Deadly Combo?

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  • Posted By: eltownsend @ 01/24/2008 4:32:18 PM

    Not to be a Harvard graduate but there were 2 calls to a close personal friend before there was a call to 911 for assistance in over a 15 min period. I can understand trying to preserve someones privacy but what about their life?

  • Posted By: mirandabunny @ 01/24/2008 4:32:15 PM

    I just think it is sad, I loved his movies and there is a hole that his death has left in the world. My deepest sympathies go out to his family, I am s sorry for your loss. As for the closed minded religeous idiots who hate because of a movie/message, your not worth the air God allows you to breath in everyday, and if yours is the kind of love and understading that you think God wants promoted, you obviously have a worped sence of what Jesus preached; I pray that you open your mind and heart and let God fill it with love and tolerance rather than hate.

  • Posted By: valwag @ 01/24/2008 4:31:33 PM

    The issue here is, folks, that one doctor probably did not prescribe all of those medications. Mr. Ledger probaly had different doctors prescribe thiese medications for a variety of readons, i.e., out of town, away from his regular doctor, out of the country,etc. If patients are not well informed about the drugs they are taking or if the current physician is not aware of the other drugs (prescription or over the counter) that the patient is taking, there is always going to be the probability that there will be drug interactions. When multiple drugs are taken together or close together, there is the possibility that suddenly they produce a toxic or deadly affect. Also, when someone takes drugs of this type, sleepers ot tranquilizers, msny develop a tolerance to them. It just simply means that you need a larger dose of teh drug to produce the same effects, i.e. sleep for the insomniac. Its possible that Mr. Ledger was combining like drugs to produce the effect he needed (sleep) and accidently overdosed. Very tragic and so uneccesary.

  • Posted By: LSUgal @ 01/24/2008 4:31:24 PM

    This should serve as a wake up call to anyone who takes prescription medications. Our culture's mentality is "if the directions say take one, then two must work REALLY WELL!" There's no telling how close many of us may have come to mixing a deadly cocktail by taking multiple medicines together. What a tragic and senseless loss for his family. We'll know what happened in a few days. Until then, the press needs to back off and let his family grieve in peace.

  • Posted By: Moomom @ 01/24/2008 1:13:37 PM

    I just read with shock and disgust that the Westboro Baptist Church members in Topeka, KS were planning to picket Heath Ledger's funeral. As a native Kansan, reading this made me sick to my stomach. This hateful group of people in no way represent Kansas, or for that matter, how most Kansan feels about gay and lesbian people. Kansas is full of good, loving, caring people and every time we hear that this wacked our church is going to protest a fallen soldier's funeral and whatnot, we just cringe because we know they are not speaking for anyone in Kansas. They stand alone in their hatred and all we can do as a state is hope that people know he does not represent us.

    Please know how much our hearts go out to Heath's family and friends. He truly was a remarkable actor and his film Brokeback Mountain was inspiring and groundbreaking.

    • Posted By: JDun06 @ 01/24/2008 4:29:57 PM

      I agree with you. I am from Kansas as well and it is despicable that people could act this way. On one of the local radio programs, a young woman from the chuch called and bragged about how she was going to picket. These people say that they are Christians and doing God's work, but I don't believe that God would want us judging eachother and purposely make others feel bad in their time of grieving.

  • Posted By: giftofheavenlymusic @ 01/24/2008 4:29:47 PM

    im glad this is out in the open !
    God rest your soul Heath
    you will help many others GET OFF THOSE COMBINATION OF DRUGS
    shame on the doctors

  • Posted By: mom267 @ 01/24/2008 4:29:22 PM

    He still had a child if only one dautheter, and what is marriage in this day and time?
    That doesn't mean he didn't love his daughter, which may be why he was taking so many meds. Show some compassion, we all will be missing a great and upcoming TALENT.

  • Posted By: sic333 @ 01/24/2008 4:27:53 PM

    I was shocked to my bones with Heath Ledger death, he was so young. I feel so much sorrow for his family because losing a son is the most terrible experience of all .May God help his family overcome this suffering.We will never forget his greatness beacuse he was superb and versatile actor. May his soul rest in peace with the glory of God.

  • Posted By: mortalsonly @ 01/24/2008 4:27:53 PM

    well lets just say it is a big loss for all of us....he was one of the most inoccent unice and shy of most of all the actors ....it is very sad...I hope that all the pain he had in his soul went away...when he fall a sleep forever..

  • Posted By: ginawelling @ 01/24/2008 4:27:16 PM

    HEATH LEDGER WAS MY FAVRIT ACTOR AND I WILL MISS HIM AND SO WILL HIS FAMILY AND FRIENDS. HE WAS A TALENTED ACTOR, GOOD FATHER AND FRIEND AND WILL ALWAYS BE MISS. HIS FAMILY AND FRIENDS ARE IN MY PRAYERS. GINAWELLING

  • Posted By: Renosa @ 01/24/2008 4:27:13 PM

    In regards to Heath's death and the perscription mix, these warnings need to be told to the patients who are taking them. My husband died in his sleep as well, he happened to be on the same medications but was not taking alcohol at the time. No warnings/advice were given to my family about the dosages possibly causing a death. If the warning had been there we would have thought twice about my husbands medications needs.

  • Posted By: bladeandski001 @ 01/24/2008 3:55:05 PM

    I don't care what credentials this doctor has, his comments are ignorant. I have a friend who is a renowned pharmacologist and psychiatrist (teaching at the UCSF) and he would tell you that you have to take a LOT of these type of pills to cause your respiratory system to stop. It would in no way be caused by someonetaking a few too many because they were not getting results fast enough. This doctor needs to confer with doctors who have dealt with suicide attempts to better understand lethal doses. As awful as it sounds, it's most likely Heath Ledger was trying to commit suicide and succeeded.

