Dr. Nagaraj
Diabetology
The following is an actual conversation between an iCliniq user and a doctor that has been reviewed and published as a Premium Q&A.
Answered by
Medically reviewed by
Patient's Query
Hello doctor,
My brother is under psychiatric treatment and for the past few days, he had suicidal thoughts and yesterday, he drank 100 ml of toilet cleaner. We took him to the nearby hospital and got his stomach clear. His pulse and BP were normal and doctor prescribed syrup Ulgel and asked to give for every two hours. We brought back home, but he could not sleep yesterday night. If he lies down, he finds difficulty in breathing and cough is coming. Now he could not breathe normally and wheeze sound is coming while exhaling. Is this normal? Please let us know what is to be done.
Hi,
Welcome to icliniq.com.
As he drank a chemical (toilet cleaner is an acidic chemical), he will have erosions in his stomach leading to acid secretion. This acid may regurgitate through food pipe when he lies down to cause cough. There is a possibility of aspiration (entry of chemical into the lungs) leading to damage to part of lung and pneumonia (which is called chemical pneumonitis in medical terms). However, this develops over 24-48 hours. If this has happened, he will have breathing difficulty and wheezing sounds. Continue to use Ulgel as your doctor suggested. Get a chest x-ray done to see if he has developed pneumonia. If yes, he should be started on antibiotics.
As you mentioned, your brother is on treatment for psychiatric conditions. Advised to keep your psychiatrist informed on this. He may look into the medications prescribed as certain antipsychotics known to produce suicidal thoughts in patients in the initial few weeks of starting treatment. Let us connect again once the chest x-ray is done.
Was this conversation helpful?
Same symptoms don't mean you have the same problem. Consult a doctor now!
Diabetology
Related Questions
Kindly suggest treatment for lack of sleep and anxiety.
Could BPA overexposure lead to erection problem?
What should I take for unbearable burning sensation in stomach?
Can lead stored in bones harm the fetus during future pregnancy?
I have severe heartburn with breathing difficulty, gas pain and burping. Why do I get this?
My mom gets abdominal pain with burning sensation in stomach after eating. Please help.
Disclaimer: No content published on this website is intended to be a substitute for professional medical diagnosis, advice or treatment by a trained physician. Seek advice from your physician or other qualified healthcare providers with questions you may have regarding your symptoms and medical condition for a complete medical diagnosis. Do not delay or disregard seeking professional medical advice because of something you have read on this website. Read our Editorial Process to know how we create content for health articles and queries.
This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. iCliniq privacy policy
