER once you’ve done so if you feel the need.  Call 911 or take an uber.