Ibuprofen Before Vasectomy
The two best-selling and most widely used oral contraceptives in the United States have been found to have dangerous side effects, including of heart attacks, strokes, liver damage and more than 50 deaths linked to their use. A recent study in the widely respected British Medical Journal reported that compared to women using other birth control pills, the women who used birth control pills that contained drospirenone, suffered increased rates of gallstones, severe allergic reactions, liver disorders, heart attacks, strokes, and life-threatening blood clots.
Drospirenone is a synthetic progesterone which increases the risk for developing blood clots, which can break loose from the vein where they form, and lodge in the lungs or the vessels of the heart.
In TV commercials the drugs were presented as effective for acne and Premenstrual Mood Disorder as well as for birth control. The commercials did not advise viewers of the significant side effects. The FDA rebuked the manufacturer, and required it to mount a new TV campaign clarifying the ways in which they had previously misled viewers.
These dangerous drugs earned the multinational pharmaceutical firm that developed and manufactured them more than $1.8 billion in 2008.
Hyperkalemia, an abnormally high level of potassium in the bloodstream, is another possible side effect of contraceptives containing drospirenone. A woman’s risk of hyperkalemia rises if she takes them in combination with drugs known to increase potassium concentration, such as ACE inhibitors, heparin, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs, which include such common drugs as Motrin, ibuprofen, and COX2 inhibitors. Women who have kidney disease, liver disease, or who are obese are all at higher risk of developing blood clots and other serious side effects when using contraceptives containing drospirenone.
A 2009 FDA inspection of the company’s manufacturing facility found that their methods for assuring the quality and consistency of each batch of drugs fell below of FDA standards.
As of October 2009 129 lawsuits had been filed on behalf of women who had used these drugs and suffered serious health injuries. One woman suffered a severe stroke after using them for just one month.
The lawsuits include charges that the company had failed to adequately research the risks and side effects of the drug, that its marketing was misleading and failed to make potential users aware of the health risks, and that even when it knew about the about serious side effects and health consequences the company failed to withdraw the drug from the market. As news of these lawsuits spread, plaintiffs attorneys anticipate that hundreds of women will come forward with their experience of serious health problems related to contraceptives containing drospirenone.
If you or someone you know has used one of these drugs, you should consult with your healthcare provider promptly about the possible risks. If you have suffered a heart attack, stroke, deep vein thrombosis (DVT), pulmonary embolism, liver damage, severe allergic reaction, or other serious health problem that you believe is linked to your taking a birth control pill that contains drospirenone, you may have a claim against the manufacturer. You should consult with an experienced pharmaceutical lawyer as soon as possible.
Gayle Blatt is a drug attorney who believes that equal protection under the law means aggressive representation for people against irresponsible information regarding the use of powerful medications from the pharmaceutical industry. In her years of representing cases like Yaz, lawyer Gayle Blatt chooses to provide counsel to individuals, rather than class actions, allowing her to personally focus on the unique needs of each and every individual client.
