A West Virginia woman recently filed a lawsuit against Bayer Healthcare, alleging that she has suffered from Mirena IUD neurological side effects because of the implant.

The plaintiff, Melissa M., was implanted with a Mirena IUD device on Oct. 18, 2010. There were no complications during the procedure or in the following several years.

Unfortunately, in the spring of 2014, Melissa says she began suffering from symptoms of serious Mirena IUD neurological side effects. These problems include severe headaches, blurred vision, vision loss, tinnitus (ringing in the ears), nausea, dizziness, and pain. These symptoms led to Melissa’s diagnosis with a condition known as pseudotumor cerebri (PTC) in January 2016.

Shortly thereafter, Melissa had her Mirena device removed. She alleges that some of her injuries from these Mirena IUD neurological side effects persist, and she has also suffered from monetary damages from surgeries.

Melissa filed a lawsuit against Bayer Healthcare, claiming that these Mirena IUD neurological side effects were directly caused by the company’s device.

The Mirena IUD neurological side effects lawsuit was filed on multiple counts, including negligence, design defect, failure to warn, strict liability, breach of express and implied warranties, and several others.

Basics of the Mirena IUD

Mirena is a relatively new birth control device, manufactured by Bayer Healthcare and approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2009. It is a small, flexible IUD product implanted in the uterus as a long-acting form of birth control.

The Mirena device slowly releases a birth control hormone called levonorgesterel into the uterus. Mirena uses a lower level of hormones than birth control pills taken orally, because the hormones for IUDs are released directly into the uterus.

Mirena IUD Neurological Side Effects

Any medical device or medication will come with certain side effects. However, the risk of pseudotumor cerebri (PTC) is not mentioned on the warning label for the product, according to Melissa’s Mirena lawsuit. Mirena has been linked with PTC via reports and studies.

Pseudotumor cerebri, which means “false brain tumor,” is so named because it presents symptoms like those of brain tumors without actually involving real tumors. PTC is a serious condition that is characterized by an abnormal and potentially dangerous amount of cerebrospinal fluid in a person’s skull. In many cases, medications can reduce the damaging pressure, but in other cases, surgery is needed.

Mirena side effects like pseudotumor cerebri may be able to affect a large number of patients, given the popularity of Mirena and other IUD devices. Approximately 150 million people across the globe use IUDs.

Filing a Mirena IUD Lawsuit

Some patients have filed Mirena lawsuits against Bayer Pharmaceuticals for failing to adequately warn in their advertising or labeling of the potential risk of developing serious Mirena IUD neurological side effects like pseudotumor cerebri.

If you or someone you love has used Mirena or a similar IUD and has suffered from Mirena IUD neurological side effects like pseudotumor cerebri as a result, you may be able to file a Mirena lawsuit.

While filing a lawsuit cannot take away the pain and suffering caused by Mirena IUD neurological side effects, it can help to alleviate the financial burden of medical expenses and lost wages.

The Mirena IUD Neurological Side Effects Lawsuit is Case No. 1:18-cv-01747-PAE, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.