    • Posted By: Chrissy88 @ 01/24/2008 4:27:05 PM

      For a physically healthy person, your statements are correct, but Mr. Ledger was also suffering from pneumonia which causes respiratory distress and adding either Valium or Xanax, both of which he had prescriptions for, to any antihistamine can cause respiratory arrest in his situation. I know because this happened to me. I WAS NOT trying to commit suicide nor seeking attention. I take the Xanax for panic attacks which do not stop just becasue a person is ill. It is possible to mix the wrong meds, whether they are over-the-counter or prescription, and have adverse reactions. It is especially easy to do if, like in Heath's situation, you are exhausted and feel like crap from lack of rest and the pneumonia. It has happened before and sadly will happen again. The warnings that are listed on both over-the-counter and prescription medications come from reactions individuals have experienced. Do you think the warnings just come out of mid-air? Some drugs, like Ambien and Chantix, get more warnings added after they are on the market because different people experience different adverse effects. I am appalled that you could jump to the conclusion that Mr. Ledger MUST have been trying to kill himself. No one knows what his state of mind was, he was ALONE in the room! So quit speculating on something you could not possibly know!!

    • Posted By: thepoopster @ 01/24/2008 4:07:05 PM

      ok buddy ur dumb he didnt try to kill him self he just had a sleeping disorder and he even saaid in one of his interviews that he had trouble sleeping he took one 2 many and that really sucks yuour a retard if you think he killed himself he had way to much to live for a great carreer a beautiful daughter and everyone just leave th guy alone hes gone ok let him be remembered as one of the most insperational actors of our time he was great in everythng he did thats like saying that elvis killed himself and he should be remembered as the guy who dided off of drugs so shuff that up your butt there smoky

    • Posted By: summercur @ 01/24/2008 4:04:49 PM

      Your such an idiot! He would never try to commit suicide! He has a daughter! He has his career off to a good start! And yes hello this doctor does know what he is talking about! If you dont get your results right away someone may try a few more and feel a really bad reaction from it!

  • Posted By: LSUgal @ 01/24/2008 4:26:48 PM

    I think this is a wake up call to anyone who takes prescription medications. Our culture's basic mentality is "if the directions say take one, then 2 must work REALLY WELL". Most of us are playing with fire and don't even know how close to mixing a deadly cocktail we really are. If there is any good to come from his tragic, untimely death, perhaps it will be saving others from making a similar fatal mistake. My heart goes out to his family. Any loss is hard, but this one seems so senseless. We have lost a wonderful, talented actor.

  • Posted By: newperson @ 01/24/2008 4:26:22 PM

    The only 2 people who really know what happened are Heath Ledger himself and God. But perhaps it's obvious only to people like me, who have also overdosed... and know about these medications and what they are for... that it WAS suicide. No, the public may never really know the truth, but it bothers me that so many people are reacting negatively to even the suggestion that it was suicide. We should be even more saddened by his death (and for the life of his little girl and his family and true friends), not maddened by it.

  • Posted By: mom267 @ 01/24/2008 4:25:44 PM

    Heath was a breath of fresh air. I send my most Sincere Condolences to his Family. A very sad ending to a very Young and yes Talented Star. They say only the good die young. He was a "Shooting Star". I am sure will be missed by MANY not to mention his family and young daughter, who never really got to know him, such a sad, sad, thing. Everyone has an issue or two. How ? Why? These are questions to be answered only by God and Heath himself. Heath, I can't wait to meet you in Heaven should I make it there. I'm sure you did, Rest Well!
    Saddened

  • Posted By: vuittonboy17 @ 01/24/2008 1:12:32 PM

    I think that is so sad i mean to die like that and leave a fabulous wife like michelle and 2 kids, i think that is just very sad, i will continue to pray for you and your family

    • Posted By: JDun06 @ 01/24/2008 4:24:37 PM

      He wasn't married to Michelle and they only have one daughter.

  • Posted By: mactaxier @ 01/24/2008 4:24:35 PM

    The fact that his memorial service could be comprimised by protesting, makes me sick. He was a movie star (there are many different kinds of movies, and most are fiction....) why would christians do something that horrible to a family which is grieving over the loss of a young life.... They should be hauled off to jail for distrubing the peace....(a final family tribute) called a MEMORIAL>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

  • Posted By: PattyB617 @ 01/24/2008 4:24:02 PM

    It is sad that so many poeple can have access to many prescription drugs and not know the effects that can be potentially lethal. A pharmacist would know the drug interactions and they would be cleary posted on the bottle or red flagged by the computer. READ INSTRUCTIONS POEPLE. It is terrible when we lose someone in the prime of thier life. My he rest in peace and be with God.

  • Posted By: giftofheavenlymusic @ 01/24/2008 4:23:38 PM

    i hope the family sues the pants off those doctors who prescribe all those meds
    shame on them!
    5????????????
    im on the same meds for crying out loud!
    how dare they
    wheres my lawyer

  • Posted By: grace11 @ 01/24/2008 4:23:37 PM

    So I decided to read the Newsweek article thinking it wouldn't be gossip, so why are you speculating as to what happened with his medication when you or anyone else has no clue what happened yet? I know call Dr:?Phil and get his opinion. How sad for his family to have to defend him against all this speculation. Shame on you. What a tragic loss.

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