Man receives five-figure settlement after developing an impulse control disorder with uncontrolled gambling and spending over four years due to Ropinirole

Philip Stevens was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (a disorder that affects the brain and nerves) in June 1995. At the time, he was told that it was mild but would progress with time. In 2015, his health started to deteriorate significantly, and he had to stop working altogether.  

In July 2017, Philip first noticed that he had developed an intermittent tremor on his left leg. His symptoms had worsened by October 2017 and would often keep him awake at night.

On 2 November 2017, Philip attended his GP (General Practitioner) about his leg tremor and poor sleep. His GP diagnosed him with Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS) and prescribed Ropinirole (a dopamine antagonist medication) but did not advise or warn Philip about the risks or side effects of taking the drug.

Ropinirole is recorded on the NHS website as having serious potential side effects such as gambling or shopping uncontrollably, which are signs of an impulse control disorder. However, Philip claims that his GP did not mention the possibility of developing an impulse control disorder. 

Shortly after Philip started taking Ropinirole, he started showing signs of several compulsive behaviours, but he did not make the connection with his recent prescription.

Philip had been a fan of horse racing for a long time. Before being prescribed Ropinirole, he would attend the major horse races and placed bets only when he believed there was a good chance of winning. He says that he always knew when to walk away and was careful and intentional about the bets he made.

In November 2017, shortly after being prescribed Ropinirole, Philip started gambling more frequently and this soon spiralled out of control. He recalls regularly gambling using betting apps on his smartphone. Philip would even wake up in the middle of the night to place bets.  

Over the four years that Philip took Ropinirole, he spent thousands of pounds on online gambling websites. His gambling became compulsive, and he was betting on anything he could and stopped caring about winning altogether. He did not feel in control of his actions.

Philip also found himself shopping compulsively for clothes, despite never previously having any interest in fashion. He often bought expensive clothes, shoes and accessories and hid them from his wife so that she would not see them. He did not think about whether he could afford them at the time, and claims this shopping was not even enjoyable at the time, but a compulsion. Philip realised from looking at his bank statements the true extent of his spending and the thousands of pounds he had spent on clothes whilst taking Ropinirole. 

Philip also felt compelled to go on three-day long fishing trips every single week. He became obsessed with purchasing excessive amounts of fishing equipment, much of which he never used and gave away for free.

In October 2021, during a review by a neurologist, Philip was asked how he was finding Ropinirole, and specifically if he had experienced any side effects or compulsive behaviours. He mentioned he had been gambling a fair amount and he was advised to stop taking the Ropinirole immediately as it was causing an impulse control disorder. Philip says that this was the first time that he had been made aware of the side effects, and that if he had been warned earlier, he would have been able to take steps to recognise these compulsive behaviours.

Philip immediately phoned his GP surgery to inform them that he had stopped taking Ropinirole on the advice of his neurologist. He claims that he was not given any advice about how to stop taking the medication gradually.

Within two days, Philip noticed that his compulsive behaviours stopped, and he no longer felt the need to gamble or buy clothes. However, he then experienced withdrawal symptoms for five months, including severe exhaustion, paranoia and hallucinations where he did not recognise his house, wife, or children. Philip says he even asked his children to take DNA tests because he was not convinced that they were his. He also developed depression and strong thoughts of suicide during his withdrawal, leading to a referral to the local Mental Health Crisis Team in August 2022.

He continues to experience low mood and anxiety about the impact of his gambling and shopping addiction on his family and remains fearful around money and finances. 

Philip was represented by Leigh Day clinical negligence solicitor Angharad Vaughan in his claim against his GP, who settled his claim for £70,000 in July 2024. The GP did not admit liability.

Philip said:

“The things that I once enjoyed that became obsessions, such as fishing and horseracing, are now joyless because with each one a sense of guilt overcomes me. 

"I am not the same person as I was pre-Ropinirole. The withdrawal symptoms along with the shame of my compulsive behaviour has mentally drained me and left me very withdrawn. 

"On a positive level, my marriage has survived and I am beginning to look forward more than backwards, and maybe one day I will believe that what happened to me was not my fault.”

Medical negligence solicitor and partner, Angharad Vaughan said:

“I am pleased that we were able to secure this settlement for Philip. It is shocking that it took so long for a medical professional to flag the potential side effects and withdrawal symptoms from taking Ropinirole. We hope that important lessons will be learned from this case to ensure that, in future, patients receive all the information they need about the potential side effects of such drugs.”