Phenobarbital is a barbiturate, which treats epilepsy and other conditions.

You should never take this medicine if you have had an allergic reaction to phenobarbital or other barbiturate drugs, such as pentobarbital, amobarbital, or secobarbital. Do not take if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, if you have porphyria, or if you have severe lung or liver disease.

Phenobabital comes in tablet, capsule, and liquid form. Here's some info about how to take it properly:

Unless you want the drug to have the same effect it had on me, you should note some things:

  • Avoid any other medicine, including over-the-counter products (ask your doctor about what's OK to take).
  • Avoid drinking alcohol.
  • Avoid taking other medicines that make you sleepy, such as sleeping pills, sedatives, or cold or allergy medicines while taking phenobarbital.
  • Before taking this medicine, make sure your doctor knows if you are taking blood thinners , corticosteroids, phenytoin, valproic acid, doxycycline, or griseofulvin.
  • Birth control pills may not work if you take them while taking phenobarbital. Use another form of birth control while taking this medicine. I recommend castration.
  • Check with your doctor before taking if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or are planning to become pregnant, or if you have any type of lung disease, asthma, or liver disease.
  • If you are using this medicine regularly, do not stop taking it suddenly without first asking your doctor. You may need to take less and less before stopping completely.
  • Do not take more of this medicine or take it for longer periods than your doctor has ordered. Phenobarbital can be habit-forming.
  • This medicine can make you drowsy. Be careful when driving or operating machinery.

Side effects can include: Hives or severe skin rash, swelling of eyelids or face, severe drowsiness, confusion, or slurred speech, shortness of breath or trouble breathing, uncontrollable eye movements, yellowing of eyes or skin, hallucinations, drowsiness, dizziness, unsteadiness, "hangover" effects, trouble concentrating, nausea, vomiting, depressed mood, constipation, irritability, nervousness or excitement.

In order to commit suicide with phenobarbital like I did, you need to throw back a ton of these tablets -- like 150. That's so many, in fact, that you'll puke them up before they take effect. Therefore, I suggest you mash them up first, and mix them with applesauce or pudding. Taking stomach-relaxing drugs to help keep them down is also recommended. Barbituates are much more potent when mixed with alcohol, so drinking vodka right after eating the applesauce mixture is almost a guaranteed ticket to the Kingdom of Heaven. About 15,000 people a year leave their containers via similar methods in America, which is a very small proportion of overall suicides. A lot nicer than bullets, nooses, slashing wrists, and CO, eh? Plus, if you choose this way out, you can be in the company of such celebrities as me, Jimi Hendrix, and Marilyn Monroe, all of whom were killed by barbituates.

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