A friend of mine was in her mid to late twenties when I met her back in the 90s. She was a gorgeous accountant who was vibrant, full of life and doted on her two small daughters whom she adored.

I was introduced to her by her husband who she thought I was creeping with because we were so tight. Today, she is 40 years old and lives in a nursing home where she is confined to a hospital bed. She can’t speak or move so she communicates with her eyes.

Muscle contractions of her upper and lower limbs render them totally useless to her. At age 40 she requires total care to even turn herself in bed.

She is one of many young women of child bearing age who have suffered a stroke caused by contraceptives.

The makers of NuvaRing birth control device have come under fire because of the product’s link to dangerous side effects such as blood clots, CVAs (strokes) and heart attacks. NuvaRing is a flexible contraceptive device that is inserted into the vagina to prevent pregnancies.

Blood clots are the main cause of deep vein thrombosis (DVT), strokes, pulmonary embolisms (clots in lungs) and cardiac arrests. Nuvaring contains a combination of hormones that can double the risk of deep vein thrombophlebitis (clots forming in the legs). Even women with no history of blood clots (such as my friend) report health problems after using NuvaRing.

Most women can use NuvaRing safely. But the risks of blood clots caused by NuvaRing increases with age and when combined with other risk factors such as cigarette smoking, high blood pressure, and high fat, high cholesterol diet. NuvaRing’s website carries a detailed warning of the risk factors that you should be aware of if you are considering using the device. I have posted a part of that list above.

If you use combination oral contraceptives and/or NuvaRing, you should watch for the following signs and symptoms (Note: “Signs” are what you see and “symptoms” are what you feel):

  • Sharp chest pain
  • Sharp pain in your lower leg/calf
  • Increased heat, swelling or numbness in your lower leg/calf
  • Coughing up blood
  • Double vision or blurred vision
  • Headache, nausea, vomiting
  • Slurred speech, dizziness, change in mental status or disorientation
  • Pain or swelling in arms, numbness or tingling in fingers

If you experience any of these symptoms alone or in combination, call your personal physician or 911. You could be experiencing a stroke or heart attack!

This has been your Medical Minute.

 

Info on the Web

Who Should Not Use NuvaRing – NuvaRing

NuvaRing Side Effects – BloodClotPain

NuvaRing Side Effects – Medication.com

 

DISCLAIMER:
As always, any medical information published on this blog is not intended as a substitute for informed medical advice and you should not take any action before consulting with your personal physician or a health care provider.