KrishnaCameb4Buddha

So this raises the question what do you do if you suspect methanol poisoning if you are not near a hospital. The answer is: get a high-proof ethanol (vodka, etc) and immediately start drinking it to get ‘drunk’. Meanwhile, you can be making your way to a hospital to get complete management. The idea is to stay ‘drunk’ for several days if you are not near a hospital. Otherwise, the hospital can manage the IV administration of ethanol to you so as to save your life. Hospitals have another antidote, fomepizole, in addition to IV ethanol, but it is very expensive and many hospitals don’t carry it. The enzyme, ADH, that breaks down methanol into toxic metabolites can be ‘interrupted’ by ingesting ethanol. This is because ADH prefers ethanol and when the ethanol is there, the methanol is less likely to be broken down into its terrible metabolites. This is why some methanol poisonings are not fatal—because the drinkers were also drinking ethanol. They are the lucky ones. The ones drinking only methanol have a much graver prognosis. If you cannot make it to a hospital soon it would be a good idea to call a poison control center, such as California Poison Control, open 24 hours, and they can aid you in how to properly stay drunk for whatever number of days they recommend. 1-800-222-1222 Following quote is from Goldfrank’s Manual Of Toxicologic Emergencies” 2007 Edition. Chapter on Toxic Alcohols pgs 804-808 and chapter on Ethanol 813-816. “If there will be any delay in obtaining ethanol for intravenous use (for methanol poisoning), oral therapy with ethanol should be initiated immediately” (pg 816) Also important is to replenish body fluids by making homemade Gatorade—Oral Rehydration Solution. In one liter of water put two TABLEspoons of sugar and one-half TEAspoon (1/2 tsp) of salt. Drink this frequently. When you get to a hospital they will give you IV Saline (salt water intravenously).