Tom Petty Died From Accidental Drug Overdose Involving Opioids, Coroner Says

[Danmel]

Source: New York Times

Tom Petty, the chart-topping singer and songwriter, died in October from an accidental drug overdose as a result of mixing medications that included opioids, the medical examiner-coroner for the county of Los Angeles announced on Friday, ending the mystery surrounding his sudden death last year.

The coroner, Jonathan Lucas, said that Mr. Petty’s system showed traces of the drugs fentanyl, oxycodone, temazepam, alprazolam, citalopram, acetyl fentanyl and despropionyl fentanyl.

Barely a week after Mr. Petty, 66, had concluded a tour with his band, the Heartbreakers, with two shows at the Hollywood Bowl, representatives said the singer had suffered cardiac arrest at his home in Malibu, Calif. on Oct. 2. But Mr. Petty’s official death certificate, released about a week later, listed his cause of death as “deferred” pending an autopsy.

In a statement posted to Mr. Petty’s Facebook page on Friday, his wife, Dana, and daughter, Adria, wrote that Mr. Petty suffered from “many serious ailments including emphysema, knee problems and most significantly a fractured hip,” but that he continued to tour, worsening his conditions. “On the day he died he was informed his hip had graduated to a full on break and it is our feeling that the pain was simply unbearable and was the cause for his over use of medication,” the statement said.

They said: “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.”

Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/19/arts/music/tom-petty-cause-death-opioid-overdose.html?module=Notification&version=BreakingNews&region=FixedTop&action=Click&contentCollection=BreakingNews&contentID=66387373&pgtype=Homepage

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So depressing

[shenmue]

1. Just like Prince

[greyl]

36. yeah nt

[brush]

52. Am I the only one seeing the difference with how discreetly this OD was handled compared...

to Prince's and Michael Jackson's?

Those were immediately blasted all over the media as drug overdoses, but not in Tom Petty's case.

Just saying...

[Susan Calvin]

61. Yep. nt

[MariaCSR]

67. Yep

[RhodeIslandOne]

68. All the initial reports on Prince insisted he never took drugs

As I recall.

As far as Michael Jackson, well the guy’s life was a circus for the last dozen years of his life, every bizarre thing he did was “blasted” mainly by fame seeking hanger-ons, including his quack doctor that murdered him with drugs beyond opiates, unlike Tom Petty’s family and friends.

[brush]

71. Are you kidding? Initial reports on Prince lasted to what amounted to twenty minutes figuratively.

The media was soon awash in OD details. Not so in this most recent music celeb OD, in fact, that's still not the case.

Just saying...

[RhodeIslandOne]

72. All I heard was his fans insisting he was notoriously anti-drug

For a couple days until it came out that wasn’t the case.

No one who followed Tom’s career made such claims. Booze, coke and heroin were all known as stuff he had issues with.

[scarletwoman]

2. So sad to hear this.

Why the hell are doctors prescribing all this dangerous shit?

[MythosMaster]

26. $$$$$$

From the big pharma.

[Susan Calvin]

27. Yep. nt

[CreekDog]

46. how does big pharma pay a doctor for a prescription?

you were so quick to agree that i figure you can explain it to us.

[Susan Calvin]

49. Not directly, of course.

But if you are not aware of the fact that we are almost the only country to allow direct-to-consumer pharmaceutical ads (I believe New Zealand is the other), and that Big Pharma lobbies doctors extensively, then I give up.

Oh, and. Who is this "us" for whom you purport to speak? Is that in "How are we?" or the royal "we"?

I would suggest "Speak for yourself, John."

[CreekDog]

45. big pharma writes a check to a doctor each time they prescribe?

how did you come to that conclusion?

[Susan Calvin]

50. Sigh...

It's not direct, and I am sure you know that as well as "we" do.

[Susan Calvin]

51. And, yes, I know pain meds are needed.

Last edited Sat Jan 20, 2018, 11:14 PM - Edit history (1)

I would want them if needed. I would want euthanasia (by my request) if needed.

But surely you know the history of the opioid crisis, just for an example.

