Yasmin Side Effects
The oral contraceptive Yasmin has been on the market since 2001, marketed by Bayer. The drug has been subject to some degree of medical questioning because of the higher incidence of side effects than is shown by other oral contraceptives. There have been persistent complaints of depression either caused or exacerbated by Yasmin, along with mood swings and general emotional turmoil that seems to halt when the drug is discontinued.
There have also been a disturbing number of strokes incurred by women who were using Yasmin. Blood clots cause strokes; because of the chemical makeup of oral contraceptives in general there is warning language on virtually all of them about the possibility of an embolism resulting in a stroke.
In the case of Yasmin, there have been so many complaints about this type of severe side effects that several lawsuits have been filed against Bayer by women who have either been affected by a stroke or by severe and debilitating emotional swings. Bayer has kept the product on the market and maintains that its impact is no more severe than any of the similar contraceptives on the market.
In December of 2008, the FDA stepped into the Yasmin debate with a public health advisory that cautioned of possible bouts of pancreatitis associated with Yasmin. Normally associated with alcohol abuse or gall bladder dysfunction, pancreatitis is an extremely painful condition that involves inflammation of the pancreas.
The complaints about Yasmin continue to pile up. They are more numerous and far more severe than complaints about other oral contraceptives. The reason that Yasmin stands out may be the fact that the drug takes a slightly different approach to preventing pregnancy than most oral contraceptives. In the eyes of many product liability lawyers, this biochemical variation may be the weakness in Yasmin that is resulting in such serious problems for so many women.
