A WOMAN who took up to 18 painkillers a day to numb ‘severe’ period pains died of liver failure after overdosing on a cocktail of tablets, an inquest heard.

The inquest at Burnley Coroners’ Court heard how Lisa Philpott, 30, died at St James's University Hospital, Leeds, on February 4.

She had been taken by ambulance to Airedale General Hospital on January 28 after complaining of feeling unwell and disorientated at her home in Birtwistle Avenue, Colne.

She was then transferred to Leeds when her condition worsened.

Miss Philpott’s father Stephen told the inquest his daughter had suffered from ‘very significant’ period pains for a number of years.

She had tried a variety of different remedies and medication, but none had been successful in easing the pain, he said.

Referring to statements from hospital staff who treated Miss Philpott following her admission, East Lancashire Coroner Richard Taylor said she told them she took up to 18 painkillers to ease period pains ‘on a bad day’.

Mr Philpott said he and his wife had ‘no idea’ she had been taking so many pills.

He said: “We knew that she took painkillers but not the amount that we have now been told.”

Dr Walid Salman, who carried out the post mortem examination on Miss Philpott, told the hearing her liver was consistent with that of someone who took an ‘excessive’ amount or paracetamol.

In addition to paracetamol, he said tests showed that she had also taken stronger tablets including dihydrocodeine.

Under questioning from Mr Philpott, he said her liver could have deteriorated over time as a result of years of taking painkillers.

However, he said it was most likely that the last episode had been ‘significant’ and caused her death.

Dr Salman said: “Even 18 tablets is a large amount of paracetamol. You are not allowed to buy that many over the counter - the maximum is 16. “Paracetamol takes five to six days to damage the liver beyond repair. It was too late to retrieve it.”

He said the cause of death was liver failure due to an overdose of drugs.

Returning a verdict of misadventure, Mr Taylor told Mr and Mrs Philpott: “I have little doubt that your daughter deliberately took the pills, but also I have no doubt that she did not intend to end her life.”