Mirena and Essure are internal forms of birth control that can prevent pregnancy for years at a time. Often after a women has finished having children her doctor will recommend these as an option. However thousands of women have been suffering from side effects from these types of birth control that range from painful to deadly. Many women blame their doctors for suggesting birth control that has lowered their quality of life. The truth is some doctors are just not informed and the blame may often lie with the manufacturer of these drugs who did not adequately state the real dangers and side effects of the procedure.
Mirena
Mirena is an intrauterine device (IUD) that is inserted into the uterus by a healthcare provider and is approved to remain in the uterus for up to five (5) years after insertion. The manufacturer warns that the doctor could perforate the uterus during insertion. However now there is a potential for suffering a nick, cut, or perforation at a later point in the 5-year life span of Mirena as it migrates on its own.
Survivor’s story on a support board:
“I hate Mirena. It has been a nightmare since day one. The very first day right at the doctor’s office I could not even walk. The pain was so strong that I thought I was about to give birth. I called the doctor and she mentioned that the pain would soon go away.
A week later I was there again because of the intense pain (cramps) and on top of everything I was bleeding for two months. My period lasts only for two day for the past 10 years. Now I have to have a pad with me all the time.
My hair is falling like I have some disease. I have acne problem, which I never had before the Mirena. Now I even have it in my chest and back. Every time I have a strong cramps, I bleed and that happens a few times a week. I don’t sleep well and my mood is terrible.”
Essure
The device is a pair of small lengths of coil that are inserted into a woman’s fallopian tubes; the coils then expand, which prevent sperm and eggs from joining. Women who have used the device have been reporting mild to devastating side effects from the procedure, including chronic and disabling pain, heavy bleeding and incredibly painful menstrual cramps.
A survivor’s story
“After getting Essure I started having leg pain, numbness of my hands and feet, sharp pains, fatigue, blood in my urine and heavy painful periods sometimes twice a month. After 7 years of pain a new doctor suggested that Essure was the problem. When the doctor went in to do exploratory surgery he found that one spring was almost all the way out and one was half way out, so he removed them, he also removed endometriosis, a cyst, a tumor and had to fix my bowels.”
There are many other women who have had these symptoms. Frustrated and in pain they went to doctor after doctor and were told that their Mirena or Essure birth control was not the cause. However more and more websites and support boards such as Erin Brockovich’s website have connected women and given voice to their pain. Lawsuits against the manufacturer have revealed medical evidence that proves these women’s suspicions were true. At Shapiro, Lewis, Appleton and Favaloro we understand how delicate and uncomfortable talking about a NuvaRing or Mirena claim can be for a woman. However finding an ethical lawyer who cares is a step in the right direction.
CT
