Did Michael Jackson Overdose on Demerol?
Rumor has it that Michael Jackson may have overdosed on Demerol, an opioid pain medication similar to heroin. Demerol is synthetic (man-made) and is stronger than heroin, but it works the same way.
I have two questions. One is the timeline. I've read reports that MJ's breathing slowed very soon after he took the medication. This is all unconfirmed rumor at this point, but if any of it is true, there is the possibility that MJ didn't have to die.
Opiate overdoses lead the victim to stop breathing, but it doesn't cause cardiac arrest -- at least not until the victim has been not breathing for so long that his heart stops. If caught in time, simple mouth to mouth can keep a victim of opiate overdose alive long enough for paramedics to arrive and administer the antidote, a medication known as naloxone.
My second question has to do with Jackson's private doctor. The 911 call recording mentioned the doctor was with MJ. If this turns out to be related to Demerol, why didn't the doctor have naloxone available?
One thing to keep in mind: naloxone doesn't help after cardiac arrest. Once the victim loses a pulse, naloxone won't fix anything.
As with any celebrity death, there are bound to be lots of questions about Jackson's sudden death -- and his use of Demerol.
- How Opiate Overdoses Kill
- What is Demerol?
- What is an Opioid Analog?
- Investigation Continues Into the Death of Michael Jackson
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Comments
There are reports that the doctor on the scene was hired by the London concert promoters to try to keep Jackson healthy. From this, it sounds like people other than the doc may have give Jackson the demerol, and may well have tried to hide Jackson’s demerol habit from the doc. In that case, he may well not have had naloxone available, and may well not have been called to Jackson’s room until long after he had stopped breathing and arrested. Silly rich people and their drugs.
That’s a great point. If the doc didn’t know about the Demerol and the family called the doc before calling 911, there wouldn’t be anything he, or anyone else, could have done.
I’ve read some things about this doctor and he sounds pretty respectable. I can imagine that Jacko’s death will be scrutinized as much as any we’ve seen in the past. I expect answers will come. Hopefully, they’ll be shared publicly.
I feel it was a doctor assisted suicide…
Too many things don’t add up at all.
Whatever was going on inside him is his business and between him and his creators whatever he believes them to be if any.
I cannot judge.
I just send wishes of peace out to him as well as his freinds, family and fans.
I hope he finally has reached the state of consciousness he forever searched for.
Hard to believe 3 wonderful beings gone within a month !
David Carradine,
Mary Farrah Fawcet
Michael Jackson
Ony the good die young….
I have used Demerol (pethedine) when I had gall stones it knocks you out, but I don’t think this what killed Michael, I understand thet he wasn’t sleeping, one meal a day, and asked his nurse for Diprivan, she would not give it to him, he might have injected himself, she did warn him. This is used for anaesthesia and I also note that this particular drug was found at Michaels house.
Your comments please????