[MythosMaster]

70. read

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/does-your-doc-have-ties-to-big-pharma-how-youll-be-able-to-find-out/

[progressoid]

30. Because he was in pain?

[elias7]

33. If you were a doctor, you might understand better

I just took care of someone in the ER today who was walking across the street and was hit by a car going 35 mph. She was thrown up and over the top of the car, landing on the street. Head trauma, abdominal trauma, pelvic fracture. Thankfully, I had fentanyl to give her to blunt her pain to a tolerable level. She will need morphine or oxycodone or equivalent to get through the next month, if she survives.

Prior to assenting to joint replacement surgery that maybe Prince or maybe Tom Petty may have needed, they as performing musicians may have been in need of prescriptions for something stronger than Tylenol, ibuprofen, tramadol, gabapentin, etc. just to get through a show. You might be surprised at how many folks use narcotics without overdosing or getting addicted. We only hear about the tragedies.

It’s just not as black and white as “what the hell are doctors prescribing all this dangerous shit?”

[gldstwmn]

42. He had

acetyl fentanyl in his system. Where would he get that? You can't even prescribe it here correct?

[Aristus]

47. We're going to be blamed if we prescribe them,

and we are going to be called ghoulish sadists who enjoy inflicting pain on our patients if we don't prescribe them.

I'm a Physician Assistant, not a doctor. But even here on DU I get called every filthy name in the book because I don't prescribe opioids to everyone who walks in the clinic door.

And the people doing the name-calling all hit me with the classic "But I really need these medications!"

It's a tough row we hoe...

[Susan Calvin]

53. It sure is, and I thank you. nt

[Honeycombe8]

3. Poor guy. A fractured hip is very painful, they say.

What a loss.

[jalan48]

4. There have been a few musicians who have died of drug overdoses soon after completing tours.

Tim Buckley and Grateful Dead keyboardist Brett Mydland come to mind. Free time with no pressure can be a bad combination.

[Skittles]

5. thinking of one of his last interviews

where he said he was going to slow down to spend more time with his granddaughter

[MontanaMama]

63. I heard that interview too.

Made me so sad for his kids and his granddaughter. I took my 12 year old son to see Tom and the Heartbreakers at Red Rocks last summer. I felt guilty taking him out of school to make the trip but in hind sight, I'm so glad we did it.

[Historic NY]

6. No Dr gave him fentanyl......

the family is looking for excuses. He obviously had an entire RX at his disposal.

[marylandblue]

9. Yes, also he continued to tour while suffering emphysema and fractured hip

That's just asking for more pain and delayed healing. He was probably taking too many painkillers because he wanted to keep working instead of letting his hip heal.

[Igel]

14. But "his over use of medication" is euphemistic.

It was "overuse of illegal self-medication" that contributed to it.

Most of the time when I, at least, use the word "medication" I tend to think it means medicine that's either OTC or prescribed. It's like calling cocaine or heroine "medication."

I liked his music. But the euphemism does nobody any good who actually likes the cold facts.

[marylandblue]

18. Article neglects to mention, he was also taking two different tranquilizers

Xanax and Restoril, that should not be taken together and definitely not with opioids.

[Aristus]

48. A spectacularly effective way of avoiding emphysema is by not smoking.

Treating existing disease is a huge part of our profession.

Educating our patients on ways to avoid preventable diseases is another.

Both require patient compliance, or they won't be effective.

When I implore my patients to quit smoking, I'm not simply being perfunctory.

[Susan Calvin]

54. Yep.

I'm so grateful I never got hooked. Smoked and inhaled and everything, for six weeks, for a play. Had to be extensively trained not to make a face. Dropped it the second I could.

Not my cup of tea. For those for whom it is, I can offer only empathy (I have my own avenues of stress relief) and the hope that as many people as possible avoid even trying it.

[Aristus]

55. I never could figure out how anyone could stand to smoke long enough to get addicted.

I understand that it doesn't take very long, due to the tobacco companies adulterating their product with substances added specifically to speed up the addiction process. I acknowledge that.

But it smells and tastes so bad, how could anyone smoke more than one without throwing the whole pack away and saying "Forget it!" ?

