Priscilla Presley once slept for two days after taking pills given to her by her then-boyfriend Elvis Presley. In her 1985 memoir, Elvis and Me, Priscilla recalls travelling from Germany to Memphis to spend Christmas at Graceland. After a long trip and a late night, Priscilla felt exhausted but Elvis told her to take two sleeping pills so she would feel nice and relaxed. Priscilla didn't recognise the large red pills but took them anyway. She then stumbled into bed and fell asleep for two days.
Characteristics | Values |
---|---|
Reason for taking the pills | Exhaustion from a long flight and staying up for two days beforehand out of excitement |
Number of pills | Two |
Colour of the pills | Red |
Size of the pills | Large |
Type of the pills | Placidyl |
Dosage of the pills | 500-milligram |
Effect of the pills | Priscilla felt "good and kind of silly" and her arm was so heavy I could barely raise my hand; my eyelids seemed weighted. |
Duration of sleep | Two days |
What You'll Learn
Priscilla's experience with Placidyl
Priscilla Presley's experience with Placidyl was a result of her relationship with Elvis Presley. The two met in 1959 when Priscilla was 14 years old, and they married in 1967. Their relationship was turbulent, and it ended in divorce in 1973.
Priscilla has written about her experiences with Elvis in her 1985 memoir, "Elvis and Me". In the book, she details how Elvis introduced her to various pills, including sleeping pills and amphetamines, to help her keep up with his nocturnal schedule. She was initially wary of the pills but eventually began taking them to stay awake during the day and sleep during the night.
One particular incident involving Placidyl, a sedative-hypnotic drug, occurred in 1962 when Priscilla travelled from Germany to Memphis to spend Christmas at Graceland. After a long trip and a late night, Priscilla was exhausted. Elvis gave her two large red pills, telling her they would help her sleep and were a little stronger than what she had taken before. Priscilla felt her arm was heavy, and her eyelids weighed down, but she also felt good and silly. After taking a bath, she stumbled into bed and fell into a two-day coma.
When Priscilla finally woke up, she was concerned about missing two days of her trip. Elvis told her that she had been out for two days after taking two 500-milligram Placidyls. He admitted that he had been out of his head to give her such a high dose. Despite this, Priscilla did not seem to mind, and she even gave Elvis a wink and a grin when she woke up.
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Priscilla's perspective on her relationship with Elvis
Priscilla Presley's relationship with Elvis Presley began when she was just 14 years old and he was 24. They met in 1959, and their courtship lasted seven years before they married in 1967. Priscilla's perspective on their relationship is detailed in her 1985 memoir, "Elvis and Me," which served as the basis for the 2023 biopic "Priscilla."
Priscilla has described their relationship as "tumultuous yet loving." She has also said that she did not see herself as a victim, despite their significant age difference and the power dynamics at play. Priscilla believed that Elvis saw her as a confidant and a source of comfort during a challenging time in his life. She recalled that he would confide in her about his fears, hopes, and the loss of his mother, to whom he was very close.
Priscilla's parents were initially wary of their relationship, but she was determined to be with Elvis and even threatened to run away if they did not approve. As their relationship progressed, Elvis became increasingly controlling and sought to mould Priscilla into his ideal woman. He influenced her appearance, encouraging her to wear more adult outfits, style her hair and makeup to match his preferences, and even had porcelain caps placed on her teeth. He also introduced her to drugs, including amphetamines and sleeping pills, so she could keep up with his nocturnal lifestyle.
Despite the challenges and the eventual end of their marriage, Priscilla has fond memories of Elvis. She has said that he was the love of her life and that she wanted to please him. Even after their divorce, they remained close, and she was devastated by his untimely death in 1977.
In conclusion, Priscilla's perspective on her relationship with Elvis is one of a complex and often challenging dynamic. She has described their connection as deep and meaningful but also acknowledged the power imbalances and controlling behaviour that ultimately led to their divorce. Despite their differences, she continued to care for him and was deeply affected by his passing.
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Priscilla's experience with amphetamines
Priscilla Presley's experience with amphetamines began when she was in a relationship with Elvis Presley. In her 1985 memoir, "Elvis and Me", Priscilla writes about how she started taking amphetamines and sleeping pills to keep up with Elvis's nocturnal schedule.
Priscilla first took amphetamines when she was 16 years old and travelled to Las Vegas with Elvis. She writes that she "quickly realized that the only way she could keep these hours was to take the sleeping pills and amphetamines he gave her". Despite her initial concerns about the pills, Priscilla decided to take them to adapt to Elvis's fast-paced lifestyle and unusual hours. She writes that she "liked the feeling" and that she was "fitting more into his world".
