Tom Petty’s Cause of Death

[babs23r]

Just found out that Tom Petty died from an accidental drug overdose. It’s just so sad that people with treatable pain, and addictive personalities are privy to so many medications without the knowledge of how they interact with each other.
A death that didn’t have to be. Really makes me mad.

 

[Snowdrop13]

I’ve just read this too, he was prescribed seven different meds, all either opioids or sedatives, how can that happen? Mistakes must be easily made, if you get mixed up or confused or take any alcohol on top.

 

[mary poppins]

Yup, saw the news last night and am sad about it all over again. Such a shame, both Tom Petty and Prince under similar circumstances. Statement from his family:

Our family sat together this morning with the Medical Examiner – Coroner’s office and we were informed of their final analysis that Tom Petty passed away due to an accidental drug overdose as a result of taking a variety of medications.

Unfortunately Tom’s body suffered from many serious ailments including emphysema, knee problems and most significantly a fractured hip.

Despite this painful injury he insisted on keeping his commitment to his fans and he toured for 53 dates with a fractured hip and, as he did, it worsened to a more serious injury.

On the day he died he was informed his hip had graduated to a full on break and it is our feeling that the pain was simply unbearable and was the cause for his over use of medication.

We knew before the report was shared with us that he was prescribed various pain medications for a multitude of issues including Fentanyl patches and we feel confident that this was, as the coroner found, an unfortunate accident.

As a family we recognize this report may spark a further discussion on the opioid crisis and we feel that it is a healthy and necessary discussion and we hope in some way this report can save lives. Many people who overdose begin with a legitimate injury or simply do not understand the potency and deadly nature of these medications.

On a positive note we now know for certain he went painlessly and beautifully exhausted after doing what he loved the most, for one last time, performing live with his unmatchable rock band for his loyal fans on the biggest tour of his 40 plus year career. He was extremely proud of that achievement in the days before he passed.

We continue to mourn with you and marvel at Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers' incredible positive impact on music and the world. And we thank you all for your love and support over the last months. Thank you also for respecting the memory of a man who was truly great during his time on this planet both publicly and privately. We would be grateful if you could respect the privacy of the entire Heartbreaker family during this difficult time.

Dana Petty and Adria Petty

 

[Tekate]

From what I read at least one of the fentanyl was a street drug.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acetylfentanyl

Maybe a physician prescribed this for him.. the reports say there were various physician prescribed opioids at his home.

As a person who has had 2 hip replacements I can unequivocally say hip pain is horrible, bone on bone, but I never took anything but Vicodin, but I took vicodin for years on and off as the more you use the more you need.. vicious circle. My brother, when dying of lung cancer had a fentanyl patch (did not help much really with the bone pain), but he did nod off which is good when you have bone pain.. I do not understand why he wasn't operated on for the fractured hip. I guess he wanted to finish the tour.. It must have been excruciating pain. But he was an addictive personality... he also had heart disease and emphysema (he was always seen smoking).. I loved his music, his music spoke to me and we are the same age group.

 

[babs23r]

I hear you, I’m around his age, and the whole time I’m thinking that it was a heart attack from all of the smoking, or a clot from the break that caused his death, but opioids?!!! It makes me mad. I loved him and his music, but now am mad that he didn’t wake up when Prince died.

 

[Calliecake]

It’s just sad. Petty also was a heroin addict in the 90’s. Prescribing an addict fentanyl and the other opioids seems like a recipe for a disaster.

 

[babs23r]

I wonder if the next step will be to investigate the Doctors that did the prescribing.