Husband Lists Few Meds in Murphy Home; Coroner Notes Say Otherwise

By Marc Schneider Posted Dec 22nd 2009 03:46PM

Brittany Murphy's grieving widower, Simon Monjack, has endured three grueling days since the 'Clueless' star's tragic death Sunday. In a tear-filled interview with PEOPLE, a "devastated" Monjack recounts his wife's final days spent sick in bed and denies there were many prescription drugs in the house -- a claim that clashes with newly leaked coroner's notes.

Monjack reveals that his wife, who died of cardiac arrest, suffered from a heart murmur that can cause irregular heartbeats. However, her case was so minor that she did not require medication to treat it. He says Murphy was in bed all day Saturday with a case of laryngitis, taking herbal remedies that would not have accounted for her death.

"She was on herbal remedies that wouldn't speed up her heart," Monjack says. "There was nothing here that could endanger her; there was prescription medication in the house for her female time and cough syrup. That was it."

But Monjack's inventory does not mesh with leaked notes from an investigator with the L.A. County Coroner's office, which detail "large amounts of prescription medication" in Murphy's name near her bed.

The notes, acquired by TMZ, also described "numerous empty prescription medication bottles in the decedent's husband's name, the decedent's mother's name and unidentified third party names."

Among the medications apparently found in the bedroom were Klonopin (anxiety), Topamax (anti-seizure), Hydrocodone (pain relief) and Propranolol (hypertension).

The investigator noted that Murphy had a history of hypoglycemia and was hospitalized in April 2009 for low blood sugar.

Coroner's officials are looking into how TMZ obtained the details. "I'm furious," Assistant Chief Coroner Ed Winter said on Tuesday.

Asked by PEOPLE if there was any possibility his wife overdosed on medication, Monjack replied: "I can get rid of that one right now."

Monjack -- a photographer and writer who penned and produced 2006's 'Factory Girl' -- wed Murphy in 2007 in a small, private ceremony at their house. The couple never announced their engagement, and hardly ever made public appearances together. He believes their behind-the-radar lifestyle may be fueling the misinformation and negative reports about him.

Tags: brittany murphy, BrittanyMurphy, simon monjack, SimonMonjack

Comments

(83)

Tuesday 22 December

By howardfrankfort

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This man should have supervised this poor woman closer. Is there anything that happens to women that isn't blamed on men?

By irish 27

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its really sad when we lose a great women and all we can do is dig up all the dirt on her like she was taking drugs or she had an eating disorder which may-be true but could we just respect the dead and not smear her good name and all her hard work, Brittney Murphy you will be forever missed

By ltlmstrblmkr15

Sure.....it's called 'happiness'. ;-)

Wednesday 23 December

By Erica

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Wow. "Klonopin (anxiety), Topamax (anti-seizure), Hydrocodone (pain relief) and Propranolol (hypertension)"-- That'll be enough to get you feeling back to normal during YOUR "female time!" Ewwww, what a term. Thanks, Husband, for telling the whole world about what her period was like.

By c

By Little Princess

"~ Mountaintops inspire leaders but valleys mature them. ~"W.Ch.

Really.....I'm curious about something I read (maybe on TMZ).....it was strange to read that 'she went into the bathroom @ 7:30 am,closed the door behind her, & a half hr later HER MOTHER checked on her & found her unresponsive.The mother then yelled & the husband,who was asleep,ran to the bathroom."(Not direct quote,but pretty much.)
Like,doesn't everyone close the bthrm door when using it?So,THAT (being said,or written) made little sense....but I'm wondering why the husband wasn't the 1 looking after BM & why/how her mother was aware of the time she went into the bthrm & why wait 30min.to check on an ill(& medicated for days) person? Maybe all innocent,but something just seems odd with the scenario,in the least, didn't seem like 'the couple' with an ill wife,more like a mommy trying to care for her ill child.Sorry,something seems odd to me.

By LISAK

Well you know the article from TMZ does say he was asleep. So he did not find Britney cause he was asleep. Britney's mom was there and I find nothing odd or off about her being there and finding her daughter collapsed in the bathroom. I think you are looking into it trying to find somthing odd and wrong. The man does have the right to sleep and as far as you know he and Britney might have been in the same bad and Britney might not want to wake him up. Once again I state, I think you are trying to find something wrong and odd about that situation. I do think she was taking drugs but they might not be due to her death or causing an overdose. They keep saying was sick for days before her death. I think that is the clue to her death.

By Sandra Webb

I would just like to say that I am truely sad about Brittany Murphy's death. My oldest son told me the bad news this morning and I am heart broken for her family. I loved watching her in all of the movies she played in, and I have always said, I would like to know her personally. Sweet away Brittany, you will always be loved by me.
Sandra Webb

By JohnnyThunder

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These people are not artist they're junkies. Give me all that, I'll get up in Yankee Stadium and do Shakespear in the Park.

By charles almon

Learn to spel.

By Weedster

By Terri

Klonopin can also be used to relieve vertigo (dizziness),topamax can be used for migraine headaches, and propranolol is also used for jitters (including stage fright) and irregular or rapid heartbeat, and sometimes migraines as well. So like the media to give us half the story!

By dannye

are u a doctor? because i am and those meds are not used for that.

By Dramas06

Uh...Yea. You don' take heart meds for "stage fright". I take atenolol and I have anxiety attacks that give me the "jitters" and atenolol does NOT treat that. You are so ignorant on the subject of medications.

~A Medical Student

By bustertheboa

Actually, propranolol (Inderal) is frequently used to treat "stage fright." It is a rapid acting and non-selective beta blocker. As such, it diminishes heart rate, perspiration, and tremors. Unlike benzodiazepines -- which can be used to allay anxiety and seizures, but can cause drowsiness and ennui -- propranolol has no effect on cognition. It is actually a great drug for stage fright because it is fast acting and has a short half life.

Atenolol is a long acting and cardio-selective beta blocker. That is why it is not used to treat "stage fright." It's a great drug to treat ischemic and dysrhythmic cardiac diseases, though.

Better hit those books a little more "A Medical Student."

Terri's statements are all accurate. Remember that medications can frequently have multiple uses. Benzodiazepines can and are used to treat vertigo, although that is not their primary use. I have specifically used them for this, however.

Topamax is sometimes prescribed for migraines. Not to treat an active migraine, but rather for prophylaxis. I have seen this fairly often.

Propranolol can be used for tachycardia and palpitations, stage fright, and migraines as well -- not aborting an active acute migraine attack, but rather for prohpylaxis. Although admittedly, the use of beta blockers for migraines prophylaxis is rare. I believe they are roughly fourth line agents.

I am double board certified in the specialty of general internal medicine, and the subspecialty of endocrinology, diabetes, and metabolism. I am curious... what kind of doctor you are, Dannye??

By steve

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terri, you sound well schooled in the drug trade!

By sydney

Terry is actually correct. I have chronic migraines and have been prescribed by my Neurologist both Topomax (which was originally for seizures) and Propranol as preventive measures.

Thanks everyone who came to my defense. "A medical student", I have been in the pharmacy field for over 22 years. Dannye, I don't think I'd want you to be my doctor. Actually, physicians do call us on a regular basis for dosages and alternative treatments. I've been doing this for a long time. I simply was trying to point out that people are so quick to judge. The lady is dead, let's just give her the respect and not assume the worst.

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