Philip Stevens, 66, from Hampshire, UK, has received a £70,000 settlement after a medication prescribed for restless leg syndrome led to compulsive gambling and shopping.
Key Points:
1. Stevens was prescribed Ropinirole, a dopamine agonist, in 2017.
2. The medication caused impulse control disorders, including compulsive gambling and shopping.
3. Stevens spent thousands of pounds on gambling websites and accumulated vast amounts of fishing equipment.
4. A neurologist stopped the medication in 2021, but Stevens experienced withdrawal symptoms.
Stevens’ Experience:
1. “I started betting on anything I could and even woke up in the middle of the night to place bets.”
2. “Things I once enjoyed became obsessions.”
Legal Action:
1. Angharad Vaughan, Stevens’ solicitor, criticized the delayed recognition of the medication’s side effects.
2. The settlement highlights the importance of proactive patient education on medication risks.
Outcome:
1. Stevens hopes the settlement will raise awareness about the potential side effects of medications like Ropinirole.
2. He is rebuilding his life, saying, “Maybe one day I will believe that what happened to me wasn’t my fault.”
Source: Punch
