Today's Evil Beet Gossip

Overmedicated?

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I have said it over and over again; rich people can get themselves way to much medication. For some odd reason if you are rich and famous…or you just “doctor shop” you can get yourself a deadly cocktail of uppers and downers.

Historically there have been way to many young stars whose doctors will give them everything and anything to deal with “stress.” Give someone too much medication and you are creating an addict.

Heath Ledger was found with five different kinds of “drugs” in his apartment. These “drugs” were actually pills that he had prescriptions for. These included

nearly full pill bottles containing the anti-anxiety medications Alprazolam (Xanax), Diazepam (Valium) and Lorazepam (Ativan) were found in the apartment. The sleeping medication Zoplicone (Lunesta) and the sedative Temazepam (Restoril) — which is used by people with “debilitating insomnia”

Drugs abuse is something that can creep up on you. Honestly I once broke my foot (which is when I started writing for the Beet) and three different doctors gave me three different kinds of pain medications. Mix a few of those with a couple glasses of wine when you hurt and you start feeling no pain. When I finally realized I was taking these all together and got the shakes when I didn’t I had a bit of a wakeup call.

Somebody should look into the doctor who prescribed all of this medication together. Methinks somebody is going to be held partially responsible for this tragedy.

22 CommentsLeave a comment

  • The Village Voice is reporting that after Michelle broke it off Heath became coke buddy with Mary-Kate. Michelle Williams drove him into deep depression.

  • I think it’s the masseues’ fault (pls. excuse poor spelling).

    She waited an hour after finding him unresponsive, before calling 911. Instead she called Mary-Kate O. Uh, hello? What did she think MK was going to do all the way over in California? Supposedly, she and the housekeeper just sat there while MK was supposedly calling security people.

    He’s unresponsive, and they call….security? Wtf?

    Finally the chick pulled her head out and called MK AGAIN to tell her she was calling 911. So, when a celeb is involved, you need permission? I can understand an embarrassing situation – but he was in critical condition. UNresponsive, and sick. Save his life – don’t worry about the press!

    The horrifying part about this is, he might’ve lived had they called 911 right away. Instead, he’s dead. All because a stupid employee didn’t have enough presence of mind to call 911, instead of a midget troll in CA.

  • I was watching Nancy Grace last night and she was trying to imply that there may have been a conspiracy, and when someone tried to slap some sense into this chick she just cut away from their segment. WHAT A HOOKER!!!!!

    HA the maid and the massage lady were prob ILLEAGAL and didnt really want to call 911, so they had to check with the Trollson to see if it were ok.

    Oh Heath, I feel for your daughter bud.

  • Ooooh, “ILLEAGAL” maid, huh? I’d expect an illiterate sow to point that out. Well done, Aurora.

    The doctors should be investigated, but only punished if they’re practicing w/o licenses. Trying to exact revenge by suing is honorless and sh!tty, since it really amounts to personal responsibility. It’s sad and tragic, but ultimately his set of choices that caused this.

  • Cosign with Aurora and Darth Paul.Most people that are trying to fix a problem are not going to tell their newest doctor all of the medications that they were getting from their last five. Mary Kate is a disturbing part of this puzzle, but he was an adult and his baby’s mother tried to tell him, BUT NO! Personal responsibility, people.

  • It was definitely odd for her to call Mary-Kate Olsen before 911, but according to the NYTimes there wasn’t an hour delay like mentioned in a comment above. Check out the timeline they have so far:
    http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/24/nyregion/24celeb.html?em&ex=1201323600&en=a2f0a50e416b27d9&ei=5087

    They’re saying he died sometime between 1 and 2:45pm, so the housekeeper may have been cleaning while he died – but if it happened between when she went into his room (at 1pm to change a lightbulb in the bathroom adjacent to his bedroom) and heard him snoring – after she’d closed his door – and before the masseuse came in – it may not have helped anyways no matter how soon the paramedics arrived (of course ASAP is best).

  • yes snow ball, you are right
    this is just my view based on what I read
    unless someone made him take the pills
    but,were there signs of violence visible in the body?
    undisclosed matters in order to catch the criminal?
    let’s wait for some more investigation details.
    one thing is for sure
    those drugs, if taken in massive amounts,can cause death by depression of the central nervous system

  • i hear you but maybe accidental overdose im just sad and trying to tilt the world to make it better mambaX

  • Oh, and MambaX. No fucking shit they can cause death. It doesn’t mean there are only two options. People get pills. They take them all the time. They become addicted. They take more pills. They feel good. They take more pills. Ooops. No malice. Probably no suicide.

  • Qui Gon Jenn
    what you write goes against the reality of medical evidence
    and I am actually a doctor
    sorry,but I cannot agree with your theory
    It’s compassionate though.

  • Dear snow ball
    I am sorry I was distraught and did not react to your comment
    I am sad for the situation too
    I see sad situations on a daily basis
    and I still have feelings for the patients
    I am not one of those docs who just don’t care
    I know people snap
    I’ve seen them snap when least expected
    and the ones you don’t expect to as well.
    I trust the mind pain has an end
    and the body does not suffer
    when one falls asleep and goes on the last journey.
    keep up
    life is yours and the world too

  • perhaps he was compromised with the pneumonia and it wouldn’t have taken as much medication to suppress his breathing. They say he was suffering from insomnia and possibly jet lag since recently returning from England. (wasn’t he filming there this past weekend?) I’m not saying that he didn’t over medicate, but maybe just an unfortunate series of events.

  • I might go by his bldg to lay flowers and hit on all the chicks that will be standing around sorry for being such a pig. I need excitement after class on friday.

  • Ledger said that in an interview that he could not get more than 2 hours of sleep at night for some time. Also, he said that he would overmedicate with sleeping pills, get one hour of sleep and wake up with is mind racing.

    This happened to me twenty years ago, I almost overmedicated and died. He went through hell. Poor guy I wish I knew him, I could have helped.

  • You forgot to mention the pain killers also. You do not have to be a celebrity to get those prescriptions. I have all except for one, including the two painkillers in my cabinet right now. They were prescribed by one doc. All this crap about only celebs get them and you must be a drug addict if you use them is WRONG! I have a chronic desease and all of those pills makes life more manageable for me. It says on several of my med bottles NOT to combine them. I have suffered from insomnia so bad that I have been admitted to hospital for it. I can understand being that desperate for sleep, and what average guy really reads up on his meds? He was a imperfect human being that needed rest and could not get it. How do we know what his health was? He could have had a chronic illness also. He made a mistake that proved fatal. It is as simple as that. NOT suicide, not an addict, he was just human. A very special one at that. Let his family have some peace now. Have a great sleep, Heath. You will be missed and always remembered.