Women familiar with certain types of hormonal birth control are also likely aware of the array of possible birth control side effects.

One such condition, pseudotumor cerebri, may present initially as a mere birth control headache but later develop into severe and permanent residuals.

Pseudotumor cerebri is a condition in which a patient suffers the symptoms of a brain tumor without having any actual tumor. The condition also goes by the names benign intracranial hypertension and idiopathic intracranial hypertension.

It does not occur frequently in general, but among overweight women of childbearing age, pseudotumor cerebri occurs 20 times more frequently than in the general population.

Typically, pseudotumor cerebri begins with a headache occurring daily or almost daily. These headaches may only be mild or may vary in intensity. Some patients also report nausea, double vision, blurred vision, or pulsating sounds originating inside the head.

If not treated soon enough, visual symptoms can progress to the point of permanent blindness. Increasing pressure can cause papilledema, or a swelling of the optic nerve near the eyeball. Loss of vision typically starts in the peripheral vision, so the patient may not notice the loss at first. Vision typically does not return once it’s lost.

Pseudotumor cerebri is thought to be associated with an excess of cerebrospinal fluid inside the skull, and treatment of the condition generally seeks to resolve that excess.

Doctors may administer diuretics to reduce the amount of fluid in the body overall. It may be beneficial to remove cerebrospinal fluid through a small puncture in the spine, known as a spinal tap.

More severe cases may require surgery to relieve the pressure inside the skull. Surgeons may implant a shunt to drain cerebrospinal fluid out of the skull or may use a stent to create more space in the open spaces inside the brain. Optic nerve sheath fenestration may be necessary to prevent blindness.

Birth Control And Pseudotumor Cerebri

What causes pseudotumor cerebri is not known. However, research shows that certain types of birth control are associated with an increased risk of pseudotumor cerebri.

Research has revealed a link between intracranial hypertension and a type of hormonal birth control called levonorgestrel. In 1995 the New England Journal of Medicine published the results of two physicians’ research, finding a total of 56 reported cases of intracranial hypertension in conjunction with levonorgestrel.

Levonorgestrel is now contraindicated in women who have a known history of intracranial hypertension. This hormone is commonly used in intrauterine contraceptives like Liletta, Skyla, and the Mirena IUD. In tablet form, it’s used on an emergency basis under the brand names My Way and Plan B One-Step.

Other contraceptive medications may also be linked to pseudotumor cerebri. Certain medications containing drospirenone are also suspected of increasing the risk of pseudotumor cerebri. These include contraceptives sold under the brand names Yaz, Implanon, ParaGard, Depo-Provera, and Ortho Evra.

Attorneys are now investigating whether women who suffered pseudotumor cerebri in conjunction with using birth control may have a legal claim.