Tuesday, September 28, 2010

More places to AVOID

As promised, I'll be updating this with places where spiking has taken place. I take no responsibility for the credibility of these reports. Go to these places, by all means, but be aware that spiking has taken place there.

I personally will be avoiding these places. You have been warned!

NEW ZEALAND
AUCKLAND CITY
- Code, Shortland St.
AUCKLAND BOTANY DOWNS
- Cock and Bull, Town Centre Dr.

AUSTRALIA
SURFERS PARADISE
- Bedroom, Orchard Ave.

I'll keep updating this list. Keep me posted with any new spiking venues.

Monday, September 27, 2010

Drug Interactions: KETAMINE

As we all know, some drugs cannot be taken together. We are pretty careful not to mix these, but what if your drink is spiked and you are taking a prescribed drug which may interact with the spike drug? You're best to find out what the interactions are, and see if your medications are on that list. Get yourself to an A&E if you suspect any sort of interaction, as you can't be sure what drug was used to spike your drink until a blood or urine test has been taken. Don't waste time wondering whether the drugs will interact, seek medical attention immediately.
KETAMINE INTERACTIONS
  • a barbiturate such as amobarbital (Amytal), butabarbital (Butisol), mephobarbital (Mebaral), secobarbital (Seconal), or phenobarbital (Luminal, Solfoton); or
  • narcotic medication such as fentanyl (Actiq, Duragesic, Ionsys), hydrocodone (Lortab, Vicodin), hydromorphone (Dilaudid, Palladone), methadone (Dolophine, Methadose), morphine (Kadian, MS Contin, Oramorph), oxycodone (OxyContin, Percocet, Roxicodone), propoxyphene (Darvocet, Darvon), and others.
If you are using any of these drugs, it may take you longer to recover from anesthesia with ketamine.
There may be other drugs that can affect ketamine. Tell your doctor about all your prescription and over-the-counter medications, vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start a new medication without telling your doctor.

Drug Interactions: GHB

As we all know, some drugs cannot be taken together. We are pretty careful not to mix these, but what if your drink is spiked and you are taking a prescribed drug which may interact with the spike drug? You're best to find out what the interactions are, and see if your medications are on that list. Get yourself to an A&E if you suspect any sort of interaction, as you can't be sure what drug was used to spike your drink until a blood or urine test has been taken. Don't waste time wondering whether the drugs will interact, seek medical attention immediately.

GHB INTERACTIONS (GHB is also called Sodium Oxybate)
The combined use of alcohol with sodium oxybate (GHB) may result in potentiation of the central nervous system-depressant effects of sodium oxybate. Patients should be warned against the use of any alcoholic beverages in conjunction with sodium oxybate.
Sodium oxybate should not be used in combination with sedative hypnotics or other CNS depressants.
Drug interaction studies in healthy adults demonstrated no pharmacokinetic interactions between sodium oxybate and protriptyline hydrochloride (an antidepressant), zolpidem tartrate (a hypnotic), and modafinil (a stimulant). However, pharmacodynamic interactions with these drugs have not been assessed.
The co-administration of omeprazole (a drug that alters gastric pH) has no clinically significant effect on the pharmacokinetics of sodium oxybate. The dosage of sodium oxybate therefore does not require adjustment when given concomitantly with proton pump inhibitors.
Studies in vitro with pooled human liver microsomes indicate that sodium oxybate does not significantly inhibit the activities of the human isoenzymes.
Since sodium oxybate is metabolised by GHB dehydrogenase there is a potential risk of an interaction with drugs that stimulate or inhibit this enzyme (e.g. valproate, phenytoin or ethosuximide). No interaction studies have been conducted in human subjects
Sodium oxybate has been administered concomitantly with CNS stimulant agents in approximately 80 % of patients in clinical studies. Whether this affected respiration during the night is unknown.
Antidepressants have been used in the treatment of cataplexy. A possible additive effect of antidepressants and sodium oxybate cannot be excluded. The rate of adverse events have increased when sodium oxybate is co-administered with tricyclic antidepressants.

Drug Interactions: ROHYPNOL

As we all know, some drugs cannot be taken together. We are pretty careful not to mix these, but what if your drink is spiked and you are taking a prescribed drug which may interact with the spike drug? You're best to find out what the interactions are, and see if your medications are on that list. Get yourself to an A&E if you suspect any sort of interaction, as you can't be sure what drug was used to spike your drink until a blood or urine test has been taken. Don't waste time wondering whether the drugs will interact, seek medical attention immediately.

