Discussion » Questions » Death and Dying » Tom Petty had seven medications in him when he died of an overdose. I have to believe he didn't consume all of them at once. Are people
O-uknow

Tom Petty had seven medications in him when he died of an overdose. I have to believe he didn't consume all of them at once. Are people

painfully unaware of drug interactions with substances that linger in your system for days when taking another medication?

Posted - January 19, 2018
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Responses


  • 7939
    People still take Tylenol while on cold medicine, and overdose on acetaminophen. More than 70,000 wind up in the ER every year from it. If they can't understand the basics of that... "painfully unaware" is an understatement. Tylenol is a no-brainer, whereas many medications are pretty complex in how they work, as well as how long they stay in the body. 
      January 19, 2018 8:43 PM MST
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  • 5614
    Aye, indeed but no matter how complex tis wise to learn since could mean the difference between life or death.
      January 19, 2018 9:16 PM MST
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  • 5614
    A rule of thumb is stop taking old medicine a minimum of 30 days before taking new medicine unless a doctor says otherwise.
      January 19, 2018 9:20 PM MST
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  • 7939
    Indeed. I just looked up the Petty story. He was taking opioids and a slew of antidepressant/ anti-anxiety meds. The day he died, he learned his hip was actually broken, not just a fracture, plus he had a bunch of other ailments, from emphysema to knee problems. Waiting 30 days when you're in agony is not an option. 

    Whether he took more than usual or he had greater sensitivity to the drugs than usual, I don't know. Opioids are funny that way. You can take the same dose you're used to, but if you've been sick, have recently reduced the mount you take, or any number of things, your "normal" dose can kill you. They're a dangerous class of drugs to begin with. And, on top of that, Petty was taking a street opioid too... Just a guess, he'd already been on opioids for a long time and his response to them had greatly diminished, sending him to non-prescription/ unmanaged options to get the level of pain management he needed. Very sad. This post was edited by Just Asking at January 20, 2018 6:55 PM MST
      January 19, 2018 9:31 PM MST
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  • 13071
    It appears in some cases they are. There really isnt any excuse to be though, because we have the internet resources to educate us on the matter of almost anything.
      January 19, 2018 9:40 PM MST
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  • 10026
    So true.
      January 20, 2018 7:00 PM MST
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  • 10026
    After hearing of his death and of the reason why, I was not surprised.  However, I would like to say in my own neglect and on his behalf, I did not research it as I should have before jumping to my quick conclusion. 
    I was unaware of half his ailments. I quickly assumed it was from a form of many recreational drugs.
    Carbon brings up an excellent point. Speaking from experience, I am not that careful about what sort of over-the-counter drugs and prescribed drugs I have mix in my body at the same time.
    The internet is there for us to learn.  I know I need to pay more attention to the information at my fingertips than taking my body for granted.  It could be my life or death. 
      January 20, 2018 7:10 PM MST
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