Patricia's pathological gambling story

Patricia tells us how the urge to gamble came to dominate her life, until a Parkinson's nurse suggested a change of treatment.

Research has shown that around 17% of people taking dopamine agonists, a group of drugs used to treat Parkinson's, will experience some form of impulsive or compulsive behaviour.

It can also affect people taking other Parkinson's drugs, in particular levodopa.

Diagnosis

"I was diagnosed with Parkinson's 12 years ago when I was in my early 40s.

"At first I was prescribed bromocriptine and Sinemet, but I struggled to control my movements.

"My consultant changed my medication in 2001, putting me on a dopamine agonist.

Signs and symptoms ignored

"I was warned that I might experience hallucinations as a side effect and this concerned me.

"When I went to pick up my drugs from the pharmacist I mentioned my worry about hallucinations. But the pharmacist replied that hallucinations would be way down the list of side effects, with me more likely to experience nausea.

"After starting my new drug regime, I started gambling on the internet. Advertising for gambling websites would pop up and I'd find myself clicking onto the links, registering and placing bets.

"I became a regular user of more and more sites. If I lost money I wasn't bothered – I was compelled to carry on.

"When I visited my neurologist a couple of years later I told him that my Parkinson's symptoms were very well controlled but that I was concerned that I had turned to gambling compulsively.

"I asked whether it was anything to do with my medication or my condition. The neurologist dismissed my concerns, even asking what websites I was using so he could give them a try himself.

"As time went by, I became more and more devious, using my daughter's and husband's credit cards and signing up to loans on the internet. Money I won pushed up my credit limits so finding the money to bet with was easy.

"As my debts started to mount up my alarm bells rang louder.

Changing treatments and dealing with debt

"I discussed the problem with my Parkinson's nurse. The nurse established that my gambling problem was linked to my medication.

"I didn't want to change my drugs but wanted to try and fight the compulsions with willpower, not wanting to jeopardise my well-controlled Parkinson's symptoms. This proved difficult. Eventually I had to agree to changing my drug regime.

"I also came clean with my bank who recommended a debt management company to me. As well as consolidating my debts, I gave my husband financial control.

"Now my Disability Allowance and Incapacity Benefit go straight into my husband's bank account and we pay off the debt together.

"My gambling has had a massive impact on the my life and the lives of those around me.

"My Parkinson's drugs turned me from an occasional bingo-goer, to somebody who amassed tens of thousands of pounds of debt through compulsive gambling."

More stories

• Patricia's pathological gambling story
• Liz's compulsive shopping story
• Simon's compulsive gambling story

Return to Parkinson's drugs and impulsive and compulsive behaviour

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