Emma's Story: Medication and Sudden Gambling Addiction
Emma was initially perplexed by the sudden onset of a gambling problem until she encountered a recent article that shed light on the issue.
Over the past year, she lost tens of thousands of pounds but had never suspected her prescribed medication as the cause.
Emma is among more than 250 individuals who have contacted the BBC regarding addictions—including gambling, sex, and shopping—triggered by a family of drugs prescribed for movement disorders.
Those reaching out include professionals such as a police officer, nurses, doctors, and a bank's director of risk.
Nearly a year after the initial BBC report on the damaging effects of impulsive behaviours linked to these drugs, many patients report that doctors still do not adequately warn them about these side effects or their prevalence.
Although these drugs have recently been downgraded as a first-line treatment for Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS), prescription rates by general practitioners in England remain unchanged.
Last week, the chair of the MPs' Health Select Committee requested the UK drug regulator to review warnings related to these side effects, and the government described the BBC's latest findings as "hugely concerning."
'It's Ruined My Life'
Like many women, Emma developed Restless Legs Syndrome during pregnancy—a condition believed to be linked to iron levels.
As her symptoms worsened over several years, she was prescribed Ropinirole, a drug produced by British pharmaceutical company GSK.
Emma reports that she began compulsively gambling and making frivolous purchases, feeling as if something was "controlling me."
She only discovered the connection between her medication and her behaviour when her husband researched her drugs and found one of the BBC's stories.
"I read it and went, 'Oh my God - that's me'," she says.
When booking appointments at her local GP surgery, Emma is required to complete an online form listing any medications she is taking.
Despite indicating that she had developed a gambling addiction and was taking Ropinirole, Emma says her doctor never associated her behaviour with the drug's known side effects.
Emma continued gambling until, after reading the BBC reports, she requested a change in her medication. She estimates her losses at a minimum of £30,000.
"It's ruined my life - we're going to be in debt for God knows how long paying it off," she states.
The medication functions by enhancing dopamine activity. It belongs to a family of drugs developed not only by GSK but also by two other manufacturers.
Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that regulates movement and plays a crucial role in motivation and reward, which these medications can overstimulate.
Across the UK, people have reported that these impulsive behaviour side effects have resulted in significant debts, broken marriages, criminal acts, and even suicide.
Additional reports include patients engaging in binge eating, cross-dressing, reckless investing, and some pursuing homosexual relationships for the first time.
Another recurring theme involves older women reporting that their long-term husbands have become sexually coercive.
Typically, users had no prior history of such behaviours, and neither they nor their families realized these could be caused by their medication.
Approximately one in six Parkinson's patients on these drugs experience some form of impulsive behaviour, categorizing these side effects as "very common."
However, this prevalence is not disclosed in patient leaflets, which have been criticized for describing impulsive behaviours only broadly, without detailing specific actions such as pornography addiction.
Last week, the BBC published a story about a family where both father and son died by suicide after the father's impulsive behaviour led to stealing £600,000 from clients to fund sex and antiques purchases.
Following this, more men have contacted the BBC, recognizing similar hypersexual behaviour in themselves.
Michael (name changed) recently began using sex workers after being prescribed these drugs for Restless Legs Syndrome.
"I think I'm obsessed with sex," he says, adding that he has now slept with about 20 men and women despite being married. Previously, he never cheated on his wife or had any homosexual encounters.
Like others interviewed, Michael initially enjoyed the compulsion but now feels trapped and unable to discuss it with his doctor or wife, who attends his appointments.
"I know I need help, but the people that can help, I can't talk to," he says. "I've nowhere to turn."
Charities such as Parkinson's UK and RLS-UK offer support, and NHS advice recommends that patients taking these drugs should consult their doctor if they have any concerns.
GSK's Knowledge of Serious Side Effects
The BBC has discovered that GSK was aware of a paedophilia case linked to its drug as early as 2000—seven years before warnings about sexual urges were issued.
A 63-year-old man on Ropinirole sexually assaulted a seven-year-old girl and was imprisoned.
This case was later included in a 2003 report highlighting safety concerns, which described a link between Ropinirole and what GSK termed "deviant" sexual behaviour.
GSK states it shared this report with the UK drug regulator in 2004 and informed it about the paedophilia case within days.
However, the specific language regarding "deviancy" has never appeared in patient warnings, which instead mention potential for "increased libido," "harmful behaviour," and "altered sexual interest."
At the same time GSK compiled these findings, it was applying to use Ropinirole for Restless Legs Syndrome and collaborated with a private US hospital in 2005 to investigate its effectiveness for treating sexual dysfunction.
GSK told the BBC that Ropinirole was extensively trialled, remains approved by regulators worldwide, and that side effects are clearly stated. It also clarified that it did not sponsor or design the 2005 trial.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) explained that it took years for warnings to appear in 2007 because such decisions require consideration of all available evidence and that leaflets cannot include an "exhaustive" list of behaviours as many are "individualised."
Legal and Patient Challenges
Many who contacted the BBC expressed feeling they had no legal recourse for side effects they claim they were not properly warned about.
Outside the UK, several legal cases have been filed, ranging from compensation claims to criminal cases where defendants were acquitted.
A year ago, a Belgian court acquitted a man who sexually assaulted his four-year-old granddaughter, ruling that his Ropinirole medication caused his paedophilic behaviour.
Next month, a significant judgment is expected in a French court where a man in his 50s is suing GSK for failing to adequately warn patients about these side effects.
The man claims the medication destroyed his relationship with his partner and caused him to lose €90,000 (£78,600) to compulsive gambling and spending.
He is seeking damages and recognition of liability from the company.
