A “human tragedy” caused by pain medication

Joanne Etta Bergen, 58, had a cough and chest ailment for a week last December, and she took it upon herself: She took consecutive doses of the pain reliever Limsiap.

The analgesic “Limsib” contains Paracetamol, which relieves mild and moderate aches and reduces fever, but an overdose of this drug is dangerous for the liver, says the “Web Medicine” website.

The condition of Joan, a mother of one, deteriorated so much that her son called an ambulance to rescue her on Christmas Day and was taken to Preston Royal Hospital in Lancashire, northwest England.

According to the British newspaper, “Daily Mail”, the woman was vomiting what was in her stomach, and after conducting tests, it was found that she suffers from a marked rise in liver enzymes and low levels of oxygen.

Her condition deteriorated greatly in the hospital, forcing doctors to transfer her to the intensive care unit, and she was diagnosed with liver failure.

The woman passed away on January 7.
The authorities opened an investigation into the circumstances of the death, and this week the court heard that the deceased British woman was in an excessively intoxicated state.

Her son said she usually drinks 3 bottles a day before work and 10 on the weekend.

What was interesting about the information that reached the court was that Joan drank an entire strip of “limsip” every four hours, and took more than recommended amounts of “paracetamol” at times.

The maximum dose of Limcip is less than 1,000 milligrams in 4-6 hours.

In a statement, medical advisor Patrick Horgan said Bergen had significantly elevated liver enzymes and was diagnosed with liver injury due to an unintended paracetamol overdose.