Drink Spike??

humbert · 26-08-2012 11:51AM

Why do people think getting spiked is unlikely?

I've never seen it so I'm curious.

Sweating a lot sounds suspicious to me. I'd normally associate being very drunk with becoming cold, as it's a depressant.

I appreciate that a naggin is a lot to drink and can hit you abruptly.

Quorum · 26-08-2012 11:54AM

humbert wrote: »

Why do people think getting spiked is unlikely?

Because A&E departments will tell you, whenever someone comes in incapacitated and friends claim they were spiked, in the vast majority of cases, it turns out they were just really, really drunk or high, or perhaps unwell to begin with, the drink just exacerbating matters.

humbert · 26-08-2012 11:59AM

Quorum wrote: »

Because A&E departments will tell you, whenever someone comes in incapacitated and friends claim they were spiked, in the vast majority of cases, it turns out they were just really, really drunk or high, or perhaps unwell to begin with, the drink just exacerbating matters.

I can well believe it but that leaves that small percentage of people who have narrowly avoided being raped in a very difficult situation.

Lyra Fangs · 26-08-2012 12:00PM

Quorum wrote: »

Because A&E departments will tell you, whenever someone comes in incapacitated and friends claim they were spiked, in the vast majority of cases, it turns out they were just really, really drunk or high, or perhaps unwell to begin with, the drink just exacerbating matters.

What are the usual symptoms of being spiked?

If someone you knew was acting out of character while drunk would that be an indication that their drink had been spiked?

For example if your friend is usually excitable, talkative and impulsive whenever they're drunk, even when extremely drunk, but on this occasion they're overly aggressive and paranoid or completely debilitated.

Solair · 26-08-2012 12:03PM

Confusion (BAC = 0.18% to 0.30%)
Profound confusion
Impaired senses
Analgesia
Increased ataxia; impaired speech; staggering
Dizziness often associated with nausea ("the spins")
Vomiting (emesis)

Stupor (BAC = 0.25% to 0.40%)
Severe ataxia
Lapses in and out of consciousness
Unconsciousness
Anterograde amnesia
Vomiting (death may occur due to inhalation of vomit (pulmonary aspiration) while unconscious)

Coma (BAC = 0.35% to 0.50%)
Unconsciousness (coma)
Depressed reflexes (i.e., pupils do not respond appropriately to changes in light)
Marked and life-threatening respiratory depression
Markedly decreased heart rate
Most deaths from alcohol poisoning are caused by dosage levels in this range.
Respiratory depression (potentially life-threatening)
Decreased heart rate (usually results in coldness and/or numbness of the limbs)
Urinary incontinence

Sweating can also occur with alcohol consumption, even in small quantities for some people.

irelandspurs · 26-08-2012 12:05PM

This you on the left?

Quorum · 26-08-2012 12:05PM

Lyra Fangs wrote: »

What are the usual symptoms of being spiked?

If someone you knew was acting out of character while drunk would that be an indication that their drink had been spiked?

For example if your friend is usually excitable, talkative and impulsive whenever they're drunk, even when extremely drunk, but on this occasion they're overly aggressive and paranoid or completely debilitated.

Well, in hospitals they would do blood tests and the like to ascertain whether someone was spiked.

Lyra Fangs · 26-08-2012 12:12PM

Quorum wrote: »

Well, in hospitals they would do blood tests and the like to ascertain whether someone was spiked.

But let's say you weren't at a hospital, is there a way of knowing if your friend's been spiked or if they're just very, very drunk. Are they are differences in the symptoms?

dharma200 · 26-08-2012 12:12PM

I really dont know where the notion of many people getting spiked comes from... I have been clubbing/pubbing for years, and have yet to see either anyone spiking a drink or being spiked... The amount of crazed spiking rapists out there I would presume are not huge, tho it does happen and there are very simple steps to ensure it doesnt happen to you (Ie always having your drink with you, always having friends with you, drinking from glass not bottles etc etc. I am sure there are many other tips out there on websites)...
In my experience you can get hammered on one drink in the right conditions, or you can drink for three days solid and be upright and sober acting. If you drink on a regular basis and are having even the odd blackout then you probably have liver and brain damage from drinking.... your kidneys may well be screwed....

In my experience usual character can change swiftly whilehammered.. the usually most placid person can all of a sudden become mental and fight, the usually loud person can become maudlin etc.

Drink doesnt affect you the same every time, you can have a drink of wine on tuesday, and the next tuesday the same drink amount etc and it can have a totally different effect.

The usual symptoms of being spiked vary depending on what you have been spiked with... rohypnol was in the press not so long ago, along with mdma type drugs ect.

I would also hazard a guess that a few people who end up in a+e after supposedly being spiked really spiked themselves and just dont want the authorities or mummy and daddy to know.

Spiking and rape happen, but alot of people getting drunk out of their heads happens alot alot more ofter...

irelandspurs · 26-08-2012 12:13PM

Lyra Fangs wrote: »

But let's say you weren't at a hospital, is there a way of knowing if your friend's been spiked or if they're just very, very drunk. Are they are differences in the symptoms?

yeah they'd be chewing there eyebrows

number66 · 26-08-2012 12:17PM

Whatever about being spiked I'd wonder about what type of friends you have that would leave you in a club for that length of time when you where obviously in a bad state. It's possible you got spiked, but I would think it's more likely you had a bad reaction to what you drank.

