Painkillers turned me gay, man says
A man has claimed that taking painkillers turned him gay.
Scott Purdy, 23, alleged that he was straight until a go-karting accident left him with a broken foot and the need to dull the pain.
But, Purdy said, he was “happy” with the development.
Stock image of pills (Pexels)
āIām not angry because itās made me who I am,” he told theĀ Mirror.
Purdy, from Louth in Lincolnshire, dumped his girlfriend after he started taking Pregabalin, sold by pharmaceutical company Pfizer as Lyrica. It can treat nerve pain, anxiety and epilepsy.
Purdy, who is unemployed, said: āI noticed my libido for women had gone and I was wanting male attention.
āI was with a girlfriend I had been with for around six months. I had never been interested in men.
Stock image of man (Pexels)
“When I was younger I was a little bit curious, but…” he trailed off.
“A couple of weeks after I started taking it I turned around and said I didn’t find her physically attractive anymore. She knew I was taking Pregabalin.
āI said to her, ‘I donāt really know whatās happening to me and I told her I like men and I just canāt be with you.’
He recalled: āShe was relatively understanding, as understanding as you could possibly be.”
Stock image of pills (Pexels)
Purdy continued: “I just think people should know about this.
āIf anyone gets prescribed this in the future, I think they should know what this medication can do.
āIt took me a while to realise what it was. I stopped taking it for a few weeks and that desire for men just left,” he alleged.
But, Purdy added, he was enjoying his new lease on life.
Stock image of gay couple
āIām on it now; Iām very happy,” he said. “I want to keep on taking it because it makes me feel happy about my sexuality.
“Itās made me feel very open. Itās liberating.
“Pregabalin is also used to control paranoia and anxiety. Itās made me so open and not bothered what people think or say.”
He continued: “I had been taking it for a few weeks and I have come to the realisation that when I take it I want males.”
Purdy said that those close to him were surprised, but that their reactions didn’t stop him posting about it online.
“It did come as a shock to people,” he said. “I posted it on Facebook.
“I didnāt tell them the reason why but I just said to them: āIām open; Iām gay.'”
He’s even putting himself out there.
āCurrently Iām talking to this lad on Plenty of Fish and in a couple of weeks Iām going up to see him. Heās in London,” said Purdy.
Stock image of gay couple
āItās really what Iām craving right now. I want to be with him right now.ā
He emphasised that he had fully accepted his sexuality, saying: “I feel if this has happened to other people and Iām not the only one, I would be outraged, but in a sense not be, because if I had known this was a side effect before I would not have taken them – but now, Iām happy.
āIām not angry because itās made me who I am.”
In a statement to PinkNews, Pfizer said: “When prescribed and administered appropriately as per the approved label, LyricaĀ® (pregabalin) is an important and effective treatment option for many people living with chronic neuropathic pain, generalised anxiety disorder and epilepsy.
“The clinical effectiveness of this medicine has been demonstrated in a large number of robust clinical trials among thousands of patients living with these conditions.
Stock image of gay couple
“To date, the worldwide exposure to pregabalin is an estimated 34 million patient years.”
The global mega-company recommended that patients experiencing “any unexpected side effects” immediately report them to a doctor or another healthcare professional.
“Patient safety is, and will always be, Pfizerās utmost priority,” the statement continued.
“We work with regulatory authorities around the world to continuously evaluate and monitor safety for each and every Pfizer medicine through ongoing clinical research, analysis and surveillance.”
PinkNews asked Pfizer whether Pregabalin could make people gay, to which a spokesperson for the company responded: “We have no further comment to add in relation to this story.”
Purdy’s allegation follows a study last year which found that eating too many fatty foods – such as chicken nuggets – can cause homosexuality or make you transgender.
A Liberal Democrat candidate who said “feminising hormones in the water supply” were affecting peopleās sexuality failed in her election bid last year.
A study has also claimed that same-sex attraction in women only developed because it turns men on.
