Elvis Presley during a performance at NBC Studios in Burbank, CA. He began treating the King for saddle pain in 1967 and all too soon Elvis turned into an opiate addict. In many ways, the Jungle Room was perfect for the task. Get the best of Fox News' entertainment coverage, right in your inbox. In a toxicology report, weeks after his death, Elvis' blood was found to have hadextremely high levels of the opiates Dilaudid, Percodan, Demeroland codeine,as well as Quaaludes. According to a 1977 review in Alexandria Town Talk, the first show in Alexandria lasted less than an hour before Elvis had to leave the stage. ", Interview: Carson Daly says he's suffered from anxiety, panic attacks on 'The Voice', TV: Lessons for all of us in 'The Kardashians' finale. He abused antihistamines, tranquilizers such as Valium, barbiturates, Quaaludes, sleeping pills, hormones and laxatives, for the constipation. His then-fiance Ginger Alden found Presleylying unconscious on the floor of the master suite bathroom, according to PBS. Similar to many who found fame in the 60s and 70s, Elvis developed a drug addiction. Market data provided by Factset. Austin Butler stars as the American heartthrob through the years:as a rocking teen who eventually spirals under the crumblingpressureof success, money and power. But especially in his later years, he developed a range of phobias and obsessions, had trouble sleeping and gradually relied on drugs to get through the day. there was another problem: Elvis Presley's issue with prescription drug abuse. More: Austin Butler's 'Elvis' acting lessons began when Tom Hanks delivered a typewriter to his door. Presleys physician, George Nichopoulos, or "Dr. Nick," said Presley "suffered from chronic pain from degenerative problems in his back and neck as a result of severe arthritis. "One of the maids picked up the phone, and it's Ginger. This manifested most egregiously in March 1977 during two stops in Louisiana. Why the early death? All rights reserved. I think he was awake for three days. Dr. Nick testified he gave into all of Elviss prescription requests because he wanted to keep Presley from seeking out these drugs on the street., Doctors still argue about this princes early death, How a serious illness gave Eugene ONeill his dark literary power. By then, he and his wife Priscilla Presley had separated. So when he was sick, he didnt stop as he should have. Interestingly, the pathologists tested him for immune deficiencies, and found Elvis had hypogammaglobulinemia, a disorder of the body's immune system, as indicated by decreased levels of immunoglobulin A (I g A) and I g G. Rosette formation studies revealed decreased numbers of T cells and B cells (lymphocytes). The book, "Elvis Presley: A Southern Life," also reported that the autopsy "confirmed what his doctors already knew: Elvis was chronically ill with diabetes, glaucoma, and constipation.". He did start abusing drugs including amphetamines, opioids and sedatives as a teenager and is known to have had an appalling diet. Documentary claims Elvis signed his own death certificate, Elvis Presley was found dead on the floor of the bathroom at his Graceland estate, Elvis' body was discovered by his girlfriend Ginger, Elvis' health had deteriorated rapidly over the last decade of his life, Elvis had been a fit young man, but his health suddenly went down hill, A young Elvis pictured in his prime while in the Army. Elvis did indeed suffer from heart problems aggravated by an excessive use of drugs, but Tennant believes the ultimate cause of his death was a connective tissue disorder called Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS), a major cause of intractable pain and other chronic health problems. The King of Rock 'n'Rollshocked prudish 1950s America with his hip swiveling and unprecedented charmandwas treated as an icon untilhistragic final years. Hodel claimed that Presley continued to use medication to not only provide him relief but also to function. His doctor tried at one point to see if he could sleep without anything. Always seek the advice of a physician or healthcare provider for any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Some experts agree Elvis may have been performing at a feverish pace to meet fans' demands at the expense of his well-being. He is the director of the Center for the History of Medicine and the George E. Wantz Distinguished Professor of the History of Medicine at the University of Michigan and the author ofThe Secret of Life: Rosalind Franklin, James Watson, Francis Crick and the Discovery of DNAs Double Helix (W.W. Norton, September 21). However, though Dr. Nick was charged with 11 felony accounts of overprescribing drugs, he was acquitted the medical examiner claimed that Elvis had died of heart disease, adding, "Had these drugs not been there, he still would've died.". "[I see it as] a story of survival. In recent years, Hollywood has tried to spread awareness about thehuman aspects of celebrities. He also worked really hard to hide it. During the final months of his life, Elvis Presley was said to be in a lot of physical pain. He spent most of his time holed up in the elaborate den nicknamed the "Jungle Room" for its exotic decor of his Memphis compound Graceland. Really he looked disproportionate a big swollen torso and face, with relatively slim arms and legs. Elvis did NOT die of a drug overdose, and very likely his death was unrelated to other direct effects of drugs, but it'd be naive not to accept that they almost certainly were a prime factor that led to his fatal heart attack. That one scene sums up how the real Elvis Presley spent his final years before dying of an apparent heart attack in 1977 at the young age of 42. For Mr Tennant, one major clue was in the full-body deterioration of Elvis, with almost every organ plagued by ill health. Kirk first met Presley in 1968 when she treated him at a Memphis medical clinic for saddle sores, Closer Weekly reported. Opening up about the tragic loss of his pal, the medical professional released