Ledger's Death Ruled "Acute Intoxication"

61. Wow. That's a lot of sleep aids. you would think a famous actor making pretty good money from films could afford to find a dr who could determine the cause of his sleep disorder rather than just keep prescribing more and more drugs to knock him out. Unless the cause was really sleeplessless caused by use of illegal and not divulged drugs like cocaine? Heath was a reported night owl who loved to "party'. apparently too much.

Posted at 11:11AM on Feb 6th 2008 by gossip gurrrlll

62. It funny that everyone blames Doctors....

Its very easy to go to five different Docs and get five different Prescriptions. They have no idea your are getting other meds unless you tell them

Its very sad, but the blame lies with the patient in most of these cases

Posted at 11:18AM on Feb 6th 2008 by TXbred

63. I guess I can't see the logic in "thank god it wasn't cocaine" Actually a line of coke seems prudent compared to what he took. "Accidental death" Sort of "accidently dying" after jumping off a roof.

Posted at 11:18AM on Feb 6th 2008 by sharon

64. After further thought, I remembered that a while back when I was going through a bout of depression and suffering from insomnia myself, I had refused the anxiety medication my doctor prescribed (because I didn't think it warranted medication) and I didn't ask for a prescription for the insomnia. However, I did have some somas left over from an oral surgery and kept taking those in droves because when I did, I would feel my body "fall asleep" from my toes up to my head and it knocked me out. He could have been taking oxycodone to supplement his insomnia medication if he thought it wasn't working (*like when he said the Ambien wasn't working).

Posted at 11:19AM on Feb 6th 2008 by Kelly

65. Wake Up!!!! How many of you out there suffer from "DEPRESSION"? This is a clear cut and dry case of a Depressed person, can't sleep, walking the Streets at all hours of the nite, Don't Judge were you in his mind. DEPRESSION & Mental Issues ruin your whole life!!!!! I'm 47 and have been a Manic Depressant since Childhood, Watch the Commercial, Depression Hurts, but they need to add kills in there too,
Rest In Peace Health, your Pain is Gone no longer will you be sad!!!!!!!!!!

Posted at 11:31AM on Feb 6th 2008 by Lillian

66. Doctors prescribe all these medications because THEY GET KICKBACKS FROM THE PHARMECEUTICAL COMPANIES!!! That's why!

Posted at 11:21AM on Feb 6th 2008 by Kelly

67. HEY DR UGABOOGWTF your name is, I only meant that this story has alerady been whored out by the media and the stigma attached to a cocaine OD would make it worse. I know it doesnt bring peace to his family or this young man back. Jeesh you think being a DR you would understand what I meant.

Posted at 11:21AM on Feb 6th 2008 by 2dr2fck

68. Heath was obviously an insomniac. It is a very difficult disorder to deal with. I have been to several doctors for the condition and they prescribed Ativan, zoloft, Xanax and even Arsenic. After a bout with Xanax, I refused to take any other prescribed sleeping drugs. Instead I use natural techniques, like massages..which is what he seemed to have been attempting to do. The man was stressed and did not know how to handle it. By the way research has shown that insomniacs can live for 30 yrs on minimal, drug free sleep, Insomnia drugs KILL not insomnia!!! So now he is resting but for good.So sad!!

Posted at 11:27AM on Feb 7th 2008 by sussudio

69. I've been a Heath Ledger since "10 Things I Hate About You", and had been following him ever since....And since his death, I've been wishing for answers....Now I've got them, and I'm still unsettled....On one hand I mourn his death, on the other, I think 'How could he have been so stupid?'....With that many drugs, there is an even bigger chance of a lethal combination....R.I.P. Heath

Posted at 6:59PM on Feb 7th 2008 by KrisKlepan2

70. Am so saddened by his death, especially since it could have been avoided if his doctors had used a little common sense prescribing so many narcotics. From what I have read, he had pneumonia and insomnia and was probably taking some of everything he had on hand trying to get some rest.....scary because people are doing the same thing every day. Its a time bomb waiting to go off but everyone seems to think it wont happen to them because they are "different". Rest in peace, Heath.

Posted at 11:28AM on Feb 6th 2008 by Lee

71. I'll buy the sleeping meds but whats with the Oxy? Hadn't heard he was suffering from some physical pain. Was he injured in some previous accident and taking pain killers?

Posted at 11:31AM on Feb 6th 2008 by Carmelkyd

72. he reportedly had pneumonia at the time and probably had hydrocodone in his cough syrup. He probably felt like crap
from the infection and debilitating insomnia and was just trying to get some relief.
Very tragic.

Posted at 9:48PM on Feb 6th 2008 by frankieandbuddhA

73. NOT a suicide... if it was, ALL the pill bottles would have been empty.. they weren't. He just wanted to sleep.. ok.. let it go.

Posted at 11:28AM on Feb 6th 2008 by CJS

74. once again, it just goes to show that being a celebrity can buy you any and everything that you want....including getting a physician or physicians to prescribe NUMEROUS narcotics....we've heard so much about the actor's insomnia, but no mention as to why he would be taking hydrocodone and oxycodone....unbelieveable...if i (and no, i'm not famous) had such meds prescribed to me by my dr., i would have already been arrested and thrown in jail...

isn't it time that the physicians start being held accountible for their patients deaths????

Posted at 11:30AM on Feb 6th 2008 by shantel

75. I WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT THAT JUST BECAUSE THEY ARE PRESCRIPTION DRUGS , THEY ARE NOT SAFE .
DID YOU SEE THE SUPERBOWL COMMERCIAL WERE THE DRUG DEALER WAS LOSING ALL HIS CUSTOMERS
TO THE DOCTORS.
THE MIXTURE OF DRUGS HE WAS RECEIVING AND OD FROM WAS ASTONISHING .
IF THIS WAS PRESCRIBED BY ONE DOCTOR, THIS IS CRIMINAL BECAUSE HE WAS PRESCRIBING OXYCODONE AND
VICODIN WHICH IS EXACTLY LIKE HEROIN AND ALSO VALIUM AND ANOTHER 5 OR 6 EXTREMELY DANGEROUS DRUGS.
YOU WILL SEE THE DOCTOR BROUGHT UP ON CHARGES !!!!!!!!!
SORRY FOR YOUR SUFFERING HEATH..
REST IN PEACE......

Posted at 11:32AM on Feb 6th 2008 by LUPETTO