Need information: Self- assisted suicide. My friend has A.L.S. and is looking forward to a grim, unpleasant death.

[3Hotdogs]

We looked into medical aid in dying but the process is now beyond her physical capacity.

She is looking to self overdose an over the counter drug. Aspirin comes to mind,.

Any thoughts on the best drug? Her only other choice is to refuse food.

[viva la]

1. Be very careful. Assisted suicide is illegal in most places.

She should talk to an elder-care attorney.

[CanonRay]

2. One of my closest friends died June 30 from ALS

She chose to stop eating and drinking. Her original plan was to come up here to Oregon and do medical assisted suicide, but a) no doctor would state she had less than six months to live and b) she was unable to take the pill herself.

[Ocelot II]

3. Aspirin overdose would be a miserable way to go.

Anyhow, be careful how you are involved in this situation - there are legal ramifications if you supply a drug for that purpose.

[3Hotdogs]

7. If this is the direction she chooses, she will order the drugs from Amazon. She is capable of self dosing.

I will have nothing directly to do.

[niyad]

4. I googled "painless medical suicide options".. Interesting.

I am so sorry your friend and you are going through this. You might want to check if there is a "death with dignity" group in your area.

A friend in the medical profession told me years ago that overdosing on some meds, including aspirin, is not painless.

[Deuxcents]

5. Death with Dignity has chapters in almost every state as they're working on legislation changes.

There are videos on YouTube. Death with Dignity is legal in 14 states with different requirements in each state. If anything, the videos may help with information and someone to call for a specific state

[justaprogressive]

6. Death w/dignity by state

https://deathwithdignity.org/states/

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/more-states-legalize-medically-assisted-suicide-for-terminal-patients

Legal in my state.

[Grim Chieftain]

8. I am so very sorry for what your friend is going through

Absolutely heartbreaking. I have known several people who chose to take their lives, either because of crippling depression or medical issues for which there is no cure.

When some of my dogs were suffering in their senior years, we were able to do the compassionate thing to end their suffering. It's a sad commentary on our country that we cannot offer the same grace and benevolence to people who are likewise suffering.

Peace and well wishes to you and your friend, 3Hotdogs. You are in my thoughts.

[10 Turtle Day]

9. My brother bought a large CO2 fire extinguisher.

He is not suicidal but determined he will not go into a nursing home if his health deteriorates that much. He figures if he can get himself into his enclosed shower and release all its contents it will displace enough oxygen to be asphyxiated. I’m not sure this plan is fool proof. He got a 15-lb extinguisher, which is pretty heavy, and would need to get into his basement shower, which is enclosed, unlike the one in the ground floor. And he would still need enough mobility and strength to navigate stairs, pull the pin and discharge it completely. He even called the extinguisher manufacturer and asked if the extinguisher contents would displace enough oxygen in an X-cubic foot area, the size of his shower, for him to die. The rep answered that he was in no way comfortable with the conversation and disconnected.

I don’t know if something like this would work for your friend if stairs were eliminated. I am sorry she is has deteriorated beyond legal assisted suicide.

[3Hotdogs]

11. She is in the acute care wing of an assisted living facility. The idea is interesting but I doubt her ability to

maneuver a fire extinguisher to the lavatory part of her 1 room apartment.

[3Hotdogs]

10. Fellow DU's, thanks for your inputs. Her condition has deteriorated to the point that she is no longer able to

travel to a different state, let alone a different country.

Her only hope is a way to end her life in her assisted living facility. That is not likely to happen.

The unfortunate part is, if she were at home in hospice, rather than in the acute care part of a facility, she would be able to "store up" meds and consume them in volume.In the facility, her meds are dispensed by an aide who monitors the intake. There is no possibility of palming meds.