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[SummerChild]

Coroner: Gerald Levert Died From Combination Of Medications

POSTED: 4:33 pm EST February 9, 2007

UPDATED: 6:24 pm EST February 9, 2007

http://www.newsnet5.com/news/10975021/detail.html#
<http://www.newsnet5.com/news/10975021/detail.html>

CLEVELAND -- The Geauga County coroner said Friday that local R&B star
Gerald Levert's death was a result of a terrible accident.

The coroner confirmed to NewsChannel5 that Levert's death was caused by a
combination of over-the-counter and prescription drugs.

Levert's death has now officially been ruled an accident. In a seven-page
report released to NewsChannel5, the coroner said that a deadly mixture of
drugs was found in his system.

The coroner said the drugs included powerful painkillers such as Vicodin and
Percocet, and the antidepressants Valium and Xanax were also present in his
bloodstream.

Coroner Kevin Chartran said that Levert was also suffering from pneumonia at
the time of his death in November, which was why Levert was also taking
antihistamines.

Chartran said the combination of six different drugs proved to be fatal.

"It's not clear when these were taken. We're not sure if they were taken all
at once or over the course of a day. But the levels were high enough and
there was acute intoxication, which likely stopped him from breathing,"
Chartran said.

The autopsy was conducted by the Cuyahoga County coroner's office, but
because Levert died at his Geauga County home it was up to the Geauga County
coroner to issue the report.

Levert was 40 years old.

Levert's family released the following statement regarding the coroner's
report:

"Gerald had several health issues including recovering from a severed
Achilles tendon and lingering shoulder pain, among other things, that
required him to take prescribed pain medications. We had no idea that this
would be the cause of his death. Unfortunately, we can't turn back the hands
of time, for if we could, he may still be with us today. We accept what has
been reported and thank all of Gerald's family, friends and fans for their
continual outpouring of love for our loss."

[Little32]

I was reading this earlier and wondering what MD would prescribe all of those medications together.

Originally Posted by SummerChild

Coroner: Gerald Levert Died From Combination Of Medications

POSTED: 4:33 pm EST February 9, 2007

UPDATED: 6:24 pm EST February 9, 2007

http://www.newsnet5.com/news/10975021/detail.html#
<http://www.newsnet5.com/news/10975021/detail.html>

CLEVELAND -- The Geauga County coroner said Friday that local R&B star
Gerald Levert's death was a result of a terrible accident.

The coroner confirmed to NewsChannel5 that Levert's death was caused by a
combination of over-the-counter and prescription drugs.

Levert's death has now officially been ruled an accident. In a seven-page
report released to NewsChannel5, the coroner said that a deadly mixture of
drugs was found in his system.

The coroner said the drugs included powerful painkillers such as Vicodin and
Percocet, and the antidepressants Valium and Xanax were also present in his
bloodstream.

Coroner Kevin Chartran said that Levert was also suffering from pneumonia at
the time of his death in November, which was why Levert was also taking
antihistamines.

Chartran said the combination of six different drugs proved to be fatal.

"It's not clear when these were taken. We're not sure if they were taken all
at once or over the course of a day. But the levels were high enough and
there was acute intoxication, which likely stopped him from breathing,"
Chartran said.

The autopsy was conducted by the Cuyahoga County coroner's office, but
because Levert died at his Geauga County home it was up to the Geauga County
coroner to issue the report.

Levert was 40 years old.

Levert's family released the following statement regarding the coroner's
report:

"Gerald had several health issues including recovering from a severed
Achilles tendon and lingering shoulder pain, among other things, that
required him to take prescribed pain medications. We had no idea that this
would be the cause of his death. Unfortunately, we can't turn back the hands
of time, for if we could, he may still be with us today. We accept what has
been reported and thank all of Gerald's family, friends and fans for their
continual outpouring of love for our loss."

[BlessedOne04]

Originally Posted by SummerChild

Coroner: Gerald Levert Died From Combination Of Medications

POSTED: 4:33 pm EST February 9, 2007

UPDATED: 6:24 pm EST February 9, 2007

http://www.newsnet5.com/news/10975021/detail.html#
<http://www.newsnet5.com/news/10975021/detail.html>

CLEVELAND -- The Geauga County coroner said Friday that local R&B star
Gerald Levert's death was a result of a terrible accident.

The coroner confirmed to NewsChannel5 that Levert's death was caused by a
combination of over-the-counter and prescription drugs.

Levert's death has now officially been ruled an accident. In a seven-page
report released to NewsChannel5, the coroner said that a deadly mixture of
drugs was found in his system.

The coroner said the drugs included powerful painkillers such as Vicodin and
Percocet, and the antidepressants Valium and Xanax were also present in his
bloodstream.

