BRITTANY MURPHY R.I.P. ARE YOU A MEMBER OF CLUB MED?
Meg here! When 9/11 happened I had the thought "boy, did Gary Condit's scandal just die or what?" I mean every shocking tale only lasts as long as the new headline comes about and what a break Condit got from a universal tragedy.
Tiger Woods was bumped from the top page today with Brittany Murphy's death at age 32. He breathed a sigh of relief. The rest of us moved from examining his scandalous love affairs to the morbid fascination of celebrity death. The good news is it didn't take thousands of innocent American lives this time to steal the ink.
No disrespect to the very talented Brittany Murphy. I had only met her very briefly one time years ago and no impression other then "she's nice" was left on me. Hollywood has been called "high school-but with money," yup, that's accurate. Replace the cool cafeteria table with the best area of the club. Instead of trying to get people to be your friends, you try to get people to take your picture, it's not having the best car ( but that helps) it's having the best connections.
In a world that a "civilian" would visit for an escape, where do the residents of that world escape to? The answer is in fact Club Med.
I like to drink, I like to smoke ciggs. I've tried pot 3 or 4 times and I hated it. I never tried cocaine or E or 'shrooms or anything "street." I have BEEN PRESCRIBED LEGALLY THE FOLLOWING: Xanax, lorazepam, oxycontin, neurontin, lexapro, vicodin, depacote, darvocet and of course, Tiger's supposed favorite-ambien.
Feeling anxious? I've got something. Have back pain? Well, take your pick I've got a bunch to choose from. Sleepless? Yup, got you covered.
Jesus Christ, if TMZ ever opened my medicine cabinet they'd think I was in competition with Courtney Love.
The thing is-I don't abuse prescription drugs. I'm not good on drugs. My body reacts awful to even half of a vicodin. I get all red faced and angry and can't poop for a week once I've had even a little. Those pill bottles have been just behind the mirror for years. I was prescribed them many times after a 15 minute doctor visit.
I always separate the man in the white coat with the shady dude on the street. One is a drug pusher and other one is a pain healer. When we abuse the drug given to us then we might as well skip the fancy waiting room and just stand on the corner of Sunset Blvd. for our next fix.
I was a total fucking idiot. I used to go out and drink all night and before I would go to bed take a xanax because that would get rid of a hangover. I had no idea you could actually die from that. I can say it has been years since I pulled that but I honestly didn't think a pill from "Like, a real doctor" could hurt me. One of my best girlfriend's drilled the same tale home the other night because someone she loved was a fan of the same cocktail. Notice that I used the words "loved" and "was." Yes, he is dead and yes, like me, he never "used drugs." He just liked his booze capped of with a Xandy Bar.
The "Xandy Bar" prescription did not come from the streets you're thinking off. It came from an office on a street called "Park Avenue" and you can get them readily dispensed there.
The responsibility ultimately relies on ourselves (as it should.) Don't mix drinking with prescriptions. Don't mix narcotics period. Also, Club Med kind of sucks.
Because we live in high school gossip is king, the gossip was Brittany liked her drugs. It wasn't a secret. It's pretty over once even the uncool crowd (me) even knows it.
Tomorrow I'm going to "my stash"-even though I didn't abuse them I'm flushing them all down the toilet. All except the xanax. I'm keeping them for the nights where I haven't had a lick and still can't stop the fear and anxiety from living in high school.
I can't be the only one that could live 6 months rent-free from selling my prescriptions. Is it really a "Hollywood Thing?"
True story-I once met a prescription drug addict that couldn't afford to eat never mind keep up her pill appetite.
Meg: How on earth did you afford to take your pills everyday? I mean, you had no money? How did you get all of those pain pills?
Her Answer: Every Sunday there are "Open Houses" in LA. On Sunday I would just go to each one. I'd excuse myself into the master bath, open the mirror and take the pills. Everyone on L.A. is on SOMETHING GOOD so I would just take their stuff so I would never buy my own.
