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Hugh Wilcock

A BRITISH expat was left planning his own funeral after being prescribed a lethal painkiller in a Spanish hospital.

Hugh Wilcock was left bedridden after the now-notorious Nolotil – banned in the UK – destroyed his white blood cells and left him for dead.

The 79-year-old, who lives in Benalmadena, was prescribed the drug for pain relief following several back operations.

But six weeks into taking the pills, Hugh developed sores on his forehead and felt weaker and weaker until he had to be rushed to Malaga’s University hospital.

“I felt horrendous,” Hugh told the Olive Press, “They immediately knew I had been prescribed Nolotil and put me into isolation straight away.

“I could barely open my eyes, and my immune system was at so much risk that my family had to wear masks so they didn’t infect me.”

Hugh was told by doctors that his condition was ‘very serious’.

“I was planning my own funeral, it was touch and go,” he said.

Hugh, originally from Manchester, says he is shocked that the drug, banned in the UK and most of the EU, is being prescribed so willingly in Spain.

“I spoke to two private doctors, one Spanish and one English, and they told me that they were shocked at what happened to me.

“They said I was ‘one in a million’, but I know several others who have had similar experiences.

“They then blamed my genes, saying that it only seems to affect British and Irish people.

“But what was more worrying was that they said they prescribe it all the time.

“People need to be aware of what this drug is capable of.”

 

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9 COMMENTS

  1. Huercal Overa hospital prescribed Nolotil to my grandfather, Frank Sharpe. Many may know of him from the bowling community. After a short but very painful bout of sciatica, he was admitted to hospital and prescribed Nolotil on leaving. He only took the painkiller each time he bowled, max twice a week. This was new year 2002, he died in the following December 2002. A simple stomach bug killed him because he had no immunity. 2 weeks in intensive care and he never came out!

  2. I`m really worried now as I have been prescribed this for my arthritis pain. This is not what I was on in the UK, but was told this was the equivelant drug in Spain. Does it say what the normal dosage is here as mine is 575 mg which is a lot more than my Celebrex was ?

  3. I had a triple bypass early December at Granada Hospital ,I was prescribed Paracetamol there .
    This week the young doctor in LOS GALLORDOS changed my painkiller to NOLOTIL .
    Luckily my wife remembered reading about the medicine and checked up on GOOGLE and it
    confirmed it is banned in the UK . I have not taken any .

  4. I had a triple bypass in December at Granada Hospital .I was prescribed Paracetamol there .
    This week the young doctor locally changed my medicine to Nolotil .Luckily my wife remembered
    reading about it some time ago and checked on Google to find it confirmed that it is banned in the
    UK. I have not taken any .

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