a page from the PDR - Elvis' Pharmaceutical Bible
Demerol (Merperide): a severe painkiller, comparable with Morphine.
Elvis started using Demerol in the early 60's (tablets) and switched more and more to liquid Demerol (injections) since the summer of 1973.
It's interesting so see that Elvis hightlighted the following words (in bold): see attached picture - left side of the text:
So if Elvis thought that oral intake (syrup and tablets) was less effective, this pretty much confirms why he changed from tablets to injections (parenteral).
Also it is interesting to see that Elvis was concerned about the dosage when Demerol was used with other Drugs: right side of the text:
But if you read the last paragraph Intravenous Use, you can read that rapid intravenous injections of Demerol are very dangerous (even leading to cardiac arrest) and that the patient must lay down. And that it should not be injected if no narcotic antagonist and fascilities for controlled respiration are available.
So, how on earth could Dr. Shapiro prescribe bottles of liquid Demerol knowing that the injection of Demerol should be monitored in a clinical setting ?
And how is it possible that non medical trained amateurs like Ricky, David (Stanley) - even Linda would inject him (Revelations of the Memphis Maffia). It seems we must take some of these stories with a grain of salt.
It's all too easy to say that Elvis knew the pharmaceutical bible (PDR) well enough to get want he want, because some medicines (like liquid Demerol) should not have been presribed for unmonitored use. Besides, if Elvis was clearly given easy access to heavy prescribed drugs, it is only logical that Elvis must have underestimated the riscs of the prescribed drugs he was taking. In fact when Elvis highlighted the word "reduced dosage" in combination with other drugs (right side of the page), Elvis was getting concerned of how his bloated body was reacting to all the medicine he was taking. And he had all rights to be concerned, he did not look healthy at all....
Elvis took his last Demerol at 09.00 AM at Aug 16th, and according to the Toxicological Analysis it was only found in his body in very reduced dosage, so perhaps Elvis was really concerned about the dosages he was taking in combination with other drugs.
Unfortunately his possible concern for reduced dosage of Demerol was too late.
Elvis died a few hours later.
But, there is also some "positive" news for the fan who is getting tired of all these people who think that Elvis was a street junkie or died of taking too much hard drugs. We should not deny that Elvis was addicted to many types of prescribed drugs for many years, actually from his Army time, but some published conclusions about Elvis says more about the ever sensation seeking reporter then his intelligence, though it hurt Elvis image real badly especially when the book "Elvis, What Happened" was just released.
But the real truth is that according to the final toxicological report from the the Bio - Science Laboratories in LA, Elvis did not die because of too many hard drugs. No, his death was caused by polypharmacy using a fatal combination of Codeine / Placidyl and Amital.
Now what do these drugs mean:
Codeine: Narcotic Analgesic / pain releaver -> freely available in many countries (especially in combination with Paracetamol).
Placidyl: Depressant -> drug (sleeping pill) of choice for treatment of insomnia.
Amital: another sleeping pill (a bit heavier than Placidyl) for treatment of insomia
So, Elvis did no die of the use of heavy painkillers or street drugs, but from the use of regular prescribed drugs : 2 different sleeping pills in combination with Codeine.
Only the level of Codeine found in his blood / serum was at toxic level. However the use of Codeine seems like a tragic incident, but that is a different story.
Demerol (Merperide): a severe painkiller, comparable with Morphine.
Elvis started using Demerol in the early 60's (tablets) and switched more and more to liquid Demerol (injections) since the summer of 1973.
It's interesting so see that Elvis hightlighted the following words (in bold): see attached picture - left side of the text:
Meperidine is significantly less effective by the oral than by the parenteral route
Also it is interesting to see that Elvis was concerned about the dosage when Demerol was used with other Drugs: right side of the text:
Interaction with Other Central Nervous System Depressants.
Merperide should be used with great caution and in reduced dosage in patients who are concurrently receiving other narcotic analgesics, general anesthetics, phenothiazines, other tranquelizers, sedative hypnotics ...
Merperide should be used with great caution and in reduced dosage in patients who are concurrently receiving other narcotic analgesics, general anesthetics, phenothiazines, other tranquelizers, sedative hypnotics ...
So, how on earth could Dr. Shapiro prescribe bottles of liquid Demerol knowing that the injection of Demerol should be monitored in a clinical setting ?
And how is it possible that non medical trained amateurs like Ricky, David (Stanley) - even Linda would inject him (Revelations of the Memphis Maffia). It seems we must take some of these stories with a grain of salt.
It's all too easy to say that Elvis knew the pharmaceutical bible (PDR) well enough to get want he want, because some medicines (like liquid Demerol) should not have been presribed for unmonitored use. Besides, if Elvis was clearly given easy access to heavy prescribed drugs, it is only logical that Elvis must have underestimated the riscs of the prescribed drugs he was taking. In fact when Elvis highlighted the word "reduced dosage" in combination with other drugs (right side of the page), Elvis was getting concerned of how his bloated body was reacting to all the medicine he was taking. And he had all rights to be concerned, he did not look healthy at all....
Elvis took his last Demerol at 09.00 AM at Aug 16th, and according to the Toxicological Analysis it was only found in his body in very reduced dosage, so perhaps Elvis was really concerned about the dosages he was taking in combination with other drugs.
Unfortunately his possible concern for reduced dosage of Demerol was too late.
Elvis died a few hours later.
But, there is also some "positive" news for the fan who is getting tired of all these people who think that Elvis was a street junkie or died of taking too much hard drugs. We should not deny that Elvis was addicted to many types of prescribed drugs for many years, actually from his Army time, but some published conclusions about Elvis says more about the ever sensation seeking reporter then his intelligence, though it hurt Elvis image real badly especially when the book "Elvis, What Happened" was just released.
But the real truth is that according to the final toxicological report from the the Bio - Science Laboratories in LA, Elvis did not die because of too many hard drugs. No, his death was caused by polypharmacy using a fatal combination of Codeine / Placidyl and Amital.
Now what do these drugs mean:
Codeine: Narcotic Analgesic / pain releaver -> freely available in many countries (especially in combination with Paracetamol).
Placidyl: Depressant -> drug (sleeping pill) of choice for treatment of insomnia.
Amital: another sleeping pill (a bit heavier than Placidyl) for treatment of insomia
So, Elvis did no die of the use of heavy painkillers or street drugs, but from the use of regular prescribed drugs : 2 different sleeping pills in combination with Codeine.
Only the level of Codeine found in his blood / serum was at toxic level. However the use of Codeine seems like a tragic incident, but that is a different story.
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