The Ortho Evra birth control patch almost killed me. I had recently been on the Depo Provera shot and decided to change to some other form of birth control. I was 28 at the time. I shared my concerns with the doctor and told her (the truth) that I smoked about two or three cigarettes a day. They told me not to worry, that it was only a concern with women over 35. I began having headaches all the time and called the doctor. They told me that it was common with the patch and I could come in a couple of days to talk to the doctor.
In less than 48 hours I was being rushed to the hospital, where they ran an MRA (not an MRI.) I was told that I had developed a blood clot in my head due to the Ortho Evra patch. My head hurt so bad that they had to put me on the strongest pain medicine available.
I spent the next six years of my life getting many, many surgeries and three metal coils put in my head. I ended up with over a hundred thousand dollars in medical bills. My life was ripped apart by the seams. This little patch almost took my life.
I didn’t know that it contains sixty percent more estrogen than most birth control. The only reason my doctors at Jewish Hospital knew to look for it was that they had seen three other girls with blood clots from the Ortho Evra Patch so far that year (May 2004.)
I had just gotten married and was going part time to RWC. My biggest concern as a newlywed still in college was to hold off on having children. Now my concern was staying alive. My wonderful doctors at Jewish hospital, my oncologist and the Mayfield clinic have gotten me out of danger. I thank God for them and the chance I have been given.
I still live with mild headaches every day, but I can live with them. I don’t tell this story to get sympathy or special attention. In fact, I struggled long and hard about sharing this at all. Then I realized that there may be someone who reads this and can save someone else by warning them about what happened to me.