Nuvaring Lawsuits

by Steve Fields on March 1st, 2010

Nuvaring lawsuits continue to be filed on behalf of women who have developed side effects of the birth control ring. If you use the NuvaRing contraceptive you may be at a greater risk of developing a life-threatening condition called deep vein thrombosis. Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) occurs when blood thickens, or clots in a vein, usually in the upper or lower leg. The blood clot can break off, traveling through the blood stream. If it reaches the lungs, it can block blood flow there causing a pulmonary embolism.

Several factors can increase your risk of developing deep vein thrombosis. If you have a blood clotting disorder or have had a broken bone, you may be more at risk. If surgery or travel has limited your movement, your chances may be higher of developing DVT. Being overweight or pregnant can also increase your risk.

Some women who used the birth control ring called NuvaRing have also developed deep vein thrombosis. One of the hormones in the contraceptive, desogestrel, is thought to affect the blood clotting process.

Unfortunately, half of the people who have deep vein thrombosis do not have any symptoms, and therefore may be unaware that there is a problem until a clot reaches the lungs.

Those who do have symptoms may have swelling in the upper or lower leg, with pain, warmth or redness in the affected area. Symptoms may also be subtle, such as a tingling or feeling of fullness in the vein or leg. Some patients notice that the skin on one leg is a different shade than the other, or feels cooler than the other.

While not all clots travel to the lungs, some do. If you ever have the following symptoms, call 9-1-1 and get emergency help immediately:

• Coughing up blood
• Shortness of breath
• Pain in chest
• Lightheadedness

If you are diagnosed with DVT, your doctor will work to keep the clot (or clots) from moving upward into the lungs, allow the clots to shrink in size and prevent new clots from forming. Blood thinners are often used to keep clots from getting larger and make the clots less likely to break off into the bloodstream. However, these medicines do not actually reduce the size of the clots. Over time, the body will dissolve clots that currently exist.

Another method of keeping a clot from moving into the lungs is the insertion of a vena cava filter. This filter is inserted into a vein in the abdomen and keeps clots from moving upward. To prevent the formation of clots, patients may wear compression stockings on their legs to keep the blood from pooling in the lower extremities.

People who have DVT are more likely to have it occur in the future. Although medications and preventative measures can help, it c becomes a long-term effort to return to health. If you use the NuvaRing contraceptive and have had any of the symptoms listed above, contact your doctor immediately.

Should you have any questions about NuvaRing, contact us. We currently represent women throughout the United States who have suffered from blood clots after using the birth control ring. We do not charge any legal fees unless we win compensation in your case. For a free no-obligation consultation please call toll free or fill out our short online contact form and a NuvaRing lawsuits attorney will contact you to answer any of your questions.