Oil worker blames NHS drugs for his extreme gambling addiction

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Northerner

Northerner

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AN OIL worker claims he blew more than ?500,000 in a gambling addiction caused by drugs he was prescribed to treat a growth condition.

Stan Sammeroff plans to sue the NHS after being prescribed bromocriptine.

The 59-year-old says he took four overdoses because of the misery caused when he became hooked on gambling and lost a fortune in casinos.

But, he claims, NHS doctors repeatedly failed to link his addiction to the drug he was first prescribed in 1979 for acromegaly, a condition closely linked to gigantism.

The electrical engineer has already lost two homes and is on the brink of losing his third after a lifetime plagued by misery that he believes was caused by the drug.

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/oil-worker-blames-nhs-drugs-3037650
 
not good at all
 
Nayshiftin said:
not good at all
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https://bnf.nice.org.uk/drugs/bromocriptine/#important-safety-information now warns
Treatment with dopamine-receptor agonists are associated with impulse control disorders, including pathological gambling, binge eating, and hypersexuality. Patients and their carers should be informed about the risk of impulse control disorders. Ergot- and non-ergot-derived dopamine-receptor agonists do not differ in their propensity to cause impulse control disorders, so switching between dopamine-receptor agonists will not control these side-effects.​

(I've no idea when this was known. I'm guessing from the beginning, because what would you expect from a dopamine-receptor agonist?)
 
Bruce Stephens said:
https://bnf.nice.org.uk/drugs/bromocriptine/#important-safety-information now warns
Treatment with dopamine-receptor agonists are associated with impulse control disorders, including pathological gambling, binge eating, and hypersexuality. Patients and their carers should be informed about the risk of impulse control disorders. Ergot- and non-ergot-derived dopamine-receptor agonists do not differ in their propensity to cause impulse control disorders, so switching between dopamine-receptor agonists will not control these side-effects.​

(I've no idea when this was known. I'm guessing from the beginning, because what would you expect from a dopamine-receptor agonist?)
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I was on them for a while for producing too much breast milk that was about 3O years back . i if course do not remember how long i was on it. Today i looked and seen it was used for diabetes type 2 . So I've researched found this and think not what i want to try again.
My way forward is depressing me greatly.
 
Nayshiftin said:
So I've researched found this and think not what i want to try again.
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Well, all medications (that are actually effective) have side effects, so you and your doctors need to try to find things that are overall beneficial. I presume bromocriptine works acceptably for many people (at some appropriate doses) or it wouldn't be sold.
 
Hmmm, I'm going to suggest his case will hang on the advisory advice he was given prior to taking them. I would think that is very difficult to prove either way. Going all the way back to 1979 will be a stretch. As with most NHS lawsuits, they will possibly reach a settlement with him.

My mum was recently prescribed a drug called Ropinirole, which is a dopamine-receptor agonist. The consultant, at the consultation, went to great lengths to cover the worst case scenarios when it came to the side effects of these types of drugs. The list is quite extensive. Mum didn't suddenly rush out and start shoplifting but had to come off them because of hallucinations. It was a shame because she was doing really well on them to start with.
 
Bruce Stephens said:
Well, all medications (that are actually effective) have side effects, so you and your doctors need to try to find things that are overall beneficial. I presume bromocriptine works acceptably for many people (at some appropriate doses) or it wouldn't be sold.
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Thank you. As i said I don’t recall side effects then but it was treating and did successfully treat as needed. Conversely i don't need binge eating now , so I will not suggest it.
 
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I have this utterly vague unclear recollection from somewhere that when I was quite young, but must have been able to read, so 1956 onwards, there was bad press about ergot generally. I also have this orrible feeling it might have been associated with abortion. (the only kind of which would definitely be illegal at the time)

(Parents took the Sunday Express and the News of the World with the West Bromwich Evening Despatch 6 evenings every week. I read anything and everything without discrimination growing up and thus knew from that age what a nasty man Mr Rachman was to his tenants and what horrors his properties held. I'm 100% sure had mom & dad realised what detail this voracious brain was absorbing they'd have stopped buying it long before they did - although having said that, the journalism was of a far better standard in those days, and yes they did get some slum landlords their just come uppance.)

I don't actually think Dopamine receptor agonists were - or should have been even then - prescribed for anyone except those absolutely needing them. Gigantism is hardly a common condition and never has been, when all's said and done.
 
trophywench said:
I have this utterly vague unclear recollection from somewhere that when I was quite young, but must have been able to read, so 1956 onwards, there was bad press about ergot generally. I also have this orrible feeling it might have been associated with abortion. (the only kind of which would definitely be illegal at the time)

(Parents took the Sunday Express and the News of the World with the West Bromwich Evening Despatch 6 evenings every week. I read anything and everything without discrimination growing up and thus knew from that age what a nasty man Mr Rachman was to his tenants and what horrors his properties held. I'm 100% sure had mom & dad realised what detail this voracious brain was absorbing they'd have stopped buying it long before they did - although having said that, the journalism was of a far better standard in those days, and yes they did get some slum landlords their just come uppance.)

I don't actually think Dopamine receptor agonists were - or should have been even then - prescribed for anyone except those absolutely needing them. Gigantism is hardly a common condition and never has been, when all's said and done.
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i do not get the connection cant find anything to
do with abortion . Thankfully i never had one. I had Galactorrhea too much breast milk.! it the addiction it caused the reseach was on here as i researched Bromocriptine as on life meds its for Diabetes tyoe 2 .
So what your referring too i do not understand .
i needed it then and it helped.
So thought it might help now . However I never knew it caused binge eating so no i don't need that . I was thin then but im the opposite now . it 30 years plus on since i had it .
 
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Are you making s fool of me ? As i don't get your meaning at all . If I annoy you block me .
 
Northerner said:
AN OIL worker claims he blew more than ?500,000 in a gambling addiction caused by drugs he was prescribed to treat a growth condition.

Stan Sammeroff plans to sue the NHS after being prescribed bromocriptine.

The 59-year-old says he took four overdoses because of the misery caused when he became hooked on gambling and lost a fortune in casinos.

But, he claims, NHS doctors repeatedly failed to link his addiction to the drug he was first prescribed in 1979 for acromegaly, a condition closely linked to gigantism.

The electrical engineer has already lost two homes and is on the brink of losing his third after a lifetime plagued by misery that he believes was caused by the drug.

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/oil-worker-blames-nhs-drugs-3037650
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Casinos, gaming, betting shops, online gambling have a lot to answer for. There are many addicted to gambling without any medical reasons. It ruins lives, families and society as a whole.
 
Nayshiftin said:
i asked what excuse . you replied


Well maybe not best choice of words.
As there was no excuse given . Either you are thinking I am using one or ….
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I assumed he was referring to the initial post, it wasn't a reply to your post.
 
silentsquirrel said:
I assumed he was referring to the initial post, it wasn't a reply to your post.
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They did not explain that or id have understood. I asked as it upset me .
 
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