Girl, 23, driven to suicide by embarrassing side effects of migraine drug
A YOUNG woman who began suffering debilitating side effects of a common migraine drug killed herself at a beauty spot after struggling to deal with how her life had changed.
Faye Howard, 23, had previously been in good health apart from suffering severe headaches, her family told an inquest yesterday.
But after being prescribed amitriptyline she suffered embarrassing bowel problems, leaving her depressed and struggling to hold down a job.
She sent a final text to her boyfriend, former Manchester City trainee goalkeeper Billy O’Brien, saying she was ‘feeling like a burden’, and told her family: ‘I am sick of everything and everybody.’ The 22-year-old footballer alerted police but her body was found hanging at Dunham Massey Park near a National Trust stately home at Altrincham, Greater Manchester.
The Stockport hearing was told the former Liverpool John Moores University sports science student developed pelvic floor dyssynergia after being prescribed amitriptyline for migraines. The condition began to take a toll and she struggled to hold down employment.
In a statement former City youth team player Mr O’Brien – who now plays for Macclesfield Town – said: ‘Whilst we were on holiday she began to suffer from really bad stomach pains and constipation.
‘Over the months I think this began to take its toll on Faye.’
He had a spell playing in Scotland and she joined him at first before returning to Manchester as she couldn’t find work, putting a strain on their relationship, he said. ‘In May 2016 the problems got worse,’ he added. ‘It was clear that Faye was not in a good place and she said she felt like a burden. She decided to move out and go home where she would feel more comfortable.’ On June 29 he received text messages which prompted him to contact police.
Miss Howard’s sister, Rachel Bunn, told the hearing her sister had to leave a job at a tanning shop because female colleagues ‘started teasing her about her condition’. Instead she started working at an HSBC call centre. In May she was signed off work and offered counselling but found it didn’t help.
A week before her death she and Mr O’Brien joined her family for a holiday in Cyprus, her sister said. On her return she went for a meeting at work, Miss Bunn said. ‘There was a comment from a manager who said “I am not here to babysit you”, and this upset Faye.’
Miss Howard’s GP, Dr Philip Stratford-Smith, said abdominal pain and constipation were ‘a recognised but not common side effect of amitriptyline’. He said she was advised to stop taking the medication but the problems could take some time to ease.
Coroner Jason Wells recorded a conclusion of suicide.