Settlement Secured for Man After Medication Leads to Compulsive Gambling
Philip Stevens, a 66-year-old resident of Ringwood, Hampshire, has been awarded a £70,000 ($88,000) settlement following adverse effects from a medication prescribed for restless leg syndrome that resulted in life-altering compulsive behaviors. The settlement was reached without his GP admitting liability and raises significant concerns about the adequacy of warnings regarding the side effects of certain medications.
Stevens was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1995, and his condition deteriorated in 2015, prompting early retirement. In 2017, he was prescribed Ropinirole, a dopamine agonist, to help manage a tremor in his left leg affecting his sleep. However, his GP failed to inform him about the potential side effects associated with the drug, including impulse control disorders like compulsive gambling and shopping, as highlighted in NHS guidelines.
Prior to the medication, Stevens engaged in occasional, controlled gambling at horse races. Following the commencement of Ropinirole, however, his gambling addiction escalated dramatically. “I started betting on anything I could find,” he recalled, noting that he would even wake in the night to place bets. Over the next four years, he spent thousands on gambling websites, often ignoring the odds of winning.
Stevens’ compulsive behaviors extended beyond gambling; he began to shop obsessively for clothes, hiding the purchases from his wife, and he took frequent three-day fishing trips, amassing a large collection of fishing gear. “Activities I once enjoyed turned into obsessive behaviors,” he stated.
In October 2021, a neurologist raised questions during a check-up about possible side effects and advised Stevens to cease taking Ropinirole immediately. However, he received no instructions on how to safely taper off the medication, which resulted in withdrawal symptoms including paranoia, hallucinations, and severe fatigue.
At one point, he even requested DNA tests from his children, convinced they were not his biological offspring. The emotional strain culminated in a visit to the local mental health crisis team in 2022. Although he has managed to overcome his compulsions, Stevens admits that the shame and side effects from withdrawal have left him greatly affected. “I am not the same person I was before taking Ropinirole,” he reflected. “However, my marriage has endured, and I am learning to look forward, not backward.”
Legal Representation
Angharad Vaughan, the medical negligence solicitor representing Stevens, expressed criticism over the protracted delay in recognizing the drug’s side effects. “It is appalling that it took so long for a healthcare professional to address these concerns,” she remarked. The solicitors from Leigh Day, who managed the case, are hopeful that this settlement will lead to increased transparency among medical professionals regarding the risks linked to medications like Ropinirole.
While the NHS warns that dopamine agonists can lead to impulse control disorders and advises patients to seek help for compulsive behaviors such as gambling, shopping, or binge eating, stories like Stevens’ emphasize the critical need for proactive patient education to avert such severe outcomes. For Stevens, the settlement symbolizes a pathway to rebuild his life. “Perhaps one day I will come to terms with the fact that what happened to me wasn’t my fault,” he concluded.
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