Kennedy Blames Accident on Sleep Medicine

AP ^ | 5/4/06 | ANDREW MIGA

[Jean S]

Rep. Patrick Kennedy (news, bio, voting record) crashed his car near the Capitol early Thursday, and a police official said he appeared intoxicated. Kennedy said he had taken sleep medication and a prescription anti-nausea drug that can cause drowsiness.

Kennedy, D-R.I., addressed the issue after a spate of news reports. His initial statement said: "I consumed no alcohol prior to the incident."'

Later, however, he issued a longer statement saying the attending physician for Congress had prescribed Phenergan on Tuesday to treat Kennedy's gastroenteritis.

Kennedy said he returned to his Capitol Hill home on Wednesday evening after a final series of votes in Congress and took "prescribed" amounts of Phenergan and Ambien, another prescribed drug that he occasionally takes to fall asleep.

"Some time around 2:45 a.m., I drove the few blocks to the Capitol Complex believing I needed to vote," his second statement said. "Apparently, I was disoriented from the medication."

Kennedy appeared to be intoxicated when he crashed his Ford Mustand into a barrier on Capitol Hill early Thursday morning, said Louis P. Cannon, president of the Washington chapter of the Fraternal Order of Police.

Cannon, who was not there, said the officers involved in the accident were instructed by an official "above the rank of patrolman" to take Kennedy home.

No sobriety tests were conducted at the scene.

A letter written by a Capitol Police officer to Acting Chief Christopher McGaffin said Kennedy appeared to be staggering when he left the vehicle after the crash about 3 a.m. The letter was first reported by Roll Call, a Capitol Hill newspaper.

Kennedy said he was late for a vote, officer Greg Baird said in the letter to McGaffin. Baird is acting chairman of the Capitol Hill chapter of the FOP police union. The last vote of the night had occurred almost six hours earlier.

Kennedy said he was driven home by Capitol police.

"At no time did I ask for any special consideration," he said. "I simply complied with what the officers asked me to do."

Kennedy, the son of Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (news, bio, voting record), D-Mass., and his staff declined to discuss any further details of the accident. The congressman took part in House votes Thursday.

Capitol Police did not immediately return phone calls for comment. They issued a one-line statement saying they were investigating a traffic violation that occurred early in the morning at that location.

Baird wrote McGaffin that two sergeants who responded to the accident conferred with the watch commander and were ordered to leave the scene.

He said that after the officers left, Capitol Police officials gave Kennedy a ride home.

Kennedy spent time at a drug rehabilitation clinic before he went to Providence College. He has been open about mental health issues, including being diagnosed with bipolar disorder.

___

Associated Press writer Laurie Kellman contributed to this report.

[RasterMaster]

Here's something funny from the DUmpster:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x2225082

[PISANO]

I am sure all House members take SLEEP MEDICINE right before they are due on the floor to VOTE!!!

[Fido969]

So when is John Roberts going to appear at a press conference screaming about a cover-up?

[Arizona Carolyn]

hmmmmm, very interesting... do you have the story on the other incident?

[Tiberius109]

He's a Kennedy ...he was drunk ...

[fatima]

I worked with a Bipolar and she was wonderful to me.She went off in the spring and really did foam at the mouth.She went off her meds.I was told to call the police if she came back.



What Are the Symptoms of Bipolar Disorder?
Bipolar disorder causes dramatic mood swings—from overly "high" and/or irritable to sad and hopeless, and then back again, often with periods of normal mood in between. Severe changes in energy and behavior go along with these changes in mood. The periods of highs and lows are called episodes of mania and depression.

Signs and symptoms of mania (or a manic episode) include:
Increased energy, activity, and restlessness
Excessively "high," overly good, euphoric mood
Extreme irritability
Racing thoughts and talking very fast, jumping from one idea to another
Distractibility, can't concentrate well
Little sleep needed
Unrealistic beliefs in one's abilities and powers
Poor judgment
Spending sprees
A lasting period of behavior that is different from usual
Increased sexual drive
Abuse of drugs, particularly cocaine, alcohol, and sleeping medications
Provocative, intrusive, or aggressive behavior
Denial that anything is wrong
A manic episode is diagnosed if elevated mood occurs with three or more of the other symptoms most of the day, nearly every day, for 1 week or longer. If the mood is irritable, four additional symptoms must be present.

[Peach]

Did you hear Charles Krauthammer talk about this at the roundtable? He said "It's Chappaquiddick without the body."

[kcvl]

Ambien is in a class of drugs called sedative/hypnotics or sleep medications. Ambien affects chemicals in your brain that may become unbalanced and cause insomnia.


Take Ambien just before you go to bed. It will make you drowsy, and you could fall and hurt yourself if you take your dose before you are ready for sleep.


Symptoms of a Ambien overdose may include sleepiness, confusion, dizziness, difficult or slow breathing, and unconsciousness.


Ambien is habit forming.



Ambien may increase the effects of other drugs that cause drowsiness, including antidepressants, alcohol, antihistamines, other sedatives (used to treat insomnia), pain relievers, anxiety medicines, and muscle relaxants.



The following drugs should not be used together as they may
cause excessive drowsiness: Ambien, Benadryl, Claritin,
Compazine, Dilantin, Demerol, Haldol, Morphine, Phenergan,
Restoril, Valium, Vicodin, Soma, Grandaxin, Persen,
Phenazepam, Phenibut, Radedorm, Relanium, Rudotel,
Suprastin, Tavegil, Xanax

[Peach]

Reading the keywords to this article is as funny as reading the thread.

[bray]

Kennedys are not very good at Driving, Flying or Skiing.

Pray for W and Our Freedom Fighters

[gov_bean_ counter]

Stitched up patches. Oh man. So much material, so little time.

[Tiberius109]

This is THE best .Looked over on the nutcases on DU I quote ,
"I don't want to guess what the next little "accident" will be. Didn't some Dem candidate vanish just a couple of weeks ago?..
They think it was a hit on Kennedy OH NOOOOOOOOOOOOO
These guys are way way way out there ...

[fatima]

(((Hugs)))

[Ursus arctos horribilis]

Compare this to the way the LMSM went berserker's over Rush's 40 pills.

[lawdude]

"Can you imagine if this had been Rush?"

Do you mean calls for Rush's head in the MSM or here on FR?

[Richard Kimball]

Oh, I don't think he should be prosecuted anymore vigorously than Rush Limbaugh was.

[george76]

More of that sleep medicine.

[justkillingtime]

only for you and me

[Scothia]

ambien is tough stuff it and 2 valium killed my 23 year old first wife. simply went to sleep and never woke up

How very, very sad.

[gov_bean_ counter]

Too funny. Hey, maybe Patches was listening to a Dingy Harry speech. Yeah, that's the ticket.