Prescription's overuse linked to sudden hearing loss [Rush Limbaugh Libel]

Palm Beach Post ^ | 10/03/03 | Tim O'Meilia

[TastyManatees]

Prescription's overuse linked to sudden hearing loss

By Tim O'Meilia, Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
Friday, October 3, 2003

One of the prescription drugs national radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh is alleged to have abused has been linked to sudden hearing loss, an affliction that struck Limbaugh two years ago.

At the time, doctors said they were unsure of the exact cause of Limbaugh's hearing loss, but said that overuse of medication was not a factor.

Limbaugh would not reveal the cause of his deafness.

Coincidentally, the House Ear Institute in Los Angeles, where Limbaugh sought treatment, discovered in 1999 that some of its patients with sudden hearing loss had overused a common painkiller that combines hydrocodone and acetaminophen.

The combination is sold under several brand names: Vicodin, Hydrocet, Norco and Lorcet. Lorcet is one of the prescriptions Limbaugh's former housekeeper said she procured for him.

Doctors at the clinic said prolonged use of the painkiller was a common factor among 29 patients with sudden hearing loss.

Limbaugh announced in October 2001 that he was deaf in his left ear and was losing hearing in his right ear.

After undergoing drug therapy for several months, he decided to have an electronic device installed in his ear in January 2002. The cochlear implant has partially restored his hearing.

tim_omeilia@pbpost.com

[TastyManatees]

Quite a nasty little hit piece full of sleazy innuendo about Rush Limbaugh from a no-name hack at a no-name newspaper. Sorry, even though I'm no diehard fan of Rush Limbaugh, this pile-on is disgusting.

This article comes very close to libel (although probably not a winnable claim). If I were Rush's attorney...

Tasty Manatees

[Support Free Republic]

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[Leroy S. Mort]

Cleverly crafted to avoid anything legally libelous. Clintonian in its weasel-talk. Writer is betting his readers are all the idiots who couldn't figure out a punch card ballot in Palm Beach.

[longtermmemmory]

What happened to the Son of Sam law in FL which prohibits a criminal from profiting from their story. If the enquireer paid this woman and she was arrensted she would fall under that.

The palm beach post is obviously digging to hurt Rush. The gloss over the fact that such hearing loss is gradual and the autoimune loss is sudden.

If I was rushes lawyer I would want a log of all conversations from the DNC to the filling attorney at palm beach's prosecutor office.

[HuntsvilleTxVeteran]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/991222/posts

But they drove this off of media.

A former Hillary Clinton fundraiser who has just been extradited from Brazil is promising blockbuster revelations against Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton -- revelations that could throw a monkeywrench into Hillary's presidential ambitions.

Peter Franklin Paul

[Ann Archy]

Where did the maid GET the pills from??? A PHARMACIST???? Is the Pharmcist under arrest???

[ThePythonicCow]

Sorry, sir, but I don't see anything close to libel here.

A couple of the early morning hosts on my local conservative station, Hot Talk 560 KSFO San Francisco said it best in my view -- if there's any truth to the rumours that Rush was abusing pills, then pray for him.

For now, I'd suggest you avoid getting too far out on the limb that denies the possibility that Rush was abusing Vicodan or similar.

I am a long time Rush listener; he has contributed more than anyone outside of Jim Robinson to my conversion to more conservative principles and involvement. And he has served an essential role in keeping this country from going to the lefist dogs as fast it otherwise would have.

We must support his continued contribution, and pray for his personal well being.

[ThePythonicCow]

Auto immune loss usually responds some to steroids. Vicodan loss is fairly rapid, over months, and once it starts, is apparently unstoppable, even if you quit the pills while some hearing remains.

I can recall a couple of months going by, when callers were asking Rush if his voice or audio equipment was changing, and he was boldly responding that it must be a problem with the listeners radio. Reduced voice modulation is a common result of hearing loss. It wasn't until a couple months later that Rush owned up to being deaf.

Rush is a showman -- albeit a showman who has chosen to use his talents to the great advantage of Freedom. And he is a consumate professional.

Part of being a showman and a professional is choosing what aspects of your life and being will be made visible, and what aspects won't.

[Arrowhead1952]

discovered in 1999 that some of its patients with sudden hearing loss had overused a common painkiller that combines hydrocodone and acetaminophen.

