Diprivan/ propofol and Lupus treatment

movingcoolcat

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I know there are no confirmation about use of Diprivan/ propofol but I found this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propofol

And if you scroll down the page until the part where they discuss side effects you find this:


Another recently described rare, but serious, side effect is propofol infusion syndrome. This potentially lethal metabolic derangement has been reported in critically-ill patients after a prolonged infusion of high-dose propofol in combination with catecholamines and/or corticosteroids.[17]

Propofol infusion syndrome is a rare syndrome which affects patients undergoing long-term treatment with high doses of the anaesthetic and sedative drug Propofol. It can lead to cardiac failure, rhabdomyolysis, metabolic acidosis and renal failure and is often fatal.[1] [2]

In treatment of Lupus, they often use corticosteroids.

I do not knw what to make of it, but if some shady doc did pursuade Michael that it would be safe but did not take in to account the interaction with medicine/ treatments for other issues- this might be the result?

After reading about this drug, I can also understand why it could be explained as a solution for his insomnia. It seems that this drug could have less side effects then many sleeping pills, that can make you feel "hung over". That part could be attractive for someone who needed to be fit and alert, having a lot of different projects going at the same time.
Severe insomnia can also cloud a persons ability to make sound judgments. As can chronic pain.

My guess, going by the information I have so far is that the cause will be some kind of combination of drugs that interacted and caused the cardiac arrest. But this is also a difference from being a "drug addict". Because as we now know (?), Michael did have some ailments that required medication.
 
Interesting for sure. I wish the toxicology reports would come out, it is worse not knowing.
 
I know there are no confirmation about use of Diprivan/ propofol but I found this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propofol

And if you scroll down the page until the part where they discuss side effects you find this:


Another recently described rare, but serious, side effect is propofol infusion syndrome. This potentially lethal metabolic derangement has been reported in critically-ill patients after a prolonged infusion of high-dose propofol in combination with catecholamines and/or corticosteroids.[17]

Propofol infusion syndrome is a rare syndrome which affects patients undergoing long-term treatment with high doses of the anaesthetic and sedative drug Propofol. It can lead to cardiac failure, rhabdomyolysis, metabolic acidosis and renal failure and is often fatal.[1] [2]

In treatment of Lupus, they often use corticosteroids.

I do not knw what to make of it, but if some shady doc did pursuade Michael that it would be safe but did not take in to account the interaction with medicine/ treatments for other issues- this might be the result?

After reading about this drug, I can also understand why it could be explained as a solution for his insomnia. It seems that this drug could have less side effects then many sleeping pills, that can make you feel "hung over". That part could be attractive for someone who needed to be fit and alert, having a lot of different projects going at the same time.
Severe insomnia can also cloud a persons ability to make sound judgments. As can chronic pain.

My guess, going by the information I have so far is that the cause will be some kind of combination of drugs that interacted and caused the cardiac arrest. But this is also a difference from being a "drug addict". Because as we now know (?), Michael did have some ailments that required medication.

Very interesting find. My best friend is a nurse-anesthetist and I asked her about propofal. I mentioned that MIchael had told the nurse "they said it was safe". My friend said that it is safe but you have to have someone with you the entire time you are under because unless it is given in very minute quantities you have someone breath for you while you are under. That is why in hopitals they do not generally allow it to be used outside of the operating room. (My comment, and I'm not medical: I wonder if is possible the doctor did not recognize that there was something further wrong with Michael. ) She said there were other sedations that didn't require that oversight but you with have a hangover type effect from them which you don't with profanal.

Remember there was another story out there that whne MIchael was in Germany he had a doctor whose sole purpose was to bring him down and back up.

