Anna Nicole Smith and Medical Mystery: Did She Have Lupus? Symptoms Similar; ET Scoop Raises Very Serious Questions; We Ask Dr. Perper, Cyril Wecht
Anna Nicole Smith had a secret she only shared with a close friend over a decade ago: she had lupus, the deadly auto-immune disease that can cause severe pain in the joints, hair loss, high fever and the same “flu-like” symptoms she reportedly had before she died at the Hard Rock Hotel in Florida three weeks ago.
If what Frank Rodriguez, a longtime friend who appeared on Smith’s self-styled reality show, is true, it opens up a whole new explanation that could explain the tragic path to her death–a disease gone diagnosed but largely untreated because she didn’t want fans or anyone to know.
In an exclusive interview on Entertainment Tonight last night, Frank Rodriguez revealed the tragic secret Anna Nicole made him promise he would keep–that the former Playboy centerfold e suffered from the little understood autoimmune disease called lupus. He insists he was one of the few people who knew of her health battle, which he promised to keep to himself.
But now Rodriguez has gone public with Smith’s dark secret because he thinks that’s what killed her.
In a tearful interview on last night’s (27Feb07) ntertainment Tonight, Rodriguez said, “I just remember her telling me she didn’t want her fans to remember her this way, that it couldn’t get out.
“Her whole body would ache. She would just shut down, basically; she would sleep for days. It was frightening at times, the seizures. She went into seizures a lot. She’d black out a lot of the times… She pulled me aside and she told me that she was on medication for it. She told me her condition.
“(But now) she’s gone and I don’t like what I hear about her. I don’t want people to remember her for what they say - that she was a drug addict. It angers me. It really, really upsets me.”
Smith’s longtime companion Howard K. Stern has confirmed Rodriguez was a close friend of his late girlfriend, but he insists the lupus report is untrue.
Stern says, “I’ve been told what Frankie said, and he may have believed it, but I don’t think it would be entirely accurate.”
When I sat down with Broward Medical Examiner Dr. Joshua Perper, he was poker-faced and tight-lipped, saying he would say nothing about her cause of death until all toxicology reports were back, likely next week. But he said he’d welcome any information Frank Rodriguez or other friends might provide. Two people he has asked repeatedly to interview have refused so far– Big Mo, her bodyguard and his wife, the nurse who was with her when she died.
When I asked Dr. Cyril Wecht, the famous medical examiner who was once Perper’s boss, about the lupus report, he told me it was not inconsistent with how he believed she died, from some form of natural causes, possibly made worse by medication she was taking. When I mentioned this to one investigator close to the case, I was told, “WOW! That could explain alot.”
Lupus can have the kinds of symptoms Anna Nicole reported: severe pain, especially in the joints, hair loss, seizures and a lifetime of pain that she chose to medicate with powerful but not recommended drugs like methadone. Let us know what you think.
February 28th, 2007 at 1:58 pm
Hey I found this really beautiful tribute on youtube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVvlF79mDBc
February 28th, 2007 at 2:51 pm
Check with the Lupus Foundation for info on this. Lupus is rare in caucasians, however extensive long term drug use/abuse can bring it on in anyone.
February 28th, 2007 at 10:17 pm
love your site Art, I think we all saw her TV show, and how she enjoyed Pills, Valium, etc..I think she choked on her vomit, too out of it to save herself.The pills made the pain go away. With all the trauma, I am sure Howard could not stop the pills with the death of her son. Thanks for the great news site. I didn’t even need to check the news to find out the latest scoop on her, as I know “the bald truth”, will be the best 1st hand coverage, on this story.
Dave
March 1st, 2007 at 10:57 am
It is so sad that Anna felt the need to cover up her illness. Especially a disease as dangerous as lupus, which tragically, can also be associated with her implants. This is the very issue that women have been trying to convey in their own private hell for decades but have failed because of the deep pockets of corporations that can buy studies. Anna could have made a difference to so many if she had not stayed silent. She could have been helped, as so many women have been, through the proper removal of her implants, and detoxification. She could have still been with us and been a mother to her daughter. There are professionals who treat/analyze implant associated illnesses with success! People like Dr. Pierre Blais, Dr. Lu Jean Feng, Dr. Susan Kolb, Dr. Frank Vasey, Dr. Diana Zuckerman, Dr. Douglas Shanklin, Dr. Andrew Campbell, Dr. Aristo Vojdani, and so many more….So sad. She became famous through her implants, though they took her life away. The world should know this.
March 1st, 2007 at 11:30 am
I had breast implants six years ago which left me partially crippled along with many other symptoms.
I have had many regrets getting breast implants
My health is in trouble as the implants affected my immune system.
Sad to know that the manufacturers continue to damage our health.I feel so deceived as many other woman who have had saline or silicone implants.
Why Was Anna Nichole Smith In So Much Pain?
