Heath Ledger's Accidental Overdose - Discussion Thread (Was: Breaking News)

[Phillip Dampier]

Oxycodone is the active narcotic compound, oxycontin is a specific long-duration compound of pure oxycodone with a buffering agent in the tablet.  And yes, oxycodone is the active ingredient in Percodan (which is oxycodone with aspirin) and Percocet (which is oxycodone with acetominophen.)  Following an accident I was prescribed Percocet for 6 months - it produces a zombie-like somnolence.  If you look up either oxycodone or hydrocodone on Wiki, both of them are contraindicated to take with any tranquilizers or benzodiazepines because of the chance of respiratory and/or heart failure.  He not only took two different narcotics but two different benzodiazepines.

Hydrocodone for me, which I had a prescription for after my wrist was broken and because of a foot issue, has the opposite impact on me.  I get about two hours of euphoria from it and then back to my normal self, along with the pain management benefits of course.  But this came after being on a dose for two weeks.  In the beginning, I was sleepy.  That is the tolerance and dependency risk with Hydrocodone.  I am fully aware of its side effect on me, and recognize this is not something I should aspire to experience.  If I had the attitude of wanting the euphoria effect each time, I'd be taking progressively larger doses to maintain an equal level of the effect, which is what gets some people into trouble.  The same development of tolerance occurs with the pain management aspects of the medication, so people start popping handfuls to achieve relief, especially if they don't understand this vicious circle.

[David In Indy]

When my Dad was prescribed oxycodone after his surgery, I went to the closest Walgreen's and had it filled. I signed my name on a clipboard at the counter and showed my ID. 20 minutes later I was back home with the medicine.

Last year I was prescribed Percocet (oxycodone) after I had my car accident. My regular doctor prescribed it for me. My roommate picked it up for me at Walgreens and brought it home. No questions asked, no problems at all.

[Verona]

If he were as stressed and sleep deprived as what some have seemed to speculate, it's not surprising to me that someone under those conditions would not be as clear-thinking about the potential conflicts of prescription medications.  I have a tendency to ask my doctor a lot of questions about the medications I take and try to learn as much about them as I can, but I am out of the ordinary.  Most people make the assumption the doctor is the expert, ask few questions, and in the case of someone who is young, assume that nothing coming out of a pharmacy is likely to actually kill you.  We, not suffering from what Heath apparently was, are in a far better position to understand things he might not, and considering there was no close confidant there living with him, it's probably hard for someone else to notice the potential danger or stop someone from taking such a wide array of medications all at once.

I took a Xanax tablet once just a day or so before my mother died.  Coupled with all of the stress of that, when I added a single Xanax tablet into the mix, I was a complete zombie.  I wouldn't have thought clearly enough to remember taking any medications, much less worry about what effects they might have. 

Well said. 

[opinionista]

Hydrocodone for me, which I had a prescription for after my wrist was broken and because of a foot issue, has the opposite impact on me.  I get about two hours of euphoria from it and then back to my normal self, along with the pain management benefits of course.  But this came after being on a dose for two weeks.  In the beginning, I was sleepy.  That is the tolerance and dependency risk with Hydrocodone.  I am fully aware of its side effect on me, and recognize this is not something I should aspire to experience.  If I had the attitude of wanting the euphoria effect each time, I'd be taking progressively larger doses to maintain an equal level of the effect, which is what gets some people into trouble.  The same development of tolerance occurs with the pain management aspects of the medication, so people start popping handfuls to achieve relief, especially if they don't understand this vicious circle.

I had a car accident in 2003 resulting in a neck injury. I was prescribed hydrocodone too but never took it. I sticked to ibuprofen even though it didn't always work. It was very painful sometimes but I didn't want to risk myself into developing a dependency. I have no history of drug abuse or drug use but the friend I had the accident with did. He got hooked on vicodine several years back as a result of another accident in which he was severely injured, and had a hard time kicking it. Fortunately for him after he detoxed he didn't get back to it, but he said what he liked was the euphoria effect. He begged me not to take it. So I took his word. I didn't even pick it up at the drug store.

[louisev]

This has been a very upsetting day. I think most of us were really counting on hearing this news to ease our anxieties and to put the fact of Heath's death behind us, and for me, all it has done is stir up all of the grief and feelings of loss and futility all over again.  While it has seemed like bickering, I think for most of us, we are dealing once again with the tragedy as if we first heard it, and I sure hope tomorrow is a better day.

[Ellemeno]

I agree, I don't think most of us are bickering, just processing and thinkin' out loud.

Y'all might really want to read The Queen's Gambit by Walter Tevis.  It's the novel that Heath was going to direct as his first movie.  In it, the protagonist begins her long love affair with prescription Librium at ten years old, while mastering chess. 

[moremojo]

This has been a very upsetting day. I think most of us were really counting on hearing this news to ease our anxieties and to put the fact of Heath's death behind us, and for me, all it has done is stir up all of the grief and feelings of loss and futility all over again.

Yes, for me too...how sad that this was such a preventable death. I'm also reflecting on what a miracle Heath was, and what beauty he leaves behind him.

 

[Kelda]

*sigh* I think we all knew this news was coming but still not great to finally find out.

I agree with Lucise here...

it wouldn't make a difference if he had died of anything other than prescribed meds..
IMO, the point is - there is a family out there who is grieving the loss of a son, father, brother...

..at the end of the day - Heath is still gone - and our speculating and arguing is not going to change this. However as people have said, we can learn from this.

Verona, and others, you've really made me think.

I get citrizane (an antihistimine) to cure a number of things - hayfever, pet allergies, prickly heat. It says one once a day - but if I'm feeling particualrly snotty - and definitely when i'm on a hot beach holiday I'll take two.

On top of that at the moment, I'm taking 3 colofac tablets a day for my IBS.

I also am taking one terbanifine once a day for a fungal infection I have in my toenail beds after my walking exhbidition.

Plus my birth control pill.

I also have blue and brown asthma inhalers - I take maybe one to two puffs of this each a day. (Although some days it will be none, other days two or three or more)

On top of that, if I had a sore head I would probably take 2 iboprofen. and then another 2 4 hrs later. Maybe a paracetomol in between times if I'm still feeling  sore headed,

Shite - writing that down makes me worried already.

abuser -  is the medical term - in truth we'll never know.. we can only believe.

[louisev]

Kelda,

Perhaps this will reassure you.  Cetirizine is not a "typical" antihistamine, in that it is non drowsy and does not work in the same depressive manner as early generation antihistamines.  I have taken cetirizine and its more powerful cousin, levocetirizine, when I was in Europe.  Cetirizine as part of a newer generation of safer asthma drugs, is considered safe enough to use with infants.  If you want a "better" effect, however, you may wish to ask your doctor for levocetirizine which I believe in Britain may be marketed as Xysal or Xusal or Zysal.  And I feel sorry for your struggling with asthma! I did too for several years before I found my gluten intolerance and it made my symptoms go away!

[moremojo]

in truth we'll never know.. we can only believe.

"There was some open space between what he knew and what he wanted to believe, but there was nothing to be done about it, and if you can't fix it, you've got to stand it."

God bless you, Heath.