Teen says blood clot after taking Yaz destroyed her life

saltwn · #1 (**permalink**) 12-08-2011, 04:23 PM

So trusting are we of the pharmaceutical companies.

A shame this person didn't wait for more studies or reports to come out but plunged right in.

Quote:

Lynsey Lee hoped Yaz would relieve her severe menstrual cramping and pelvic pain, so she began taking the birth control pills when she was only 16. But, instead of getting better, she started experiencing extreme mood swings, nausea and even more pain.

Quote:

“I got really, really sick,” says Lee, now 19, of White Bluff, Tenn. “I was just constantly throwing up, and it was getting hard to breathe sometimes.”

Then, she started having unbearable chest pains that sent her to the hospital what seemed like every few days. Doctors initially couldn’t figure out what was wrong. “They kept telling me that it was just my body getting used to the medicine,” she says. “Finally, [when I was 17] I just stopped taking it.”

Later that year, after numerous medical exams, doctors diagnosed a blood clot lodged in her left lung. During one emergency room visit, doctors asked Lee what would become a life-changing question for thousands of young women like her: “Have you ever taken Yaz?”

Vitals - Teen says blood clot after taking Yaz destroyed her life

Quote:

Now, she is among the more than 10,000 American women who have filed class action lawsuits or claims against the German pharmaceutical giant Bayer, which makes Yaz, a popular birth control pill. Thousands more claims are expected. In documents released Tuesday, the Food and Drug Administration raised questions about conflicting evidence about the risks of taking Yaz and other similar pills, including life-threatening blood clots, and said warning information should appear on labels for doctors and patients.

rivrrat · #2 (**permalink**) 12-08-2011, 04:31 PM

Sad that it happened to her, but all BC pills have that risk.

1069 · #3 (**permalink**) 12-08-2011, 06:01 PM

Well, yeah... blood clots are a well-known side effect of hormonal contraceptive pills, all brands and types.
That is clearly stated on the packaging; medical personnel also warn you about it when prescribing it to you. The risk of blood clots is higher in smokers and in women over 35, which is why many doctors suggest alternate methods of contraception for women in these categories. My doctor, for instance, is always trying to convince me to get an IUD, and I'm probably going to finally get one when I go back for my post-partum check up.
But anyway, yeah... any medicine that actually works has side effects and potential risks, and blood clots are probably the best-known risk of birth control pills. It is the responsibility of the consumer/patient to read package inserts and be aware of the side effects and risks of any drug they take, whether prescription or over the counter. There is no drug without side effects and potentially serious risks.

saltwn · #4 (**permalink**) 12-08-2011, 08:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1069

Well, yeah... blood clots are a well-known side effect of hormonal contraceptive pills, all brands and types.
That is clearly stated on the packaging; medical personnel also warn you about it when prescribing it to you. The risk of blood clots is higher in smokers and in women over 35, which is why many doctors suggest alternate methods of contraception for women in these categories. My doctor, for instance, is always trying to convince me to get an IUD, and I'm probably going to finally get one when I go back for my post-partum check up.
But anyway, yeah... any medicine that actually works has side effects and potential risks, and blood clots are probably the best-known risk of birth control pills. It is the responsibility of the consumer/patient to read package inserts and be aware of the side effects and risks of any drug they take, whether prescription or over the counter. There is no drug without side effects and potentially serious risks.

This pill may be a little riskier seeing as how a 19 yr old developed blood clots. Why if possible I don't jump on some wonder drug till it's had some play.
In a marriage once you've had X amt of kids a couple should think about a vasectomy. Strictly the man's choice, but easier, cheaper and less afterward complications.

rivrrat · #5 (**permalink**) 12-08-2011, 08:35 PM

Apparently, the risk with regular pills is 6 in 10,000 and the risk with Yaz is 10 in 10,000

saltwn · #6 (**permalink**) 12-08-2011, 08:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rivrrat

Apparently, the risk with regular pills is 6 in 10,000 and the risk with Yaz is 10 in 10,000

That's probably according to the manufacturer.

That's who does most drug trials.

rivrrat · #7 (**permalink**) 12-08-2011, 08:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by saltwn

That's probably according to the manufacturer.

That's who does most drug trials.

That's according to the FDA

saltwn · #8 (**permalink**) 12-08-2011, 09:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rivrrat

That's according to the FDA

Who unless things have changed a lot, gets a lot of its initial info from commercial labs. If there's something specific indicated then they'll do testing.
The PDR that physicians consult to even prescribe drugs is a compilation of commercial drug trials. Which is kinda raw, but

rivrrat · #9 (**permalink**) 12-08-2011, 09:42 PM

Fact is, BC pills cause blood clots in some people. That's just the risk.

Steincr · #10 (**permalink**) 12-24-2011, 03:44 PM

This is why I don't take birth control.

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