OT ~ Heath Ledger

[Cory]

According to http://www.tmz.com/2008/01/23/five-different-drugs-found-in-heaths-apartment/
there were five (some other websites say six, including an
antihistamine not listed in this particular story I'm referring to)
pill bottles found in Heath Ledger's apartment when authorities found
his body the other day.

"The nearly full bottles contained the anti-anxiety medications
Alprazolam (Xanax), Diazepam (Valium) and Lorazepam (Ativan). The
sleeping medication Zoplicone (Lunesta) and the sedative Temazepam
(Restoril) -- which is used by people with "debilitating insomnia" -
were also found, according to TMZ.com."

Can any of these meds listed have fatal side effects if taken in
combination with each other??

--- Cory

[Sharon Too]

Post by Cory
"The nearly full bottles contained the anti-anxiety medications
Alprazolam (Xanax), Diazepam (Valium) and Lorazepam (Ativan). The
sleeping medication Zoplicone (Lunesta) and the sedative Temazepam
(Restoril) -- which is used by people with "debilitating insomnia" -
were also found, according to TMZ.com."
Can any of these meds listed have fatal side effects if taken in
combination with each other??

Absolutely. He was also taking another prescription sleep medication called
Ambien. So that's three narcotics/controlled substances (Valium, Xanax,
Ativan) and the three RX sleep agents. From what I understand, he's had
serious insomnia for a while and getting 2 hours each night wasn't unusual.
He had been trotting back and forth between continents and filming a movie.
I can see how the sleep deprivation and other factors could have made him
desperate and confused enough to overdose. This may have been going on long
enough that he built not only an addiction to these meds, but also a
tolerance making him take more to get the affect. So sad.

[Manfred Mann]

On Thu, 24 Jan 2008 11:35:07 -0500, "Sharon Too"

Post by Sharon Too

Post by Cory
"The nearly full bottles contained the anti-anxiety medications
Alprazolam (Xanax), Diazepam (Valium) and Lorazepam (Ativan). The
sleeping medication Zoplicone (Lunesta) and the sedative Temazepam
(Restoril) -- which is used by people with "debilitating insomnia" -
were also found, according to TMZ.com."
Can any of these meds listed have fatal side effects if taken in
combination with each other??

Absolutely. He was also taking another prescription sleep medication called
Ambien. So that's three narcotics/controlled substances (Valium, Xanax,
Ativan) and the three RX sleep agents. From what I understand, he's had
serious insomnia for a while and getting 2 hours each night wasn't unusual.
He had been trotting back and forth between continents and filming a movie.
I can see how the sleep deprivation and other factors could have made him
desperate and confused enough to overdose. This may have been going on long
enough that he built not only an addiction to these meds, but also a
tolerance making him take more to get the affect. So sad.

It also seems that after playing the Joker in the new Batman movie
he developed a severe case of depression.

I have to wonder if this will be similar to the Anna Nichole Smith
case where a number of drugs interacted killing the patient and
the final results will be squashed by well connected drug companies.

Is this another case where the cure is worse than the disease it
is trying to cure?

For kicks sometime read the side effects for the medications you
get prescribed. Sometimes they seem worse than the affliction
itself.

[Cory]

Post by Sharon Too

Post by Cory
"The nearly full bottles contained the anti-anxiety medications
Alprazolam (Xanax), Diazepam (Valium) and Lorazepam (Ativan). The
sleeping medication Zoplicone (Lunesta) and the sedative Temazepam
(Restoril) -- which is used by people with "debilitating insomnia" -
were also found, according to TMZ.com."
Can any of these meds listed have fatal side effects if taken in
combination with each other??

Absolutely. He was also taking another prescription sleep medication called
Ambien. So that's three narcotics/controlled substances (Valium, Xanax,
Ativan) and the three RX sleep agents. From what I understand, he's had
serious insomnia for a while and getting 2 hours each night wasn't unusual.
He had been trotting back and forth between continents and filming a movie.
I can see how the sleep deprivation and other factors could have made him
desperate and confused enough to overdose. This may have been going on long
enough that he built not only an addiction to these meds, but also a
tolerance making him take more to get the affect. So sad.

