Leila Pahlavi

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Princess Leila Pahlavi (March 1970 - 10 June 2001) was the youngest daughter of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, Shah of Iran, and his third wife, Farah Pahlavi. She reportedly lived with myalgic encephalomyelitis along with anorexia nervosa and depression.

Illness

It is not clear when exactly Pahlavi was diagnosed with ME, although by her late twenties she had begun to complain to her friends of headaches, muscle pain, joint pain, and chronic fatigue.[1] She concurrently suffered from anorexia nervosa, depression and substance use.[2] Her body became weakened as a result of her anorexia, bulimia,[3] severe stomach aches[1] and various food intolerances.[2] Although her death at age 31 was initially attributed to myalgic encephalomyelitis,[4] her autopsy revealed that she had overdosed on seconal, a highly addictive drug she was prescribed to treat her chronic insomnia. Traces of cocaine were also found in her system.[1]

Her father died of Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma, which has been associated with ME.

Learn more

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 Burke, Jason (October 14, 2001), Death of a princess, theguardian.co.uk, retrieved November 6, 2016
  2. 2.0 2.1 Hewitt, Bill (July 16, 2001), Burden of Grief, people.com, retrieved November 6, 2016
  3. Tweedie, Neil (July 26, 2001), Shah's daughter stole to fuel her drug habit, Telegraph.co.uk, retrieved November 6, 2016
  4. "Obituaries, Leila Pahlavi; Deposed Shah's Daughter". LA Times. June 12, 2001. Retrieved November 6, 2016.