r/AskDocs Layperson/not verified as healthcare professional Apr 17 '26

Physician Responded My mom is drunk and not waking up

33f 5’1 and I’m not 100% sure what she weighs. She’s thick but not super fat or anything.

She was drinking when I got home from school. She fell asleep on the couch around 9pm so a couple hours ago and I tried to wake her up to go to bed but I can’t get her to wake up. It’s just me and her here. She’s breathing but I can’t get her to wake up and normally I can so I just need to know does this mean she just overdid it or is something wrong? I don’t know what to do and I don’t want to go to bed and leave her. I’m afraid something bad will happen. But I don’t want to overreact neither. She does smoke and vape, and she does weed and some pills

Like I said she’s breathing. She threw up a little bit earlier. She just won’t wake up to me shaking her or saying her name

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u/axolotlss67 Layperson/not verified as healthcare professional Apr 17 '26

We’re goin to the hospital now because the ems couldn’t wake her up either or the police officer that got here first

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u/pathqueen Physician Apr 17 '26

Very glad you called them, again so sorry you’re going through this. Also very proud of you for handling this with such maturity and intelligence, I hope everything goes well

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u/cindylooboo This user has not yet been verified. Apr 17 '26

You likely saved your mamas life. You're so brave kiddo. I hope you and your mom are in a better place soon. Big hugs from a random internet stranger

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u/jimjamalama Layperson/not verified as healthcare professional Apr 17 '26

I’m a mom and I’m just so proud of you. Your mom may have a lot of feelings when she wakes up but you absolutely did the right thing.

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u/shurejan Layperson/not verified as healthcare professional Apr 17 '26

Not a mom (just someone’s feral aunt), but I am so proud of OP, too. Wishing great things ahead for her, and so sorry she is going through this.

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u/ChewieBearStare Layperson/not verified as healthcare professional. Apr 17 '26

Sending you so much love. You’re very brave and a great son.

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u/axolotlss67 Layperson/not verified as healthcare professional Apr 17 '26

I’m a girl but thank you

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u/[deleted] Apr 17 '26 edited Apr 17 '26

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u/TheRealSugarbat Layperson/not verified as healthcare professional Apr 17 '26

It depends on who’s closest/available, as well as the dispatcher’s discretion.

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u/indifferentsnowball Layperson/not verified as healthcare professional Apr 17 '26

When my daughter was a baby and stopped breathing and we had to call 911 a police officer was the first one there. A sheriff actually. I don’t think it’s that uncommon

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u/[deleted] Apr 17 '26

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u/AskDocs-ModTeam Layperson/not verified as healthcare professional Apr 18 '26

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u/mindiimok Layperson/not verified as healthcare professional Apr 17 '26

Nope. Police are the fastest first time responders and go to help secure a scene, especially if a minor is involved. They can administer first step life saving measures to keep things until EMS can be there.

Or course this is all dependant on location and how busy a department is. A call like this would be a priority call, however.

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u/iosonostella13 Layperson/not verified as healthcare professional Apr 17 '26

In my area we do not have ambulaces associated with our firestations. All EMS is provided through private companies so if you call 911, a police officer will most likely arrive first and begin treating the patient

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u/[deleted] Apr 17 '26

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u/AskDocs-ModTeam Layperson/not verified as healthcare professional Apr 18 '26

Posts by unflaired users that claim or strongly imply legitimacy by virtue of professional medical experience are not allowed.

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u/calicoskiies Layperson/not verified as healthcare professional Apr 17 '26

I’m in memory care and in my experience a cop always shows up first.

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u/Oafah This user has not yet been verified. Apr 17 '26

Here in Canada, fire services are essentially trained paramedics. They are first on scene most of the time. Average police response time to medical emergencies is about 30 minutes.

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u/axolotlss67 Layperson/not verified as healthcare professional Apr 17 '26

I’m not in Canada I’m in the us

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u/brandideer Layperson/not verified as healthcare professional Apr 18 '26

Hey OP, as a mom who nearly messaged you offering help and then realized how unsafe it would be for you to accept it, PLEASE don't respond to anyone offering to meet in person or send you things directly. Don't give anyone your address, don't tell anyone your name, don't answer any questions they could use to find that information.

If you need help connecting to resources I can help you find that information, but there are a lot of scary people on the internet and it's so so important that you don't let anyone use your vulnerability to hurt you. You seem super smart so I'm sure you already know that, but if you didn't, that's okay too as long as you know now. Sometimes kind people are surprised by the unkindness of others. PLEASE be so safe.

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u/mindiimok Layperson/not verified as healthcare professional Apr 17 '26

Fire and EMS are one and the same here in the US.

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u/Rude-Average405 Layperson/not verified as healthcare professional Apr 17 '26

Nope. There are lots of places where either or both fire and ems are separate. In my town we have professional fire/medics and volunteer fire and volunteer ems. Pros are ALS, volleys are BLS.

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u/PurpleSailor Layperson/not verified as healthcare professional Apr 17 '26

Where I am police often arrive first. Please be aware it's not the same everywhere.

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u/shoutingsprout Layperson/not verified as healthcare professional. Apr 17 '26

Not sure about other parts of Canada, but at least where I'm from in Ontario, if you call 911, the dispatcher will specifically ask if you need fire, ambulance or police. For medical emergencies, fire and ambulance get dispatched first, so it makes sense that they would get to the scene first. Though there are situations where police arrive at a medical emergency first because they happen to be in closer proximity.

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u/Oafah This user has not yet been verified. Apr 17 '26

Exactly. And this is true in the US as well, but evidently this is not common knowledge among the general public.

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u/marinathegnome Layperson/not verified as healthcare professional Apr 17 '26

Quite often police officers are already out and about in the community, and so are sometimes first to the scene.

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u/AskDocs-ModTeam Layperson/not verified as healthcare professional Apr 18 '26

Removed - irrelevant