Celebrity Justice
John Travolta's Son: Meds Ultimately Didn't Work

Posted Jan 5th 2009 3:00AM by TMZ Staff

TMZ has learned more about the medical condition of John Travolta's son, Jett, and the medication that ultimately didn't work.

We're now told the grand mal seizures Jett suffered were "frequent and extremely serious." Travolta's lawyers, Michael Ossi and Michael McDermott, tell us "each seizure was like a death," with Jett losing consciousness and convulsing.

We now know Jett was taking a drug called Depakote, a strong anti-seizure medication. There have been reports Travolta refused to give his son anti-seizure meds because of Scientology but those stories are not true.

Jett had been having seizures on an average of every four days, until he started taking Depakote. Ossi and McDermott say the drug initially worked, reducing the frequency to approximately once every three weeks.

Jett took Depakote for "several years," but it eventually lost its effectiveness, according to Ossi and McDermott. They say the Travoltas were concerned about possible physical damage. And, Jett went back to having around one seizure a week. So Travolta and Preston, after consulting neurosurgeons, stopped administering the drug. No one is suggesting withdrawal of the medicine in any way caused the fatal episode.

Filed under: Celebrity Justice, John Travolta


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61. I have no opinion about their religion and could care less. All I know is that a mother and father recently lost their son. I feel for them as HUMAN BEINGS.

Whatever happened will come out over time but given that this just happened, give these parents the benefit of the doubt and let them grieve in peace, These are real, loving human beings we're talking about not make believe characters in a movie. Some people posting here seem to be unable to differentiate between the two.

I'm always amazed at the inhuman statements made by people who hide behind computer screens. Treat others as you'd like to be treated. If this were you how would it make you feel knowing the vile things you people are saying. Disgusting.

Posted at 1:47PM on Jan 4th 2009 by Let them Grieve in Peace

62. I have always liked John Travolta and kelly Preston and NO ONE desreves to lose a child. However, they have not served this child well from the beginning. John Travolta admitted on Larry King Live that they obsessively and constantly cleaned this child's carpet and surroundings to the point where he had to go through detox from household cleaners and pesticides---and using a BS Scientology process at that. Any other parents would have been investigated. He refuses to admit that the child was autisitc yet he had two nannies at the age of 16? He was either autistic or brain-damaged from all the chemicals. SO SAD............. I hope the daughter is alright being raised by these two.
I hate to say it but bis condition was a direct result of their actions---exposing him to the chemicals that caused the seizures in the first place and then taking him off of meds----then not supervising him every secnd, KNOWING exactlt how often he was having seizures

Posted at 1:47PM on Jan 4th 2009 by msgirl

63. Okie Dokie - You don't know what Jett's exact medical situation or treatment was. I don't care what you say about Scientology, because I'm a Christian. Just don't go assuming this man and his wife knowingly harmed their son without REAL facts. You are going by what you READ. Be careful about that. Just because some so called new source say's they received a "statement" doesn't mean they did or ARE reporting it as it was said.

Bottom line get a life before judging others.

Posted at 1:49PM on Jan 4th 2009 by Okie Doo Doo

64. to May God be With You - I have expressed my condolences regarding Jetts passing. The Travolta family isn't going to read this forum anyhow so I am not going to keep saying it over and over and defend something that I think is wrong in hopes that the family will see it and contact me with thanks, which is what I believe some people are doing.

I do hope that they hold close to one another and find a way to get through this. I have also stated many times that no one should ever have to go through the pain and heartache of losing a child, no matter who they are or what they believe in. Please read all of my posts before you jump on the "Lets attack Okie Doke" bandwagon. Im not a heartless person - I just don't agree with Scientology and their beliefs nor do I feel that the Travolta family did all that they could for Jett. It is my opinion and I am allowed to have it. Others have said the same things as I have - and I don't see anyone jumping on them as you are doing to me.

Posted at 1:51PM on Jan 4th 2009 by Okie Doke

65. If those seizures were that frequent and that life threatening, why would you put him on a plane and take him out of the country? This is a tragedy for all, parents have lost a son and I'm sure they're feeling many things, guilt included. I still believe someone dropped the ball here.

Posted at 1:51PM on Jan 4th 2009 by polly purebred

66. Hey PJ, while you're telling others to stop judging you need to apply it to yourself as well.

Posted at 1:52PM on Jan 4th 2009 by welcome back

67. And you, Okie Doo Doo, you're here judging from hell to breakfast just like the person you're dogging sooo...

Everyone can say whatever they like. If you don't like a person's post...skip over it. Pretty dang simple.