I pray someone important will let the world know the real reason Anna Nichole Smith.was taking heavy medication for her extreme pain.
In the beginning Anna’s breast implants brought her fame but in time, her breast implants slowly took her life away.
Hopefully You Will Contact
Dr Blais in Ontario Canada who is very familiar
with analyzing breast prosthesis medical devices.
Pierre Blais, Ph.D.
Innoval 496 Westminster Ave.
Ottawa, Ontario
Canada KeA 2V1
Phone: (613) 728-8688
Fax: (613) 728-0687
Dr. Kolb in Atlanta Georgia is a plastic surgeon
who specializes in silicone and breast implant removals
and knows how sick woman can get with these breast implants.
Dr.Kolb also created a silicone protocol to help sick woman who have silicone or saline implants,
4370 Georgetown Square
Atlanta, GA 30338
(770) 457-4677
Fax: 770-457-4428
Dr Kolb’s website address is
http://www.plastikos.com
May Anna Nichole Smith Rest In Peace,
Sandy~
March 2nd, 2007 at 1:46 am
I also had all these symptoms of Lupus… I had low-grade fevers daily, brain fog, memory loss, chronic fatigue, vertigo, bounce off walls for no reason, tingling in hands and feet, slurred speech, right side paralysed, all symptoms of fibromayalgia and felt as though I would die… Was I on drugs? NO! I had breast implants, which made me have all these symtpoms. I needed to resort to major drugs for comfort, just like Anne Nicole Smith. Lot’s of symptoms went away with proper explant. I watched Anne on T.V. months before her death and seen all of her symptoms, right before my eyes, pointing to her and telling my boyfriend, what I seen. Her left breast higher than the other, a clear sign of capsular contracture, a clever word created for infection. She for sure had the brain fog. She acted lost sometimes… Then Anna just dies? When Larry Burkhead was testifying in court recently, the Judge ask him questions regarding Anne Nicoles behavior and he seemed puzzled when asked ” Did Anne always act like this? Was she on drugs? Larry claimed, “Well sometimes and sometimes she did it not on drugs? Why was Anna in so much pain? Why the need for drugs? Did She have silicone posioning like so many women in this country, like myself, we live with it daily, fighting to regain our health, upon removal of toxic implants. It is all covered up and most are diagnoised with Lupus or MS. This is bio-toxins in our bodies, slow poison. Covered up by the FDA. All the Med Watch reports we file reporting our sickness, are put aside, never placed on the news… My “safe” implants had mold, bacteria and fungis growing in them when removed and tested? Never one thing happened, FDA didn’t care, didn’t see the FDA report this to anyone in fact. They will report some tainted spinach or peanut butter, but not for thousands of sick women from breast implants? I layed in bed over a year feeling as though I just wanted to die…Lost my business and now I am disabled from my implants. Symptoms of Lupus, rash, IBS, low-grade fevers, etc. slowly fading upon removal of my implants, with heavy detoxing and diet. NO Cure for my diseases!!! I know have from my “Safe” implants. Auto Immune Disease, A typical connective tissue disease and a system illness due from bio-toxin disease from mold.
I can relate to how Anna Nicole felt, I could see it in her face, this picture of her holding her little Baby in the hospital bed. The Rash on her Face, similar to mine and many others. I know the truth, I can feel this in my heart and soul. God knows the truth… The world act so clueless, not caring how many lives that breast implants destroy daily. Wonder why our SS is running out so early, when young girls are stripped from good careers, jobs and a business, to sick to work from breast implants? FDA let’s do our Job! Let’s test Anna Nicole for a silicone rupture or if “safe” saline, like my case, some mold, bacteria or fungus.. Staph, Aspergilus or Mycobacteria? Let’s find the truth out instead of another victim of breast implants, dead, then it is blamed on drugs, lupus or MS. Keys to the truth lie with the very few PS doctor’s who do know proper explant procedures, chemist who test these devices. Let’s contact them and find out the truth… Anne Nicole’s Daughter deserves to know why she will live the rest of her life, without her Mother. Another Implant Victim, sweeped under the rug, top secret… This can’t happen the world needs to know the true risk regarding implants, how they destroy bodies and kill women. Let’s not let Anne Nicold die from breast implants, then blame on her drug use. Let’ ask ourselves why a beautiful young lady died so young and in so much pain. This is a no brainer.
Anne Nicole may you rest in peace.
March 2nd, 2007 at 1:51 am
I also had hair loss, sinus infections, ear aches and flu-like symptoms and layed in bed for days, well over a year until removal. I had like 38 symptoms total. Got implants removed and improving daily with detox and proper diet.
