Daiichi Sankyo and Forest Laboratories are facing a Benicar diarrhea lawsuit filed by an Illinois woman who alleges she suffered serious injuries after using the drug.

Plaintiff Elizabeth S., a resident of Cook County, Illinois, was prescribed Benicar (or olmesartan) by her physician, presumably to treat her hypertension and lower her blood pressure.

While taking the medication and dosage as prescribed and directed, Elizabeth developed severe Benicar side effects, including several gastrointestinal injuries such as severe intestinal and/or colonic disease manifestations including but not limited to sprue-like enteropathy, lymphocytic colitis, microscopic colitis, collagenous colitis, and/or intestinal malabsorption.”

Because of these Benicar complications, other side effects arose, including:

• chronic diarrhea
• weight loss
• vomiting
• nausea
• malnutrition
• dehydration
• acute renal failure

The Benicar lawsuit alleges defective design, failure to warn, strict liability, gross negligence, negligence and failure to warn, failure to comply with all federal standards and requirements applicable to the sale of olmesartan products, negligent misrepresentation, fraudulent concealment, constructive fraud, fraud, civil conspiracy, breach of express warranties, and breach of implied warranties.

Benicar is a popular hypertension medication, with 11 million prescriptions for the drug written every year within the United States.

However, despite its popularity, research and injury reports have linked use of this blood pressure medication with the development of gastrointestinal complications that mimic the symptoms of celiac disease, a driving reason why many patients using Benicar are often misdiagnosed and continue to take the medication unaware that it is the cause of their distress.

Some common Benicar side effects reported by patients include:

• Severe and chronic diarrhea
• Substantial weight loss
• Electrolyte imbalance
• Sprue-like enteropathy
• Villous atrophy
• Other GI problems misdiagnosed as celiac symptoms

Not only are these Benicar complications painful, but they are often embarrassing and can cause victims of these Benicar side effects emotional and mental distress on top of their physical ailments.

Many patients are filing Benicar lawsuits against the makers of the drug, seeking monetary compensation for their injuries and medical bills. Because of the growing number of Benicar lawsuits, these cases have been consolidated into a multidistrict litigation (or MDL).

Elizabeth is seeking compensatory, treble, and punitive damages, as well as court costs, and any other forms of relief deemed fit by the court. She has also demanded a jury trial for this Benicar lawsuit.

The Benicar Lawsuit is Case No. 1:15-cv-03830-RBK-JS and is part of the Benicar MDL entitled In re: Benicar (Olmesartan) Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 2606, in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey.