You are experiencing severe headaches and other side effects of birth control, but don’t realize the symptoms are related to your contraceptive method.

Knowing that you just weren’t ready for the whole procreation scene yet, you called your physician three weeks ago and evaluated options to prevent pregnancy in her office. It was then you had your first Depo-Provera shot.

It was hard for you to decide among contraceptive choices because you had to consider how it might interact with Inderal XL, a drug you have been on for borderline high blood pressure to which you are genetically prone.

You are experiencing daily headaches and dizziness. The headaches don’t seem to go away with any over-the-counter pain relief aid.  You may be experiencing the telltale signs of pseudotumor cerebri (PTC).

PTC Among Side Effects of Birth Control

PTC most commonly occurs in females, aged 20-29, who have been on Depo-Provera less than one month and who also take Inderal (propranolol).

This profile is based upon reports of side effects of birth control Depo-Provera of 12,020 people as reported to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

PTC is a condition brought on by increased intracranial pressure. It is also known as idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH). The symptoms surrounding it can mock that of a brain tumor in the absence of an actual tumor and include the following:

• Severe headache
• Double vision
• Dizziness
• Pulsatile tinnitus – a rhythmic ringing in the ears
• Nausea and vomiting – often related to associated dizziness

It is believed to be caused by an increase in cerebrospinal fluid in the brain which the body fails to absorb.  In a normalized anatomy, cerebral-spinal fluid is produced to cushion the brain, brain stem, and spinal cord.

The amount of fluid produced is regulated and an excess is taken back up by the circulatory system.  With PTC, the maintenance of that delicate balance becomes disrupted.

The increased pressure in the overall brain can also put pressure on the optic nerve. If left without treatment over time, visual symptoms might be experienced such as seeing flashes of light, difficulty using peripheral vision, decreased visual acuity, and seeing everything out-of-focus, or having brief periods of blindness.

PTC Side Effects of Birth Control Also Connected to Other Contraceptives

In addition to being linked to the use of Depo-Provera, PTC has been seen in women who are using Ortho Evra or who have had a Mirena IUD placed.

If you are experiencing headaches or similar symptoms as indicated in this article, please be sure to be evaluated by a doctor. PTC is called pseudotumor because its symptoms resemble that of a brain tumor. This and other possible conditions need to be ruled out by a qualified physician.