[Susan Calvin]

56. WORD!!!!!

I figure those who get hooked must have serious boredom, depression, or peer pressure issues. Or any others I haven't thought of.

[Aristus]

57. I know there are people out there who are more susceptible to addiction than others.

I just wish they'd get addicted to stamp collecting or something. That way, I'd see a decrease in the number of patients showing up at the clinic gasping for breath with an 89% oxygen saturation...

[Susan Calvin]

59. Something

That increases happiness with as few negative physical or mental repercussions as possible.

I'm the first to say we do what we feel we must. I'm just lucky enough to find cigarettes both too icky and too unsatisfying to use.

[Aristus]

60. You and me both.

Although I was lucky enough that both of my parents were non-smokers.

[Susan Calvin]

62. Both mine smoked like chimneys!

In a closed car! In restaurants while I was still eating!

They did right by me otherwise, but.

Ick, ick, ICK!!!!

[bathroommonkey76]

10. Tom was a heroin addict all through the 90s

Sounds like he relapsed back into the junkie's void - It's pretty remarkable that he lived so long.

[TexasBushwhacker]

15. And once you've been addicted to opiates

it usually takes a higher dose of pain kilkers to be effective. This just makes me sick.

[RobinA]

29. I Onviously Dont Know

where he got Fentanyl, but it is a prescribed drug.

[lunasun]

38. From the family

"We knew before the report was shared with us that he was prescribed various pain medications for a multitude of issues including Fentanyl patches," the post read

and so why don't you believe it was prescribed?

[gldstwmn]

43. Because

acetyl fentanyl is an illicit substance in the US.

[lunasun]

44. Thank you - I see it said below it is used illegally here a lot and is different than patches

https://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drug_chem_info/acetylfentanyl.pdf

[CreekDog]

41. why didn't they interview you for the article? you obviously know more than anyone else

[yallerdawg]

7. Doctors often prescribe access to lethal levels of drugs and combinations of drugs.

Since we don't do 'assisted suicide' when pain makes your life a total wreck of a meaningless, useless horrifying existence, you can still make that choice.

"Accidentally."

It's a bit more comforting to imagine this may have been what Tom wanted.

[Susan Calvin]

28. Interesting info.

I would like to think I could get that if I needed it.

Although I would rather have it clean, sure, and legal.

[BigmanPigman]

8. I just came from my 83 year old parents' house and

my dad was pissed off that he can't get any pain medication. He and my mom are anti- medication and hate taking it and are VERY careful. When I was is severe pain for 6 months my own mom wouldn't give me anything (she did once, 1 oxy AND IT DIDN'T Have any effect). I had to check myself into the hospital it was so bad and when I was finally diagnosed no one could believe how I was able to handle it for so long and that I hadn't been exaggerating. In fact I had been a stoic considering my long awaited, correct diagnosis.

The pain med situation is screwed up in this country. I hear from those in severe, legit pain being denied help due to the abuse of opiods by some people. Are people in pain going to have to go to Bitcoin and order Fentanyl from China?

[TheFrenchRazor]

64. this. when people OD it's blamed on "opioids," but these people are mixing meds, they're taking

taking way more than they are prescribed, they're using questionable street drugs; THIS is what is killing them, not "opioids," and the current hysteria is doing nothing but making legitimate patients suffer, literally.

[BigmanPigman]

66. You're right. This needs to be made more public.

Right now it is going from one extreme to the other...prescribing too much when not necessary OR none at all when extremely necessary.

[pecosbob]

11. Justice recently dropped an air-tight case against McKesson

for knowingly selling it's opioids to internet drug dealers as a result of behind the scenes pressure from the industry. Billions of dollars...more money than there is in selling real heroin...because doctors won't help you sell heroin.

[Va Lefty]

12. Well this just sucks

[Marthe48]

13. Prayers for the family

No matter how he died, the family is suffering his loss.

I can't believe Tom Petty was touring and performing with a broken hip. He had to have been in agony.

[OKNancy]

16. Fentanyl patches can be very helpful when used correctly

My husband had a patch to control his cancer pain. He also took liquid oxycodone.
These drugs made his life much more tolerable. I worry that people are going to over-react and restrict drugs for people who really need them.

