Intravenous Drug Used As Sleep Aid Medication For Insomnia

With so many news reports about Michael Jackson’s death, what have we learned? Did Michael Jackson take a more powerful sleep aid medication? Reports that he suffered from insomnia, Jackson’s apparent drug of choice was administered intravenously as a general anesthetic used to sedate patients for surgery in a medical facility or hospital. It’s purpose is to induce sleep quickly for a surgical procedure such as a colonoscopy with an IV drip. The patient will awaken quickly as soon as you turn the IV drip off.

This type of medication is only meant for use as an anesthesia and not a sleep aid for insomnia or any other sleep disorder, because this drug is very powerful that the patient’s breathing could cease or some other critical failure could occur. For this reason alone it should be used in operating rooms and or other medical facilities where doctors and trained medical employees can monitor the patient if something were to go wrong.

It has also been implicated in drug abuse, with people using it to “chill out” or to commit suicide. The powerful drug has a very narrow window of time meaning an overdose may stop a person’s breathing due to a buildup of carbon dioxide, causing the heart to beat irregularly and leading to cardiac arrest.

According to a news report on CNN, Jackson asked a registered nurse to help him with his insomnia by using this drug and she refused his requests. According to the nurse, on June 21 a member of Jackson’s staff begged her to help him after what seemed like an adverse drug reaction. She feared he used this intravenous drug, because he was complaining that half his body was hot and the other half was cold, which was a sign that something had affected his central nervous system.

The drug has been known to create a painful burning sensation which is treated with another prescription drug which was reported also found in Jackson’s room. Michael Jackson’s sister, has stated in an exclusive interview with London newspaper the News of the World, that she believes Michael’s body was to fragile for such a strong drug. “I think it shocked his system so much it caused his death.” she said.

Not only could Jackson have medical issues resulting from his insomnia, could he be struggling with an addiction to prescription drugs such as pain and sleep aid medications? The autopsy showed that his stomach only had partial digested pills. If addicted, over time it is likely that he built up a tolerance to the prescription medication which could have messed up his sleep cycle causing him to abuse these medications.

Unfortunately, Jackson’s doctor probably told him that it was safe when monitored and decided to take it even with knowing the risks involved. The nurse urged him that day to go to the hospital, but Jackson did not go and later died suffering from cardiac arrest.

Jackson will be laid to rest at Holly Terrace in the Great Mausoleum at Glendale Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, Calif. September 3, 2009. Jackson was 50 years old. R.I.P. Michael.