Patients across America are complaining that popular birth control products are causing them to suffer a number of adverse side effects, with pseudotumor cerebi being one of the most recently discovered complications.

Also known as intracranial hypertension, pseudotumor cerebri causes patients to suffer severe headaches, blurry vision, and other symptoms associated with brain tumors.

As a result, many women are now filing birth control lawsuits or birth control side effects lawsuit and class action lawsuits against drug manufacturers, seeking compensation for the physical, mental, and emotional damages incurred from pseudotumor cerebri.

Women who were prescribed America’s popular birth control pills have been submitting numerous injury reports soon after starting their prescriptions.

Among the oral contraceptives alleged to cause this side effect are Yaz, Yasmin, BeYaz, and Ocella, each of which are manufactured by Bayer Pharmaceuticals and contain a certain synthetic progestin. These oral contraceptives each contain drospirenone, which was developed to regulate the hormone patterns in women.

While Bayer initially experienced great success with this synthetic hormone when it was first used in Yasmin, released in 2001, the company has faced major back lash from the progestin as well. A number of adverse side effects have been alleged to occur in result from drospirenone, including severe cramps and blood clot formations.

Additionally, experts warn physicians against prescribing any contraceptive with drospirenone to women who have a family history of blood clot injuries or show any signs of drug sensitivity.

It is currently unknown if intracranial hypertension is an additional side effect of drospirenone, but experts state that it would not be surprising if that was the case.

The full extent of drospirenone side effects is still not known, so it is reasonable to hypothesize that pseudotumor cerebi could be an additional side effect.

At this point in time, scientists are unsure of what causes this complication, but believed it is linked to hormonal fluctuations. Additionally, scientists have noted that this condition is most likely to occur in obese women of childbearing age.

Overview of Pseudotumor Cerebi Complications

The condition’s name ‘pseudotumor cerebi’, stems from the fact that the condition’s symptoms mimic an actual brain tumor, which often leads patients to be diagnosed. This condition can be diagnosed through a variety of means, from a basic eye exam to having a shunt surgically installed in the patient.

The reason eye exams are often used is due to the vision damage this condition inflicts, which can eventually result in permanent blindness if the condition is left untreated. Therefore, physicians note that recent birth control prescriptions and blurred or dimmed vision can often be indicators for the potentially devastating condition.

As mentioned before, intracranial hypertension is indicated by intense headaches and migraines, often accompanied by nausea. Patients have also reported experiencing double vision, experiencing light flashes, blurred visions, and even brief episodes of blindness.

Experts explain that the intense pain and vision damage is caused by excess cerebrospinal fluid building up in the skull, which puts internal pressure on the skull and optic nerves.

Cerebrospinal fluid is the spongy fluid that protects the skull and spine, and is key in protecting these vital body parts. This fluid is constantly produced and recycled through the patient’s body, but problems occur when the cerebrospinal fluid manufacturing process outpaces the absorption process into the bloodstream.

Pseudotumor cerebri often develops due to the filtration process somehow becoming clogged, or the fluid production is spurred to speed past the body’s pace. Even through experts are unsure as to what causes intracranial hypertension, but several studies show that the two large sinuses in the brain narrow when symptoms begin.

While mild cases of this condition can be treated with medications, but surgical measures could be needed to treat more extreme cases. Furthermore, experts warn that even if the symptoms become resolved at one point in time, they could potentially occur months or even years later.