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Wow... just found this on-line. I had heard Dr. Brookoff share his insight into the death of Elvis. He was one of several doctors selected to review Elvis's medical record and autopsy results to help determine the cause of his death.
Elvis did NOT die of a drug overdose. Elvis had a very severe genetic illness, Hirschsprung's disease. As he grew older, the disease emerged progressed until at the time of his death he had a very twisted colon, became severely constipated and also "overflow diarrhea." Out of a fear of having "accidents," he took a lot of the medication Lomotil.
Elvis was trying to live a normal life and was actually taking very few medications. On the last day of his life, Elvis played racquetball and then played music late into the evening. But, as Dr. Brookoff notably said, "Then Elvis tried to do the hardest thing that he had to do every day, because he tried to have a bowel movement. And it looks like Elvis had not had a bowel movement for several weeks before the time of his death."
The medication that he was taking for his bowels, Lomitil, has two effects. #1 - It helps reduce diarrhea but, as a result, causes constipation and #2 it can cause an arrythmia. As Elvis strained to empty his bowel, his heart slowed down and he developed a fatal ventricular arrythmia.
What's important here is that Elvis, like millions of other men and women, was horribly embarrassed by his medical condition and, as a result, very few people knew what a struggle that he was having. The merciless rumors that he died from abusing drugs were wrong. The care that he received from his physician was excellent and, Dr. Brookoff suggested, probably extended his life an extra ten years.
It's an interesting story, isn't it?
Watch the video here: http://www.emergingsolutionsinpain.c...=42&Itemid=219
Jill
Elvis did NOT die of a drug overdose. Elvis had a very severe genetic illness, Hirschsprung's disease. As he grew older, the disease emerged progressed until at the time of his death he had a very twisted colon, became severely constipated and also "overflow diarrhea." Out of a fear of having "accidents," he took a lot of the medication Lomotil.
Elvis was trying to live a normal life and was actually taking very few medications. On the last day of his life, Elvis played racquetball and then played music late into the evening. But, as Dr. Brookoff notably said, "Then Elvis tried to do the hardest thing that he had to do every day, because he tried to have a bowel movement. And it looks like Elvis had not had a bowel movement for several weeks before the time of his death."
The medication that he was taking for his bowels, Lomitil, has two effects. #1 - It helps reduce diarrhea but, as a result, causes constipation and #2 it can cause an arrythmia. As Elvis strained to empty his bowel, his heart slowed down and he developed a fatal ventricular arrythmia.
What's important here is that Elvis, like millions of other men and women, was horribly embarrassed by his medical condition and, as a result, very few people knew what a struggle that he was having. The merciless rumors that he died from abusing drugs were wrong. The care that he received from his physician was excellent and, Dr. Brookoff suggested, probably extended his life an extra ten years.
It's an interesting story, isn't it?
Watch the video here: http://www.emergingsolutionsinpain.c...=42&Itemid=219
Jill
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