However, Priscilla's experience with amphetamines also had negative consequences. In her memoir, she describes an incident where she took two large red pills given to her by Elvis to help her relax after a long flight from Germany to Graceland, Memphis. Priscilla writes that she felt good and kind of silly after taking the pills, but soon realized that they had a much stronger effect than she expected. She stumbled into bed and fell into a two-day coma. When she finally woke up, she was concerned that she had missed out on time with Elvis. Graceland employees urged Elvis to call a doctor, but he refused, saying that he had given her two 500-milligram Placidyls without considering how they might affect her.
Priscilla eventually grew increasingly concerned about all the medications Elvis took and their potential negative effects. However, whenever she expressed her worries, Elvis would cite the many medical dictionaries he had read, reassuring her that he was an expert and that he could never become dependent on the pills. Despite her concerns, Priscilla continued to take pills with Elvis every day.
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Priscilla's experience with LSD
Priscilla Presley's experience with LSD is detailed in her 1985 memoir, "Elvis and Me". In it, she recalls a time when she and Elvis experimented with the hallucinogen LSD under the guidance of his spiritual advisor, Larry Geller. Priscilla describes how she found [herself] in Elvis's huge walk-in closet, purring like a kitten."
Priscilla's reaction to the drug left an impression on Elvis and Geller. According to Geller, Priscilla freaked out, running from mirror to mirror, screaming that she was ugly, and then sobbing at Elvis's feet that he didn't truly love her. This incident inspired one of the funniest moments in the 2023 biopic "Priscilla", directed by Sofia Coppola.
Priscilla also writes about another instance where she took pills given to her by Elvis. After a long flight from Germany to Graceland, Priscilla was exhausted and stayed up late. Elvis gave her two large red pills, which she didn't recognise, to help her relax and sleep. Priscilla describes feeling good and kind of silly and her arm feeling heavy. After taking a bath, she stumbled to the bed and doesn't remember much after that. She woke up two days later and was told by Elvis that she had been unconscious for two days after taking two 500-milligram Placidyls.
Priscilla took these pills, as well as amphetamines, to keep up with Elvis's nocturnal schedule. She grew to like the way they made her feel, helping her adapt to his fast-paced lifestyle and unusual hours. However, she became increasingly concerned about all the medications Elvis took and the potential harm they could cause.
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Priscilla's relationship with Elvis' spiritual advisor
Priscilla Presley wrote about her relationship with her ex-husband Elvis Presley in her 1985 memoir, "Elvis and Me". She also served as an executive producer on the 2023 biopic "Priscilla", which was based on her book.
In the mid-1960s, Elvis became interested in spirituality and religion. He would spend his nights reading books on the topic and pulled back from Priscilla romantically. He pushed her to attend lectures by metaphysical philosopher Manly P. Hall and read Vera Stanley Adler's New Age self-help book "The Initiation of the World". He also encouraged her to read books about spirituality and led Bible-reading sessions in their home.
Elvis's interest in spirituality was a concern for those close to him, including Priscilla, who found his studies dull. She struggled to get through the books he gave her and made her disinterest clear. However, Elvis did not accept this and threatened to leave her for a woman who shared his interests.
Elvis's interest in spirituality also led him to fear having a physical relationship with Priscilla, which she resented. Eventually, she lost her temper with him, begging him to pay attention to her instead of his books. In response, he called her a "goddamn raving madwoman" and fell asleep.
Elvis's manager, Colonel Tom Parker, eventually grew concerned about the influence of spiritual advisor Larry Geller on Elvis and instructed him to cut ties. Although Elvis liked Geller, he followed Parker's orders. He and Priscilla burned a box of spiritual books and magazines in an abandoned water well behind Graceland.
Despite the concerns of those around him, Elvis was deeply invested in his spirituality. According to Priscilla, he believed he could heal headaches with a single touch. She wrote that he had the ability to perform "spiritual healing".
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Frequently asked questions
Yes. In her 1985 memoir, "Elvis and Me", Priscilla wrote about taking two large red pills given to her by Elvis Presley to help her relax after a long trip from Germany to Graceland. She slept for two days after taking the pills.
Priscilla took the pills to help her adapt to Elvis' fast-paced lifestyle and unusual hours. She wanted to keep up with him and his friends, who often stayed up all night and slept late into the afternoon.
Priscilla took two 500-milligram pills of Placidyl, a sedative-hypnotic drug that is often addictive and used for short-term sedation.
Priscilla felt that her "arm was so heavy [she] could barely raise [her] hand; [her] eyelids seemed weighted. But [she] felt good and kind of silly." She also described feeling "assertive" and as though she was "fitting more into his world."
Elvis was unconcerned and refused to call a doctor, despite the concerns of Graceland employees. He admitted to giving her the pills but claimed he was “out of his head” to do so and promised to make it up to her.