NuvaRing Birth Control Device Has Risk of Blood Clots
NuvaRing (etonogestrel) is a form of birth control that has been associated with a risk of blood clots that can result in stroke, heart attack, vision problems or blindness. Drug makers failed to adequately warn patients about these possibly serious side effects, leaving women to make the decision about whether to use NuvaRing without having all the facts.
NuvaRing is fairly new type of birth control that delivers medication by means of a plastic ring inserted into the vagina. Drug makers may not have studied the drug adequately for safety, or may have rushed the drug to market before all its side effects were known. For this reason, women who are prescribed NuvaRing and who develop serious side effects have the right to hold the manufacturer responsible. Although a lawsuit cannot ease the pain or loss of a loved one, it can help compensate for losses in income, quality of life and suffering. A NurvaRing attorney with Janet, Jenner & Suggs will review your situation and advise you. All consultations are free of charge.
Consumer Alert
NuvaRing uses a combination of hormones, one of which is a form of progestin called desogestrelis. Since 1995, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has known that contraceptives containing desogestrelis were twice as likely to cause blood clots as other hormones.
Blood clots are extremely dangerous. If they develop in the legs, a condition known as Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT), clots can travel to the heart, lungs or brain resulting in blockages leading to a heart attack, stroke or death. Blood clots can also form in the eye, causing partial vision loss or blindness.
Lawsuits Disclose Problems
NuvaRing has only been on the market in the U.S. since 2002, so no long-term, wide-scale studies exist about the drug. However, hundreds of lawsuits from women who have been seriously affected by NuvaRing have been filed.
Before Using NuvaRing
Before using NuvaRing, women should tell their doctor if they smoke, have a history of clotting issues or cardiovascular problems, are pregnant or breast feeding.
Symptoms of Dangerous Side Effects of NuvaRing
Any woman using NuvaRing should contact her doctor immediately if she begins experiencing any of the following :
- Sharp chest pain, coughing blood, or sudden shortness of breath (possible clot in the lung)
- Pain in the calf (back of lower leg; possible clot in the leg)
- Crushing chest pain or heaviness in the chest (possible heart attack)
- Sudden severe headache or vomiting, dizziness or fainting, problems with vision or speech, weakness, or numbness in an arm or leg (possible stroke)
- Sudden partial or complete loss of vision (possible clot in the eye)
- Yellowing of the skin or whites of the eyes (jaundice), especially with fever, tiredness, loss of appetite, dark-colored urine, or light-colored bowel movements (possible liver problems)
- Severe pain, swelling, or tenderness in the abdomen (gallbladder or liver problems)
- Sudden fever (usually 102°F or more), vomiting, diarrhea, dizziness, fainting, or a sunburn-like rash on the face or body (very rarely, toxic shock syndrome)
- Breast lumps (possible breast cancer or benign breast disease)
- Irregular vaginal bleeding or spotting that happens in more than one menstrual cycle or lasts for more than a few days
- Urgent, frequent, burning and/or painful urination, and cannot locate the ring in the vagina (rarely, accidental placement of NuvaRing into the urinary bladder)
- Swelling (edema) of your fingers or ankles
- Difficulty in sleeping, weakness, lack of energy, fatigue, or a change in mood (possible severe depression)
Legal Help for Victims of NuvaRing Injuries
If you or a loved one were using a NuvaRing and suffered any of the above injuries, you may have valuable legal rights. Please fill out our online form, or call us toll-free 1-877-My-Advocates (1-877-692-3862) to discuss your case with one of our pharmaceutical injury lawyers today.
