My friend won't wake up, any theories?

[Changenow]

His wife came home after working a night shift and found him asleep on the couch and attempted to wake him. After not being able to awaken him for 15 minutes or so she called 911 and he was taken to the hospital. They tested him for drugs and that test was clean. They did a MRI and CAT scan and they were normal. The EEG showed that he was asleep. He is in the ICU now, still asleep and the doctors have no idea why. He has been very depressed lately, in fact his wife thought it was a suicide attempt until the drug test came back negative.

Anyone here ever heard of such a thing?

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

1. Could be a form of catatonia, or he took an overdose of something

that they did not screen for.

[Rowdyboy]

2. Catatonia?

Simply beoing unable to come to?

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

3. Yes, google it... it is a svere reaction the mind has to things

sometimes.
My guess is the latter though. Maybe an overdose of Benadryl and alcohol... that is hard to find if it has gone on long enough to get in the system.

[Lars39]

4. diabetic?

I had a friend in HS that died after drinking a marguerta. :(

Hope they figure out what's wrong soon.

[Babel_17]

5. Seriously, maybe he needed the sleep?

Perhaps the depression was blocking him from getting the deep sleep we all need and now he finally drifted off into it.

My memory is hazy but I think I've read of cases of sleep deprived individuals who when finally allowed to sleep proved very difficult to wake up or disturb.

Hoping for the best in your friend's case.

[Changenow]

6. Does anyone know of a medical term for this condition beside

catatonic? Catatonic doesn't seem to fit because he does not appear to be awake.

Thanks to everyone for your kind wishes.

[camero]

7. How long has he been asleep?

When I was driving I once slept for 24 hrs because I was only getting 2 hrs a night sleep for that week. It happens sometimes. Hope it's just that. If it is then have an extra strong cup of coffee for him when he awakes.

[Changenow]

11. No one is certain when he fell asleep since he was alone.

And even painful stimuli won't awaken him.

[camero]

13. Maybe it is something else

if even pain won't awaken him. Even I woke up a couple of times that day even if it was just for 5 minutes.

[Failure]

8. What was on TV?

could shrubby have "dumbed" someone into catatonia?

Seriously though, I sincerely hope your friend is ok...

on edit: Is "catatonia" a salad dressing?

[DS1]

9. I hope it's nothing, and that they have insurance

Pricey tests.

[SmileyBoy]

10. Have them take the drug test again.

Sometimes the first test comes out negative no matter what. I'm not ruling out a suicide attempt as a possibility just yet. Or maybe it possibly was an inadvertant combination of pills and booze.

[benburch]

12. Some things might not show up in the drug test.

I am not a doctor. But I read a lot.

They need to search the home and the trash for any possible causative agents;

L-Tryptophan overdose or Melatonin overdose might cause this from what I have read, but would probably not show up in a standard drug screen. If he was self-medicating for depression, he might have taken a lot of L-Tryptophan or one of its commonly sold esters.

GHB and it's related compounds can cause this as well. I'm not sure if the standard drug screen will get these.

Epilepsy can also cause a similar syndrome, I have read.

Please let us know how this comes out.

[liberalhistorian]

14. I have no idea, but I sure hope

he'll turn out to be okay!!! Please let us know what happens.

I think it may very well be possible that this is his body's way of dealing with things, especially if he's been depressed. Sometimes we just can't handle things and our body has a way of dealing with that on its own.

To be brutally honest, there's a large part of me right now that wishes that would happen to me! I know, I know, that's crazy, but I'm finding it harder and harder to deal with even the simplest things and there are many times during the day when I just wish I could fall asleep and stay that way for the next month or so!

[Changenow]

15. He is still in the ICU, but is now combative and in restraints.

He has flashes where he is lucid, but is mostly still out of it. He is denying that he tried to kill himself, but as of now it looks like that's what happened despite the drug test. We may know better in a day or so, he will be seen by a neurologist and a psychiatrist today. The good news is that he does not appear to be in grave danger.

It is time for you to get some help. Please don't let these thoughts overwhelm you. Part of what may be driving you to the edge is the political situation in the US and your feeling of powerlessness to help save the world. I'm suggesting this because it happens to me sometimes also, and since you're active here you know what a mess the world is in. May I suggest that you take some time off from the real world and live in lala land with most of the rest of America?

The other day I had lunch with some women who aren't even the least bit political and I made a conscience decision to avoid bringing it up. After an hour and a half of talking about everything but I realized that it was much less stressful then politics, which may be why so many avoid it.

Anyway, even if politics aren't an aggravating factor in your feelings it would be wise to address the problem now. It is possible to feel happy or contented, but it may take some effort to get there. Take the time for yourself, please.
.

[amazona]

16. first thought is GHB

I'm not sure it would come back on a drug screen because a certain amount of the compound occurs naturally in the body but a well-known side effect is catatonia or coma. Users/promoters object to it being called coma. They prefer the term "unarousability." I'm not kidding. In time, he should wake up OK, as has apparently already happened. In the 1980s, this drug was sold OTC and I don't think anyone died or anything but if he is taking it, he needs to be better aware of the risks. It is in the date rape school of drugs -- it's never well to fall asleep so hard you can't wake up.

I could be way off on this guess of course.

[Changenow]

17. Does one take it to get high?

How enjoyable is being passed out for two days? Are people normally combative when they come around?