Texas Ocella Pulmonary Embolism Lawyer

A life-threatening side effect of Ocella is a pulmonary embolism, which is a condition that occurs when a blood clot forms in the body, travels to the lungs, and gets trapped inside the lungs. In some cases, Ocella pulmonary embolisms can result in permanent damage to a woman’s lung tissue.

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

Ocella is a once-daily hormonal birth control pill. The “active” Ocella pills each contain the following hormones: 3-mg drospirenone, 0.03-mg ethinyl estradiol.

Ocella is the generic form of Yasmin. Both medications contain the same active ingredients, including the controversial drospirenone. For more than a decade, there has been growing evidence suggesting that drospirenone is associated with a higher risk of blood clots compared to other birth control pills. In April 2012, the FDA finally announced that it would update the label on Ocella to warn of this increased risk.

Ocella and Pulmonary Embolisms

A pulmonary embolism is the result of a blood clot that has become lodged in the lungs. In some cases, a pulmonary embolism can cause death. In fact, approximately 60,000 people die from a pulmonary embolism every year. Some women who have taken Ocella birth control pills have suffered pulmonary embolisms. If you suffered this severe side effect, you are not alone.

How could Ocella cause a pulmonary embolism? Ocella contains 3-mg of drospirenone, a synthetic version of the female reproductive hormone progestin. Several studies have linked drospirenone to an increased risk of blood clots. These blood clots tend to grow on the walls of veins located deep inside the body, usually in the legs (called Deep Vein Thrombosis). When blood clots grow large, they can break loose and travel all the way to the lungs. Inside the lungs, they become trapped in blood vessels.

A blood clot in the lungs cuts off the supply of blood to the lungs. Like all organs, the lungs require blood to survive. Without blood, the delicate tissues in the lungs start to die within minutes. In fact, a pulmonary embolism can cause death within as little as 30 minutes or an hour, especially if the blood clot in the lungs is very large.

People who suffer an Ocella pulmonary embolism have a high risk of dying. They may also suffer irreversible lung damage, organ failure, or lifelong disabilities.

Symptoms of an Ocella Pulmonary Embolism

Nearly all hormonal birth control pills contain synthetic progestin, including Ocella. Since all progestins slightly increase a woman’s risk of having a blood clot, if you take birth control pills, you should be aware of the symptoms of DVT, pulmonary embolisms, blood clots, and other side effects. DVT blood clots tend to form slowly, usually over several hours and sometimes several days. They do not always have symptoms. If there are symptoms, usually they appear in the limbs, and involve swelling, discoloration, pain, warmth, and abnormal sensation in the affected area.

When a DVT blood clot causes a pulmonary embolism, the symptoms are usually quite sudden. They may be very severe or mild. When pulmonary embolisms cause mild symptoms (chest pain, shortness of breath, etc.), sometimes people decide to delay treatment. This is a bad idea. Pulmonary embolisms can quickly become deadly.

When a person is suffering from an Ocella pulmonary embolism, the following symptoms may be present:

• Sudden shortness of breath that is unexplainable
• Coughing, which may be bloody
• Chest pain that may be sharp or dull, which may grow worse as the patient coughs, breathes deeply, or moves
• Fainting, feeling light-headed, dizziness
• Anxiety, nervousness, feeling that something serious is wrong
• Changes in breathing, usually rapid breathing
• Fast heartbeat

Treatment of an Ocella Pulmonary Embolism

Once a blood clot is in the lungs, it is very difficult for the body to dissolve it and remove the blockage without assistance. Blood-thinning medications can assist this process. They usually involve the oral administration of warfarin, which takes several days to take effect, and the intravenous administration of heparin, which works very quickly. Anti-coagulation therapy may extend for some time after the patient has been discharged from the hospital.

Sometimes, pulmonary embolisms are very severe, and a patient is at risk of dying in the hospital. In these cases, it is necessary for a physician to immediately dissolve or remove the clot. This may be performed using an intravenous clot-busting (thrombolytic) drug. Sometimes, catheter techniques are used to deliver the thrombolytic medication directly to the site of the clot. In the worst case scenario, a surgeon may be forced to operate to remove the blood clot from the patient’s lungs.

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.