Meg: Sad...Brilliant for you...But just sad...
That women is dead F.Y.I.
Please take a look at what you're taking and what you're mixing. Dr. Feelgood is on everyone's speed dial.
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It's not a celebrity thing, it's a human thing. Celebrities may just have the money and the means to be more easily addicted. It doesn't kick them out of life as much as it does the average folk, I suppose.I have had vicoden before and teenagers were telling me "You can sell that and get a lot of money" (I didn't. I said no, due to the fact that I was in actual pain and wanted it to go away.)Wow. That was a really detailed and deep post. I can honestly say that from my mothers 10 operations (different issues), 3 babies, and numerous other health problems, my dad's issues, my sisters collection of medicine, and from wisdom teeth, broken limbs, and sickness - I literally have THREE entire rows full of pills. I don't use them though, they just sit. I never will. Sometimes it's better to learn from other people's mistakes, then to wait and learn from your own.
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It's shocking to hear the news... She's such a young pretty lady... anyways RIP Brittnay
RIP Brittany!!!
A hint Meg, please do not dump your medicine down the toilet. Instead take it to the pharmacy to destroy. Our water is getting very polluted from dumping pharmaceuticals. I was on a lot of medicine, all prescribed by one doctor, and I ended up in ICU trying to keep my heart pumping. 3 days of that and the doctor wanted me on more medicine. Luckily I met a doctor who told me that I was going to die if I didn't get off the legal medicines. This wonderful doctor pulled me off all the medicines, though by that time I had suffered severe chemical damage to my organs, and has me on only what I need. The first doctor thought since I was a woman I was depressed. My good doctor discovered I had a low thyroid. I lost 4 years of my life. Legal or street drugs just aren't worth it. Once you are hovering between life and death, you realize no drug is worth it.I don't really know who Brittany is or the movies she was in, however I hope it wasn't a drug induced death. My condolances go out to her family and friends.
Beste Hilsin
I agree with Sharond--pharmaceuticals are best left to the professionals to destroy.
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I find it strange that when a celebrity dies from a suspected drug overdose, everyone thinks it's a great shame. But, if a heroin addict dies, it's scum off the streets. The celebrity had means and money to potentially change her life. The heroin addict probably didn't. The celebrity gets her drugs from a pharmacy. The heroin addict from a corner dealer.Death is sad, but what I find sadder is that people don't reflect that all drug-related deaths are sad and that there are more similarities between a celebrity's ill-timed death and disadvantaged people who are sneered at and scorned. Society needs some self-reflection.
Well said! Intelligent, insightful, honest and true. I love you're short & sweet synopsis! Thank you for showing that some young women have brains and compassion!
My sister has worked with addicts for a number of years--celebrity or not, means and money do not mean anything when you're an addict. Means and money cannot convince a person they need help. It seems like you're saying the rich are at greater fault because they can "afford"to get help but don't, and that's short sighted. In reality, the rich are surrounded by people who bleed them dry and never say no to them, making it extremely difficult to get help. As for people who can't afford the fancy, expensive treatment centers, there are still publicly funded facilities. I would know, my uncle was in one.
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I could not have said it any better. People are somewhat obsessed with Hollywood and we forget that people around us suffer too, if not more. Celebs do have the means to get themselves into a rehab that looks like a fancy spa facility. Us, normal people, we have to cope with our difficulties without that luxury. If one chooses to live a Hollywood life (and it is a choice!) then they have to be strong enough to deal with paps, drugs and fame.
The positive side of opioids is for people with chronic pain or cancer the relief they get is a good trade off, monitored addiction for a better quality of life, for the short time they have left, they live in comfort.The negative side of opioids, other people get a hold of the script, or, in a remission or cure, then there is still the physical addiction to deal with. Sharond is right, the water is full of all kinds of stuff and super germs are being made, strains of viruses etc... are hard to kill or completely resistant bc of over prescribing, flushing, sharing meds etc...Each of us has to do our part to become educated and to educate others, we have to make informed choices and decisions. I am not anyone to judge. I feel education and awareness is the key.RIP Brittney
Rip !!! she was so young to die !!! :(
Shocked and so young!
I'm so sorry to hear Brittany died, it's just so sad !!! Meg your post sounds like a living hell to me, there we are all looking at celebrities and thinking they have a great life and they don't. I feel sad when I hear these kind of stories where people are dying because of drugs, I wish they could get the healing that they need to live life without these drugs without the need to keep up with each other and just live a life where they accept who they are and don't care what people think. I never realised before but I have a good life I don't care what people think about me and I help everyone I can, and help people like the ones your talking about to heal in the healing clinic I have no one to keep up with because I don't live the type of life you live and I have peace in my heart and I feel the joy from that. I don't take and never have taken any drugs I'm far too sensitive for that, I take my inhalers for my asthma and that's it. I will pray that all those people out there in this situation find the healing they need to live a life with peace in the heart and enjoy their lives !!!
nicely put philogene, i felt so sad about brittany dieing and Heath too of course. I think us from the UK are less used to this pill popping even though it happens over there too though we also have a huge alcohol problem in our society.. a lot of people need to learn to love themselves for who they are and just have the courage to face the world as who we are, with all its trials, without something to help make it easier. It does make us stronger in the long run. I feel really sad for celebrities, it is a harsh world they live in with everyone waiting to knock them down from the pedestal
makeup makeup makeup!!!!!!!
I was a huge fan of Brittany's & I will miss seeing her face in the movies I watch. She was a great actress. I agree that she was so young and I hope that her family can have peace while they heal from this tragic event.
Its starting to get scary!! I like to think when people die there old and you know thats what just happens!! and then they get younger.. michael jackson died when he was 50 ( my dads age now) britney now 32 .. its sad and aweful but its worst that it hiting home to me!! so scary!!
Not gonna lie, I was a little sad when I found out about Brittany yesterday. I thought she was a good actress. I do wonder though, when is Hollywood going to get it about prescription drugs? And honestly, when is America going to get it? I'm sure that what's going on in Hollywood is just a sampling of what is really going on all over the place, you just don't hear about other deaths from prescriptions because, well, the other people are just like the rest of us and not important enough to get in the news. It's sad really. I hate taking prescriptions for anything. I have migraines, and have been prescribed those heavy-duty drugs to get rid of them a few times, and not once have I actually had the prescription filled. When my doc said he suggested I take the pill in his office the first time just in case, um, yeah, that scared the crap out of me. I plan to live my life as healthily as possible, get excercise and eat well, and hopefully I won't have to take drugs to get by.
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I read she was very thin... I hope she wasn't anorexic and her heart stopped because of that, a la Karen Carpenter. If that's the case, Hollywood oughta wake up (but it won't of course).
plantlady I thought the same thing !!!!
Plantlady and philogene I said the SAME thing to my daughter. I hope its not true but I had an inkling as she has been so so thin for a while now and that can really have an effect on your heart and health. In fact...I came in to work this morning and immediately put on The Carpenters just to let Karen's voice wash over me. Whatever the reason...Brittany is gone and its just SO sad. I feel for her family so much.
Love, hugs and shoes...Angie
No offense to you Meg, but I thought it was common knowledge to not drink and take any sort of medication--even ibuprofin. I'm also pretty sure it says so on every bottle of pretty much every medication out there. Invincibility is the problem--many of us think because we're vibrant and healthy one moment we're going to stay that way, regardless of what we do to ourselves. As concerned as we are about what we put on our bodies (sls, mineral oil, etc), we should be concerned with what we put in them to an even greater degree.
I have no idea how people get prescribed all these freaking medications. Especially the ones you listed--that sounds pretty irresponsible of a doctor, at least on the surface; it makes abuse easy.
As for your comments on Brittany, I think we should reserve comment until toxicology comes out. It's unfair and pretty crude to speculate the worst.Word has it she was vomiting and had flu-like symptoms days prior to Sunday. I'm not saying I'll be surprised if it was prescription-related or street-drug related, but the girl had type 2 diabetes, she had a documented heart problem and most importantly, she's a sister, a daughter and a wife. Abusing prescription drugs doesn't make someone a bad person--it makes ythem a person who needed help and no one helped them.
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I totally agree with what you said !!!!
I agree with you totally! I have heard they think it is natural causes but waiting to run tox on her. I heard she was very thin and also had health problems. It is sad no matter the cause of death especially around this time of year. I feel for her family and hope they can find peace.
Greatly said Melilala. I wasn't about to jump to conclusions on what happened. We'll all see when the reports come back. Until then I'm going to pray for her family and have a Brittany marathon this weekend.
Melilala, I didn't say it was smart to drink on xanax or that it was "common knowledge" not to. I was just saying A LOT of people do drink on it.As far as it being crude to speculate that she was in fact hooked on prescription drugs-I would agree with you. I will disagree with you on the fact that you think I am "being a gossip" when in fact, I am not. I have mutual friends with whom we are discussing and 100% yes there was a drug addiction. I never thought or said she was a bad person.I try to be very responsible and not share "gossip" that is mean-spirited. This post was to be taken as a "wake-up call" to many, myself included.
I agree with you Meg. When her husband, lovely man that he is, advised absolutely no autopsy, that alone is a red light indicating he knew good and well what was up. I know she had type II diabetes and possible other issues, but all the drugs they found at her home were not typical, as her husband said, all the Opiates, for her "women's" issues. Exact words he used. I noticed lately that all these deaths in Hollywood have one major thing in common, they were all on antidepressants. They stated she was on Prozac. Well if she was and she mixed them with many, many other drugs, there you go. Heath Ledger, DJ AM, pretty much all the so-called "accidental" deaths had this particular thing in common. I find it strange, but I read up on them and found this to be the case. I have a feeling once her tox report comes in in a couple of weeks, we're going to find some issues that we wish weren't true. She was too skinny. She didn't look healthy. Plus she seemed to have a great deal of psychological issues concerning her looks. She had a great deal of plastic surgery, seeming to want to look like all the other girls in Hollywood. If you look at her from Clueless, to Girl Interrupted to her very latest movies, you can see there were drastic changes. She was even using a drug that Anna Nicole Smith was using as well. Another person on anti depressants. Why so many drugs? Jamie Presley stated she "was" best friends with her until she married Simon Monjack. Who the hell is this guy? Doesn't sound good. If you do know people who know her habits, well, there you go. Case closed. I am not downing anti depressants if people need them, but as usual, caution. No mixing.
Chanelisbest
Its amazing how easy it is to get prescription pain pills. I was once given a blister "6-pack to go" of Lortab for a suspected spider bite. I didn't complain of pain. All I had was a small red patch on my hand where a brown spider had been earlier in the day. I decided better safe than sorry and ended up with a major pain med in my pocket. Overkill to say the least.
Gone too soon. Just heart breaking and I would feel the same way if she was a celebrity or just one of the many whose lives are ended far too soon. It is unspeakably sad.
i hate taking over-the-counter meds. i think they gave me vicodin after my minor car accident. i took it once and said NEVER AGAIN. rip, brittany.
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Taking prescription drugs was a big thing when I was in high school (late 90s). Glad I never got into that.Also, try not to dump meds in the toilet. A pharmacy can destroy them for you.
I just heard this sad news this morning from your post. She was such a young, beautiful and talented woman. It really hits home since she is only 3 years old than me. I don't like taking medicine at all unless I am in ALOT of pain or really sick even the over-the-counter stuff. I think it is sad the millions of people that lose their lives over drugs of any kind celebrity or not. It happens all over the world everyday. Of course the media jumps all over it if it is a celebrity but ordinary people die everyday because of drugs. I think the kids that dies from it break my heart the most. I feel for Brittany's husband and family during their lost. It is hard to lose a loved one but I think it harder around the holidays. I hope they can find some peace. R.I.P Brittany!
