A Florida man claims Adderall made him psychotic and caused terrifying seizures – now he’s suing CVS and Costco for prescribing it
A Florida man claims he suffered seizures and a terrifying psychosis after taking “too much” of the common ADHD drug Adderall.
In a landmark case, Robert Buckley has accused pharmacy giants of over-prescribing the drug, which is said to have caused its frightening side effects.
The man is now suing Costco, CVS and Publix – the stores that filled his prescription, according to court documents.
Mr. Buckley is seeking a jury trial and $50,000 in damages from major outlets.
He is suing five pharmacies, including one from CVS (photo) and three from Publix (one also in the photo).
The lawsuit, filed in Orange County Circuit Court, states: “Buckley suffered an overdose that caused psychosis, suffered seizures and now suffered permanent injuries.” The nature of these injuries is not yet clear.
“(He will now) be required to pay large sums of money for medical bills, hospital bills and other direct and indirect costs in an effort to alleviate his suffering and heal his injuries.”
Few other details about the case were revealed in the filing, including when the man took the Adderall or what dose he was taking.
It’s just the latest in a number of lawsuits alleging that the drug was overprescribed to individuals — or that patients weren’t properly warned about its side effects.
In 2019, a general practitioner in Vermont was fined $2,500 for overprescribing Adderall to a patient without properly documenting the treatment or monitoring its use.
In another case filed in April 2022, a former telehealth manager alleged that the prescribing company he worked for was dispensing too many ADHD medications for profit.
Approximately 45 million Americans are prescribed Adderall each year – prescriptions have increased 30 percent since 2019.
Adderall is a stimulant that works by increasing the amount of hormones in areas of the brain involved in concentration and attention.
In ADHD, patients have a deficiency of some of these hormones, such as dopamine, which probably explains the problems with concentrating for long periods of time.
The drug aims to restore the balance of these chemicals and improve concentration.
However, side effects are known to include hallucinations, dizziness, slowed speech and increased irritability.
It may also increase the risk of seizures if taken in high doses, which is thought to be due to the excessive release of extra brain hormones.
The increase in users in recent years has also led to shortages, leaving those diagnosed with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder) struggling to access the medications they need.
Experts have warned that many may be using the medication unnecessarily due to incorrect ADHD diagnoses.
Dr. Joanna Moncrieff, a world-renowned psychiatrist at University College London, warned of the rise, saying: ‘There is such a demand for it (Adderall) from patients that doctors feel pressured to make these diagnoses.
‘It’s become so common now that I feel like it’s actually about peer pressure. People know other people with a diagnosis and almost feel like if they don’t get it, they’re letting themselves down.”
Celebrities who have been diagnosed with the condition include Harry Potter star Emma Watson, actor Channing Tatum and British singer Lily Allen.