Matthew Perry struggled in his final days, according to a new report. And just before his death, the Friends alum took a lethal combination that an expert called a “recipe for disaster.”
AMP in the post
Learn what Perry’s autopsy report revealed about his dependence on drugs. And keep reading to learn what his Friends co-star Jennifer Aniston shared about Matthew’s last conversation with her.
Matthew Perry Autopsy Report Reveals Final Days
Friends alum Matthew Perry behaved in an “angry and mean” way weeks prior to his death, claimed one of his female friends via Page Six. But that behavior reportedly stemmed from his testosterone shots.
And in the end, Matthew died from taking a lethal amount of ketamine combined with the opioid-like drug buprenorphine. However, Perry took the latter drug to ease pain and assist with opioid addiction.
But the Friends alum also had taken Tammoxifen to lose weight, antidiabetic medication and nicotine lollipops. And although he wanted to stop smoking, Perry’s live-in assistant estimated the actor had smoked two packs of cigarettes daily.
AMP in the post
Matthew Perry Depended On Drugs
However, the medical examiner’s report also revealed Perry’s drug dependence. And it noted that his assistant’s bedroom contained “multiple open, empty, half-filled medication bottles prescribed to the decedent.” The room also featured “over-the-counter medications, vitamins, digestive aids and dishes filled with multiple various loose pills, tablets, caplets, candy and breath mints.”
However, the Friends alum had received ketamine infusions regularly prior to his last day. But his final infusion took place a week and a half before he died. Because its half-life is only three to four hours, the ketamine in Perry’s body likely represents “recreational ketamine use,” said Dr. Bankole Johnson, a neuroscientist and physician.
And Dr. Johnson called it “questionable medicine to provide ketamine to someone also using buprenorphine. A true recipe for disaster.” However, prior to Perry’s death, he supposedly stopped his infusions. And his anesthesiologist Dr. Ataoin said that the actor didn’t need the treatments anymore.
Jennifer Aniston Recalls Matthew Perry’s Last Text
AMP in the post
But Perry’s pal and Friends co-star Jennifer Aniston revealed that she talked to him just hours before his assistant found him face-down in the pool of his $4 million Hollywood mansion. And Jennifer shared that Matthew told her he stopped smoking.
“He had quit smoking,” said Aniston. And she described her Friends co-star as “getting in shape and happy. That’s all I know,” she added.
But after Perry’s death, Jennifer recalled “literally texting with him that morning, funny Matty.” And the actress described Perry as “not in pain. He wasn’t struggling” and seemed “happy.”
Before his death, Matthew estimated that he spent about $9 million trying to stay sober throughout his life. And he asked that fans, friends, and family remember him not as Chandler Bing, his iconic Friends character. Instead, Perry wanted everyone to remember him as “someone who helped guide people through their addictions.”
And Matthew added, “The best thing about me, bar none, is that if somebody comes to me and says, ‘I can’t stop drinking, can you help me?’ I can say ‘yes’ and follow up and do it.” As a result of that goal, the actor founded the Perry House in 2013 to help people stay sober. And after his death, the Matthew Perry Foundation seeks to achieve the actor’s goals.
Tell us what you think. How do you react to the tragedy of Matthew Perry’s death? And after you share your views, check back on our site for more celebrity news.
Editorial credit: Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock.com