I'd also like to say why do you need to drink 250ml of spirits before going out, says a lot about what passes for a nights entertainment that you have to be plastered before you go out to "enjoy" yourself. I'd suggest you go out for a night and don't drink anything. See what you make of a 'night out' when sober and can remember everything without alcohol tinted glasses.

The sweating bit and mumbling could well be MDMA with De-hydration, the alcohol would have damped the effects. but not a good thing to have in your system, esp without knowing. still most likely you just drunk too much.

Padraig Mor · 26-08-2012 12:22PM

There has never been a medically confirmed case of drink spiking in this country.

brummytom · 26-08-2012 12:29PM

Yeah, I went out the other week. Had 2 bottles of white wine before going out, then whiskey shots and pints of lager while I was out. I still can't remember a thing.

I can't decide if I had food poisoning from the burger I had beforehand, or I got spiked. It's definitely one of them.

Solair · 26-08-2012 12:36PM

Sweating could also be hypoglycemia (low sugar) caused by your stomach / digestive system not working correctly due to a high dose of strong spirits.

irelandspurs · 26-08-2012 12:37PM

brummytom wrote: »

Yeah, I went out the other week. Had 2 bottles of white wine before going out, then whiskey shots and pints of lager while I was out. I still can't remember a thing.

I can't decide if I had food poisoning from the burger I had beforehand, or I got spiked. It's definitely one of them.

or 24 hour bug,its going round you know.

kylith · 26-08-2012 12:42PM

Cut down on your drinking and the memory loss and shaking will miraculously disappear. If you'd been spiked you'd have lost conciousness, rather than had all the symptoms of, amazingly enough, drinking too much.

Motorist · 26-08-2012 12:47PM

Quorum wrote: »

Well, in hospitals they would do blood tests and the like to ascertain whether someone was spiked.

I think they use a sophisticated diagnostic test which involves leaving you in the A & E waiting room with all your drunk girl friends until you all start to sober up, become embarrassed when you realise it was just once again too much alcohol consumed and leave.

number66 · 26-08-2012 12:53PM

Lyra Fangs wrote: »

Heavy pre-drinking you might say? Funny thing was I only drank 4 bottles of wkd and had the tiniest sip of vodka

This may sound strange to you, but 4 bottles of wkd and a sip of vodka is what most non-irish people would consider a nights drinking!! Drinking it in a hour and a half I'm surprised you made it to the pub.

ceadaoin. · 26-08-2012 12:54PM

lfc200 wrote: »

Don't think it was anything to do with being drunk, I wasn't even remotely tipsy when I got to the bar in town...

200mls of rum in the space of 2.5/3 hours wouldn't be an incredibly large amount of alcohol when you've a mixer.

You weren't even remotely tipsy after drinking a naggin of rum? Really?

It seems like you just under estimated how much you had to drink and went a bit too far. Sometimes you might feel fine and think you're totally sober, then it just hits you. Chalk it up to experience and be more careful next time.

Have these other cases of drinks being spiked in the pub actually been proven as such?

Lyra Fangs · 26-08-2012 01:04PM

number66 wrote: »

This may sound strange to you, but 4 bottles of wkd and a sip of vodka is what most non-irish people would consider a nights drinking!! Drinking it in a hour and a half I'm surprised you made it to the pub.

Well I usually drink a lot more before going out and have always managed to make it to the pub to drink some more :pac:

I don't do it regularly maybe 1-2 a month but it surprised me that of all the times I could have blacked out I did so after drinking, what I would consider, very little.

ScumLord · 26-08-2012 01:05PM

lfc200 wrote: »

200mls of rum in the space of 2.5/3 hours wouldn't be an incredibly large amount of alcohol when you've a mixer.

I think people would often over look the power of drugs like caffeine and sugar. Yes, I would class sugar to be a drug in high dozes.

I'd love to know what drug you think you where spiked with? Throwing a yolk down on drink will sober you up pretty quick not make you more drunk.

It's possible you where spiked but more likely you just drank to much. If you were spiked you'd probably feel pretty good today rather than hung over. Are you hung over?

I_smell_fear · 26-08-2012 01:07PM

I spike me own drink coz I'm class at drinkin'

26-08-2012 01:19PM

I know spiking has never actually been proven but if the op is used to drinking then a naggin and 2 or 3 beers is nothing. So its a bit unfair to say it was definitely drinking too much.

Quorum · 26-08-2012 01:20PM

Padraig Mor wrote: »

There has never been a medically confirmed case of drink spiking in this country.

Seriously? :eek: I knew they were rare, but none? Any links?

tommyboy2222 · 26-08-2012 01:36PM

lfc200 wrote: »

Don't think it was anything to do with being drunk, I wasn't even remotely tipsy when I got to the bar in town...

200mls of rum in the space of 2.5/3 hours wouldn't be an incredibly large amount of alcohol when you've a mixer.

It's actually the same amount of alcohol , with or without a mixer.

You should try drinking without a mixer sometime to realise how much spirits you are actually consuming.

I was at a Polish wedding a few years ago, drinking vodka straight, and I drank a fraction of what I would here on a night out.

Mixers allow you to drink a lot more than the body can handle sometimes.