About a dozen women, most in their late teens and early 20s, died last year from blood clots believed to be related to the birth-control patch Ortho Evra. Dozens more survived strokes and other clot-related problems, according to federal drug safety reports obtained by The Associated Press under a Freedom of Information Act request.
Several lawsuits have already been filed by families of women who died or suffered blood clots while using the patch, and lawyers said more are planned.
Though the Food and Drug Administration and patch-maker Ortho McNeil saw warning signs of possible problems with the patch well before it reached the market, both maintain that the patch is as safe as the pill.
However, the reports obtained by the AP appear to indicate that in 2004 — when 800,000 women were on the patch — the risk of dying or suffering a survivable blood clot while using the device was about three times higher than while using birth control pills.
I was on the patch for about 1 1/2 years. I just stopped it last month though.
JanuaryBride06
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Re: Birth-Control Patch May Have Higher Risk
I've been on it for one month now...
Kel
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I don't trust any of that stuff .. patch, pill, etc. .. just don't feel comfortable with it.
MrsP2Be
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I had wanted to go on the patch and my gyno steered me towards the NuvaRing but I haven't tried it yet.
N.Y.bride
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OMG, Im on the patch!!
lolita4life
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i'm on the patch too. i BET these women are smokers though...... did it mention anything about that?
MrsP2Be
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No mention if they're smokers, just mentions they were in a low risk group.
LO13LO13
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i have tried both, if i was still on something it would be the ring, the only complaint i had about the patch is that even though it stayed on very well, when i would take it off, it looked gross like if you left a bandaid on too long and it got dirty around the edges
ssbride05
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I was also on the patch, but decided to come off b/c I heard about these things as well.. I haven't been on anything since last November...
February05
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Posted by lolita4life
i'm on the patch too. i BET these women are smokers though...... did it mention anything about that?
My Gyn said that shouldnt make a difference though at that age (the high risk is more serious for smokers over 35, as most stuff is). of course smokers should try to quit for many reasons, and obviously to lower their risks in any situation though. I smoke and i just went back on the pill.. she said the research shows a Very small percentage is affected for that reason if theyre in their 20s, but the pharmaceutical companies still have to put the disclaimer out there. Unless they were smoking 9 packs of cigarettes a day, smoking wouldnt be the direct cause.
butterfly20
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Re: Birth-Control Patch May Have Higher Risk
Posted by ssbride05
I was also on the patch, but decided to come off b/c I heard about these things as well.. I haven't been on anything since last November...
me too.... and when i told my husband about the blood clot risk he said it isnt worth it..
lolita4life
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Posted by neeniebean86
Posted by lolita4life
i'm on the patch too. i BET these women are smokers though...... did it mention anything about that?
My Gyn said that shouldnt make a difference though at that age (the high risk is more serious for smokers over 35, as most stuff is). of course smokers should try to quit for many reasons, and obviously to lower their risks in any situation though. I smoke and i just went back on the pill.. she said the research shows a Very small percentage is affected for that reason if theyre in their 20s, but the pharmaceutical companies still have to put the disclaimer out there. Unless they were smoking 9 packs of cigarettes a day, smoking wouldnt be the direct cause.
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!
N.Y.bride
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so the patch has higher risks than the pill? Why didnt my gyno tell me that when I switched from the pill?
Janice
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Posted by Kel
I don't trust any of that stuff .. patch, pill, etc. .. just don't feel comfortable with it.
me too, too unnatural
PrincessConsuela
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ive been on the patch for over a year. No problems and i never forget to put on my patch. like i would forget to take my pill one day and have to take two the next day.
103005FallBride
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Posted by LO13LO13
the only complaint i had about the patch is that even though it stayed on very well, when i would take it off, it looked gross like if you left a bandaid on too long and it got dirty around the edges
RIGHT?!?!?! I hated that...I think that's the main reason why I'm not on it anymore. It was SO convenient though....
DCSAAB06
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Im on it almost 2 yrs myself and I love it and so far, im good. I did read that article and got a little freaked. I know that blood clots arise from people who are on BC and tend to smoke. You are at a higher risk. I dont smoke.
If you are reallly concerned, bring it up to your dr and ask all questions necessary.
StepherG
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My DH's cousin was on the patch and had a blood clot which caused her a heart attack. She is a non smoker, healthy person, 29 years old. She could have died...this was last year.
designerbride
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I'm happy someone is finally speaking out about this. I was on the pill for over 2 years when I had a blood clot. I almost died! It traveled into my lungs and collapsed 1 of them. I even quit smoking when I started taking the pill. I was in the hospital for 1 week, 3 of those days in ICU. Plus, I had no history in my family of blood clots. So now I can't take anything hrmonal for birth control, but at least I am still alive.