It would be illegal for the doctor to have used it here in the US (considering his license) so he is in trouble regardless. I am not sure if it would have been illegal in Europe.
 
http://ezinearticles.com/?Painkiller-Abuse-and-Insomnia&id=1111923


There is a distinct relationship between painkiller abuse and insomnia. People who use painkillers over a long period often become dependent on them. Whether they are still using or they are trying to stop, insomnia can occur.
Painkillers which come from opium or synthetic opium are among the most frequently abused. Acetaminophen combined with codeine is a very popular prescription for doctors to hand out. Vicodin or hydrocodone can also be used for pain management. However, when the person develops a need to take the pain medication continually, it becomes a problem.
People begin by taking the medication that has been prescribed to them. Next, they clean out the medicine cabinet of any similar medications that have been prescribed to family members. Finally, they will shop around for painkillers. They will do this by convincing each of their individual doctors, dentists, and specialists that they need a prescription for the painkillers.
The result is painkiller abuse, and insomnia is a part of the package. When the person first begins to take the painkillers, the initial effect is sleepiness or grogginess. This is a pleasant feeling to many people, especially to those in pain. They want to experience it again and again. They may even combine their painkillers with other drugs or with alcohol to increase the sedative effect.
The problem is that, over time, the body begins to get used to the painkiller. It takes more to get the desired effect. This means that sleeplessness is likely any time the person who is addicted cannot increase or at least maintain the dose usually taken. The addict wants more than anything to relax and often to go to sleep. This becomes increasingly difficult.
Even when people who abuse painkillers do go to bed, their sleep cycles are not normal. They are not able to go into the various stages of light to deep to REM sleep the way most people do. This leads to more sleep disturbances, and eventually to more insomnia.
Another reason painkiller abuse and insomnia go hand in hand is because of withdrawal. When a person does decide to get off of painkillers, a period of insomnia is almost certain to take place. The body is craving its accustomed fix of medications. It will not let one sleep unless they are given, or until long after physical withdrawal is complete.
Rebound headaches are a different source of painkiller abuse that can lead to insomnia. The painkillers may simply be over-the-counter preparations such as aspirin, acetaminophen, or ibuprofen. They could be migraine medications or opiates as well. When one takes them indiscriminately, it is a recipe for problems.
People begin by taking too much medication, or by taking it in anticipation of needing it. The body becomes used to having the medication. When a day of medication is missed, the headache comes back worse than before. Insomnia is one of the problems associated with this syndrome.
Painkiller abuse and insomnia are both problems individually. When the abuse is the cause of the insomnia, the difficulty is compounded. One must not only recover from the substance abuse. One must also tame the insomnia that has resulted.


Why could Michael not sleep?
Maybe his insomnia was caused by long term dependency on painkillers due to several ailments? It is known that he developed an addiction to Demerol, and considering the pressure he lived under for so many years it would not be surprising if he indeed battled with this long after.
I am guessing that due to him having chronic pain, or relapses as a effect from Lupus, back injury etc. this would have been a tough dilemma for him.
 
http://www.psychosomaticmedicine.org/cgi/content/abstract/71/2/243

I think this is one very interesting, but also very sad thing to read about.

In this link its only possible to read the abstract, but as it points out:

Cumulative childhood stress can lead to severe autoimmune disease in adulthood.
And if there is one thing we know for a fact, it is that Michael had a childhood that required him to grow up fast.
Add to that the stress caused by various things as being a high achieving individual, an perfectionist, someone with a desire to please and be polite etc...
And this is one of the reasons why I will not be surprised if we learn that he had his battles with drugs, on and off over the years. Still, I do think that it was a series of unfortunate events that led to this. he did not seem to be a person who sought to be "high". He doesnt come off as the typical drug abuser ( whatever that is.......I admit I may have some serious stereotype thinking here).

He did amazing things, and he was indeed an amzing person. But the pressure he was living under could have killed anyone.
If it indeed turns out to be accidental death due to overdose, or indirectly linked to long term use of prescription medication- I will not point my finger at him. i know i could not have coped with all he had to deal with. That I am 100 % shore of.
 
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