£1m for Cushing’s syndrome and fibromyalgia triggered by drug interaction which went unmonitored.
A woman who developed Cushing’s syndrome after doctors failed to consider interactions between her medications has been awarded £1 million in compensation.
She was prescribed both steroids and antifungal drugs over a period of two years. The medicines interacted with each other, causing her to develop severe Cushing’s syndrome. She also developed anxiety and depression and this, combined with deconditioning, triggered the development of fibromyalgia and chronic widespread pain.
The woman, a self-employed hairdresser in her mid-40s, had to give up work due to her injuries and is now registered disabled, requiring mobility aids and at-home care.
It is hoped she will make a good recovery over the next five years with ongoing rehabilitation and psychiatric support.
She sought the help of specialist lawyer, Sarah Johnson at Medical Solicitors' York office, to make a medical negligence claim for her injuries.
Case summary
The claimant ‘C’ was taking long-term oral and inhaled steroids for her asthma when her GP prescribed the antifungal medicine Itraconazole for a fungal foot infection in March 2018.
The GP failed to monitor or stop the prescription after three months, as recommended. Neither did they consider a possible interaction with her existing steroid prescriptions.
The antifungal medication was eventually stopped almost two years later in January 2020 when C underwent endocrine investigations.
By this point, C had developed many symptoms of Cushing’s syndrome: a swollen ‘moon’ face, buffalo hump to the neck, fatty deposits to her stomach, muscle fatigue, weight gain, fragile skin, and red stretch marks across her body.
Cushing’s syndrome is a rare hormonal disorder caused by excess cortisol, usually found in people taking long-term steroid medicines that have a synthetic version of cortisol.
C also developed a fatty liver which affected how she metabolised the steroids.
After the antifungal medication was stopped, some of C’s symptoms reduced but she has been left with permanent stretch marks to her stomach, breasts, lower back, upper arms and thighs.
In 2021 following a referral to rheumatology, she was diagnosed with fibromyalgia and chronic widespread pain, which she alleged was caused by the delayed diagnosis of Cushing’s syndrome.
Litigation
In a Letter of Response, the three defendants in this case – two doctors and an NHS hospital trust – admitted breach of duty and causation.
They admitted that the prolonged prescription of Itraconazole, interacting with her oral and inhaled steroid treatment, caused C to suffer severe Iatrogenic Cushing's syndrome. They did not accept that her fibromyalgia and chronic widespread pain was triggered by the combination of the severe Cushing’s syndrome, anxiety and depression and deconditioning caused by the same.
The claim settled in July 2024 for £1 million which included £75,000 general damages, £151,000 past special damages, and £774,000 future damages.
As well as loss of earnings, the compensation accounted for a period of at least five years of future rehabilitation costs, including physiotherapy and counselling. C also currently requires assistance with daily living activities and personal care.
