Women across the country are discovering that their most reliable and popular birth control products are allegedly causing tumor-like symptoms and permanent blindness. The condition in question, pseudotumor cerebri (PTC), has been reported to occur from various birth control users like: Yaz, Yasmin, Mirena IUD, NuvaRing, and other popular contraceptives.

The term ‘pseudotumor cerebri’ quite literally means false brain tumor, with the condition being named for the symptoms patients endure while suffering this condition; this condition is also known as idiopathic intracranial hypertension.

Experts explain that pseudotumor cerebri occurs when excess cerebrospinal fluid builds up inside the skull, resulting in severe headaches. The cerebrospinal fluid acts as a cushion for the skull and spine, and ideally protects these vital body parts from harm. Normally, this fluid is produced in the skull and is reabsorbed into the bloodstream, allowing for efficient biological processing.

However, if the cerebrospinal fluid gets backed up or overflows it can cause numerous problems for patients. Women who have been using particular birth control products report suffering pseudotumor cerebri soon after starting their prescriptions. It is currently unknown as to how these birth control products may be causing this side effect. However, experts believe that these products are somehow interfering with the natural cerebrospinal process by causing the body to produce too much cerebrospinal fluid at a rate that outpaces the reabsorption process.

Excess cerebrospinal fluid can lead to various painful side effects like: headaches, migraines, vision loss, nausea, vomiting, and even permanent blindness in the worst cases. Women report that pseudotumor cerebri symptoms become worse during activities of extreme energy exertion like exercise, because physical activities tend to raise pressure in the skull.

Patients who suddenly feel these birth control headaches,should report them to their doctors immediately, as PTC can cause permanent blindness. This is because the cerebrospinal fluid causes immense pressure on optic nerve, which in turn can cause permanent vision damage.

Pseudotumor Cerebri Concerns

When doctors diagnose pseudotumor cerebri, lumbar punctures (spinal taps) are often used to measure cerebrospinal fluid levels; other methods of diagnosis include eye examination, CT scans, and MRIs.

Treatment of pseudotumor cerebri is very limited, so it is important that patients get diagnosed as soon as possible; ultimately, the goal of pseudotumor treatment is to prevent blindness. In the more mild cases, prescription medications can be used to stave off the pain and vision loss.

However, more severe cases may require brain surgery to implement a tube-like device called a shunt, which is used to drain excess cerebrospinal fluid. It is important to note that this will only alleviate pain, and will not fix any vision damage.

Medical experts currently have no explanation for why pseudotumor cerebri may occur after using these popular contraceptives. However, numerous injury reports and scientific inquiries describe an increasing rate of PTC development associated with birth control.

For example, a study published in 1995 in the New England Journal of Medicine showed the likelihood of pseudotumor cerebri occurring from contraceptives with the synthetic hormone called levonorgestrel. Other studies indicate similar results, as other hormone-based contraceptives have shown similar results in subjects.

Despite the severe consequence of blindness, many birth control manufacturers have chosen to omit the risk of pseudotumor cerebri from their warning label. This has spurred several product liability lawsuits to be filed against Pfizer, Bayer, and other pharmaceutical companies by women who allege that the companies failed to protect them against the dangers of their birth control products.