An inquest into the death of a 38 year old mother of one heard that “excessive consumption” of caffeine from drinking up to eight litres of Pepsi-Max a day, reacted with prescribed anti-depressant medication she was taking, resulting in her death.
The Daily Mirror reports:
Victoria Lane would drink up to four two-litre bottles of the fizzy drink every day in an effort to help her combat a dry mouth, which she would get as a result of taking prescription drugs.
At an inquest into her death, the coroner was told how the 38-year-old had struggled with depression and paranoia for many years and turned to alcohol to cope – at times downing a litre of vodka a day.
The inquest heard how in recent years she had tried to turn her life around, despite still drinking heavily and using the cola as a mixer.
A post mortem found she died as a result of her “excessive consumption” of caffeine from the fizzy pop combined with her prescription drugs.
The hearing in Stoke-on-Trent was told the mother-of-one’s body was discovered by her teenage son Rhys on April 19 this year.
He had returned to their home in Clayton, Stoke-on-Trent from a night out to find his mum sleeping. but when he went into her the next morning he found she had stopped breathing.
He told the hearing: “She was in the same position as I saw her the night before.
“I tried to wake her up but her jaw was completely locked. That’s when I started to worry. I called 999 .