19-year-old dies after waking up with headache she thought was from hangover

On a Sunday morning in March of last year, teenager Áine Rose Hurst awoke from a night out with friends complaining of a throbbing headache.

Two days later, her heartbroken parents signed her death certificate, having said their final goodbyes.

The 19-year-old Brit had been rushed to Royal Bolton Hospital, where doctors ruled she was enduring 'severe brain swelling'.

Both she and her mother, Kerry Hurst, 52, had been convinced that she was simply experiencing a much more rigorous hangover than usual.

As such, she was advised to take some paracetamol and keep on top of her water intake.

As the hours drew on, however, Hurst's headache intensified, and the follow day, she collapsed at her Halliwell home.

After being checked into hospital, doctors were able to rule that she wasn't suffering from a hangover at all, but a rare complication that stemmed from her use of the contraceptive pill.

The teen had been told to take paracetamol and keep drinking water (Getty Stock Image)

Hurst had been taking the combined contraceptive pill, Femodette since 2020.

In the years that followed, concerns were raised regarding her blood pressure, but ultimately squashed by nurses.

In December 2024, it was finally advised by Emma Walker, a nurse for the Bolton GP Federation, that she give the medication a break.

The following month, however, her GP, Dr Moyinoluwa Oluwaseyi Onayade, recommended she start the pill straight back up again.

In inquest that concluded in November ruled that Hurst had died of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis, which the oral contraceptive pill contributed to.

Dr Onayade claimed in court that she had told him last year 'she would like to go back on the pill as soon as possible'.

Her family - who questioned during the hearing why Hurst was ever told to continue taking the pill despite signs of ill-health - later described her as the 'most beautiful, caring, funny and sensible girl'.

Hurst's parents provided a statement that was read in court (SWNS)

"Áine adored her parents, her brother, her grandparents, her aunts, uncles, cousins, boyfriend and friends," their official statement read by area coroner Peter Sigee during the inquest continued.

"She was the life and soul of every gathering and was often heard before she was seen as she had the loudest voice ever.

"She loved nothing more than a family get-together where she insisted on karaoke and a quiz where she was always the quiz master."

It added: "This made her family laugh due to her struggling to pronounce most of the words in the questions.

"We would give anything to hear her ask one more question."

Hurst's mother and father went on to reveal they've been left 'distraught' at losing their daughter, claiming 'life will never be the same for us' without her.

Hurst had been taking the contraceptive pill since 2020 (Getty Stock Image)

The pair admitted they were previously left 'deeply concerned' that her GP hadn't taken into consideration the 'recent history of high blood pressure'.

"She came back that night and said, 'He’s told me to go back on it'," mum Kerry told reporters. "She wouldn’t have taken it if she knew this would happen.

"We all take our doctor’s advice - she was 19."

They also want to know what measures police and doctors plan to put into place to prevent other pill users from enduring the same heartbreaking fate.

Despite their devastation, Dr Zeeshan Malik, a consultant in intensive care and anaesthesia at Royal Bolton Hospital, claimed he 'wasn't satisfied' that Hurst died of 'just the pill', and wanted further testing to be carried out.

Dr Onayade added that he believes his final prescription of the medication 'was reasonable', given 'that she had been on for the past few years without any side effects'.

The pill was ruled as 'a cause' of Hurst's death (SWNS)

Sigee, the case's coroner, told court attendees: "Looking back in hindsight, something might appear very obvious - but the question is, was it obvious at the time?"

Acknowledging that contraceptive pills 'can have rare side effects', he continued: "One key decision I’ve had to make is whether to include the Femodette medication in the cause of death."

In his conclusion, Sigee ruled: "Looking at matters as a whole and on the balance of probabilities, I’m satisfied that it was a cause of the death."

He also told attendees: "The fact that so many of you are here shows how much Áine was loved by her family."