Yaz Birth Control and Mrs. Beck’s Citizen Journalism

June 29th, 2009. By LucyC

Personal Yaz Story hits YouTube

Watching the events unfold in Iran over the past week has proven a startling reminder of the power of shared information, especially as it applies to the Internet. The beauty of the Web is that people can share their experiences in their own voice, regardless of whether that experience is about an election gone terribly wrong, the death of a Pop legend such as Michael Jackson, or a woman’s own story about a terrible event in her life. That sharing of information not only helps keep people informed, but in some cases galvanizes them into action. Angela Beck is counting on both.

Angela filed a lawsuit in May, against Bayer, the makers of the oral contraceptive Yaz, after being diagnosed with pulmonary embolisms, or blood clots in her lungs. During the last few years reports have surfaced of women suffering blood clots, and deep vein thrombosis possibly associated with the use of female birth control products, specifically the Ortho Evra Patch by Johnson & Johnson, and the Nuvaring, by Schering-Plough. The latest contraceptive to be associated with an increased risk for pulmonary embolism is Yaz.

Angela claims she had no idea of the side effects and risks associated with Yaz. That’s why when she felt pain in her shoulder she thought it was a pinched nerve. But she was also experiencing shortness of breath and perspiration, and was tired.  In the end it took 2 years to establish a diagnosis. 

The alleged lack of information, something the lawsuit refers to as “inadequate warning,” about the risk for blood clots led Angela to want to spread the word about the possible dangers of Yaz herself. So she made a video and posted it on YouTube.

Potential Yaz Side Effects

For the record—although it’s not front and center on the website, information is available on a downloadable PDF on the Yaz site which states “The serious side effects of the Pill occur very infrequently, especially if you are in good health and are young. However, you should know that the following medical conditions have been associated with or made worse by the Pill:

Blood clots in the legs (thrombophlebitis), lungs (pulmonary embolism), blockage or rupture of a blood vessel in the brain (stroke), blockage of blood vessels in the heart (heart attack and angina pectoris) or other organs of the body. As mentioned above, smoking increases the risk of heart attacks and strokes and subsequent serious medical consequences. Women with migraine headaches also may be at increased risk of stroke when taking the Pill.”

Do you think that’s adequate warning? Let us know. Leave a comment or click on this link if you have had a similar experience.

Tags: Birth Control, Contraceptive, Yasmin, Yaz

This was posted on Monday, June 29th, 2009 at 10:01 am and is filed under Drugs/Medical, Emerging Issues, Personal Injury . Feel free to respond, or trackback. Read our comments policy.