I guess one train of thought is that he'd been taking these drugs so
regularly that they just overwhelmed his body and he just died in his
sleep simply because his body just gave out. I read yesterday that
tox screens came back with minimal amounts of these meds in his
system, so now the theory is that he did, indeed, just fall asleep and
slip away (heart failure), with no underlying cause as to why.

--- Cory

[unknown]

On Tue, 29 Jan 2008 14:38:36 -0800 (PST), Cory

Post by Cory
I guess one train of thought is that he'd been taking these drugs so
regularly that they just overwhelmed his body and he just died in his
sleep simply because his body just gave out. I read yesterday that
tox screens came back with minimal amounts of these meds in his
system, so now the theory is that he did, indeed, just fall asleep and
slip away (heart failure), with no underlying cause as to why.

The current thinking is he died of a heart attack.

[Sharon Too]

Post by Cory
so now the theory is that he did, indeed, just fall asleep and

slip away (heart failure), with no underlying cause as to why.

Add on to that the fact that he was a heavy smoker, it makes more sense.

[Sharon Too]

More info:

http://www.newsweek.com/id/101112?GT1=10755

However, a source close to the investigation has revealed to NEWSWEEK that
authorities found six drugs with European prescriptions in Ledger's
apartment: Zopiclone, Diazepam, Lormetazepam, Temazepam, Alprazolam and
Donormyl-doxylamine. One was an antihistamine and the other five were either
sleeping aids (similar to Ambien) or anti-anxiety drugs (similar to Valium).
All of these medications depress the central nervous system--which can lead
to death if taken in the wrong quantities or combinations, explains Edward
Langston, M.D., a pharmacist and chair of the American Medical Association's
board of trustees. "You just fall asleep and stop breathing if you take too
much for you."

[unknown]

On Thu, 24 Jan 2008 12:35:29 -0500, "Sharon Too"

Post by Sharon Too
http://www.newsweek.com/id/101112?GT1=10755
However, a source close to the investigation has revealed to NEWSWEEK that
authorities found six drugs with European prescriptions in Ledger's
apartment: Zopiclone, Diazepam, Lormetazepam, Temazepam, Alprazolam and
Donormyl-doxylamine. One was an antihistamine and the other five were either
sleeping aids (similar to Ambien) or anti-anxiety drugs (similar to Valium).
All of these medications depress the central nervous system--which can lead
to death if taken in the wrong quantities or combinations, explains Edward
Langston, M.D., a pharmacist and chair of the American Medical Association's
board of trustees. "You just fall asleep and stop breathing if you take too
much for you."

I would point out Ambien is the drug where people like Patches Kennedy
will be sleeping in the middle of the night and go sleep walking
except that sleep walking will include things like driving a car.

[Cory]

Post by Sharon Too
http://www.newsweek.com/id/101112?GT1=10755
However, a source close to the investigation has revealed to NEWSWEEK that
authorities found six drugs with European prescriptions in Ledger's
apartment: Zopiclone, Diazepam, Lormetazepam, Temazepam, Alprazolam and
Donormyl-doxylamine. One was an antihistamine and the other five were either
sleeping aids (similar to Ambien) or anti-anxiety drugs (similar to Valium).
All of these medications depress the central nervous system--which can lead
to death if taken in the wrong quantities or combinations, explains Edward
Langston, M.D., a pharmacist and chair of the American Medical Association's
board of trustees. "You just fall asleep and stop breathing if you take too
much for you."

Things have gotten interesting again... and if I do say so myself, I
ABSOLUTELY consider this particular development a "good thing"...

"DEA Subpoenas Heath Ledger's Death Records

The Drug Enforcement Administration has subpoenaed Heath Ledger's
autopsy records as part of a federal investigation into whether he was
over-prescribed medication, a DEA source tells PEOPLE..."

http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20177120,00.html

The only snag in this part of the investigation is that, AIUI, Ledger
obtained the scripts overseas for the medications that were found in
his system, not here in the USofA. If that truly IS the case, the DEA
is going to find rather quickly that there's not much to
"investigate".

--- Cory

[Sharon Too]

Post by Cory
The only snag in this part of the investigation is that, AIUI, Ledger

obtained the scripts overseas for the medications that were found in
his system, not here in the USofA. If that truly IS the case, the DEA
is going to find rather quickly that there's not much to
"investigate".

