Twelve hours after she was admitted to a London hospital for
an adverse reaction to medication, singer Amy Winehouse was released Tuesday
morning.
Her U.K. rep, Chris Goodman, told People magazine that she
was fine and “on her way home.”
A spokeswoman for the London University College Hospital
confirmed that the 24-year-old singer spent the night at the hospital for
observation.
“She had a comfortable night and was discharged today,” the
woman said.
Winehouse was rushed to the hospital’s emergency room by
ambulance, after she had an adverse reaction to medication at her north London
home Monday night. The medication was apparently prescribed to help her drop
her bad drug habit.
“She was taking a new [medication] as part of her anti-drug
treatment program,” says Goodman. “And it was an adverse reaction to that new
drug. You have to try different things but unfortunately this was not the right
one.”
The rep said the singer “had a bit of a scare yesterday
because of the reaction” and was only kept in the hospital overnight for
observation. He added that Amy was resting in the company of her father and
manager.
Last month, Winehouse’s health was the center of attention
in the media, when the singer-songwriter collapsed at her home and was taken to
a London clinic.
Shortly afterwards, her father said in an interview that his
daughter had been diagnosed with emphysema as well as an irregular heartbeat,
which were the result of crack cocaine and chain-smoking cigarettes. He also
said that the doctors warned his daughter that she would soon die if she
continued smoking drugs.
Later, Winehouse’s representatives clarified Mitch
Winehouse’s comments, saying that the diagnosis was too severe and Amy only had
early symptoms of the chronic respiratory disease. Apparently, Mitch Winehouse
was only speaking “out of his concern for her” when talking about her disease.
However, Amy did not seem too much affected by the bad
health news, as she was seen smoking again, a few days after the release from
the clinic.
About a year ago, the Grammy winner was admitted to the
University College Hospital for exhaustion. Her rep then said that the singer
was suffering from severe exhaustion due to the many shows and concerts and
promotional appearances she starred in.
Despite her drug issues and health problems, Winehouse, who
won Grammy Awards and international fame for her 2006 album, “Back to Black,”
was able to perform at the Glastonbury music festival, as well as at Nelson
Mandela’s 90th birthday in London’s Hyde Park.
But there are some who pay more attention to Winehouse’s
troubles rather than to her musical trophies. Natalie Cole, daughter of late
musical legend Nat King Cole, commented that it was not fair for Amy to be
rewarded and receive such recognition, despite her drug issues. Cole said the
singer was indeed talented, but “she's stepping into a place that she hasn't
earned yet.”