Anne Nicole rest in peace
March 22nd, 2007 at 3:00 pm
Anna was a beautiful Woman Big or small.Her Daughter should not have to endure these rants and raves about her mother,we should be telling these lawyers to just shut up and move on to their other clients!I wish rest for Anna and her son Daniel.GODSPEED!I also wish Dannielynn great health,love and the true love she had from her mother,and brother she knew so briefly
March 23rd, 2007 at 6:55 pm
Mystery…..When Anna die they reported on the news no evidence of pill on her stomach..Everybody wants to know what kill Anna it can be a combination of everything first yes! Maybe she was sick with lupus.. maybe breast infection.. we all know she suffered from deppression,anxiety… yes! her son has recently die and as a mother thats one of the worst pain a mother can go thru and drug abuse or prescribed narcotics like methadone and others can play a role in the story but the first one that they should be looking at is her boyfriend Howard Stern what type of man can love u and see that you are doing drugs and not trying to help her a good man would look for proffesional help rehabs especial Dr’s that can help and treat her and much more with todays technology and proffesional help today she probably would be a life but no…instead he just look at her day by day killing her self or maybe he was the one buying her, her drugs and helping her killed her self but what does he care he perfectly new what he was doing all he was thinking was money$$$$$$$$$$$$$lots of millions for him self he don’t care about that baby all he was waiting was for the money$$$$$$$$$it was a good plan Howard it took you time but at the end you are not winning god will have the last word…………MESSAGE SOME ONE WHO LOVES YOU WOULD CARE FOR U, RESPECT YOU, LOVE U WITH COURTESY,WILL HELP U TRU GOODS AND BAD, WILL LOOK FOR THE BEST ADVICED AND HELP ESPECIALLY IF IS YOUR CHILDS MOTHER…!!!
March 26th, 2007 at 11:39 am
Jazmin~ You are on the wrong site, my dear. This site is facts first. You did not live in Howard’s shoes. Take your speculation elsewhere.
March 30th, 2007 at 1:01 am
After reading these emails, I had to write what my opinion as the cause of death of Anna Nichole. In January of 98, I got breast implants for my birthday, everything seemed great for several years, and then I started to notice little things that bothered me. I started feeling fatigued, then I started to bruise easily, bouts of IBS, Starting to loose my beautiful mane of hair, then started loosing alot of weight, my whole body ached, asif it was on fire.In less than a year, I was hospitalized 10 times in less than a year. I went from 190lbs health attractive women, to a 120lbs women who looked like someone with full blown aids. I was devestated. My doctors horribly neglected me, and I ended up being hospitalized in the mental health ward, for a least a month, until I gained back at least 20 or more pounds. I felt like a freak. Even my family didn’t understand how much pain I was in. When your in pain, you lose your appetite. I remember becoming bed ridden, to the point that I wanted to die, because my pain was so severe. At the last moment, my husband and I talked about removung my breast implants to save my life. What did I have to lose. Obviously something was affecting my immune system, could they be the culprit? We found a doctor to remove them, after being turned down by another surgeon, because of my poor health. The day my implants were removed, it was such a relief, for only a short while. But I know that for a fact, that after we removed my breast implants, I could walk, bath, and have a appetite again. But something still wasn’t right. I had other important blood work done, and come to find out I had lupus. Those dam doctors saw me 13 times in a 3 month period, before I became bedridden. They should be ashamed of their selves, If I had listened to them tell me, that my breast implants were not making me sick, I would not be here to tell you what I think now. I believe that Anna did suffer from a verp painful illness, like lupus. She overmedicated herself, because she suffered from severe pain from some illness.You can’t tell me that thoses pain medications, and sleep medications were just so she could get high? Maybe she was addicted to pills, but she had to be in some sort of pain, to take powerful narcotics to help her with her pain, and depression. Women need to put two and two together and understand that there are links between breast implants and lupus sle. Breast implants poision your immune system , and can even kill you. I was once an attractive, healthy, hearty housewife that loved to take care of my pets and my husband, I’m disabled housewife that has severe lupus sle, that survives day to day. There are many days in my life I could of easily over medicated myself, and died of an overdose. I still think that anna had some sort of illness, and FRANK RODRQUEZE I believe is telling the truth about her confiding in him to keep her health a secret from the world. I’m really curious about what she wrote in her personal logs about her health, pain, relationships, and her depression, She was beautiful, but unfortunitly the FDA will not leak to the press, even if she had lupus, because women all around the world would link breast implants to lupus, and cause world wide panic. I believe that other known famous women will eventually get sick, before the FDA bands breast implants, and you all know who in hollywood that has breast implants, who will be next to loose their life to breast implant poisioning? How many have to be disbled, or even die from this illness? Thank you
April 27th, 2007 at 8:53 am
Anna was sick, it was plain to see, but she was a trooper and didn’t want ‘her public’ to see. And, since this little secret was unknown, and medical records are confidential, and since Howard K. Stern is a ‘true professional’ and is honoring her memory and her wishes, he may just be a saint.
But, this is purely speculation.