Scumbags drugging your drinks - beware!

[ZR1cliff]

As I'm a cabby, last night I recieved a call from a neighbour's friend to pick up the neighbour, the friend and two others from outside a bar in Basingstoke. When I got there the neighbour looked worse for wear, not pissed, but detached from the outside world. The others had also been drinking and were a little tipsy and wanted to just get the neighbour back home, stating "she just feels unwell" but on the journey the neighbour started to become traumatised, had eratic breathing and was having trouble communicating how she felt and reminded me of a time when I had severe concussion. In the end I made the decision to take her to the local A&E regardless of what her friends wanted and by the time we were outside A&E she was having what look liked panic attacks - the poor woman was in a real bad state.

Long story short, they kept her in for a few hours before sending her home, she is sure someone drugged her drink, I've seen this on a few occasions over the years and the effects to being drunk are not the same due to some panic like state the victim has with not knowing what is going on. She has just text me to say the police are now involved and they are going to pay the bar a visit. With Christmas coming up and the bars becoming busier, watch your drinks people

[Mr Trophy]

Thanks.

It's a real shame that you still need to watch yourself when you go out to let your hair down.

[cs02rm0]

Mr Trophy said:

Thanks.

+1

[soad]

True that, my mate got his drink spiked whilst on holidays abroad - some tossers wanted to rob him of his watch.
Luckily local plod was just outside the nightclub, managed to make it safe to the hotel.

[Techn0]

I'd wager that most of the people that claim to have been drugged just drank far too much.

Must be quite scary when it really happens though.

[ZR1cliff]

The good thing is she's a physio and works up the hospital, is a very positive person and very head strong. From her texts it sounds like she is understandably very angry and will accompany the police to the bar. For the record they went outside for some air during the night and had to leave the drinks inside attended to by the door staff, I suppose anything can happen if the doorstaff become distracted?

[N Dentressangle]

The likelihood is that she was just very drunk, and the research tends to confirm this:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1225854/...

I know it's the Wail, but it's easy enough to check the academic papers the article references.

"started to become traumatised, had eratic breathing and was having trouble communicating how she felt"

fits quite well with:

Signs of Alcohol Poisoning

* Irregular breathing, either fast or slow
* Coma, severe mental confusion, or cannot be woken up
* Heavy vomiting
* Body temperature is unusually low
* Extremely pale or bluish skin color

http://www.alcohol-stuff.co.uk/articles/alcohol-po...

[oldbanger]

Techn0 said:

I'd wager that most of the people that claim to have been drugged just drank far too much.

Must be quite scary when it really happens though.

Of course, it does genuinely happen, but the last time I looked at the subject I think the figure stands at less than 10% of people claiming to have been drugged through spiked drinks actually turn out to have anything more than alcohol in their blood at A&E.

Personally, my theory is that some of these people may be suffering from reactive hypoglycemia due to their alcohol intake (alcohol causes a drop in blood sugar as it stimulates the release of insulin which is why many people get the munchies from drinking, plus it also blocks gluconeogenesis - production of glucose in the liver - the liver is too busy dealing with the alcohol - compounding the problem for some people who then can't stabilise blood sugar without eating something). Symptoms of hypoglycemia can include panic attacks, shaking, slurred speech, belligerence, confusion, amnesia, personality changes, automism, much like those attributed to "date rape" drugs.

Edited by oldbanger on Saturday 28th November 13:05

[ZR1cliff]

Techn0 said:

I'd wager that most of the people that claim to have been drugged just drank far too much.

Must be quite scary when it really happens though.

From observation and I can't speak with any medical experience, but as a night cabby I bump into many people who are pissed, stressed, aggrevated etc and it appears different to being pissed. Very difficult to explain but it's almost like being heavily concussed. On the surface you're confused but underneath you are trying to communicate - image the body appearing not pissed but unstable, floppy, drousy with eyes wide open, yet underneath you're trying to tell others how you genuinly feel. In the end the victim becomes confused and scared and starts to panic through the sheer fear of not knowing what is happening to them. At A&E I had to get in the back of the cab and try to help by reassuring and calming her as the other tipsy freinds, except one were less aware of what was going on. I've seen a couple of blokes affected in this way too, not like the normal pissed state

[ZR1cliff]

N Dentressangle said:

The likelihood is that she was just very drunk, and the research tends to confirm this:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1225854/...

I know it's the Wail, but it's easy enough to check the academic papers the article references.

"started to become traumatised, had eratic breathing and was having trouble communicating how she felt"

fits quite well with:

Signs of Alcohol Poisoning

* Irregular breathing, either fast or slow
* Coma, severe mental confusion, or cannot be woken up
* Heavy vomiting
* Body temperature is unusually low
* Extremely pale or bluish skin color

http://www.alcohol-stuff.co.uk/articles/alcohol-po...

Not so much date rape but I've overheard fares in the back of my cab talking about drugging other peoples' drinks just to see the effects, wether they actually do it is another thing, but I dare say, knowing the way the world is today that it goes on now and again.

[Techn0]

ZR1cliff said:

Techn0 said:

I'd wager that most of the people that claim to have been drugged just drank far too much.

