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ContraceptivesSerious side effects linked to contraceptive devicesWomen have experienced serious side effects over the last two decades while using various brands of contraceptive devices. Below is a description of documented problems and side effects that may result from some types of contraceptive devices. Norplant is a hormonal contraceptive for women that prevents pregnancy for five years after a single application. About 1 million women in the United States have used Norplant. Annual U.S. sales peaked in 1992 at $120.7 million but dropped to $4.4 million by 1997. Wyeth, the maker of Norplant, settled claims with more than 35,000 women who said the Norplant contraceptive device caused side effects such as headaches, irregular menstrual bleeding, nausea and depression. Other Norplant side effects include severe headaches, nervousness, change in appetite, extreme weight gain, hair loss, dizziness, acne, breast tenderness, swelling of the ovaries and ovarian cysts, and difficulties with Norplant insertion and removal. Depo Provera is a shot given every three months that prevents pregnancy through suppressing ovulation and making the cervix uninhabitable for sperm. Women taking Depo Provera have experienced side effects including nausea, depression, extreme weight gain, osteoporosis, loss of sex drive, short term sterility, headaches, hair loss, acne, weakness and nervousness. Some research indicates that Depo Provera is linked with increased risk of breast and uterine cancer as well. Ortho Evra® is a contraceptive patch approved by the FDA in November 2001. Along with containing a new type of progestin, norelgestromin, it also contains a black box warning advising women who smoke, especially older women, to avoid the product. Investigations have revealed Ortho Evra® as the probable cause of at least 17 deaths since its approval as the result of blood clots, strokes and heart attacks. The women victims were between the age of 17 and 30. In total, 44 women are believed to have been seriously injured by the patch. That number may be dramatically higher as the FDA estimates it only receives reports of 1 in 10 to 1 in 100 of serious reactions to drugs. Side effects associated with using Ortho Evra® may include difficulty breathing, shortness of breath, anxiety, sharp chest pain, coughing up blood, pain in the calf (indicative of a blood clot), sudden fatigue, sudden severe headache or vomiting, convulsions and fainting. Severe injuries may include heart attack, pulmonary embolism, stroke or even death. The Pill, known by a variety of brand names, is taken by over 10 million women in the United States. The birth control pill, the most popular form of contraceptive device, has some safety issues of its own. For example, some research suggests possible links between birth control pill use and breast cancer, strokes, heart attack and blood clots. Other side effects of the pill include breast tenderness, depression and weight gain. If you or a loved one suspect that a contraceptive device has injured you, you should call us now at 1-800-THE-EAGLE (1-800-843-3245) or SUBMIT A SHORT AND SIMPLE CASE FORM HERE. You may have a contraceptive device lawsuit and be entitled to compensation for your injuries. |