Yaz and Kidney Damage

Two Specific Yaz Side Effects

When doctors have seen patients who came to them suffering from Yaz side effects that affected their kidneys, there were generally two types of problems that arose, each of which proved to be extremely dangerous.  While some of the problems associated with each condition below can be properly treated and handled by doctors, some problems simply developed for too long before medical professionals got involved.

Yaz and Kidney Infections

There were many patients who had used Yaz and reported the development of kidney infections.  These infections can vary in severity, and one of the dangers involves those patients who did not recognize the problem early enough in the process to have them treated quickly and efficiently.  Generally, if a kidney infection is allowed to persist, it can ultimately lead to kidney failure.  Symptoms of kidney infections include:

• Fever
• Chills
• Nausea
• Pain in the lower back region
• Bloody urine
• Painful urinations

If you are or have taken Yaz and you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, seek immediate medical help to make sure that you’re not suffering from Yaz side effects.

Yaz and Hyperkalemia

The more serious condition when it comes to Yaz and kidney damage is the potential for a patient to develop a condition known as hyperkalemia.  This condition is one whereby the kidneys have either been damaged or have already failed, and it is life-threatening in nature.  One of the reasons that hyperkalemia has been named as a Yaz side effect is because the product contains drospirenone, which can lead to elevated levels of potassium.  When there is too much potassium present in the body, it can damage the kidneys and cause them to fail.  When this occurs and hyperkalemia develops, the patient can ultimately die from sudden heart failure.  Symptoms of hyperkalemia include:

• General weakness
• Chronic, serious muscle fatigue
• Irregular heartbeats
• Nausea
• Weak pulse

Unfortunately, there are also cases in which hyperkalemia does not present outward physical symptoms, which only increases the danger involved with those who are unknowingly suffering from Yaz side effects.  If you are using or have used Yaz and you are at all concerned about the issue of Yaz and kidney damage, seek immediate medical attention to make sure that you have not been inflicted with Yaz side effects.

Yaz and Kidney Damage – Lawsuit Info

If you or someone you love has been harmed as a result of Yaz side effects, you need to contact a Yaz lawyer who has the experience and skill necessary to make sure that your legal rights are properly protected and enforced.  Contact the defective drugs lawyers at the Phillips National Injury Group today to schedule a free initial consultation.

First, the similarities between the two drugs should be briefly discussed.  Basically, Yaz and Yasmin are the same type of product, and they are both manufactured by Bayer Healthcare, one of the true giants of the pharmaceutical industry.  Bayer Healthcare initially released Yasmin in 2001 and Yaz in 2006, and their functions are also similar in terms of how they help to prevent unwanted pregnancies.

Even their active ingredients are largely similar, but there is a reason that Bayer Healthcare decided to incur the expense of formulating and marketing two separate drugs under two separate but similar brand names.  This reason involves the biggest difference between Yaz and Yasmin, which involves the number of active pills that tend to come in a typical batch used by a woman.

Yasmin comes in batches of 28 pills, and of those 28, seven pills are inactive, meaning they have no active ingredients.  This has been the ‘traditional’ ratio of active versus inactive pills, and the reason for this approach is to avoid overloading the woman’s system with the estrogen and progestin ingredients while keeping the user of the pills on a daily routine so that doses are not missed.

Yaz, however, works under a different ratio.  Of the 28 pills in a batch, only four are inactive.  One of the reasons that many experts think that this was done was to help alleviate some of the common but less severe side effects that women encountered while using the drug.  Many of these relatively minor symptoms with those who were using Yasmin occurred during menstruation.

Regardless of the difference, however, both products have been linked to such side effects as kidney damage, heart attacks, strokes and even death in some cases.  If you or someone you love has been harmed as a result of using these products, you need to contact the Yaz lawyers at the Phillips National Injury Group today to schedule a free initial consultation.

1.  The Usual Progression

Ocella hit the market recently and well after Yasmin and Yaz were released to the public.  Basically, Ocella is a ‘generic’ form of Yaz, which means that while the active ingredients are mostly similar as are the main purposes for using the drug, there are slight differences that supposedly make the generic version less expensive.  Ocella is basically the latest example of this progression in the pharmaceutical world.

2.  The Manufacturers

Both Yasmin and Yaz are manufactured by Bayer Healthcare, one of the true giants of the industry.  However, in recent years, Barr Laboratories sued for the right to basically invalidate the patent that Bayer Healthcare held on the formula that comprises Yaz and Yasmin and won.  Therefore, they were able to formulate their own product and release it to the public under its own name.

3.  The Formulas

While the formulas are very similar, there are enough differences between them that their effects can vary somewhat depending on the individual using them.  No one is sure how these slight differences will affect any particular patient, but many women report different reactions.

What is not different between Yaz, Yasmin and Ocella is the side effect risk.  These drugs have shown a tendency to lead to side effects that include kidney damage, heart attacks, strokes and even death.  Lawsuits have been filed around the country, and a report recently indicated that Bayer Healthcare had been served with nearly 75 claims after women had developed side effects after using their products.

Therefore, if you have used Yaz, Yasmin or Ocella or even any combination of the three and you’ve suffered from side effects as a result, you need to contact an Ocella lawyer at the Phillips National Injury Group today to schedule a free initial consultation.

When a wrongful death lawsuit is filed, the suit is usually brought by the family of the deceased, as they are the ones who must deal with the loss long-term.  These legal actions can be complicated to bring for several reasons, and below is an overview of how a typical Yaz wrongful death lawsuit would proceed in court.

1.  Establish Causation

The plaintiff must first establish not only that she used Yaz, but that she was generally healthy before using the product and died as a result of taking this product.  This can be difficult to establish, and is usually done by presenting findings in studies and perhaps with testimony from others who have been harmed as a result of using Yaz.  If enough persuasive evidence is allowed to be presented to the jury, causation can be established.

2.  Quantify Damages

One of the most complicated aspects of any Yaz wrongful death lawsuit aside from causation is presenting quantifiable damages to the court.  Generally, wrongful death damages are calculated by using the following factors:

• Lost earnings throughout the expected working life of the victim, adjusted for raises/cost of living
• Medical costs
• Funeral and burial costs
• Loss of companionship
• Additional costs (child care, etc.) incurred as a result of this wrongful death

While these damages can be difficult to calculate and then to present to the court in a persuasive manner, an experienced defective drugs attorney will be able to do so.

3.  Getting Started

If you have lost someone you love as a result of her use of Yaz, you need to take action.  Contact a defective drugs attorney at the Phillips National Injury Group today to schedule a free initial consultation, as you could have legal rights and options at your disposal, and you need to obtain this information before making a sound decision regarding how you should proceed.

• Kidney damage
• Heart attacks
• Strokes
• Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)
• Pulmonary Embolisms
• Death

All of these conditions are obviously dangerous, but many women who have been injured are not sure where to turn for help.  Fortunately, an experienced Yaz attorney can help you analyze your situation to decide whether or not pursuing legal action is an advisable step to take.  Below is a look at some of the ways in which an attorney can help you if you’ve been injured:

1.  Analyzing the Progression

Clearly, you began to use Yaz at some point, and your overall health was likely recorded by your doctor at the time you began to use it.  Establishing a baseline in regards to your help will allow you and your attorney to lay out just what sort of suffering you incurred as a result of using this product.

2.  Determining the Liability

While no attorney can guarantee if a potential defendant would be liable in a legal action, an attorney with experience and skill will be able to help you determine if your use of Yaz was the cause of your injuries.  If that turns out to be the case, then it’s possible that Bayer Healthcare could be liable for the damages you’ve incurred.

3.  Quantifying Damages

The final step towards making a decision regarding the filing of a legal action involves organizing the costs involved with your suffering.  This is not always a tangible, numbers-based analysis, but different forms of damages include:

• Medical costs
• Lost income
• Ongoing medical care costs
• Pain and suffering
• Loss of companionship

Obviously these are only a few examples, but you’ll need to obtain an idea of what a claim would be worth if it proves to be successful before making the decision of whether or not to move forward.  In short, if you’ve been injured by this product, you need to seek the help of a Yaz attorney as soon as possible so that you can make a decision regarding how to respond with a basis of knowledge and sound legal advice.  Contact the Phillips National Injury Group today to get the answers you need.