If I'm not mistaken, Rush's was hearing loss NOT sudden. His hearing loss occurred over several years. He had to have one hearing at first, then two. This was not a sudden hearing loss.

What a load of BS.

[TBP]

A couple of the early morning hosts on my local conservative station, Hot Talk 560 KSFO San Francisco said it best in my view -- if there's any truth to the rumours that Rush was abusing pills, then pray for him.

That is what any decent person with even an ounce of compassion will do. What devent, compassinate people will NOT do is gloat gleefully over this. That would be indecent and mean-spirited. Yet that is just what every leading liberal in America and the mind-numbed robots who follow them are doing today. It's unseemly, it's offensive, and it's EXTREMELY revealing.

[dawn53]

This article says that Limbaugh would not disclose the cause of his disease. I heard him on the radio say it was anautoimmune problem.

Check out this link, it says the doctors diagnosed his problem as "autoimmune." Now wouldn't famous, high paid doctors know the difference between autoimmune deafness and deafness that is a side effect of a drug????

http://someoneskid.keepkidshealthy.com/LimbaughAutoimmune.html

[TBP]

BTW, the headphones that radio hosts have to use are known to cause hearing loss. But don't look for anyone in the media to mention that.

[pepsionice]

If you want evidence of headphone damage...go to the air force and ask about our beeps and squeeks analysts aboard the RC-135. Most have hearing aids by the age of 40....my bet is at least 50 percent.

[cwb]

The media can't even get these stories right. I just heard Fox say that Rush was on 3 types of pain-killers: Lorcet, hydrocodone and Oxycontin. Hydrocodone is the generic narcotic ingredient in Lorcet, as well as Vicodin, Lortab, Narco and many others. Not that it makes a big difference, but that's 2 types, not 3.

And this study has some severe questions surrounding it. Of the 29 who lost their hearing, there have been more than 40 MILLION scripts written with this combination of narcotics. This is the most prescribed pain killer on the market. As such, any anamoly has to be taken into consideration with such a broad base of use. In fact, the other ingredient (APAP) which is also found in Tylenol has been known to cause tinnitus when used beyond its prescribed levels. This seems to be more fear-mongering by the media.

[ThePythonicCow]

the headphones that radio hosts have to use are known to cause hearing loss

There's a difference between the partial deafness that loud sounds cause, and the fairly profound hearing loss that Rush has. You can still talk to an old rock musician, or radio talk show host -- you might just have to speak up and get in their face. Rush couldn't hear a fire alarm going off three feet away.

[ThePythonicCow]

They have hearing aids, not colchea implants. Their hearing might be down 20 or 30 db, worse at high frequencies, not down 60 to 80 db, across the board.

[ThePythonicCow]

Well said - thanks.

[snooker]

"If I'm not mistaken, Rush's was hearing loss NOT sudden."

You are correct. He said on air it was gradual and had been happening for some time. As I recall it was way over 6 months before he went public on the air.

Also the doctors that briefed the public also stated the cause. It was that virus thing(forgot the name), not drugs. I doubt doctors would stand up and lie, they would just take a pass and say nothing.

[Lx]

I asked my Doctor about this when this report came out I think about a year ago as I see him and her for chronic pain from a bad motorcycle accident. Their take was that it was the high levels of Acetaminophen that causes the hearing loss, not the narcotic.

I was a little disappointed with Fox's coverage of this issue.

[ThePythonicCow]

Perhaps he had some mild loss over years, that I don't recall. But the bulk of his loss seemed to me to occur over a few months, judging from the sound of his voice.

[Jack Black]

Why is this libel? The accusation is out there of drug addiction. Rush went deaf in the last few years. A cause of deafness (of the type Rush has) is known to be drugs use (of the type he is accused of using). I don't think speculative tieing of facts in the case of a public figure comes anywhere CLOSE to libel.

[Arrowhead1952]

But the bulk of his loss seemed to me to occur over a few months, judging from the sound of his voice.

I remember him saying most of his hearing loss did occur in the final months before going deaf. But, he had been wearing hearing aids for quite some time before he went deaf. His voice changed after he totally lost his hearing.

[Destro]

yes to your answer

[Saundra Duffy]

I think we all need to be protected from some of these legal drugs.

