There are thousands of women who have suffered the life-threatening consequences of Ocella DVT blood clots. When DVT occurs, large blood clots develop deep inside the body. If these blood clots begin moving in the body, they can reach the heart or lungs. Once they become trapped in the lungs, Ocella DVT blood clots can cause a pulmonary embolism, organ failure, or 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. 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.
Overview
Do you take Ocella birth control pills to reduce the risk of pregnancy? You may have heard about a recent announcement from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). After reviewing a growing amount of scientific evidence, the FDA announced that it will be updating the label on Ocella to warn that this birth control pill may increase the risk of blood clots compared to other birth control pills.
The reason the FDA is concerned is due to drospirenone, a synthetic hormonal ingredient in Ocella birth control pills. Drospirenone is a newly-developed, “fourth generation” type of synthetic progestin. In response to a growing number of adverse event reports, the FDA funded a study of approximately 800,000 women who were taking birth control pills. The FDA researchers discovered that women who were taking a drospirenone-containing birth control pill such as Ocella were three times more likely to have a blood clot.
The “active” Ocella pills contain the following amounts of hormones:
- 3-mg drospirenone, synthetic progestin
- 0.02-mg ethinyl estradiol, synthetic estrogen
These hormonal ingredients are the same active ingredients in each Yasmin birth control pills. Ocella is the generic equivalent of Yasmin. Both Ocella and Yasmin have the same risks, dosage, benefits, and side effects (including the risk of Deep Vein Thrombosis).
Ocella and Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)
Many studies have found that women who take a drospirenone-containing birth control pill, such as Ocella, have a higher risk of blood clots — and not just any blood clots. For example, surface blood clots are not life-threatening because the body filters them out of the bloodstream before they can cause damage. Ocella increases the risk of deep-vein blood clots, which are not filtered out of the bloodstream. Deep-vein blood clots form in a condition called Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT).
Ocella DVT blood clots almost always form in the lower legs, but they also rarely occur in the thighs, pelvis, upper arms, or other parts of the body. It is very difficult for the body to dissolve these clots. If left untreated, they can grow very large (several inches long) within days or hours. Blood pressure increases significantly behind the clot. If parts of the clot break loose, it can start moving through the bloodstream (called an embolism)
All veins in the lower body lead toward the heart. An embolism that reaches the heart can easily be pumped into the lungs. The blood vessels inside the lungs get very small, and eventually, the blood clot is too large to pass through the vessel and it becomes trapped. This is called a pulmonary embolism. A pulmonary embolism can cause organ damage, organ failure, or death.
Symptoms of Ocella Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)
Millions of women use a combination birth control pill to reduce the risk of unwanted pregnancy. Most of these pills contain synthetic progestin, including Ocella. All progestin-containing birth control pills increase the risk of DVT blood clots, so it is prudent to be aware of the symptom of an Ocella DVT blood clot before it occurs. If you ever suspect that you have DVT, seek immediate emergency attention.
DVT is a dangerous side effect of Ocella because it does not always have symptoms. If there are symptoms, they may include:
- Discoloration of the affected part of the body (such as one leg)
- Pain in the affected extremity
- Swelling in the limb
- Warmth in the area of the blood clot
- Superficial veins may look engorged
- Weakness, tingling, or abnormal sensation in the affected limb
Treatment for Ocella DVT Blood Clots
The goal of Ocella DVT blood clot treatment is to stop the blood clot from growing larger and thus reduce the risk that it will become an embolism, cause a pulmonary embolism. For most cases, treatment involves taking a blood-thinning medication that prevents blood platelets from sticking together. This can prevent the blood clot from getting any bigger. Common anticoagulant drugs include warfarin and heparin.
If the blood-thinning drugs are ineffective, or if the blood clot is very large, or if the symptoms are getting worse, the physician will need to use a more aggressive treatment. There are intravenous medications colloquially known as “clot-busting” drugs that are very effective at breaking down a blood clot. This aggressive treatment is called thrombolysis. The one major disadvantage of thrombolysis is that there is a risk of serious bleeding. Therefore, these treatments are only used when the Ocella DVT blood clot is life-threatening.
Do I have an Ocella Lawsuit?
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