THE husband of a pharmacist who took a fatal overdose believes swine flu medication ‘triggered’ the depressive cycle that led to her death.

Kimberley Worthington, aged 36, of Longshaw Street, Dallam, took an overdose in October after a long history of mental illness.

But during her inquest at Warrington Coroner’s Court on Friday, family including husband Simon pinpointed the prescription of Tamiflu in August as the ‘trigger’ that ultimately led to her death.

He said: “Everything was fine until she had swine flu. She had problems with a fast heartbeat and her kidneys resulting from the Tamiflu. Her depression started after that – it seemed to be the trigger.”

Kimberley’s battle against mental illness started in 1996 when she was diagnosed with anorexia and bulimia.

A year later the former Liverpool John Moores student was found to be suffering from anxiety and depression after a relationship ended.

In 2002 Kimberley, formerly a pharmacist in Culcheth, took a non-lethal cocktail of pills, which deputy coroner Janet Napier called ‘a cry for help’.

Her depression worsened and, in 2004, she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, also known as manic depression, and stopped working.

Her dad Brian Williams said: “She was a smart, funny girl and just seemed to fall apart. It was terrible.”

Treatment at Hollins Park Hospital in Winwick started before Kimberley met husband Simon in 2007 – a time she described as ‘the happiest of her life’, according to psychiatrist Dr Black.

Mr Worthington recalled meeting his wife: “She was normal and it was only later that she told me she had bipolar depression – I would never have guessed it.”

Kimberley, a former Culcheth High School pupil, started working again as a part-time lab technician and was looking forward to having children, according to psychiatric reports.

But following her wedding in June 2009, swine flu struck and Tamiflu was prescribed, leading to the heart and kidney problems which, according to 5 Boroughs crisis team’s report, started the fatal cycle of depression.

By October manic episodes had restarted and according to the report, Kimberley was researching suicide on the internet.

Senior nurse practitioner Katrina Lowther said: “Kimberley explained that since having swine flu and taking Tamiflu her mood changed.

“She had been feeling elated but after that felt low and thought about suicide.”

Kimberley’s condition continued to deteriorate and she discharged herself from Halton Hospital on October 11.

The crisis team agreed to treat her at home but on October 13 she took an overdose of anti-depressants and died later at Warrington Hospital.

Family members are demanding to know why Kimberley was not sectioned and Mrs Napier adjourned proceedings for further inquiries.