LEMSIP WARNING: MOTHER DIES FROM LIVER FAILURE AFTER PARACETAMOL OVERDOSE. INQUEST HEARS
0Lemsip warning: Mother dies from liver failure after paracetamol overdose. inquest hears
A MOTHER died from liver failure caused by unintentionally overdosing on paracetamol after drinking Lemsip to manage her cough. an inquest has heard. Dr Chris on the link between paracetamol and heart disease Joan Ita Bergin. 58. from Lancashire. had been suffering from a cough and bad chest for around a week in December last year. Mrs Bergin had been drinking Lemsip sachets to manage the symptoms. Mrs Bergin. originally from New Zealand. was rushed to hospital on Christmas day after vomiting coffee coloured bile. Her son Matthew called an ambulance after his mother’s condition deteriorated. She was rushed to the Royal Preston Hospital where she was later transferred to the Intensive Care Unit. where her condition worsened. Tests revealed she had 'significantly elevated' liver enzymes and low oxygen levels. Mrs Begin was given Parvolex. an antidote to paracetamol overdose. but she continued to vomit blood while her condition deteriorated. Mrs Bergin was diagnosed with liver failure. Liver specialists who were consulted advised that no additional treatment options were available. an inquest heard. She died three days later at 3.25pm on January 7. 2022. An inquest into her death held at Preston Coroner’s Court on Thursday heard that Mrs Began had also drunk excessive amounts of alcohol. Her son Matthew said in a statement that his mother would drink three to four cans of cider every day before work and up to 10 cans at the weekend. The inquest heard that Mrs Begin was drinking a sachet of Lemsip every four hours. The recommended maximum dose of Lemsip is one sachet. which contains 1.000 mg of paracetamol. every four to six hours. However. she also told doctors she had sometimes taken more than the recommended amount of paracetamol on top of drinking the Lemsip. It was not clear which Lemsip product Mrs Bergin drank. She was also said to eat very little. according to her son. and occasionally fainted due to lack of food. Referring to Mrs Begin’s son’s statement. Assistant Coroner Kate Bisset said: “He says his mum was in good health normally but she rarely ate much. one full meal per week. and otherwise she would snack on things such as marmalade on toast. “She drank plenty of water but had on occasions fainted due to lack of food.” Consultant Patrick Horgan said in a statement Mrs Bergin had significantly elevated liver enzymes and was diagnosed with a liver injury due to unintentional paracetamol overdose. The cause of death was given as multiple organ failure. pneumonia and acute liver failure secondary to unintentional paracetamol overdose. Contributory factors were cited as alcohol related liver disease and esophageal ulceration. Ms Bisset concluded that she died of multiple organ failure caused by misadventure. which referred to her 'unintentional paracetamol overdose.' A spokeswoman for Reckitt. the company that makes Lemsip. said: “We are very saddened to hear about Joan [Ita] Bergin’s case. We send our deepest sympathies to her family. “At Reckitt. consumer safety is our top priority. We work closely with the MHRA and PAGB. alongside other relevant associations. to ensure all safety and packaging requirements are met for Over The Counter products that contain paracetamol. such as Lemsip. “The safety information and instructions for use are always reflected on the packaging and information leaflets. “As with any medication. we would remind consumers and their caregivers to carefully read and follow the instructions provided on the packaging and patient information leaflet of all our medicinal products. “In respect of Lemsip Max Sachets we would like to remind consumers to not exceed more than 4 sachets in 24 hours. to leave at least 4 6 hours between doses. if symptoms persist for more than three days or worsen to consult a pharmacist and to call a doctor immediately if they take too much. “If our consumers have any additional concerns. we recommend that they speak to their healthcare...
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