A new side effect associated with popular birth control products involves intense migraines and eyes injuries. Pseudotumor Cerebri (PTC) is a biological condition that occurs when spinal fluid builds up in the brain, which allegedly increases in likelihood when hormone-based birth control products like the Mirena IUD are used.

Concerns Over Mirena IUD

The Mirena IUD has come up in a majority of the PTC injury reports submitted to specialized law firms and the FDA. While the Mirena IUD was designed to be a long-lasting contraceptive that worked by releasing a synthesized progestin into the woman, experts suspect that it is this very mechanism that is causing Pseudotumor Cerebri complications.

This synthesized hormone levonorgestrel is used in a variety of birth control products manufactured by Bayer Pharmaceuticals, but has been most discussed with the Mirena IUD.

This is primarily due to the previous legal attention the Mirena IUD received for device failure and migrating away from its implant spot, leading to numerous complications like cramping, bloating, unwanted pregnancies, and even ectopic pregnancies. The Mirena IUD is directly implanted into the patient’s uterus, and was designed to ideally stay there for up to five years; it was primarily advertised for its convenience and longevity.

Before the Mirena IUD was released into the market in 2000, there was very little information on the side effects that levonorgestrel could induce. This led to doctors recommending against prescribing the Mirena IUD to first-time mothers. Now experts are concerned over the fact that levonorgestrel may induce Pseudotumor Cerebri or false brain tumor symptoms.

Pseudotumor Cerebri and Mirena Birth Control

There are numerous patients who complained that they started suffering severe headaches, migraines, and vision problems soon after starting the Mirena IUD. According to medical experts, it is vital that patients report symptoms of Pseudotumor Cerebri as soon as possible, since the condition could lead to permanent vision loss. These PTC symptoms include:

• Headaches: Dull at the beginning, but will continually get worse as the condition progresses; this results in very painful migraines.
• Blurred Vision: As pressure on the optic nerve continues to build up, patients may experience instances of blurry vision; this also can induce double vision.
• Temporary Blindness: Episodes of blackouts and blindness often occurs at a latent stage of this condition, which is often accompanied by migraines.

Pseudotumor Cerebri Lawsuits

Despite the severity of this birth control side effect, it is currently not mentioned on the drug’s warning label; additionally, the FDA has not yet ordered an official warning regarding Pseudotumor Cerebri. As mentioned previously, Bayer Pharmaceuticals is facing major legal pressure due to Mirena IUD complications such as device migration, and is now also starting to face the same for Pseudotumor Cerebri.

Currently, there are nine plaintiffs who have filed Pseudotumor Cerebri lawsuits against Bayer Pharmaceuticals, alleging severe birth control headaches and false brain tumor symptoms as a result of the Mirena IUD. These plaintiffs petitioned for their own multidistrict litigation (MDL) in the Middle District of Tennessee, but were turned down due to not having a sufficient number of Pseudotumor Cerebri lawsuits to support the MDL.