Women who take certain types of birth control may be at risk for developing a neurological side effect known as pseudotumor cerebri (also known as intracranial hypertension or “false brain tumor”). The condition occurs when the pressure inside the skull increases, creating symptoms that mimic those of a brain tumor. These pseudotumor cerebri symptoms may include vision loss, moderate to severe headaches, ringing in the ears, light flashes in the eyes, and other side effects.

According to a 2006 study published in the European Society of Contraception and Reproductive Health, pseudotumor cerebri has been recognized as a neurological side effect of taking combined oral contraceptives, but it generally does not immediately present itself.

Based on previous reported cases of intracranial hypertension, pseudotumor cerebri is often not diagnosed immediately and there is usually a three year delay between a patient initiating a oral contraceptive regimen, presenting pseudotumor cerebri symptoms, and receiving an official diagnosis of the condition. As a result, some women may not link their “false brain tumor” diagnosis to their birth control prescription. [Learn more about the link between birth control and pseudotumor cerebri.]

However, in 2006, doctors observed a case of a young woman allegedly presenting pseudotumor cerebri symptoms  just a few months after starting hormonal birth control.

According to the 2006 health journal article, a 19-year-old obese woman allegedly experienced visual impairment and headaches just four months after starting a course of combined oral contraceptives. Three years after starting birth control, the young woman’s condition deteriorated and began to present additional serious pseudotumor cerebri side effects, such as prominent tendon-jerks and congested optical-discs.

After the patient was given a spinal tap and normal cerebral spinal fluid drained with high pressure from the spinal area, the attending physicians diagnosed the young woman with pseudotumor cerebri. Based on the reports of this case study, the young woman’s side effects of headache and visual impairment completely resolved three weeks after she stopped taking combination oral  birth control.

The pseudotumor cerebri study concluded that while this condition generally goes years undetected, young obese women who begin to suddenly experience visual impairments and headaches while using oral birth control should seek medical treatment for neurological and ophthalmological assessment to determine if they have intracranial hypertension.

What is Pseudotumor Cerebri?

Pseudotumor Cerebri (also known as intracranial hypertension or “false brain tumor”) is a painful medical condition marked by increased brain pressure that is known to mimic symptoms of a brain tumor. Although the exact cause of pseudotumor cerebri’s are currently unknown, researchers and physicians think this neurological condition may be caused by poor absorption of cerebrospinal fluid.

When cerebrospinal fluid builds up in the skull, it can become problematic, causing pressure and presenting a false brain tumor or pseudotumor. As previously stated, the exact cause of intracranial hypertension is unknown. However, certain birth control pills and intrauterine devices like the Mirena IUD have been found to have a high number of adverse incident reports claiming the patients are exhibiting intracranial hypertension symptoms.

Intracranial Hypertension Symptoms

Based on recorded pseudotumor cerebri cases, some intracranial hypertension symptoms allegedly exhibited by birth control consumers include:

• Frequent headaches/migraines that start  behind the eyes and increase in intensity with eye movement
• Pulsatile tinnitus
• Dizziness or Nausea
• Vomiting
• Blurred vision, double vision, blind spots
• Vision loss in one or both eyes
• Difficulty seeing to the side (Decreased peripheral vision)
• Seeing light flashes (photopsia)
• Neck stiffness
• Neck, shoulder or back pain
• Problems walking
• Forgetfulness
• Depression

Birth Control Pseudotumor Cerebri

While most birth control products on the American drug market carry with them potential major and minor side effects of using the combined oral contraceptive, intracranial hypertension goes beyond the commonly reported side effects of birth control. As the pressure of the cerebrospinal fluid increases in an individual’s skull, the resulting condition mimics brain tumor symptoms and can allegedly be very painful and debilitating.

Popular birth controls allegedly found to cause intracranial hypertension include:

• Yaz
• Yasmin
• Beyaz
• Ocella
• Mirena IUD
• Depo-Provera
• Implanon
• Nexplanon
• NuvaRing
• Ortho Evra
• ParaGard

Many of these birth control products are manufactured and distributed by popular drug companies like Pfizer Inc. and Bayer Pharmaceutical.

As a result of the pain and suffering experienced by intracranial hypertension victims, many individuals have decided to file a pseudotumor cerebri lawsuit or join a pseudotumor cerebri class action lawsuit.