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Tom Petty OD'd

Dragonfly

Dragonfly

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Tom Petty died of accidental drug overdose, medical examiner says - CNN

The medical examiner's news release said the autopsy found these drugs in Petty's system: fentanyl, oxycodone, acetyl fentanyl and despropionyl fentanyl, which are opioids; temazepam and alprazolam, which are sedatives; and citalopram, an antidepressant.
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Jesus.....these "rock stars" really need to be careful with the toxic cocktails.

Truly sad.

Also, the doctors prescribing this crap need to be held accountable.
 
Wow, that would fell an elephant:doh
 
Prescribing opioids to someone who struggled with heroin addiction. What could possibly go wrong with that plan. He should have got the damn hip fixed and stayed under care in an intermediate care facility to complete rehab and control the after surgery pain until recovery was complete. He had the damn money to go anywhere, and there are great places to go. What he didn't have was good medical advice and care. Or, if he did, he ignored it. Regardless, this should not have happened.
I just coined a new phrase. "Suicide by doctor".
 
Another ridiculous loss. I agree that doctors need to start being held accountable. I was telling my husband the other day that there should be a database that doctors and pharmacies have to use, and every time they prescribe a certain class of drug, the patient has to be listed in the database, both by the prescribing doctor and the pharmacy.

That will stop doctor-shopping. Also, if pharmacies are given prescriptions by patients that are not listed by the prescribing doctor, the pharmacist can report the doctor. Too many reports and the doctor can lose his/her license.

No more pill mills.

I mean, if we have to be put on a list for buying Sudafed, we should be put on a list for buying Oxycodone.

Elvis' doctor had prescribed him 10,000 doses of sedatives, stimulants and narcotics.

A database would have possibly solved this problem.
 
Superfly said:
Another ridiculous loss. I agree that doctors need to start being held accountable. I was telling my husband the other day that there should be a database that doctors and pharmacies have to use, and every time they prescribe a certain class of drug, the patient has to be listed in the database, both by the prescribing doctor and the pharmacy.

That will stop doctor-shopping. Also, if pharmacies are given prescriptions by patients that are not listed by the prescribing doctor, the pharmacist can report the doctor. Too many reports and the doctor can lose his/her license.

No more pill mills.

I mean, if we have to be put on a list for buying Sudafed, we should be put on a list for buying Oxycodone.
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We're so worried about stuff like weed, when we really should be worried 'bout this. This kind of stuff is a serious problem.
 
Another sad, regrettable and preventable death. No simple answers, no rushing to judgment. Many questions unanswered.

The man was pushing himself hard, working hard at a time in life when he should have been sitting back, but understanding his limits of mortality, despite great physical pain from a broken hip, he pushed himself harder. I doubt the overdose was from addiction, rather an attempt to ease the pain, which makes me ask why he was alone and unmonitored by those responsible for his well being.

One of the offending medications he was using was Fentanyl, 50 to 100 times stronger than morphine, a synthetic opioid that has contributed to endless premature deaths. This drug must be withdrawn from the panoply of pain killers immediately. Killing the pain by killing the patient is not an acceptable therapy.

Accusations and fixing blame will accomplish nothing. Nor will those words and actions bring back life. This unnecessary loss of life once again point out the failures of procedure medical therapy rather than the underlying causes of maladies so apparent in Western medical systems. It is time to end the failures of our underly systemic treatment of symptoms caused by insurance focus on symptoms instead of causes.

So sad.
 
After reading an article, I find it hard for them to say with certainty he didnt choose to OD.

Based on the ongoing pain from his hip and his poor prognosis.

Sorry Tom. RIP

FYI, I support suicide in certain circumstances and this may have met the criteria. I regret that our society in general does not allow or respect such a decision because it ends up with such actions ocurring in isolation...and uninformed family and friends are left shocked and devastated.
 
I can assure you he was not prescribed fentanyl. Fentanyl is only prescribed for patients who are about to undergo surgery, have intolerable chronic pain that has persisted for decades, or are being treated for end of life comfort.

EDIT: I just read that he did have chronic pain so it is possible. I strongly support the right of patients with chronic pain to have access to drugs that make their lives tolerable. But even I am against prescribing fentanyl.

DOUBLE EDIT: I loved Tom's music and I'm really sad he's gone. The "Into the Great Wide Open" video is one of my favorite video/music video combinations. A rebel without a clue.
 