[lunasun]

25. +1 Never took em but agree

[RussBLib]

17. Damn. That's a lot of powerful drugs

A caregiver has to wear gloves to apply a fentanyl patch. It's that powerful.

A lot of people have legitimate chronic pain and I'm afraid in this hysteria we're going to cut back on opiods so harshly that those who really need them may not be able to get them from a doctor. And they will seek street drugs and could easily die. It's happening already.

My bro-in-law died at age 59 two years ago. He was using fentanyl patches and finally a methadone pump was inserted to deal with his cervical pain. It was brutal seeing him suffer.

RIP Tom. No more pain.

[Corgigal]

19. Maybe, just maybe

he just didn't want to go through the painful process of aging. I always thought that of Prince. Did all I wanted to do, and done. It's not really a selfish thing, it's just another way of saying enough.

[progressoid]

32. Prince suffered from chronic hip pain from decades of stage acrobatics in heels.

By the end, he was walking with a cane.

[Still In Wisconsin]

20. That shit is so hard to kick.

Rest in peace Tom. You are missed.

[Roland99]

21. :(

[hibbing]

22. Damn

That is a lot of hardcore drugs. You would think he would have been recommended to get a hip replacement? I was fortunate enough to see him live once, and it was very fun and very good.

Peace

[jimmil]

23. I have thought all along

This supposed "crisis" is made up. Pain meds can make life tolerable for a lot of people. It can also be a way out for people who are in constant pain. Life is no fun when you hurt constantly and cannot do anything other than sit in a chair or lay down. Let people make their own decision on whether to continue breathing. If you allow them to use pain meds you may also just be giving their life back to them too. Of course taking relatively cheap Opioids is not making drug companies tons of profit as does Lyrica, Diclofenac, etc. that takes the place of Opioids. No government agency should get between a doctor and their patient.

[videohead5]

24. It's not the opioids alone

That kills it's the mixture with these other drugs.why would a doctor give him all of this stuff together?..it is lethal.

[TheFrenchRazor]

65. exactly; he was probably warned against mixing those things. education is what we need,

not the current prohibitionist hysteria.

[Mr.Bill]

31. I would be willing to bet he was seeing more than one doctor.

With all the travelling entertainers do, it's almost inevitable. It's how Elvis got all the drugs he was using.

[Bayard]

34. Citalopram is an anti-depressant

I know. Constant, excruciating pain will make anybody depressed.

Dammitt, Tom, I'm so sorry.

[lunasun]

37. May have been a long time med

A Petty biography published in 2015 revealed that the singer had a heroin addiction in the 1990s, and that he also had depression. The hip injury was a few weeks before the tour started
But then ive seen mentions of knee problems who knows how long the knee was painful?

[rocktivity]

35. I guess it's one those things you can never explain

rocktivity

[Cha]

39. OMG! This is the first

I heard that Tom Petty had passed on.

I was on a news black out for 5 months and missed a lot.. I'm really sad to see this.

RIP Tom Petty

Mahalo Danmel

[moriah]

40. I'm seriously wondering if he got overheated, if patches vs lollies were his Fentanyl.

Had a friend who has been a chronic pain sufferer for years try my heated seats thinking they'd help her back, and she started getting drowsy fast. Since we hadn't seen each other in awhile we'd been talking and she was not able to keep up her end, something was obviously wrong, and I pulled over at the nearest gas station and assisted her inside. They called 911.

I didn't know her doctors had put her on a patch, and she didn't know that the heated seat would cause it to start releasing so rapidly. He'd told her to remove it before a hot bath or shower and to wait 20 minutes to put it back on, but she thought that was just because of water... he didn't tell her it was because of heat.

Stage lights, thinking his tolerance was okay for perhaps two patches at once and an oxy for breakthrough...then laying down still hot....

[jeffreyi]

58. So sorry, no matter what the cause.

He did lots more good than harm.

[RhodeIslandOne]

69. Sucks.

I thought his past had caught up to him but to know he was at the doctor that day is worse.