My sister has ruined her life and is trying ruin my entire family's life with prescription drug abuse! It is a nightmare!! She is currently homeless because my family for the time being could no longer take her daily abuse and the theft of all of their money and valuables. She abuses prescription drugs and street drugs now. She got kicked out of rehab for using. She was recently hospitalized for having drug induced seizures. They tried to give her an CAT scan but her veins painfully blew out. She was briefly in jail for altering prescriptions.I beg all of you to please be careful of your prescription drug use. Just because a doctor gives it to you does not mean that it is good for you!! You have no idea what the long term ramifications on yourself or your family can be. Please rethink it!!!!
i was so sad to hear about her death...I'm proud that Im young and taking pills or mixing them, drugs.. or drinking to an excessive amount is something I am not interested in
It's awful what's happening to people with all these prescription drugs...even though they're given out by doctors, they are still DRUGS, they aren't candy! (even though people seem to think they are). People today are on way too many meds, overprescribed by doctors. They are no more safe than stuff you'd get on the street! Poor Brittany Murphy, way too young. Although I don't think they know the exact cause of death, aren't they saying right now that it was from natural causes?Oh and I agree with the don't-dump-pills-down-the-toilet comment, they leech into the water system and end back up in our drinking water. Give them back to the pharmacy to dispose of.
Britt♥
Great post today! I really liked the writing style. I used to be a writer for a newspaper and while I know I wasn't the best, I did learn a lot about style and voice and why some writing just grabs you and some doesn't. This did. I know this has nothing to do with your content, Meg, but I thought this was a very well written piece and I enjoyed it.
R.I.P Brittany. It is really sad, she was so young and talented. I don't have very many prescription meds laying around but I think I will have to get rid of the old T3's on my dresser. I haven't used them since surgery in May :/ I'm not the type to use drugs to medicate my problems (yes I will use OTC tylenol for a headache or ache and pain in my body) but I think it is really tough for people who have such extreme pain that they end up over using a prescription :(
I've always been fascinated by how hurriedly doctors generally prescribe you something, rather than actually working on solving your problems. Your knee hurt? Here, take this pill...I do hope you do not plan on flushing them down the toilet, however, since it is not good for the environment and causes more strains of super resistant bacteria. :)
RIP Brittany! Ah yea i don't take any drugs except for tylenol for my cramps and cough/cold meds.
It takes a LOT for me to want to take a pill. I had a tumor removed from my foot and refused vicoden (sp?) because I've seen too many people get hooked on it. I went through our medicine chest a while back and got rid of anything stiffer than Pamprin or Advil. But I've seen first hand what "doctor approved" drugs can do. I had a relative who couldn't get up without her meds and couldn't go to sleep without a pill to knock her out. It's sad. Funny thing was...this addict (and she WAS an addict) looked down on me because I like my martinis. She "does not drink" and so therefore is a better person than me! SHE'S A JUNKIE but its not alcohol so she thinks its ok.Great post Meg and yes...wonderfully written. Hollywood or downtown small town USA...this problem is everywhere. My thoughts and prayers go out to those with friends and family affected by rx drug use...any drug use. God bless you all.
Love, hugs and shoes...Angie
Meg, kudos for such a raw and honest post. If a tragedy of this beautiful 32 year olds untimely death can save even one of us it's worth the attention it will get. Prescription drug abuse is a real problem, you don't have to be famous. I shutter to inventory all the medications I've been prescribed. I am in the process of seeking alternative medicine options for my health care. Good post Meg.
