A 23-year-old man has claimed that he became gay after taking a certain type of painkiller.

Scott Purdy, from Louth in Lincolnshire, started taking Pregabalin, also known as Lyrica after a go-karting accident and now says that it made him attracted to men, killed his libido with regards to women, and forced him to break up with his girlfriend.

While you unpack that bizarre claim, let's have a look at the science behind this.

Advert

Basically, Pregabalin is a prescription medication that is used to treat a variety of issues that include anxiety, epilepsy, and brain pain. Loss of libido and mood swings are listed amongst the list of possible side-effects.

Noticeably absent from the list of potential side-effects is the possibility that your sexual orientation will take a complete and unexpected about turn.

Credit: SWNS

Scott was prescribed the drug after he broke his foot earlier in the year - he claims that it made him disinterested in women and prompted him to ditch his then girlfriend because he realised he fancied men.

Advert

He said: "I noticed my libido for women had gone and I was wanting male attention.

"I was with a girlfriend I had been with for around six months. I had never been interested in men. When I was younger I was a little bit curious but...

"A couple of weeks after I started taking it I turned around and said I didn't find her physically attractive any more. She knew I was taking Pregabalin.

"I said to her, 'I don't really know what's happening to me and I told her I like men and I just can't be with you.'

Advert

"She was relatively understanding, as understanding as you could possibly be."

Credit: SWNS

Despite that presumably awkward conversation, Scott is now out as a gay man, but remains keen on raising awareness of what he believes to be a massive oversight from the manufacturers of the drug.

For his part, he is glad to be able to have the confidence to talk openly about his sexuality, which is one good thing to have come from the whole bizarre affair.

Advert

He continued: "I just think people should know about this.

"If anyone gets prescribed this in the future, I think they should know what this medication can do.

"It took me a while to realise what it was. I stopped taking it for a few weeks and that desire for men just left."

"But I'm on it now; I'm very happy. I want to keep on taking it because it makes me feel happy about my sexuality. It's made me feel very open. It's liberating.

Advert

"Pregabalin is also used to control paranoia and anxiety. It's made me so open and not bothered what people think or say.

"I had been taking it for a few weeks and I have come to the realisation that when I take it I want males.

Credit: SWNS

"It did come as a shock to people. I posted it on Facebook. I didn't tell them the reason why but I just said to them, 'I'm open; I'm gay.'

"Currently I'm talking to this lad on Plenty of Fish and in a couple of weeks I'm going up to see him. He's in London.

"It's really what I'm craving right now. I want to be with him right now."