Unwittingly addicted to prescribed medicine - medical negligence?

[Lettuce]

Apologies in advance if I have posted in the wrong section.
I desperately need some advice please, about my son's situation - it's so worrying.

Around the age of 12 years he began to develop eczema and asthma, and naturally he was prescribed meds. for both conditions by our GP. It is the eczema meds. that I am concerned about. This was a topical high-dosage steroid ointment which was issued as an ongoing 'repeat prescription' - our GP very rarely saw my son, so no 'monitoring' of his condition was carried out. The only occasions when my son made an appointment was when he had an extreme 'flare up' of eczema - but the GPs response was always to keep applying the prescribed ointment (along with various emollient products after bathing).
My son is now 35 years old, and over the years the repeated application of the steroid ointment has caused severe skin-thinning - so he has recently been exploring alternative remedies. In order to do this he has had to stop using the steroid product.
To his horror he has discovered that his body has become --- well, the only way I can described it is 'addicted' to topical steroids. The side effects of 'coming off' the drug are horrendous and are causing him massive discomfort - his skin is sloughing off continually (all over - not just the eczema sites); his skin is reddened and sore (it looks as though he has been extensively burned); and he has really severe oedema in his feet and legs. These symptoms have been going on for a month now.
Naturally he consulted the GP about this - the result was that he was told to resume use of the steroid ointment!
He has found an online 'support network' of other adults who are 'coming off' long-term topical steroid preparations, and discovered that members there are reporting similar symptoms to his (in fact some are even worse!) It would appear that the effects of 'withdrawal' are likely to continue for at least 6 months. However, the site is USA-based, and we have been unable to locate anyone in the UK who is undergoing a similar problem.

I can confirm that the withdrawal effects of the medication are far far worse than the discomfort of his eczema ever was.
I'm sorry this post is so long, but I'm anxious to get all the details in!

Basically, I would be interested to know whether my son could lodge a claim for medical negligence as he was never made aware of the potential for addiction by using the steroid ointment long term?

Many thanks in advance for any opinions or advice.

[Johnboy007]

Re: Unwittingly addicted to prescribed medicine - medical negligence?

Hi,
My brother had a very, very similar condition and was prescribed loads of different ointments and over a number of years.
It also involved him attending consultants at hospital, and undergoing all sorts of tests.
Your son's symptoms are akin to what my brother had.
They never did find out the cause. I think a lot of it was caused by stress.
Withdrawal from any drug is not good., and your son does need help to overcome it.
As for a claim for medical negligence, this could be a very hard road to tread.
Long term use of any drug can have adverse effects. Either you get severe reactions, or they stop working.
Addiction is probably the worse reaction.
Stopping taking steroids, has to be done very carefully and can be dangerous if stopping it suddenly
It should only be done with the consent and information received from his G.P.
Medicines do come with informative literature and your son should have read these from start to finish.
They usually warn you of any problems that may occur from it's use.
No, I am not siding with the doctor, I am just stating what the doctors defence could be.
The best thing to do, is either ask for a second opinion from a different doctor, or better still, request an appointment with a skin specialist.
If the drug your son is using, is causing problems. Then he needs to be 'weened' of it, under medical supervision.
Make your request in writing, and keep a copy (date important).
I have the following information for you about steroid medicine.

What are steroid medicines?

Steroids are a type of medicine with strong anti-inflammatory effects. They can reduce inflammation (redness, swelling and soreness). They come in pill form, as inhalers or nasal sprays, and as creams and ointments. Steroid pills help treat inflammation and pain in conditions such as arthritis and lupus. Inhalers and nasal sprays help treat asthma and allergies. The creams and ointments can help some skin conditions, such as eczema and contact dermatitis.
Are steroid medicines dangerous?

Steroids are effective and lifesaving medicines, but they can also cause side effects. These side effects include thin skin, a higher blood sugar level, dry mouth, irregular menstrual cycles, increased blood pressure and weakened bones. Because of these side effects, steroids are usually only used for a short time.
Your body naturally makes steroids by itself. When your body is under stress (caused by infection or surgery, for example) it makes extra steroids. When you use steroid pills, sprays or creams, your body may stop making its own steroids. If you have been taking steroids for a long time, your body may not be able to make enough steroids during times of stress. At these times, you may have to take more steroid medicine.
What happens when my steroid medicine is reduced?

As your steroid medicine is reduced, your body must begin to make more steroids on its own. This may take a few weeks or even a few months. While your body is getting used to making its own steroids, you may feel dizzy, lightheaded, tired, have stomach pain and body aches. These problems are sometimes called steroid withdrawal symptoms. If you have any of these symptoms or notice any other unusual symptoms while your steroid medicine is being reduced, tell your doctor right away.

How will my steroid medicine be reduced?

The amount of steroids you take is reduced little by little. Your doctor will give you a schedule to follow for taking the medicine. It is important that you follow this schedule carefully.
If it's time to stop taking steroids after you've been taking them for a long time, your doctor may want to do a simple blood test to see when you can stop the medicine completely. Even when the medicine is stopped, your body may be slow in making the extra steroids that you need in times of stress. At these times, your doctor may want you to continue or restart your steroid medicines until the stressful time is over.

What can I do to prevent steroid withdrawal symptoms?

• Never stop taking your steroid medicine unless your doctor tells you to.
• Don't take any other medicines at the same time as steroids, including over-the-counter drugs, without asking your doctor first.
• Consider buying a bracelet with your medical information written on it. If you become unconscious for some reason, this bracelet will tell emergency health workers that you are taking steroids. Always tell health care workers that you are taking steroid medicine.
• If you feel sick while your steroid medicine is being reduced, tell your doctor right away.

Hope this helps........

