Prescription for Restless Leg Syndrome & Parkinson’s ‘led to a gambling addiction’

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Patients who were prescribed medication for restless leg syndrome (RLS) and Parkinson’s claim to have developed addictions to gambling as a side effect of the medication. 

Phil Stevens, a 66-year-old from Hampshire, told the BBC that his new addiction only developed after taking the prescribed medication, Ropinirole. He ended up being awarded a £70,000 settlement from his GP. 

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Stevens admitted he liked to bet occasionally, before being on the medication, but once on the treatment he found himself using betting websites in the early hours of the morning and using all of his and wife’s savings. 

“My gambling spiralled out of control,” revealed Stevens, “The things that I once enjoyed became obsessions, such as horse racing betting. It’s now joyless because, with each one, a sense of guilt overcomes me. I am not the same person as I was pre-Ropinirole.”

Ropinirole is commonly given to patients with neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s disease and RLS and acts as a dopamine agonist. 

Another woman who was on the prescribed medicine claims she found herself in £80,000 of debt. The woman who prefers not to be named, claims she mentioned her recent gambling behaviour to the doctor when she was prescribed a second dopamine agonist drug. However, she was not warned about the possible side effects of compulsive behaviour. 

Stevens said he was not aware of how much he spent whilst on the medication. “When I found out, I just cried my eyes out. I could not believe what I had done,” he said. 

“All I ever wanted was an apology but I’m not going to get that apology, so I’ll never get rid of the guilt,” he added. 

The medication, which can be sold under the brand name Requip, was manufactured by Glaxo Smyth Kleine (GSK). 

A spokesperson for the company said: "Extensive clinical trials and more than 17 million patient treatments worldwide since 1996 have continued to show Requip to be an effective treatment for Parkinson’s disease and restless legs syndrome, with a well-characterised safety profile.

"As with all medicines, Requip has potential side effects and these are clearly stated in the prescribing information. Patients should only take Requip under the direction of a medical professional."

On reflection of the incident and whether he’d do anything different now, Stevens concluded: "I'm not saying don't take it, I don't have any right to say that but what I would say, if you're in a position where a doctor was to prescribe you that medication, ask the questions, get all the information and then make that informed choice."