Not sure if they were *all* obtained overseas. If someone dies of an RX OD
and they were all prescribed by the same doctor, that's valid to
investigate. However, a lot of times these folks go to different doctors and
different pharmacies and simply stockpile their habit. If patients don't
tell their doctors what other doctors have prescribed, it can be dangerous
and sometimes fatal.

[Paul Bearer]

On Sun, 10 Feb 2008 03:42:40 -0500, "Sharon Too"

Post by Cory

Post by Cory
The only snag in this part of the investigation is that, AIUI, Ledger

obtained the scripts overseas for the medications that were found in
his system, not here in the USofA. If that truly IS the case, the DEA
is going to find rather quickly that there's not much to
"investigate".
Not sure if they were *all* obtained overseas. If someone dies of an RX OD
and they were all prescribed by the same doctor, that's valid to
investigate. However, a lot of times these folks go to different doctors and
different pharmacies and simply stockpile their habit. If patients don't
tell their doctors what other doctors have prescribed, it can be dangerous
and sometimes fatal.

The news reports seem to indicate all the prescriptions came from
Europe. Sounds like a lot like the DEA has no jurisdiction.

[Cory]

Post by Paul Bearer
On Sun, 10 Feb 2008 03:42:40 -0500, "Sharon Too"

Post by Cory

Post by Cory
The only snag in this part of the investigation is that, AIUI, Ledger

obtained the scripts overseas for the medications that were found in
his system, not here in the USofA.  If that truly IS the case, the DEA
is going to find rather quickly that there's not much to
"investigate".
Not sure if they were *all* obtained overseas. If someone dies of an RX OD
and they were all prescribed by the same doctor, that's valid to
investigate. However, a lot of times these folks go to different doctors and
different pharmacies and simply stockpile their habit. If patients don't
tell their doctors what other doctors have prescribed, it can be dangerous
and sometimes fatal.

The news reports seem to indicate all the prescriptions came from
Europe.   Sounds like a lot like the DEA has no jurisdiction.  
On Sun, 10 Feb 2008 03:42:40 -0500, "Sharon Too"

Post by Cory

Post by Cory
The only snag in this part of the investigation is that, AIUI, Ledger

obtained the scripts overseas for the medications that were found in
his system, not here in the USofA. If that truly IS the case, the DEA
is going to find rather quickly that there's not much to
"investigate".
Not sure if they were *all* obtained overseas. If someone dies of an RX OD
and they were all prescribed by the same doctor, that's valid to
investigate. However, a lot of times these folks go to different doctors and
different pharmacies and simply stockpile their habit. If patients don't
tell their doctors what other doctors have prescribed, it can be dangerous
and sometimes fatal.

The news reports seem to indicate all the prescriptions came from
Europe. Sounds like a lot like the DEA has no jurisdiction.

Which is what I meant for my point to be. Thanks much for clarifying
it for me as succinctly as you've done! :-)

--- Cory

[Dropping The Helicopter]

Post by Cory
According to http://www.tmz.com/2008/01/23/five-different-drugs-found-in-heaths-apartment/
there were five (some other websites say six, including an
antihistamine not listed in this particular story I'm referring to)
pill bottles found in Heath Ledger's apartment when authorities found
his body the other day.
"The nearly full bottles contained the anti-anxiety medications
Alprazolam (Xanax), Diazepam (Valium) and Lorazepam (Ativan). The
sleeping medication Zoplicone (Lunesta) and the sedative Temazepam
(Restoril) -- which is used by people with "debilitating insomnia" -
were also found, according to TMZ.com."
Can any of these meds listed have fatal side effects if taken in
combination with each other??
--- Cory

Any of these can have fatal side effect when taken *alone*. The first
three and Temazepam are hi-powered tranquilizers ("anxiolytics" the kids
call 'em these days) all from the same drug "family", benzodiazapenes.
I have a hard time believing that a responsible physician would
prescribe four of what are essentially the same Schedule IV med to
somebody, so, if the report is accurate, he was probably either getting
the "Elvis treatment" from some Col. Tom, or was getting the meds
himself through less-than-legal/-smart means. Neither situation is
conducive to long life when dealing with serious medications such as these.