Jackie ‘O’ Henderson has come under fire from Australian chronic pain sufferers after opening up about her drug and alcohol addiction.
The 49-year-old radio host has detailed the extent of her addiction struggles and her 28-day stay at famed rehab facility The Betty Ford Center in her new memoir, The Whole Truth.
Jackie revealed how at the height of her addiction she was taking around 10 to 12 Stilnox/Ambien sleeping pills and 24 Panadeine Forte painkillers a day.
However, her comments have sparked backlash from chronic pain patients, claiming they had to ‘beg’ doctors for painkillers.
In February 2018, medicines containing codeine – including Panadeine Forte – were restricted to prescription drugs in Australia due to abuse and dependency issues.
Some Australians suffering from chronic pain have taken to social media to express how difficult it is for them to get the medication due to restrictions in place.
They criticized Jackie for taking as many as 24 Panadeine Forte painkillers a day after admitting that she obtained the medication through a “supplier,” and not by prescription.
“People like Jackie are the reason we all have to beg for a painkiller stronger than paracetamol – soon we won’t be able to buy much of that either,” one person wrote.
Jackie ‘O’ Henderson has come under fire from Australian chronic pain sufferers after opening up about her drug and alcohol addiction
‘Sufferers of chronic painful conditions are those affected by Jackie and her ”contact”/supplier.’
Another said: ‘Because addicts like her take so much… easy to get. Now those who need it can’t get it.”
A third added: ‘I have a high pain threshold but have had to overcome burst cysts and endo problems/healing thigh with Nurofen and Panadol but somehow a celebrity can get 24 Panadeine a day and no one questions it? ‘
However, others shared their support for Jackie, praising her for courageously opening up to the harrowing reality of addiction.
One gushed: ‘You are a blessing Jackie. Thank you so much for being open and honest. You are one in a million. Thank you for being you.”
Another said: ‘What an inspiring lady telling her story and helping others to reflect on themselves and find help for others to overcome addictions.’
A third wrote: I can’t wait for you to use your platform to advocate for change in Australia’s rehabilitation system – you are brave and sobriety takes courage.’
In her memoir, Jackie revealed that she accessed medication through a ‘supplier’ and explained how her addiction changed amid the codeine restrictions.
The radio host, 49, detailed the extent of her addiction problems and her 28-day stay at the Betty Ford Center (pictured outside the rehab facility) in her new memoir, The Whole Truth.
“An addiction to prescription drugs requires effort, in the form of visiting the doctor, which was exhausting and embarrassing,” she said.
‘I already knew this because I had done it when I used Endone. You have to find several medical centers every month, and when a new patient shows up asking for powerful painkillers, they are immediately suspicious and full of questions. It takes hours of your day to go to a doctor and lie.”
Jackie said she could not provide a false name because she was recognizable as a public figure, but that she would provide false birthdays if her medical records were checked.
The radio star said she then found a “supplier” who could get her prescription drugs, which she described as an “unreliable” setup.
“As this unraveling in my life came about, I was struck by a stroke of luck – or incredible bad luck, as I see it now – when I met someone who could source prescription medications for me. I knew it was terribly dangerous, but I risked it anyway,” she said.
‘At the time, the government ended the availability of codeine without a prescription, which meant I had to have a prescription for Nurofen Plus, which would mean more doctor visits.’
Jackie said she finally tackled her drug addiction when her provider was “busted” and no longer had access to the drugs for her.
However, her admission of taking 24 Panadeine Forte painkillers a day has sparked backlash from people with chronic pain, as they claimed they were forced to ‘beg’ to get painkillers.
She said: ‘I also immediately felt sad about my habit. I have to say goodbye to this. How do I do that? What will my future look like?
‘Of course I wondered how I would cope, physically and mentally. My intake is enormous: ten Stilnox and twenty-four Panadeine Forte per day. How do you get rid of that safely?’
Jackie then confided in her best friend Gemma O’Neill, who persuaded her to secretly fly out of Australia to check into the Betty Ford Clinic in California.
Jackie said Betty Ford told her not to change “anything” about her use before she arrived because it could be “dangerous,” so she was still taking pills the day she flew to the US.
Known for treating Hollywood stars including Keith Urban, Robert Downey Jr. And Lindsay LohanBetty Ford charges between $45,000 and $90,000 AUD for a one-month stay, depending on the program.
When she checked in for a 28-day stay worth $50,000 in November 2022, Jackie didn’t tell any of her coworkers – not even her co-host Kyle Sandilands – and instead claimed she was suffering from long Covid.
When she checked into rehab in November 2022, Jackie didn’t tell her colleagues – not even her co-host Kyle Sandilands – and instead said she was suffering from long Covid-19 (she’s pictured with Kyle several weeks before that, in October 2022)
In the prologue of her memoir, she said: “The whole team wishes me well, I’m sure they’re curious about my temporary leave, but none of them really know why I’m stepping back.
“But it must be so.”
She apologized to her listeners on her KIIS FM radio show and tearfully admitted that she ‘lied’ by ‘omission’ when she publicly shared that she was struggling with long Covid-19 at the time.
“I want to apologize to our listeners and to everyone in my life that I haven’t been involved with in this. “I had to focus on that part first, especially that recovery during the first year,” she added.
The Whole Truth by Jackie ‘O’ Henderson is available now in stores and online.