One of the most common side effects that’s been linked to Yaz is the tendency for women to suffer from heart attacks as a result of using it.  Several different theories have been put forth as to the root cause of this problem, but it becomes even more daunting that experts have been unable to identify a specific cause for them.  Some of these theories include:

• The amount of estrogen released into the body can create an imbalance with the circulatory system
• Some women have had a history of heart-related problems and are more susceptible to heart attacks when using Yaz
• Some women have diabetes and/or high blood pressure, creating the same problems
• Obesity has also been linked to heart attacks with women who have used Yaz

Regardless of the specific conclusion, the reality is that there have been enough reports generated of this sort to prompt a public outcry from every corner of the United States.  As a result, 74 lawsuits as of this writing have been served upon Bayer Healthcare claiming injuries because of the use of both Yaz and Yasmin, and that number is expected to continue to rise.

If you are using Yaz and experience any of the following symptoms:

• Chest pains
• Shortness of breath
• General difficulty breathing
• Numbness in your extremities
• Dizziness

You need to contact your doctor immediately.  You should do the same if you experience any sort of abnormal symptoms, no matter how minor they may seem at the time and even if you have no medical history that would warrant a heightened sense of awareness to any problems.  If you have suffered a heart attack or any other injury as a result of using this product, you should also contact a Yaz lawyer as soon as possible to schedule a free initial consultation.

The reason for this uptick in inquiries is because of a growing number of reports that the use of Yaz and Yasmin has led to the development of serious side effects in the women who have used them.  These side effects are serious in nature, and the two most serious problems are the development of Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolisms.  Each of these conditions can be fatal if they are not detected early and treated properly.

DVT is a condition whereby a blood clot forms deep inside the tissue of the body, normally in the leg.  These clots tend to grow and eventually break off into the circulatory system, and many of them settle in the lungs.  When blood clots form in the lungs, they are known as pulmonary embolisms, and like DVT, they can be fatal.  The problem with these conditions is that no one expects them, which gives these issues time to develop and become more dangerous than they need to be.

The federal government has gotten involved at this point, and the FDA has not only required Bayer to affix a ‘Black Box’ warning to all labels of Yaz and Yasmin, but has also warned Bayer about potentially misleading advertisements that were being run that involved off-label uses of the medication.  Since then, Bayer has pulled the ads and agreed to spend $20 million in an effort to correct the previous misinformation.

Additionally, the FDA has cited Bayer for its manufacturing conditions, and competing studies are now being used to bolster each side’s position.  It should be noted, however, that the study Bayer is using was funded by the company itself.  In the meantime, the overall product line generated an estimated $1.8 billion in revenue during the past year.  All of this has led to at least 74 lawsuits being served on Bayer, and that number is expected to continue to rise.

If you or someone you love has been harmed as a result of using Yaz or Yasmin, you need to contact a defective drugs lawyer as soon as possible to schedule a free initial consultation.  You can start by contacting the Phillips National Injury Group today to get this process started.

Yasmin is a prescription drug that’s unique in terms of how it works inside the woman’s reproductive system.  In essence, it performs two tasks – it prevents ovulation and it prompts slight changes in the woman’s uterus and cervix.  Basically, if an egg is somehow fertilized despite the presence of the medication, it will not be able to attach to the uterine wall as most fertilized eggs do before they begin to expand and grow.  For a time, Yasmin produced positive results.

However, Yasmin eventually began to be linked to serious side effects, and these included:

• Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)
• Heart attacks
• Strokes
• Kidney damage
• Pulmonary embolisms

The Yasmin side effects that seem to be most prevalent are somewhat related, and they are DVT and pulmonary embolisms.  The reason they are related is because one leads to another in many instances.  DVT is a condition whereby a blood clot forms deep inside the leg or sometimes the arm.  When these clots break off and make their way into the circulatory system, they often make their way into the lungs and attach to the tissue there, forming another clot.

Blood clots in the lungs are known as pulmonary embolisms.  Many of these clots are quite small and can be managed, but some grow quickly or are not caught early in their development.  As a result, pulmonary embolisms that are not properly and promptly treated can be deadly for the patient.  Clearly, these are dangerous conditions that can arise in otherwise-healthy women.

The FDA responded by announcing that Yasmin would be required to carry a “Black Box Warning” on all labels of the medication, and these warnings were meant to clearly warn anyone who sees them of the dangers involved.  Yasmin has not yet been recalled, which means that those consumers who have been injured by this medication need to find recourse by way of filing a Yasmin lawsuit.

If this has happened to you or someone you love, you need to look into taking the same action.  All you need to do is bring any information that pertains to your history of use of Yasmin, and your defective drugs attorney will be able to help you determine if filing a civil claim is an advisable step for you to take.  Contact an attorney today to schedule a consultation and to get this process started.