Coroner Kevin Chartran said that Levert was also suffering from pneumonia at
the time of his death in November, which was why Levert was also taking
antihistamines.

Chartran said the combination of six different drugs proved to be fatal.

"It's not clear when these were taken. We're not sure if they were taken all
at once or over the course of a day. But the levels were high enough and
there was acute intoxication, which likely stopped him from breathing,"
Chartran said.

The autopsy was conducted by the Cuyahoga County coroner's office, but
because Levert died at his Geauga County home it was up to the Geauga County
coroner to issue the report.

Levert was 40 years old.

Levert's family released the following statement regarding the coroner's
report:

"Gerald had several health issues including recovering from a severed
Achilles tendon and lingering shoulder pain, among other things, that
required him to take prescribed pain medications. We had no idea that this
would be the cause of his death. Unfortunately, we can't turn back the hands
of time, for if we could, he may still be with us today. We accept what has
been reported and thank all of Gerald's family, friends and fans for their
continual outpouring of love for our loss."

Since when was vicodin and percecet over the counter?

[RedefinedDiva]

Originally Posted by Little32

I was reading this earlier and wondering what MD would prescribe all of those medications together.

I doubt that they were prescribed together. He may have had a bunch of meds sitting around from various other times and was popping pills without waiting for a requisite amount of time to pass before taking something else.

I know that I'm guilty of it. Of course not with anything as potent as those pills, but I know that I've popped lots of aspirin to rid myself of a headache. When it doesn't work as fast as I would hope, I may pop more pills of the same or another brand just to make my head stop from banging, whether the 4 or 6 (or however many) hours have passed. I think I'm scared straight now.

Originally Posted by BlessedOne04

Since when was vicodin and percecet over the counter?

The article states that he had a combination of those prescribed meds, as well as over-the-counter meds.

[AKA2D '91]

The over the counter drugs were for his pneumonia.

Jacci Reid reported this morning on TJMS that he had an achilles tendon (sp) injury and was prescribed the Vicoden, Percocet, and another painkiller starting with a "D". He had surgery last year or so and suffered with chronic pain from that and his shoulder. So, as long as he had pain, he got perscriptions from doctor(s). Then, as his body depended on the drugs and got accustomed to them, the dosage had to be increased. She said, per her interview with a doctor, that all of those medications lead to his nervous system shutting down, thus causing him to stop breathing.

[sigmadiva]

Originally Posted by AKA2D '91

... and another painkiller starting with a "D".

It was probabaly demerol, an opiate derivative.

Originally Posted by sigmadiva

It was probabaly demerol, an opiate derivative.

... or Darvocet, which is a commonly prescribed pain killer that is very addictive.

[AKA2D '91]

Originally Posted by RedefinedDiva

I know that I'm guilty of it. Of course not with anything as potent as those pills, but I know that I've popped lots of aspirin to rid myself of a headache.

I'm guilty of popping tylenol sinus, anydrug sinus, alka seltzer cold plus, and drug that will give me relieve when I have colds. I will pay more attention to what I "pop" or sip for now on.

It's thought that this same thing may have happened to ANS.

[litAKAtor]

Originally Posted by AKA2D '91

I'm guilty of popping tylenol sinus, anydrug sinus, alka seltzer cold plus, and drug that will give me relieve when I have colds. I will pay more attention to what I "pop" or sip for now on.

It's thought that this same thing may have happened to ANS.

Just as an FYI Sorors, my husband's line brother's brother (I know long trail) collapsed and was in a coma and experienced kidney failure because he took cold medicine (I think Theraflu) and ran in a marathon. Not sure what caused it and thank God he is alive, but just keep that in mind when we are taking all of these meds.

[lovelyivy84]

Originally Posted by litAKAtor

Just as an FYI Sorors, my husband's line brother's brother (I know long trail) collapsed and was in a coma and experienced kidney failure because he took cold medicine (I think Theraflu) and ran in a marathon. Not sure what caused it and thank God he is alive, but just keep that in mind when we are taking all of these meds.

Damn!

Having had theraflu, I have no idea how he could have even made his body move after that stuff, much less runa marathon. It knocks you on your butt and keeps you there for many, many hours.

[RedefinedDiva]

Originally Posted by litAKAtor

Just as an FYI Sorors, my husband's line brother's brother (I know long trail) collapsed and was in a coma and experienced kidney failure because he took cold medicine (I think Theraflu) and ran in a marathon. Not sure what caused it and thank God he is alive, but just keep that in mind when we are taking all of these meds.

I think something similar happened to a guy on ER about two weeks ago. He nearly died.