ROHYPNOL INTERACTIONS
Enhancement of the central depressive effect may occur if Rohypnol is combined with centrally-acting drugs such as neuroleptics, tranquillisers, antidepressants, hypnotics, analgesics and anaesthetics, anti-epileptics and sedative anti-histamines. In the case of narcotic analgesics, enhancement of the euphoria may also occur leading to an increase in psychic drug dependence. The elderly require special supervision.
Enhanced effects on sedation, respiration and haemodynamics may occur when Rohypnol is co-administered with any centrally acting depressants, including alcohol.
Alcohol should be avoided in patients receiving Rohypnol
When Rohypnol is used in conjunction with anti-epileptic drugs, side-effects and toxicity may be more evident, particularly with hydantoins or barbiturates or combinations including them. This requires extra care in adjusting dosage in the initial stages of treatment.
Known inhibitors of hepatic enzymes, e.g. cimetidine, have been shown to reduce the clearance of benzodiazepines and may potentiate their action, and known inducers of hepatic enzymes, e.g. rifampicin, may increase the clearance of benzodiazepines.

Places to AVOID

As promised, I'll be updating this with places where spiking has taken place. I take no responsibility for the credibility of these reports. Go to these places, by all means, but be aware that spiking has taken place there.

I personally will be avoiding these places. You have been warned!

AUCKLAND CITY
- Code, Shortland St.
AUCKLAND BOTANY DOWNS
- Cock and Bull, Town Centre Dr.

I'll keep updating this list. Keep me posted with any new spiking venues.

How to AVOID drink spiking

It can happen to anyone, no matter how careful you are, but you can try to minimise the risk by following these suggestions:

  • Don’t accept drinks from strangers or leave drinks unattended. If someone offers you a drink, go to the bar with them.

  • Buy or pour your own drinks and know what you are drinking.

  • Don’t drink something you did not open, or see opened or poured.

  • If you’re unsure about your drink, leave it.

  • If you feel dizzy or sick, ask someone you trust to take you to a safe place. If you are alone or can’t find your friends tell the staff behind the bar or someone you know, if you are at a party.

  • Keep an eye on your friends. If someone collapses and is unconscious, call an ambulance immediately—but do not leave them alone.

  • If you’re on a date with someone you don’t know arrange for a friend to call you during the evening and/or pick you up. Meet in a public space. Arrange your own transport.
  • What to do if you think your drink has been spiked

    If you believe that your drink has been spiked, your main objective is to protect yourself from being harmed. You should find someone you trust who can take you to A&E to be treated.
    Tell someone you trust
    If you begin to feel really drunk after a small amount of alcohol, or you think that your drink has been spiked with drugs, get help from a friend, relative, or a senior member of management in the club, or pub, that you are in.
    Get to a place of safety as soon as possible, and only go home with someone who you totally trust. If you are with people that you do not know, contact a trusted friend, or relative, and ask them to pick you up and look after you.
    You will need someone to stay with you until you are sure that the drugs have fully left your system, which will probably be the following day. This is in case any of your symptoms start getting worse and you are unable to look after yourself.
    Go to A&E
    If you are experiencing symptoms such as drowsiness, vomiting, or hallucinations, you should go to the accident and emergency (A&E) department of your nearest hospital immediately.
    When you arrive at A&E, inform the medical staff that you think your drink has been spiked. You may be asked to provide a blood or urine sample so that it can be tested for any unusual substances.
    Most drugs leave the body 12-72 hours after being taken, so it is important that you are tested as soon as possible if you think that your drink has been spiked. For instance, gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) will be undetectable in your blood within 6-8 hours, and will be undetectable in your urine within 12-18 hours.
    Spiking someone's drink is a criminal offence, so if tests reveal that your drink was spiked, the police will need to investigate the matter. Drink spiking carries a maximum sentence of up to 10 years in prison.
    Assault, rape, and robbery
    If you have also been the victim of an assault or robbery, you should report this to the police as well. The police will want to know any information you have about the attackers, what was taken, and how the attack happened. If you have been physically assaulted, the police will need to keep a record of your injuries, and you may need medical attention.
    If you have been raped or sexually assaulted, you should always seek medical attention. You will need to be checked to see whether you have any sexually transmitted infections (STIs), or if you are pregnant. You do not have to report it to the police if you do not wish to. Forensic results can be taken and stored while you decide.
    This information was taken from www.cks.nhs.uk/patient_information_leaflet/drink_spiking#

    Sometimes it's not possible to get to an A&E. AT THE VERY LEAST, make sure you tell someone you trust what you think may have happened. Make sure that you are with someone safe, and that they are able to take care of you. Get them to take you home; not put you in a taxi/bus/train. If this isn't possible, ask to see the manager of the club. Tell them that you think your drink has been spiked and ask them to call someone (partner, parent, friend, relative) who can come and pick you up and take you either to a hospital or home. If you suspect you have been raped/assaulted or robbed, you need to get to a hospital as quickly as possible. Criminal proceedings can be entered into after you've received medical attention. Your safety is more important.

    Symptoms if your Drink has been Spiked

    If your drink has been spiked, your symptoms will depend on what drug has been used. The effect of any drug will depend on your body shape and size, your age, how much of the spiked drink you have consumed, and how much alcohol (if any) you have already drunk.
    Any drug could be slipped into your drink without your knowledge. Drugs can come in powder or liquid form, and may not have an unusual taste or smell. See the A-Z of drugs on the Frank website for more information about illegal substances and their effects.

