Texas Yaz LawsuitOcella is a hormonal birth control pill. It contains a controversial ingredient known as drospirenone, which the FDA recently found was associated with a 75% increased risk of developing blood clots. Ocella blood clots can break loose, becoming an embolism that will travel until it becomes trapped in the bloodstream.

Do I Have an Ocella Lawsuit? Collen A. Clark is a true advocate for his clients and is passionate about helping Texans that have been injured or wronged. If you or a loved one has been injured by blood clots, you should contact our lawyers immediately. You may be entitled to compensation by filing a lawsuit.

UPDATE

April 2012 — The FDA has recently announced that it will be updating the drug safety information for all birth control pills containing drospirenone. In a statement, they said: “The FDA has concluded that drospirenone-containing birth control pills may be associated with a higher risk for blood clots than other progestin-containing pills.” The FDA will be updating the drug safety information to warn about the increased risk of blood clots associated with drospirenone.

Ocella Overview

Ocella is a once-a-day combined hormonal contraceptive. It was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in July 2008 for the prevention of pregnancy. It can also reduce the symptoms of Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) and mild acne.

When taken as directed, Ocella is more than 99% effective at preventing pregnancy. It uses a combination of two hormones (drospirenone and ethinyl estradiol) to make temporary changes to a woman’s reproductive system. These changes include inhibiting ovulation, increasing the amount of cervical mucous, and decreasing the thickness of the uterine lining.

Ocella and Drospirenone

The controversy around Ocella and other “fourth generation” birth control pills (Yaz, Yasmin, Gianvi, and many more) stems from drospirenone, a new type of synthetic hormone that was invented by Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Drospirenone was first used in Yasmin birth control pills beginning in 2001.

If you initially used Yasmin, you may have switched to Ocella when it became available. Ocella is the generic equivalent of Yasmin. Both medications contain the same amount of synthetic hormones, including drospirenone. Both medications have also been linked to a higher risk of blood clots compared to older types of birth control pills.

Drospirenone has been shown to increase a woman’s risk of a blood clot by 75%. In real numbers, this means an extra 4 women per 10,000 women taking drospirenone are expected to develop a blood clot. With older pills, the risk was only 6 women out of 10,000. With drospirenone, the risk is around 10 women per 10,000.

Ocella and Blood Clots

One of the major risks of Ocella blood clots is that they are often symptomless. Unlike blood clots that form on the surface of the skin (varicose veins, bruises, etc.), Ocella blood clots tend to form deep inside the body. They almost always form in veins deep in the legs, in a condition called deep vein thrombosis (DVT), however, blood clots may form anywhere in the body.

Veins are blood vessels bringing oxygen-poor blood to the heart, and arteries are blood vessels carrying oxygen-rich blood away from the heart and into the rest of the body. A blood clot may form in either veins or arteries. The symptoms are usually different, depending on where the clot has formed. If the blood clot is in a vein, the clot acts like a “dam,” and slowly causes symptoms that may take hours or days to become severe. If the blood clot forms in an artery, the symptoms typically appear very suddenly, such as during a heart attack or ischemic stroke.

Symptoms of a Blood Clot

Not all people who have a blood clot show symptoms. Around 50% of DVT cases are symptomless. When a person does have symptoms, they often appear as:

  • Swelling in the affected area
  • Change in skin color, whiteness or redness
  • Pain
  • Warmth
  • Weakness
  • Loss of sensation
  • Paralysis of one part of the body, loss of function

Ocella Side Effects

If you developed an Ocella blood clot or other side effect after using Ocella birth control pills, you are not alone. Bayer now faces more than 11,000 lawsuits regarding side effects of its birth control pills containing drospirenone. These side effects include, but are not limited to:

  • Depression
  • Blood clots
  • Deep vein thrombosis (DVT)
  • Venous thromboembolism (VTE)
  • Pulmonary embolism
  • Heart attack (myocardial infarction)
  • Stroke
  • Gallbladder disease
  • Pancreatitis
  • Hyperkalemia (toxic high levels of potassium)
  • Irregular heartbeat (heart arrhythmia)
  • Psychological trauma
  • Death

Do I have an Ocella Lawsuit?

Collen A. Clark is a true advocate for his clients and is passionate about helping Texans that have been injured or wronged.

Collen’s amazing success in the courtroom and well known dedication to his clients has earned him the recognition of his peers as one of The Top Trial Lawyers in Texas.”

The Clark Firm has assembled a team of trial lawyers with more than 100 years experience, participation in over 600 jury trials and $260 million in verdicts and/or settlements. Please use the form below to contact us for a free case review.

Meet Your Attorney

Collen A. Clark

Collen A. Clark is a true advocate for his clients and is passionate about helping Texans that have been injured or wronged.

“Collen’s amazing success in the courtroom and well known dedication to his clients has earned him the recognition of his peers as one of The Top Trial Lawyers in Texas.”

To contact Collen, please fill out the contact form below:

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