Miscellaneous Celebrity News

[CCL]

Originally Posted by prhoshay

Who's to say that all of the drugs were prescribed by the same doctor? Unless a patient is forthcoming, a doctor will not know what another doctor has prescribed. Wonder if the prescriptions were all filled by the same pharmacy?

This is sad, but not surprising.

I recall early reports saying some prescriptions were from Europe (he had been filming in London the week before) and some were from the US. Don't know if they have released any further information, however.

[Google]

 

[Rattus]

Originally Posted by burntbrat

That's why I love it when I find a doctor or dentist who is reluctant to write prescriptions.

Oh, me too. I have had to literally fight with doctors about prescriptions in the past. "Will this eventually clear up without the use of medication?" "Yes." "Then why do I need to take anything?" "Well, blah, blah, blah..."

I have a friend who had a breakdown a couple of years ago, has been seeing the same single doctor during this time, and is on, I believe, four different anti-depressant/anti-anxiety medications. He is not getting better, he is much, much worse, and is on a continuing spiral downward and won't listen to our sage advice (I suggested yoga or tai chi instead of drugs). It's getting really difficult to have much faith in a profession wherein a huge number of members are more than happy to prescribe an antibiotic for a viral infection (absolutely zero effect) just because the snivelling patient asks for them.

[jacobson00]

Another way it can happen is that a patient will see a doctor for something like insomnia, and get a prescription. Maybe they take a few pills, and they don't work, so he returns and gets a new prescription, and then another one. Also, insomnia can make you crazy, for lack of a better term. If you haven't slept for days and days on end, it's not hard to imagine being in such a desperate state that you end up taking a fistful of meds just to get some relief.
__________________

that is what i am dealing with these days. I just got prescribed an anti-depressant. Well i got out of the doctor's office and tore the presctiption. Even if the insomnia drives me insane i will fight it with all my being. i

i am now started to get 5 hrs a sleeps, which is a relief.

The key is to fight it and have a very very strong support people who won't care looking at you and telling you the truth even if it means cursing at you.

[prhoshay]

I definitely believe in pain management to help you heal but it's when you keep making excuses to take the medication after the true need has passed is what gets you into trouble.

A friend had surgery for a torn rotator cuff, and she was scared to take her medication because she was afraid of becoming addicted to it (no addiction history). She was in an enormous amount of pain. I finally got through to her to take her medication so that she could get on with the healing. I also stressed to her that it was important not to let the pain get the jump on her. If it says "take this every 4-6 hours"....take it every 4, but that she needed to be realistic about when things were getting better, and the pain was becoming more manageable with something like ibuprofen. She finally did things my way, and she got better rapidly, and she still thanks me to this day. Bless her heart, she was one of those people who almost believed that just looking at a pain pill would make you addicted!

Another friend of mine just loves pain medication, to the point where she took OxyContin in spite of the fact that it made her vomit violently (her body was trying to tell her something), and will take anything she can get her hands on. She even admits to frequenting a doctor known for easily dispensing anything that you want....you've got the money, he has the time. People like this always talk about how good the meds make them feel. "That's some gooood stuff." People will invent reasons to try to get what they want.

I just related all of this to point out the differences in people's personalities. And you never know who's going to be which.

[jacobson00]

Originally Posted by prhoshay

she was one of those people who almost believed that just looking at a pain pill would make you addicted!

i think you need to have a talk with me.

[CCL]

Originally Posted by Rattus

I have a friend who had a breakdown a couple of years ago, has been seeing the same single doctor during this time, and is on, I believe, four different anti-depressant/anti-anxiety medications. He is not getting better, he is much, much worse, and is on a continuing spiral downward and won't listen to our sage advice (I suggested yoga or tai chi instead of drugs). It's getting really difficult to have much faith in a profession wherein a huge number of members are more than happy to prescribe an antibiotic for a viral infection (absolutely zero effect) just because the snivelling patient asks for them.

Honestly, if he is a true depressive (a clinical depressive), yoga won't cure him. (Not to say that it won't be of any benefit). Clinical depression is a result of a chemical imbalance. Drugs are needed to restore that imbalance. Some people think that because it is a mental disease it is not a real disease and so drugs aren't needed. That a depressive should just suck it up. But just as someone who has a physical ailment needs to take drugs to cure/aid that ailment, so a depressive needs to take drugs to assist in his/her recovery. The first four drugs didn't work for your friend, but maybe the fifth or sixth will. There are many different drugs for depression out there. Often it takes quite a while to find the right drug, or combination of drugs, that will help the patient.

