Meet the Brit woman whose medicine intake overshadows Michael Jackson’s
July 9th, 2009 - 2:29 pm ICT by ANI
London, Jul 9 (ANI): A Brit woman, who suffers from many aliments, is said to be so addicted to prescription drugs that even late King of Pop Michael Jackson’s intake pales in comparison to hers.
Jeannette Barnes, 43, of Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, suffers from depression, insomnia, irritable bowel syndrome, high blood pressure, asthma, cholesterol problems, heartburn, vertigo, and allergies.
She takes at least 34 pills, gulps spoonfuls of medicine and puffs on three different inhalers in a day, and she claims to be hooked on the tablets prescribed by doctors over the years, starting with Valium.
Barnes now fears that her drug dependency will kill her, but she just cannot leave them immediately. “Taking these drugs could be killing me but I can’t come off them suddenly. When I try, I get the shakes,” the Sun quoted her as saying.
“It takes me an hour every day just to take all my medicines,” she said.
Barnes’ problems began when she was diagnosed with the eating disorder anorexia as a teenager, and she was given diazepam, better known as Valium.
“I have been on diazepam since I was 17 and I’m now 43. I’ve never had a break from the drug,” she explained.
As she struggled with the condition, with her weight plummeting to 5st at one point, Barnes developed additional problems.
Now she is barely able to leave the house, and fears for her future.
“I’m not getting the help I need. I’m on more tablets than Michael Jackson was and I could be dead,” she added.
Her husband David, 44, who is her full-time carer, fears for life.
“She’s on an excessive amount of drugs but nobody monitors it,” he said.
“There’s no doubt it will shorten her life span,” he added.
Barnes consumes the following in a day:
Seroxat (depression) - two 20mg pills Ramipril (high blood pressure) - one 10mg pillDiclofenac (painkiller) - three 50mg pills Ferrous sulphate (anaemia) - three 200mg dosesPeppermint oil (heartburn) - three 0.2ml doses Cinnarizine (vertigo) - three 15mg tabletsOmeprazole (heartburn) - two 20mg tablets Mebeverine (irritable bowel) - two 200mg doses Diazepam (anxiety) - one 10mg tablet Simvastatin (cholesterol) - one 40mg tabletZopiclone (insomnia) - 11mg tablets Singulair (asthma) - 10mg puff on inhalerTylex (painkiller) - up to four 500mg doses a day Salmeterol (asthma) - two 25microgramme puffsSalbutamol (asthma) -100mcg but more puffs if needed AeroBec (asthma) - two 250mcg puffs a dayOpticrom (dry eyes) - four 10ml doses Nystatin (mouth problem) - four 30ml doses Movicol (laxative) - as needed Cetirizine (allergies) - one 10mg dose a day as neededGabapentin (nerve pain) - three 100mg pills Gaviscon (heartburn) - 10mls four times a dayGlandosane (dry mouth) - 50ml or as needed (ANI)
Related Stories
- Anna Nicole Smith's Creepy Doctor Kristine Ehrosevich Charged - Mar 14, 2009
- Drug rasagiline may slow Parkinson's progression - Sep 24, 2009
- Orchid gets tentative FDA approval for Alzheimer's drug - Jan 08, 2010
- Tylenol Recall 2009 - Sep 25, 2009
- New device may make menstrual cramp pain 'history' - Sep 22, 2009
- Sun Pharma gets US nod for women's drug - Sep 12, 2008
- Painkiller weakens anti-clotting action of aspirin - Dec 15, 2009
- Painkiller weakens anti-clotting action of aspirin - Dec 24, 2009
- Can a pill ease both physical and psychological pain? - Dec 26, 2009
- Indian-American couple charged with operating a pill mill - Jun 26, 2009
Posted in World, |






