Inquest reveals 58-year-old mother died due to Lemsip and paracetamol overdose

Joan Ita Bergin, a 58-year-old woman from Lancashire, died on January 7 due to a paracetamol overdose from excessive consumption of Lemsip sachets, an inquest has revealed.

Preston Coroner’s Court heard Bergin’s case this week, which confirmed the unintentional overdose. The underlying health conditions that Bergins suffered from were also revealed during the course of the hearing.

Per reports from The Daily Mail, during the inquest, it was revealed that Bergin was drinking a sachet of Lemsip every four hours to deal with a cough and bad chest. This took her paracetamol intake higher than the recommended levels. The coroner ruled Bergin’s death as a result of a misadventure, which means that an intended act caused unintentional consequences.

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Excessive consumption of Lemsip caused a paracetamol overdose

Bergin, who was born in New Zealand, was battling a cough and bad chest with sachets of Lemsip in December 2021. Her son Matthew called an ambulance on Christmas Day after Bergin vomited coffee-colored bile due to liver failure. She was taken to the Royal Preston Hospital, where tests revealed “significantly elevated” liver enzymes and low oxygen levels.

With no respite, Bergin was later admitted into the Intensive Care Unit and diagnosed with liver failure. Doctors consulting from Leeds General Infirmary suggested that no additional treatment options were available for Bergin, who died in the afternoon on January 7. The inquest heard statements from coroner’s reports and Bergin’s son as well.

Bergin’s son revealed that she drank excessively. In a statement, he said that she drank three to four cans of cider before work and up to 10 cans over weekends. Assistant Coroner Kate Bisset revealed that while Bergin was in good health for most of her life, she did not eat much.

“He [Matthew] 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."

During the inquest, the paracetamol contents of the sachet were also discussed. Each sachet of the remedial liquid contains 1000mg paracetamol, and the recommended maximum dose of the sachet is one in three to four hours. Due to excessive consumption, Bergin’s paracetamol intake shot past the standard amount. She was given Parvolex, which is used to reverse a paracetamol overdose, but she continued vomiting blood and went into liver failure. She died three days later.

Per The Daily Mail, a spokeswoman from Reckitt, the manufacturing company of the products, extended her condolences to the Bergin family. She also spoke about the measures the company took to ensure the well-being of its customers.

“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."

She reminded Reckitt’s customers to follow the instructions and guidelines written on the packaging. With regards to Lemsip, she also reminded the customer not to consume more than four sachets in 24 hours and to consult a doctor immediately in case of an overdose.