Posted at 1:54PM on Jan 4th 2009 by welcome back

68. Travis, poster #38. I think you may hold the record as posting the most ignorant comment ever.

Posted at 1:54PM on Jan 4th 2009 by Leela

69. #8...YOU HAVE NOT ONE FRICKING CLUE WHAT YOUR TALKING ABOUT.......HAVE YOU EVER TAKEN IT? OBVIOUSLY NOT STUPID......WHY CAN'T YOU PEOPLE GET A LIFE AND LEAVE THEM ALONE.....SHAME ON YOU FOR ADDING INSULT TO INJURY....HARVEY, IF YOU ARE ANY KIND OF MAN YOU WOULD LEAVE THEM ALONE.....I CAN'T WAIT FOR A TRAGEDY IN YOUR LIFE, SO WE CAN ALL BLOG ABOUT WHAT A DUMFUK U ARE

Posted at 1:58PM on Jan 4th 2009 by LEAVE THEM ALONE

70. DEPAKOTE. D-E-P-A-K-O-T-E. for real, i bet nina wrote this after dying her hair with the loreal box with beyonce on the front.

anyway, i just ended my job last year as a behavioral health professional. i worked for almost 3 years with teenagers in a residential setting with seizure disorders, autism, and a whole list of other mental retardations and behavioral disorders. i lived through chimes on doors and windows, hourly checks, watching children have seizures both grand mal, and the ones where they, if not within arms length could walk into traffic or fall down stairs because unless you can eye it, you would never know they were seizing. my heart goes out to the travoltas. until you have experienced what it is like to live with this, you will NEVER understand, never relate, never get it.

as far as medication goes... i am a supporter of medication. but its a lot more complicated than just giving someone something. first of all, GET OFF WEB MD AND GOOGLE... all these drugs are dangerous and not recommended for children. a child i worked with DIED at 15 years old from a seizure disorder, and he was or had been on every pill ever made. he died. in his bed. these drugs take 6 weeks to show consistent signs of treatment. they all cause weight gain, mood instabilty, sleepiness, sleeplessness, and a lot of times the children on it aren't able to communicate well enough to ever know if its working or how it makes them feel.

i've administered depakote to a kid who took 1000mg of this a day as well as 500 to 1000mg a day of keppra. he still had seizures. along with everything else he took. he was severely over weight. and if he missed one dose he could have a week full of 2-15 minute seizures all that were adding to the "if he keeps having seizures he'll be a vegetable by the time hes 21 yrs old." he had a vagus nerve stimulator. and that didnt help either. SOMETIMES IT JUST CANT BE STOPPED.

i'm sensitive, at times. mostly when surrounding the issue of mental retardation, small children, cats, etc. i hate people who drive drunk and start racial wars. but, honestly... i believe there was nothing that could have been done to prevent this. no need to blame or point fingers. it is what it is. and i strongly believe if he had not died, he would have died eventually, brain wise, from these seizures. so, may god take him to a better place.

Posted at 1:58PM on Jan 4th 2009 by fire nina

71. If you don't feed your child and it dies from starvation you go to jail for killing that child. Likewise, if you have a sick child and deny them the care they need and they die as a result of that or NEGLECT, you will go to jail. The Scientologist are working full time to spin this, another MURDER at their ignorant expense.

Posted at 1:59PM on Jan 4th 2009 by duh

72. So Jett was having gran mal seizures every four days but the mannies didn't check on him for more than ten hours?
The Depacote lost effectiveness so they stopped all medications rather than try any of the hundreds of other effective medications for the treatment of seizures?
Are they sure it was the depakote that damaged his liver? Overdosing on niacin damages the liver and that is a major component of the purification rundown scientology prescribes for people like Jett. Kelly Preston admitted to using it on Jett.

Posted at 1:59PM on Jan 4th 2009 by HuhWhat?

73. Okie, you came across intelligently, but seemed to straddle the fence (of ignorance) and I didn't want you to do that. A lot of negative posters NEED Jesus Himself to speak to them.

Have a good day.

Posted at 2:00PM on Jan 4th 2009 by May God Be With You

74. The bloggers on here who have autistic children should know that every autistic child is different. I work with autistic children and the level of behaviour is mild to extremely severe. Unless one spent time with Jett, they can't compare him to another autistic child. Also, no medication is going to be a miracle worker. If the side effects pose a serious threat it's up to the individual or guardian to stop taking it. Personally, I've done that myself. Obviously, the Travolta's were advised by medical professionals. Leave them alone and let them grieve.

Posted at 2:00PM on Jan 4th 2009 by nomorehaters

75. This young man is free now - healthy and strong.. It's his parents and sister we have to keep in our prayers. So sorry for your loss, truly sorry. No parent should have to bury their child.

Posted at 2:00PM on Jan 4th 2009 by carol

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