Actually, if you reread what I wrote, that’s exactly what it did. I could not will myself away even though I no longer found enjoyment in gambling. You have no idea how powerful that drug is. To this day, when I think back, the only thing I can remember about those 3 years, is the gambling. Nothing else. I certainly understand some not being able to comprehend that state of mind. I can’t even explain it and I went through it.

The drug companies knew way before 2005. Had I been aware of this side effect, my life would be totally different now. Do you have any idea what stress does to a Parkinson’s patient? Read up on it.

I did learn 2 valuable lessons though. I won’t even take a sugar pill now, without researching it and the pharmaceuticals are not our friends and should not be trusted.

I year into my diagnosis of Parkinson’s Disease, I started gambling online. At first it was every once in a while because I enjoyed it. As time progressed, I started gambling more and more, until I got to the point that I could not pay all the debts I had incurred. Funny part is, I was not enjoying it anymore. It was just something I needed to do. I would win big and then give it all back plus more. Irrational behaviour at it’s best. Stupified at it’s worse. Sneaky at an all-time high. I would gamble all night so no one knew it was happening.

Imagine my surprise in August of 2003, when I saw the headline on Yahoo “Parkinson’s Drug causes compulsive gambling”, clicked on the link and the name “Mirapex” slaps my right on the face. HUH? How could that be. DRugs cause belly aches or head aches or rashes. They don’t give one a personality make-over…..or did they?

I was diagnosed in 2000. Started taking Mirapex in 2000. Started gambling in 2001. Gambled like crazy for 2 years as I titrated up to 3 mg a day).

Lost a fortune that I haven’t even put a dent into paying off. I have spent the last five years paying for the drug company’s sins. That’s five years of my life that I haven’t been able to fully enjoy and that won’t come back because my illness has progressed. At least 5 wonderful vacations I missed, and countless other things I would have been able to do. You know the old saying….”No monies…..no funnies”.

The compulsive behaviour stopped in 2003 as soon as I stopped taking Mirapex, and I am back to being a non-risk taker. In my book 2 + 2 = 4 No?

So guys….you tell me. I am meeting my responsibility in this situation by trying to pay off those debts. Now it’s the drug company’s turn to be responsible and pay me for my losses, the pain and suffering I have incurred, and they should be punished for withholding the info they had about the compulsive aspects of this drug. All the legal mumbo jumbo pales in comparison to MY experience with this terrible drug. So please don’t paint us all with the same brush, Ted Frank.

And even that leaves aside the fact that Charbonneau was a gambler even when he wasn’t taking Mirapex.

And even that leaves aside the inappropriateness of a damages claim to reimburse someone for their gambling.

And even that leaves aside the fact that state failure-to-warn claims are legally inappropriate by frustrating the FDA regulatory scheme.

http://www.pharmalot.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/charbonneau-mirapex-suit.pdf

I answered this question. But, just in case you missed it: They (the drug company(ies)) added this warning after July of 2005 when it was brought to their attention by the “right” people. There is evidence that they knew about the side effect before marketing (pre-1996 or so). Duty to warn would have avoided the lawsuit by placing the warning in the marketing material. The drug has been out since 1996 or so and it took almost 10 years for them to add the warning. AFTER the warning was added, you would be correct; the Dr. has the duty to warn. In the above case the Dr. did not know of the side effect until after July of 2005.

What, exactly, should the drug company have done?
They added a warning and the responsibility should then be with the Dr.