    Date rape drugs

    The most common drugs that are used in drink spiking are often referred to as date rape drugs. This is because they make it harder for you to resist an assault. The most common date rape drugs are:
    • alcohol
    • gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) and gamma-butyrolactone (GBL)
    • tranquilizers, most often benzodiazepines, including valium and rohypnol
    • ketamine
    These drugs are depressants, which work by slowing down your nervous system, and dulling your responses and your instincts. In moderation, alcohol can help to relax you, and some date rape drugs are legally prescribed for anxiety and insomnia. However, when taken without knowing, these substances leave you vulnerable to danger.
    Date rape drugs will affect your behaviour and the messages that you give out to other people. You will not be fully in control of yourself, and someone could take advantage of you.
    Date rape drugs can start to take effect within five minutes of being taken, or up to an hour after being taken. The symptoms for the above drugs, including alcohol, are quite similar, and will include some of the following:
    • drowsiness or light headedness
    • difficulty concentrating
    • feeling confused or disorientated, particularly after waking up (if you have been asleep)
    • difficulty speaking, or slurring your words
    • loss of balance and finding it hard to move
    • lowered inhibitions
    • paranoia (a feeling of fear or distrust of others)
    • amnesia (memory loss) or a ‘black-out’ of events (when you cannot remember large sections of your evening)
    • temporary loss of body sensation (feeling like you are floating above your body, or having an ‘out of body’ experience)
    • visual problems, particularly blurred vision 
    • hallucinations (seeing, hearing or touching things that are not really there)
    • nausea and vomiting
    • unconsciousness
    All date rape drugs are particularly dangerous when they are mixed with alcohol because they combine to have a very powerful anaesthetic effect. This causes unconsciousness and, in more extreme cases, it can cause coma or even death.
    How long the drugs' effects last will depend on how much has been taken and how much alcohol, if any, you have drunk. The symptoms could last between 3-7 hours, but if you pass out it will be hard to know the full effect. You may still feel some of the symptoms of a date rape drug after a night’s sleep, particularly confusion, amnesia or nausea.
    The most common date rape drugs are described below.

    Alcohol

    Alcohol is the most common date rape drug. It can be added to a soft (non-alcoholic) drink without you knowing, or double measures can be used instead of singles. If you have had a drink already, you may find it harder to tell how much alcohol you are consuming. The effects of alcohol will depend on how much you drink, and if you have been drinking already.
    In large amounts, alcohol can be very dangerous, particularly if you pass out and vomit in your sleep. It takes your body one hour to process a unit of alcohol, so the length of the effects will depend on how many units of alcohol you have consumed. See the alcohol misuse Health A-Z topic for an explanation of units of alcohol, and some examples.

    Gamma-hydroxybutyrate and gamma-butyrolactone

    Gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) usually comes in the form of a slightly oily, colourless liquid or, less often, as a powder.
    Gamma-butyrolactone (GBL) is a more basic form of GHB and another possible date rape drug. It comes in liquid form and is found in some household products. After entering the body, GBL changes into GHB.
    Only a very small amount of GHB is needed in order to have an effect, and it can be dissolved easily into other liquids. GHB has an unpleasant taste and a weak odour. But you are unlikely to notice it in very small doses or when it is mixed with a strong-flavoured drink.

    Tranquilizers

    Tranquilizers come in hundreds of different forms. The most common are called benzodiazepines. You may hear of these as valium, rohypnol, roofies or benzos. They are sometimes legally prescribed to treat anxiety or insomnia. Tranquilizers work by slowing down your body, relieving tension and making you feel very relaxed. They normally come as a tablet.

    Ketamine

    Ketamine, sometimes called K, is a powerful anaesthetic that is used for both animals and humans. In its legal form it is a liquid. Illegally, it is normally a grainy white powder or a tablet. Ketamine can cause hallucinations (when you see or hear things that are not real) or it can create a feeling of your mind being separate from your body.

    This info is taken from www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Drink-spiking/Pages/Symptoms.aspx. Thanks to the folks at the NHS in the UK.

    Welcome to SpikeStopper

    On Saturday, September 25, 2010, I woke up in the bathrooms of a central Auckland club, with a mindblank about an hour long, having no idea how I'd ended up there. An hour earlier, at a different club, I'd been looking for a friend who'd gone missing in the crowd. I hadn't put my drink down, but I certainly wasn't paying attention to it. I was scanning the room, and some lowlife slipped something into my drink.

    This happens to thousands of women (and men) every year. Drink spiking is one of the most pathetic, terrifying and heartless crimes.

    So I decided to start SpikeStopper. I'll be adding information on how to identify spiked drinks, what to do if you think your drink has been spiked, what drugs are commonly used, and much more. For now though, I need your help. Let's compile a list of places where drinks are commonly spiked. If you've ever had your drink spiked, let me know the city, country and the name of the club. If we can get a list together we may be able to force clubs to be more stringent in their security, installing infra-red security cameras and the like.

    So let me know. Where have you, or your friend, had your drink spiked?