Drug Alert: YAZ Gallbladder Problems May Require Surgery
One popular line of birth control pills has been under close
scrutiny for some time due to reports of life-threatening side effects and
allegations of deceptive advertising campaigns. Though the risk of severe
complications such as heart attacks and stroke have received a great deal of
attention, more recently another troubling trend has surfaced - the potential
for YAZ gallbladder problems among those who take the oral contraceptive or the
closely related Yasmin or Ocella. These forms of birth control contain drospirenone, a new
synthetic variety of progestin that is not used in any other contraceptive
approved in the United States. A study published in the British Medical
Journal suggested that using medications that include this hormone could as
much as double the risk of blood clots. Ocella is the generic version of
Yasmin, which is an older, higher-dose version of the newer YAZ. Reports of YAZ gallbladder problems come amidst a number of
new lawsuits against Bayer, the manufacturers of the drug. One of these arose
from the health problems of a South Carolina woman whose doctor prescribed the
medication to help treat her acne. After being treated for blood clots in her
lungs, one month later she was diagnosed with gall stones and had to undergo
painful gall bladder surgery. Medical professionals do emphasize that you should tell your
doctor, prior to taking the pill, if you have gallbladder disease or other
potentially complicating conditions such as high blood pressure, liver cancer,
or epilepsy. However, the current lawsuits allege that the manufacturers did
not adequately warn the public that women using the drug are at a higher risk
for serious health problems. In fact, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has already
chastised Bayer for misleading advertising. Though this prompted a $20 million
advertising campaign correcting previous false promises and misleading statements,
that correction may have come too late for many women who were convinced to use
the product after seeing marketing that touted positive benefits such as
clearer skin and less severe premenstrual syndrome. The most severe YAZ birth control pill side effects have
been seen to include: - Cardiac arrhythmia
- Cardiac arrest
- Intracardiac thrombus
- Pulmonary embolism
- Stroke
These serious conditions can even end in death. Over 50
fatalities related to the pills have been reported to the FDA, including
victims as young as 17 years old. Anyone taking the drug should contact a
doctor immediately upon noticing any of these signs: - Sudden numbness or
weakness
- Chest pain
- Change in severity of
migraine headaches
- Stomach pain
- Jaundice
- Breast lump
- Symptoms of depression
Additionally, gall bladder symptoms that may be a cause for
alarm include: - Severe pain in the upper abdomen that
increases rapidly
- Pain under the right shoulder
- Pain in the back between the shoulder
blades
- Nausea or vomiting
Yasmin
gall bladder problems can disrupt the normal function of the organ, which is to
store bile produced by the liver and to aid in the digestion of fats in the
small intestine. Gall bladder pain is often caused by gallstones, which are
caused by a solid formation of cholesterol and bile salts. Women are twice as
likely as men to develop them, and over half a million people must undergo
surgical removal of the organ each year. Patients who have used any product that includes
drospirenone should consult a doctor immediately upon noticing health problems.
Particularly for those who have been harmed due to false promises in the
misleading advertising campaign, finding the proper legal advice is important. In
pending lawsuits, plaintiffs have stated that they would not have taken the pills
if they had been provided with information about the associated risks. YAZ attorneys will be able to evaluate any individual case and determine if the
situation is appropriate for legal action.
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