[TastyManatees]

A few people have commented on that, so here's my response, "So what."

"Those guys did it, too," is not a valid defense to a libel claim. It might reduce the damages, but it does not resolve the publisher of liability. This newspaper writer implies strongly that Limbaugh probably went deaf because he abused drugs. Drug abuse is a crime. Accusing someone of committing a crime (if untrue) is libel per se in most states. This newspaper would lose its New York Times First Amendment immmunity if Limbaugh could show actual malice (public figure immunity). You would show that Limbaugh wasn't on drugs and that the skimpy evidence the newspaper relied on demonstrated willful blindness or total disregard for the truth and/or the author was only negligent, but had personal malice for Limbaugh.

Whether he won or lost, Limbaugh has plenty of litigation funds, and could tie the nespaper up in an extremely costly lawsuit for quite a while (and destroy this kid's budding career as a writer). The paper would likely settle after spending huge amounts on litigation and Limbaugh would wind up out of pocket, but he wouldn't care if he could make every publisher in the country think twice before publishing hit pieces on him.

This is assuming the National Enquirer's allegations aren't totally true.

Call it what you want, but the guy is getting slammed by every rag in the country, and if I were his attorney, I would at least advise him of his right to make himself felt in response.

Tasty Manatees

[Timesink]

Keith "Hate" Olbermann will be running with this story on his MSNBC show tonight. All twelve of his viewers will be stunned.

This is the Mainstream Media Shenanigans ping list. Please freepmail me to be added or dropped.
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[Timesink]

This article says that Limbaugh would not disclose the cause of his disease. I heard him on the radio say it was anautoimmune problem.

As did I. That's a libel suit right there.

[Aeronaut]

PMSNBC is up to twelve now? Jesse Ventura will fix that, come Saturday.

[Timesink]

I asked my Doctor about this when this report came out I think about a year ago as I see him and her for chronic pain from a bad motorcycle accident. Their take was that it was the high levels of Acetaminophen that causes the hearing loss, not the narcotic.

It's both, acetaminophen combined with hydrocodone . There is no data that I am aware of showing that high levels of Tylenol alone can cause hearing loss. (Acetaminophen alone can do a number on your liver though, if taken in extremely high doses all at once.)

[Stone Mountain]

Whether he won or lost, Limbaugh has plenty of litigation funds, and could tie the nespaper up in an extremely costly lawsuit for quite a while

Isn't this the kind of legal action and use of lawyers that Rush has spoken out strongly against?

[TastyManatees]

Could be. But then, if he really isn't addicted to drugs, I would think it was preferrable to make his accusers defend their actions up to the limit of the law rather than let them slide accusation after accusation under a questionable immunity. Don't know how he would feel about it, though.

[Ann Archy]

The PHARMACIST is under arrest???? Who is it???

[Unicorn]

This paper is a full blown liberal rag.

[PBRSTREETGANG]

This article comes very close to libel.

Not remotely.

[Unicorn]

Who,you didn't answer poster #35

[TastyManatees]

Uhh, usually its considered fair to include parenthetical disclaimers when they change the substance of the quote.

Full quote, "This article comes very close to libel (although probably not a winnable claim)." [Emphasis added.]

See the above post at #28.

Tasty Manatees

[Helms]

Eat Your Heart Out Olberman. Since You Can't Drive Cuz You Have Poor Peripheral Vision. No License To Drive and Your Show Is In The Sellar You POS. Doomed to forever be a passenger and not a driver:

[PBRSTREETGANG]

This newspaper writer implies strongly that Limbaugh probably went deaf because he abused drugs. Drug abuse is a crime. Accusing someone of committing a crime (if untrue) is libel per se in most states.

You had better re-read the article. I agree that it's inferences stink, but the writer clearly uses the allegations of drug abuse as the jumping off point to explore the coincidence of hearing loss based on abuses of these types of drug abuse. The writer jumps through all the hoops and even clearly states that Limbaugh's doctors said that overuse of medication was not a factor. It would be utterly foolish to bring a libel suit based on this article. The article does not state that Limbaugh abused drugs.

[Destro]

I read it on one of the Rush posts here on FR. If I can remember the words-the maid got the pills from a now busted mom and pop pill shop--whatever that means.