Women choose to take birth control for a variety of reasons, and most women weigh the benefits and potential side effects carefully before starting a prescription. Recent reports, however, indicate that some birth control methods may expose their users to more complications than expected.

A condition known as pseudotumor cerebri, or PTC, has been linked to birth control pills and other forms of birth control. Some women who have suffered this side effect as a result of using birth control have responded by filing pseudotumor cerebri lawsuits against the pharmaceutical manufacturers responsible for making and marketing the birth control.

Plaintiffs in these pseudotumor cerebri suits have alleged that the manufacturers failed to adequately warn the medical community and the public about the risk of medical complications, such as PTC, associated with taking certain forms of birth control.

Pseudotumor Cerebri Symptoms

Pseudotumor cerebri, which means “false brain tumor,” is so named because its symptoms are similar to those of brain tumors. Though not a tumor, PTC is a serious condition that is characterized by an abnormal and potentially dangerous amount of cerebrospinal pressure in a person’s skull.

This pressure is known as Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension (IIH), and comes with some very serious symptoms. Pseudotumor cerebri symptoms include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Moderate to severe headaches
• Nausea and vomiting
• Dizziness or vertigo
• Tinnitus or pulsatile tinnitus (ringing in the ears in sync with the heartbeat)
• Vision changes (including blurred, dimmed, or double vision)
• Papilledema (swollen optic nerve)
• Neck, shoulder, and/or back pain
• Difficulty walking
• Forgetfulness
• Depression

Pseudotumor Cerebri Treatment

Pseudotumor cerebri treatment involves treating the symptoms. Most essentially, treatment focuses on relieving or reducing severe intracranial pressure.

PTC intracranial pressure treatment can include more low-key methods like medication, but can also involve lumbar punctures (removing extra cerebrospinal fluid to reduce pressure), or even brain surgery in the most extreme cases.

Pseudotumor cerebri can affect anybody, but the condition is most commonly found in females who are overweight and close to menopause. Pregnant women also develop PTC at a higher than average rate.

PTC Birth Control Lawsuits

Women who have been diagnosed with PTC after taking birth control medication may be able to file a pseudotumor cerebri lawsuit to recoup some of the costs associated with the condition. The birth control lawsuits may allege that the pharmaceutical manufacturers failed to adequately warn patients and the medical community about the heightened risk of developing PTC when taking birth control medication.

If you have been diagnosed with pseudotumor cerebri after using some form of birth control medication, you may be able to either file a birth control pseudotumor cerebri lawsuit or join a birth control PTC class action lawsuit.