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.

Excessive sleepiness is caused by the extreme condition prevalent in depression. Hypersomnia is a condition in which the person sleeps for a very prolonged period of time. His state is such that he waits for a chance to doze off to sleep. This is largely related to the person not being able to wake up. This is caused by the central nervous system and the effects of this problem are prominent for life if not treated in the early stages. The professional and social life of the person is gravely affected due to the fact that he tends to sleep during working hours. Many people lose their jobs due to sleep order problems.

The causes of excessive sleepiness are as follows:

-Dysfunction of the central nervous system.

-Head injuries- an accident in the past which has caused head injury may be a reason for the problem to occur. The accident may also have caused an impact on the nervous system.

-Over weight - obese people tend to get lethargic and have no mood to work actively. A right kind of exercise regime will help them reduce weight and reduce the sleep disorders.

-Drugs- the excessive use of drugs and alcohol also has an impact on the sleep habits of a person. Under the influence of drugs, the person does not realize when he sleeps and wakes up.

The symptoms of Hypersomnia are briefly discussed below.

-Prolonged periods of sleeping in the day- even after getting a good amount of sleep in the night, the person tends to fall asleep during the day.

-Even after long sleeps in the day, the person wakes up giving a lethargic look. The sleep has no refreshing effect on him as it is supposed to be.

-The sleeps in the night are also long and even wakening the person does not wake him up. No amount of disturbance can ruin the sleep.

-Very often, the person looks drunk when he gets up in the morning and feels like going back to sleep.

-In order to stay awake, there is excessive consumption of caffeine.

The treatment for Hypersomnia is possible and its long lived effect can be treated correctly if the person seeks medical help.

-A number of drugs are used to stimulate and prevent the person from sleeping during the day.

-While depression is one of the main reasons, it is treated directly to reduce the impact of excessive sleepiness. Anti depressants are used for this purpose.

-A change in the lifestyle will help in the treatment process. The person is required to avoid working at night and avoid late night outs. The sleep routine should not be changed and should be followed strictly. You can take the help of your partner to watch over you.

-A good amount of exercise should be done. Start with a small regime.

-Any type of drug and alcohol should not be consumed.

Consult you doctor if you thing you are suffering from hypersomnia.

Amphetamine Dextroamphetamine is the generic name for the central nervous system stimulant, Adderall. As we all know, the brain is the master of all activities. It also includes hyper activity and impulse control. To perform these functions, some chemicals play a vital role. If those chemicals malfunction, it leads to Narcolepsy and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Adderall is being used to treat those disorders.

Some things which you need to keep in mind before taking this medicine are:

• Take this medicine only when it is prescribed.
• Do not take in excess as it can affect your heart.
• Adderall comes in a capsule form to ensure that it enters into your body slowly. You should not break or open. If you do so, all the drugs will act at the same time which is not advisable.
• Store your medicine away from moisture, light and heat.
• Being a drug of abuse, you may get addicted to it. So, keep track of your dosage. Ensure that nobody else is taking it.
• Drink lot of water when you take this medicine.

Adderall is strictly banned to heart patients. MAO inhibitors should not be present in your body when you take this medicine. Your body needs almost 2 weeks for clearing all the inhibitors such as Marplan, Parnate, Nardil, Azilect, Emsam and so on. One who suffers from the following diseases should completely avoid this medicine. Do you have?

• Arteriosclerosis, a disease characterised by hardened blood arteries.
• Hypertension
• Overactive thyroid
• Glaucoma

In case, if you take it will lead to sudden death. Also one who has a history of drug addiction should avoid this medicine. Long term usage of this medicine should be prohibited especially for children. This may affect the growth of the children. Also during pregnancy, mother should not take. It will affect the unborn baby and it may cause premature birth, low birth weight and so on. It is strictly prohibited for breast feeding mothers because adderall may pass through breast milk.

If you forget to take the medicine, just skip it. Do not take extra to compensate for that which people normally does. But overdose if adderall is fatal.

Even though you take this medicine with these precautionary measures, it may cause side effects which every medicine does. But its impact is stronger than others which include:

• Fast, pounding, or uneven heartbeats
• Feeling light-headed, fainting
• Increased blood pressure
• Severe headache
• Blurred vision
• Trouble concentrating
• Chest pain
• Numbness
• Tremor
• Restlessness
• Hallucinations
• Motor tics (muscle twitches)
• Headache or dizziness
• Sleep problems (insomnia)
• Dry mouth or an unpleasant taste in your mouth
• Diarrhoea, constipation
• Loss of appetite, weight loss; or
• Loss of interest in sex, impotence

Overall, do not take this medicine unless it is mandate.

What are Over-the-Counter Drugs?

Over-the-counter Drugs (OTCs) are those that are used to treat common ailments and are deemed safe enough to be used without a prescription. There are over 80 different therapeutic categories for OTCs and they must meet the following qualifications:

- minimal risk for abuse or misuse

- consumer can diagnose self and alleviate their own symptoms (for example, runny nose, headache)

- benefits must outweigh risks

Common Over-the-Counter Drugs?