This post made me cry Meg: for those I've lost to addiction and those I call "friends" whose lives are currently in a spiral of ups and downs and they are many: even here in the "sticks",you can get anything you want and meth/heroin use is rampant.I'm like you: a lightweight who'd rather tough out elective surgery with nothing but ice and Mike and I are so "anti" there is nothing stronger than an Alleve in my cabinet anymore simply because I have seen he results of playing with med-fire.I "used to" take drugs for asthma that made me clamy,my heart race,and my hands shake...they were handed out to me along with samples of MORE to try until my self-shaken cocktail met my needs for that day.No more.It was ridiculous how easy to was to get anything out there simply because I had trouble breathing?I take a Singulair to stop the sniffles once a day now,work out a lot,eat a rather restricted diet and hope for the best.I was once engaged to a Dr who told me "ALL drugs are poison: it's just that sometimes if you're lucky the good they do outweighs the bad...MANY at my gym are currently jumping on the phentermine pill /Lipoderm shots to lose weight and they are getting thin...guess I'll have to suffer a size larger jeans and keep my liver intact because I'm not biting!It's an epidemic and all my friends keep telling me how GREAT they feel...what happens when they stop???My heart goes out to those who do need a bit of help both chemically and emotionally and I hope and trust that your brilliant and brave post will get some to re-think as well.
This is becoming more common every year, people dying from drugs prescribed to them by doctors or even OTC. It's sad, but it should be common sense not to mix drugs. Her death was totally unexpected though. And most importantly, you CAN NOT help someone who doesn't want help.
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Melilala I totally agree with what you said we don't know yet what's happened and I would rather don't say anything and think about her family...I really liked her cause she was pretty in her own way I loved her in Clueless and thought she was amazing in Sin City...RIP
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I was a bit shocked when I heard about her death yesterday. So was so young, and always had a smile on her face. I loved her in clueless, and enjoyed many of other films. She will be missed.
OTC drugs are more commonly being abused. I have a friend who drinks a bottle of nyquil when he's sick. You see the ads for talking to teens about cough medicine being used to get high. It's sick that basic bathroom cabinet drugs can't just be used as directed on the bottles or doctor.
That was a really eye-opening post, thanks Meg. I do think it's true that prescription drugs are easy to get, and easy to get addicted to. Recently a woman where I live died in her sleep with her son in her arms from taking Methadones - that her aunt gave her. It's just very sad that people don't realize the effects of taking seemingly 'safe' prescriptions pills. RIP Brittany, I enjoyed her movies and thought she seemed like a sweet free spirit.
The whole thing is very sad and shocking, because it feels like we have a personal relationship with celebrities. I agree with the comments that we shouldn't speculate about what could/may/must have happened. There's a whole bunch of things it could have been, and just because they found a bunch of prescriptions doesn't mean it had anything to do with her death. I personally take no prescriptions and have no problem believing that an abundance of pills in one's system could cause death, but we just don't know what happened.
so so sad! she was so young!amazing post meg-i dont get sick often and when i do im usually not sick enough to need a doctor or pills. but the trouble is some people are and if a dorctor has prescibed something we tend to trust them-its becomming more and more common that they are making mistakes by prescribing dangerous cocktails of drugs-its scary!-but like others have said,we dont yet know the cause of death..... RIP brittany xxx
The way doctors just listen to you for 2minutes and then shove you out the door with a prescription just shocks me. If doctors were more interested in listening and treating the patient (not the problem) we wouldn't have so many people abusing prescription drugs. Insteat they're getting kickbacks from pharmecutical companies who give them $$ for writing out their prescriptions. They can do this by getting more patients in the door in less time. Its so sad.
Exactly! Earlier this year I had this weird headache on just one side of my head/face and it was pretty bad. I went to the doctor and they just gave me painkillers and told me it was a virus. And I went to two different ones... then I went to the dentist and it was my tooth that was infected. I did suggest to both doctors if it could have sth to do with my teeth because I had a tooth that broke on that same side of my head and even if it was fixed I thought it might have sth to do with it. And yes, it had gotten infected. So what I needed was antibiotics and a root canal not rest and painkillers...