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Mustachio said:
I can assure you he was not prescribed fentanyl. Fentanyl is only prescribed for patients who are about to undergo surgery, have intolerable chronic pain that has persisted for decades, or are being treated for end of life comfort.

EDIT: I just read that he did have chronic pain so it is possible. I strongly support the right of patients with chronic pain to have access to drugs that make their lives tolerable. But even I am against prescribing fentanyl.

DOUBLE EDIT: I loved Tom's music and I'm really sad he's gone. The "Into the Great Wide Open" video is one of my favorite video/music video combinations. A rebel without a clue.
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You're wrong:

What Tom Petty's death says about Vancouver's overdose crisis

“We knew before the report was shared with us that he was prescribed various pain medications for a multitude of issues including Fentanyl patches and we feel confident that this was, as the coroner found, an unfortunate accident.”
 
OldFatGuy said:
You're wrong:

What Tom Petty's death says about Vancouver's overdose crisis

“We knew before the report was shared with us that he was prescribed various pain medications for a multitude of issues including Fentanyl patches and we feel confident that this was, as the coroner found, an unfortunate accident.”
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I'm not wrong. You read the first part of my post (the edit plainly said it's possible he was prescribed it) and then responded. I didn't know he was in chronic pain, what I'm saying is fentanyl isn't being handed out left and right, you gotta be real messed up or dying. It's the one drug in the declared crisis that's smuggled in from other countries and extremely uncommon to be handed out even at a "pill mill." I'm glad my state deals with a lot less of this stuff.
 
Dragonfly said:
Which is why I said this:
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For what? Prescribing pain killers to someone in pain? Were his doctors supposed to be watching him 24/7?

Where were his family? Those he hired to assist him? They should have been looking out for him, especially family.

It's likely, that one day, like most everyone else, you'll find yourself in severe pain. You won't be calling those painkiller crap.
 
Mustachio said:
I'm not wrong. You read the first part of my post (the edit plainly said it's possible he was prescribed it) and then responded. I didn't know he was in chronic pain, what I'm saying is fentanyl isn't being handed out left and right, you gotta be real messed up or dying. It's the one drug in the declared crisis that's smuggled in from other countries and extremely uncommon to be handed out even at a "pill mill." I'm glad my state deals with a lot less of this stuff.
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You're still wrong. Fentanyl was and still is the preferred alternative to oxy. In pill form, the pills are tiny, and patients don't realize how power it is. In patch form, patients look at it nicotine patches. Again not realizing its strength. On the plus side, fentanyl is not addictive. The patient usually dies first.

Here the sports medicine practitioners hand out the patches like candy. It's the painkiller of choice for those receiving knee and hip replacements. I've heard the same about most other venues.

I have a prosthetic left shoulder. Every 6 or 7 years the doctors like to replace the current one with the latest and greatest. The first two weeks or so of recovery are excruciating. I usually take demerol, a synthetic morphine, and just as addicting. Last time I had it replaced (4 years ago) I was offered oxy, declined and demanded the demerol. Better the devil I know. The prescribing doctor refused, until I reminded him I carry and know how to use what I carry. Now, he tells me next time I upgrade, he'll prescribe fentanyl, and I laugh. Good money for the surgeons who do this work, he's anxious to proceed. I won't be upgrading so quickly this time. The one I have is good for 20 years, there's nothing wrong with it that justifies that pain.

Fentanyl patches are prescribed for those with severe arthritis. Do you have any idea how common severe arthritis is? It is not a replacement for oxy, but the DEA is giving doctors a run for the money when they prescribe an oxy because of all the publicity. Don't concern yourself, soon there will be a new synthetic, more powerful, less addictive, less mortal in its results. :lamo

Codeine was introduced as a cure for laudanum addiction (opium in an alcohol solution, sold otc), morphine as a cure for codeine addiction, heroin as a cure for morphine addiction, methadone as a cure for heroin addiction, vicodin (an oxy) as a cure for methadone addiction, and so on ad infinitum.

Fentanyl is smuggled here from China, because it is easy to make, not controlled in China, and a very small amount goes a long way. 100k pills can be made from a 1/2 ounce fluid vial. The raw cost of the chemicals, about $3 in China.
 