Some of the most common OTC drugs include: Tylenol, Zyrtec, Aspirin, and Benadryl.

What are Prescription Drugs?

Prescription drugs require a qualified health care professional such as a physician to prescribe them. These medications generally fall into one of the following categories and generally have increased abuse risks:

-Central Nervous System (CNS) Depressants

-Pain Management

-Stimulants

Additionally, these medications may be branded or generic medications.

What are Common Prescription Medications?

Some of the most common prescription medications include OxyContin, Dilaudid, and Valium.

Regulations Considerations

While prescription and OTCs drug approvals require oversight by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) the process is different. Over-the-counter drugs are managed through “Drug Monographs” which specify drug ingredients and label information. As long as there isn’t deviation from this, these drugs may be marketed freely. Drug monographs are similar to formulas or recipes.

Prescription drugs must under go a “New Drug Application” process (a.k.a NDA). This process requires the documentation and approval of the drugs’ performance, as well as its safety profile. This approval process is broken into 4 phases and can take as long as 8 years or more for final entry into the market.

Restless Leg Syndrome medications (prescription of course) can be a tricky subject. We have tried all the self-help, lifestyle changes, and underlying cause remedies that we can. The symptoms still exist, sometimes continually throughout the day and night. Your condition has been evaluated as severe or very severe because there is much pain associated with the other bothersome symptoms of RLS. Now is the time to allow your physician to prescribe a medication for you.

There is a wide variety of medications for RLS which is why the world famous ‘trial and error’ process will need to take place. Your own individual type of RLS may not respond or you may have side effects from some medications. In condensed form, here is a list of prescription drugs used to treat RLS:

Dopaminergic Agents

Considered first-line therapies since they typically alleviate all major features associated with RLS. Dopaminergic agents have an inhibitory effect on abnormal movements by enhancing levels of the neurotransmitterdopamine, a naturally produced chemical that regulates the delivery of messages between nerve cells (neurons) in the central nervous system. Such medications include bromocriptine mesylate (Parlodel )and pramipexole dihydrochloride (Mirapex ) and ropinirole hydrochloride (Requip ).

Dopamine Precursors

Known as Carbidopa/levodopa is used to control movement in Parkinson’s patients. This combination is available as Sinemet .

Nonergotoline Dopamine Agonists and Other Medications

Best known by advertisements are ropinirole (Requip ) and pramipexole (Mirapex ).

Benzodiazepines

Interferes with chemical activity in the nervous system and brain, reduces communication between nerve cells. The benzodiazepine clonazepam (Klonopin ) is often prescribed for the treatment of RLS. Other benzodiazepines that may be recommended as appropriate, suitable alternatives include temazepam (Restoril ), diazepam (Valium ), and triazolam (Halcion ).

Opioids

Are natural or artificially produced (synthetic) chemicals that produce opium-like (opiate-like) effects. Opioid agents vary greatly in potency, ranging from mild to strong. Low-potency opioid agents may have beneficial results without risk of addiction, physicians may consider prescribing opioid agents such as propoxyphene hydrochloride (Darvon ) or codeine in patients with mild, periodic symptoms. The use of higher potency opioid agents such as oxycodone hydrochloride (Percocet or Roxicodone ) or methadone hydrochloride should be reserved for those patients with severe RLS who have not responded to other appropriate medications.

Anticonvulsants

Is used to help manage or prevent episodes of abnormally increased electrical activity in the brain (seizures). Anticonvulsants may help relieve some symptoms associated with restless legs syndrome.carbamazepine (Tegretol ), a medication that reduces synaptic transmission, has been shown to decrease restlessness, sensory abnormalities, and sleep disturbances. However, it is thought that the medication may be less effective in reducing associated involuntary movements.

Gabapentin (Neurontin ) has shown promise as a potential treatment for individuals with RLS. Gabapentin seems to be most effective in those with mild or moderate RLS who experience actual leg pain. Alternatives including valproate (Depakene ), a medication derived from carboxylic acid, or lamotrigine (Lamictal ).

Other Medications

Clonidine hydrochloride (Catapres ) may alleviate leg discomfort and sleep difficulties in some people with RLS; but the medication may not be effective in reducing associated involuntary movements.

Additional Drug Treatments

Medications thought to relieve RLS symptoms, such as baclofen (Lioresal ), a muscle relaxant that is thought to block nerve activity in the spinal cord has been reported to control symptoms. No controlled studies have been evaluated on these medications as of yet. Large-scale clinical trials would be helpful in evaluating the use of such medications and assessing their long-term safety and effectiveness in the treatment of patients with restless legs syndrome.

Be aware that all of these Restless Leg Syndrome medications do come with side effects. The extent and duration of the side effects totally depends on which drug, which combination, and what dosage is given. Is it worth the agony to be on the medication That will depend on how you react and how severe the impact of these medications and your Restless Leg Syndrome.

Chances are that you will need to try different medications and cross off your list the ones that don’t seem to work. Maybe even combinations of these medications. The best advice to handle this situation is to keep a journal documenting the prescriptions along with how you respond to these drugs. This is something that your physician will appreciate in adjusting or changing your medication.