Must be quite scary when it really happens though.

From observation and I can't speak with any medical experience, but as a night cabby I bump into many people who are pissed, stressed, aggrevated etc and it appears different to being pissed. Very difficult to explain but it's almost like being heavily concussed. On the surface you're confused but underneath you are trying to communicate - image the body appearing not pissed but unstable, floppy, drousy with eyes wide open, yet underneath you're trying to tell others how you genuinly feel. In the end the victim becomes confused and scared and starts to panic through the sheer fear of not knowing what is happening to them. At A&E I had to get in the back of the cab and try to help by reassuring and calming her as the other tipsy freinds, except one were less aware of what was going on. I've seen a couple of blokes affected in this way too, not like the normal pissed state

I like to refer to it as 'lizard brain'. You think your ok in your mind, but your body has decided to something different completely. Basic motor functions can become severely affected. From having woken up in various gutters, parks and other strange places that I have never been before, I always put it down to too much booze often heightened with other stimulants which give you the illusion of being unable to get pissed.

Like I said I call bs in 99% of cases.

Edited by Techn0 on Saturday 28th November 13:27

[davido140]

Hi Cliff,

As you know I'm a Basingstoke-ite as well, can you PM me the name of the bar? (understand you cant really post it here)

Ta

Dave

[Lemmonie]

I had this once. Was in a bar with a few friends and we got chatted up by a group of men, seeing as we were on a girls night out we decided to move on to another bar after just the one drink. Got to new bar ordered another drink and this group turned up again.
We ignored them and had a bit or a dance leaving drinks on the side. Well after about an hour i started to feel very very drunk yet i had only had a glass and half. Friends decided to get me out of there as i felt sick etc and by the time i got home i was almost paraletic. Definitely think my drink was spiked

[ZR1cliff]

Techno, I understand what you're trying to say but from my experiences it's totally different, it comes across as - 'medically ill while being tipsy' as opposed to 'pissed ill while being tipsy'.

The first is confusing as the person doesn't genuinly understand what is going on and although they are of a stable disposition, because of the tipsy effect they can't convince others or worst of all themselves of how they are truelly feeling and are disorientated.
The second is accepted by the person, as they have already accepted that although they might have only had a few drinks there could be an underlying reason because they are either tired or haven't eaten, or both.

Edited by ZR1cliff on Saturday 28th November 13:41

[ZR1cliff]

davido140 said:

Hi Cliff,

As you know I'm a Basingstoke-ite as well, can you PM me the name of the bar? (understand you cant really post it here)

Ta

Dave

Sent matey.

[Escort2dr]

LOTS of rumours about a particular bar in York where the staff allegedly spike drinks (similar thing happened but the drink had never left possession of the females in question). It's probably not that widespread but still something that genuinely does seem to happen.

[davido140]

ZR1cliff said:

davido140 said:

Hi Cliff,

As you know I'm a Basingstoke-ite as well, can you PM me the name of the bar? (understand you cant really post it here)

Ta

Dave

Sent matey.

Thanks!

[Techn0]

ZR1cliff said:

Techno, I understand what you're trying to say but from my experiences it's totally different, it comes across as - 'medically ill while being tipsy' as opposed to 'pissed ill while being tipsy'.

The first is confusing as the person doesn't genuinly understand what is going on and although they are of a stable disposition, because of the tipsy effect they can't convince others or worst of all themselves of how they are truelly feeling and are disorientated.
The second is accepted by the person, as they have already accepted that although they might have only had a few drinks there could be an underlying reason because they are either tired or haven't eaten, or both.

Edited by ZR1cliff on Saturday 28th November 13:41

As a driver I'm sure you see all sorts in varying states. I suppose its something I never think about, unless people wanted to bum me I don't think I would be an obvious target. I think keeping an eye on your drink comes naturally to most people, your not worried about it getting drugged, but some pikey stealing it.

[Daniel1]

i think ive had my drink spiked. Was only a can of on the canned soft drinks, started to feel cold, sweat a lot and feel really ill. 10 minutes later was sick and felt much better. Wasnt nice

[Cara Van Man]

Techn0 said:

ZR1cliff said:

Techno, I understand what you're trying to say but from my experiences it's totally different, it comes across as - 'medically ill while being tipsy' as opposed to 'pissed ill while being tipsy'.

The first is confusing as the person doesn't genuinly understand what is going on and although they are of a stable disposition, because of the tipsy effect they can't convince others or worst of all themselves of how they are truelly feeling and are disorientated.
The second is accepted by the person, as they have already accepted that although they might have only had a few drinks there could be an underlying reason because they are either tired or haven't eaten, or both.

Edited by ZR1cliff on Saturday 28th November 13:41

As a driver I'm sure you see all sorts in varying states. I suppose its something I never think about, unless people wanted to bum me I don't think I would be an obvious target. I think keeping an eye on your drink comes naturally to most people, your not worried about it getting drugged, but some pikey stealing it.

and generally you are so drunk and acting like an aggressive spaz that people don't want to go near you anyway.

Just a thought.