[enquirer]

Re: Unwittingly addicted to prescribed medicine - medical negligence?

It would certianly appear that there has been a measure of negligence. Proving it would be very difficult however.

Change GP's (has it been the same GP throughout?), and then seek an urgent appointment with a specialist. Check online to see who is the top person in the field, then ask for a referral direct to them. You might have to travel, but it would probably repay the effort.

[bluebottle]

Re: Unwittingly addicted to prescribed medicine - medical negligence?

With regard to the eczema, my sister, who is younger than I am, has had the condition since childhood. She is now 51. She has found, from experience, that Nettle helps it a great deal and calms down flares. She obtains it in dried form from health food shops and drinks it as a tea.

As regards the asthma, is your son under a Consultant in Respiratory Medicine? Sometimes, asthma can be the body's reaction to an allergen in which case referral to an Immunologist might be worth investigating.

Hope this helps.

[Lettuce]

Re: Unwittingly addicted to prescribed medicine - medical negligence?

Many thanks Johnboy007. Sorry to hear your brother has suffered similarly.

Unfortunately our GP has refused to support or monitor my son's withdrawal from steroid use - he wants him to continue with the heavy and prolonged useage. (Actually, this isn't the first problem that members of our family have experienced with this chap in recent years!) That's the reason why my son sought support online.
He did read the accompanying leaflet - or rather I read it on his behalf when he was too young to absorb such information. The side-effects seem to encompass just about every negative health issue under the sun*, so we just trusted in the fact that the GP had prescribed it and assumed that it would be both appropriate and beneficial. (*I've noticed that the manufacturers of meds. that I've been prescribed for different ailments also include a very lengthy list of "possible side effects" too - I guess they're 'covering their backs' for all eventualities!)
To be honest, I had no idea that someone could become 'addicted' to a substance that was applied to the skin - I'd always thought addiction required the substance to be imbibed in some way (swallowed, snorted, or smoked) - so this has been a learning experience.

I take on board what you say about the negligence claim. It's a shame, as the compo would have allowed him to take time off work while he goes through the worst part of withdrawal! (Otherwise he'll only get statutory sick pay of about £87/week).

[Lettuce]

Re: Unwittingly addicted to prescribed medicine - medical negligence?

Thanks for replying enquirer.

I understand what you mean about the difficulty in proving the negligence. It has been the same GP practice throughout - the initial GP who prescribed the steroids retired when my son was in his early 20s, and the chap who took over continued with exactly the same regime.

Unfortunately we live in a small town and there is only that one practice that covers our catchment area. My son did ask to see a different GP within the practice - but when he turned up for his appointment, the 'new' GP simply referred him back to the 'old' one!
Yes, finding the top person will be the way to go now.

[Johnboy007]

Re: Unwittingly addicted to prescribed medicine - medical negligence?

Many thanks Johnboy007. Sorry to hear your brother has suffered similarly.

Unfortunately our GP has refused to support or monitor my son's withdrawal from steroid use - he wants him to continue with the heavy and prolonged useage. (Actually, this isn't the first problem that members of our family have experienced with this chap in recent years!) That's the reason why my son sought support online.
He did read the accompanying leaflet - or rather I read it on his behalf when he was too young to absorb such information. The side-effects seem to encompass just about every negative health issue under the sun*, so we just trusted in the fact that the GP had prescribed it and assumed that it would be both appropriate and beneficial. (*I've noticed that the manufacturers of meds. that I've been prescribed for different ailments also include a very lengthy list of "possible side effects" too - I guess they're 'covering their backs' for all eventualities!)
To be honest, I had no idea that someone could become 'addicted' to a substance that was applied to the skin - I'd always thought addiction required the substance to be imbibed in some way (swallowed, snorted, or smoked) - so this has been a learning experience.

I take on board what you say about the negligence claim. It's a shame, as the compo would have allowed him to take time off work while he goes through the worst part of withdrawal! (Otherwise he'll only get statutory sick pay of about £87/week).

Hi,
You can make a complaint to the General Medical Council, if you think your GP isn't giving your son treatment that he need.
Read below.....

What action the GMC can take

If we identify serious concerns about the doctor we can, where appropriate, take action including:

• restricting their practice in some way or
• stopping them from practising.

We can only investigate complaints about doctors.
These are examples of the types of cases where we may need to act:

• serious or repeated mistakes in clinical care, for example mistakes in surgical procedures or diagnosis, or prescribing drugs in a dangerous way
• failure to examine a patient properly or to respond reasonably to a patient's needs
• serious concerns about knowledge of the English language
• fraud or dishonesty
• serious breaches of a patient's confidentiality
• any serious criminal offence.

What we cannot do

We cannot:

• consider complaints about other professions e.g. nurses
• give you a detailed explanation of what happened to you – this can only come from the doctor or the healthcare organisation
• order a doctor to provide the treatment you want
• help you with a claim for compensation
• fine a doctor
• order a doctor to give you access to your records
• make a doctor apologise to you
• take action where you disagree with a doctor’s conclusions in a medical report
• order a doctor to add you to or reinstate you to their practice’s list of patients
• make a doctor change the fees they are charging for private treatment.

• failure to examine a patient properly or to respond reasonably to a patient's needs
  

The above should cover your case......
Hope this will help you

[Lettuce]

Re: Unwittingly addicted to prescribed medicine - medical negligence?

Many thanks for the suggestion bluebottle - I'll pass that on to my son. (Sorry to hear your sister has eczema too).

Yes, he's under a consultant for his asthma (in fact he suffered a life-threatening asthma attack 18 months ago and was put into an induced coma for several days). The allergy tests showed that he was allergic to just about everything other than foodstuff (pollen, dust, latex, dogs, cats, mould spores, etc)