Mustachio said:
I'm not wrong. You read the first part of my post (the edit plainly said it's possible he was prescribed it) and then responded. I didn't know he was in chronic pain, what I'm saying is fentanyl isn't being handed out left and right, you gotta be real messed up or dying. It's the one drug in the declared crisis that's smuggled in from other countries and extremely uncommon to be handed out even at a "pill mill." I'm glad my state deals with a lot less of this stuff.
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Wait a minute......

Wasn't Prince from Minneapolis?
 
rock stars & drugs go hand in hand; no surprises here ..................
 
OldFatGuy said:
You're still wrong. Fentanyl was and still is the preferred alternative to oxy. In pill form, the pills are tiny, and patients don't realize how power it is. In patch form, patients look at it nicotine patches. Again not realizing its strength. On the plus side, fentanyl is not addictive. The patient usually dies first.

Here the sports medicine practitioners hand out the patches like candy. It's the painkiller of choice for those receiving knee and hip replacements. I've heard the same about most other venues.

I have a prosthetic left shoulder. Every 6 or 7 years the doctors like to replace the current one with the latest and greatest. The first two weeks or so of recovery are excruciating. I usually take demerol, a synthetic morphine, and just as addicting. Last time I had it replaced (4 years ago) I was offered oxy, declined and demanded the demerol. Better the devil I know. The prescribing doctor refused, until I reminded him I carry and know how to use what I carry. Now, he tells me next time I upgrade, he'll prescribe fentanyl, and I laugh. Good money for the surgeons who do this work, he's anxious to proceed. I won't be upgrading so quickly this time. The one I have is good for 20 years, there's nothing wrong with it that justifies that pain.

Fentanyl patches are prescribed for those with severe arthritis. Do you have any idea how common severe arthritis is? It is not a replacement for oxy, but the DEA is giving doctors a run for the money when they prescribe an oxy because of all the publicity. Don't concern yourself, soon there will be a new synthetic, more powerful, less addictive, less mortal in its results. :lamo

Codeine was introduced as a cure for laudanum addiction (opium in an alcohol solution, sold otc), morphine as a cure for codeine addiction, heroin as a cure for morphine addiction, methadone as a cure for heroin addiction, vicodin (an oxy) as a cure for methadone addiction, and so on ad infinitum.

Fentanyl is smuggled here from China, because it is easy to make, not controlled in China, and a very small amount goes a long way. 100k pills can be made from a 1/2 ounce fluid vial. The raw cost of the chemicals, about $3 in China.
Click to expand...

I agree with a lot of what you said but you're wrong on a lot of points. What you're saying may be true in your age group, with your ailment, where you live. Overall, it's not the case. For every fentanyl prescription, there are 300 non-fentanyl opioid prescriptions written. They are cracking down hard on it, do some googling. It's tightly controlled in China now. I would bet it's off the market for everyone but hospice patients in the somewhat near future. And I have severe arthritis from an auto immune disease and take no narcotics for it.
 
Mustachio said:
I agree with a lot of what you said but you're wrong on a lot of points. What you're saying may be true in your age group, with your ailment, where you live. Overall, it's not the case. For every fentanyl prescription, there are 300 non-fentanyl opioid prescriptions written. They are cracking down hard on it, do some googling. It's tightly controlled in China now. I would bet it's off the market for everyone but hospice patients in the somewhat near future. And I have severe arthritis from an auto immune disease and take no narcotics for it.
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You don't know what you are talking about. Nothing is controlled in China. Least of all, medicines. You have no idea how Chinese law is structured. Every and any substance can be bought. Abusive substance use can gain an individual a death penalty. Chinese cultures, and in turn law, is rooted in true conservatism and not translatable into western understanding. Humans are the basic commodity obligated to the government as representative of obligation of self to all.

Use of all synthetic painkillers, regardless of the classification, regardless of the malady, regardless of everything you mentioned, is far too widespread to back a word of what you are claiming. It is not about me. That baby don't fly.

I'll take that bet, put the money in my attorney's escrow account to cover any size wager, just say so, and I'll have him draw a simple contract, forward it to your attorney. I'll give you ten to one odds, minimum bet on your side $1k, no limits on the upside. Plus, whatever I win, will go to the philanthropy of your choice.

Fentanyl is not a narcotic. Severe arthritis is defined as rheumatoid at multiple joint locations, whereby every movement causes debilitating pain, leading to lymphoma. If you truly had severe arthritis, you wouldn't be typing on this board. There is no cure for arthritis, only temporary amelioration of the pain.
 
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