To bring it back to Heath Ledger - the fact that he seemed to have everything going for him (looks, money, great career) and yet apparently still suffered from anxiety and/or depression (the two are often linked), just goes to show that it can happen to anyone.

[Rattus]

Originally Posted by CCL

Honestly, if he is a true depressive (a clinical depressive), yoga won't cure him. (Not to say that it won't be of any benefit). Clinical depression is a result of a chemical imbalance. Drugs are needed to restore that imbalance. Some people think that because it is a mental disease it is not a real disease and so drugs aren't needed. That a depressive should just suck it up. But just as someone who has a physical ailment needs to take drugs to cure/aid that ailment, so a depressive needs to take drugs to assist in his/her recovery. The first four drugs didn't work for your friend, but maybe the fifth or sixth will. There are many different drugs for depression out there. Often it takes quite a while to find the right drug, or combination of drugs, that will help the patient.

Sadly, this isn't the first four drugs he's been on and nothing he's taken over the last couple of years has helped - it's only made things worse. Knowing his personality the way I do, I do know that he is exceedingly tightly wound and repressive, and honestly, I don't think it would hurt to try something more organic to see if that helps before returning to the never-ending round of chemical cocktails. He is in seriously far worse shape now than he was when he started his "therapy". This isn't a subject I'm unfamiliar with - I've been down the anti-anxiety/anti-depressant route myself (manic-depression,aka bipolar) and come from a family of regular psych ward patients and alcoholics. Both times I've found the drugs did more harm than good, and so switched to St. John's Wort, an herbal mood regulator - much better.

To bring it back to Heath Ledger - the fact that he seemed to have everything going for him (looks, money, great career) and yet apparently still suffered from anxiety and/or depression (the two are often linked), just goes to show that it can happen to anyone.

And yes, to bring it back to Heath - you are absolutely right. No amount of money, fame, talent, anything really, can change who you are inside.

[remote_goddess]

Originally Posted by prhoshay

Another friend of mine just loves pain medication, to the point where she took OxyContin in spite of the fact that it made her vomit violently (her body was trying to tell her something), and will take anything she can get her hands on. She even admits to frequenting a doctor known for easily dispensing anything that you want....you've got the money, he has the time. People like this always talk about how good the meds make them feel. "That's some gooood stuff." People will invent reasons to try to get what they want.

Unfortunately, this is my personality type. I've never had an "addiction" but I find that if my prescriptions outlast my symptoms, I "save" the pills for a later date. I've never faked anything to get a presscription, though, nor have I just asked my doc outright for something I didn't need. It's just that I hate to take pain pills if I don't need them for the original injury/issue, so I keep them for the days I really do "need" them.

Sounds like I'm trying to justify it to myself, huh?

[Melitta]

Here's another one.

Actress Kirsten Dunst checks into rehab.
Source confirms to People that star is at Cirque Lodge in Utah.
Actress Kirsten Dunst checks into rehab - Access Hollywood - MSNBC.com

PARK CITY, Utah - Kirsten Dunst has checked into rehab, a source close to the actress has confirmed to People.

Dunst, 25, has reportedly checked herself into the Cirque Lodge in Utah — the same facility Lindsay Lohan entered back in August.

When contacted by Access Hollywood, a rep for the actress was not immediately available for comment.

Well known as Mary Jane from the “Spider-Man” franchise, Dunst’s other film credits include “Mona Lisa Smile,” “Bring It On” and “The Virgin Suicides.”

And just as Dunst has checked in, fellow actress Eva Mendes has checked out of the Cirque Lodge, although it appears her leave is only temporary.

"Eva is attending to some personal business in Los Angeles and intends to return to complete her treatment shortly ," her rep told Access Hollywood.

It was revealed last week that Mendes had actually been in the Cirque Lodge for several weeks.

[CCL]

Originally Posted by Rattus

Sadly, this isn't the first four drugs he's been on and nothing he's taken over the last couple of years has helped - it's only made things worse. Knowing his personality the way I do, I do know that he is exceedingly tightly wound and repressive, and honestly, I don't think it would hurt to try something more organic to see if that helps before returning to the never-ending round of chemical cocktails. He is in seriously far worse shape now than he was when he started his "therapy". This isn't a subject I'm unfamiliar with - I've been down the anti-anxiety/anti-depressant route myself (manic-depression,aka bipolar) and come from a family of regular psych ward patients and alcoholics. Both times I've found the drugs did more harm than good, and so switched to St. John's Wort, an herbal mood regulator - much better.
.

Hopefully he will find a solution like you did, organic or not.

Hmm, not to sound glib, but it seems almost like rehab is the latest trend among Hollywood types or something.