a tell-all book; "The King and Dr. Nick" about his time with Elvis. But certainly back in those days we didn't, Tennant explained. Westmoreland said she was horrified to hear that even in his condition, Presley was already gearing up for another tour. During many shows, the audience wouldn't be able to understand what he was saying, and he would often leave the stage early, unable to continue. Pain News Network is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit online news service for information and commentary about chronic pain and pain management. (Photo by Gary Null & Frank Carroll/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images). And driven to continue performing by Colonel Parker and others. Appropriation or appreciation? or redistributed. "I think that younger people today are really responding to vulnerability in ways that an older generation just didnt. To this day, conflicting speculationssurroundElvis' death. In 1967 Elvis was victim to just that, knocking himself out after falling in a bathroom. The grave of singer Elvis Presley in Graceland. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. In 2020, Glenn Danzig, heavy metal vocalist and frontman of horror-punk act The Misfits, released Danzig Sings Elvis, an album of Elvis covers. Elvis was taken by ambulance to the Baptist Memorial Hospital, where the medical staff was known to be more discrete than the far-closer Methodist South Hospital. The singer who became known as the King relied on a concoction of prescription drugs to get through daily life. Moody Blue, released in February 1977, was a mix of live recordings and new studio tracks, containing two of Presley's most widely regarded songs. ", Elvis Presley with his girlfriend Ginger Alden in March 1977 in Hawaii. (Getty Images). Like so many rock stars, including Michael Jackson and Prince, Elvis employed an all-too-willing physician to feed his addiction and hasten his death. The pressure to perform, the loss of privacy and the incessant public scrutinycan also cause anxiety and depression leaving some to cope with medications, alcohol or other substances to reduce stress. "made with a jars worth of blueberry jam, a jars worth of peanut butter and an entire pound of bacon,", born inTupelo,Mississippi, on Jan.8, 1935, he placed fifth inthe 1945 Mississippi-Alabama Fair and Dairy Show for a solo performance without musical accompaniment, How 'Elvis' highlights his complicated history with Black music, 45 Elvis events in the 45 years since the death of the King, We're here to help with life's everyday questions, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. She walked past the painting, and she took her little fingers and blew a kiss and said, I love you, daddy. I melted right away.. However, the home recording sessions of 1976 were fruitful, and seemed to inspire a burst of creativity in the King. He was rushed to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead at age 42. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. (According to the medical examiner's report,the singer died of hypertensive cardiovascular disease at 42.). PBS reported that at the time of Presley's deathtwo pathologists "found evidence ofsevere and chronic constipation, diabetes and glaucoma." Why would you want to go out and have people staring at you and judging youall the time?" Thats not enough for a man who culturally shifted our universe. Movies like "Elvis" portraythe star beyond his music to showcase his flaws, dreams and humanity. During the autopsy it became clear that Elvis did in fact have multiple heart problems, including a strained aorta and atherosclerosis. He had weaknesses. At only 42 years of age, initially the cause of his death was reported as a heart attack. When it comes to public figures and mental health, Manly notes that it is often difficult for those constantly in the spotlight to seek help. Elvis Presleys former private nurse Letetia Henley Kirk has had the King on her mind. At only 42 years of age, initially the cause of his death was reported as a heart attack. Its not accurate and its not enough. As the King of Rock 'n'Roll, Elvis was idolized, but later mocked after displaying health problems. It takes hours to die from drugs.". As an adult, one of his favorite meals was a roll stuffed with bacon, peanut butter, and jelly, alongside midnight snacks like hamburgers and deep-fried bread. The music icon passed away nearly 43 years ago, on Aug. 16, 1977, at age 42 from a heart attack, which doctors said was likely brought on by his addiction to prescription barbiturates. It was there, in October 1976, that Elvis recorded his final studio sessions, resulting in some of his most memorable and emotionally crushing material to date. Had he had immediate medical attention, theres a big possibility [he might have lived], she said. In addition to the head and heart problems, author Sally A Hoedel lifelong Elvis fan, historian and journalism graduate delved into his family history discovering more about his health. It was clear that, from the moment he landed on the floor, Elvis hadnt moved.. Elvis was a sick man who hid a lot of his weakness to fill concert venues and support his family. He was not prejudice at all. Title track "Moody Blue" became Elvis' final Number One single; the song is in keeping with the pop music of the time, tinged with disco and exotica, but still showcases the warbling, lonely figure that the singer had become. Elvis did indeed suffer from heart problems aggravated by an excessive use of drugs, but Tennant believes the ultimate cause of his death was a connective tissue disorder called Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS), a major cause of intractable pain and other chronic health problems. leonie elliott height, Later mocked after displaying health problems, I love you, daddy knocking himself after! Always seek the advice of a physician or healthcare provider for any questions you may have regarding medical... 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