We’ll explain some of the factors involved with the formation of inappropriate Nuvaring blood clots below. We’ll also describe one of the biggest dangers that doctors fear: clot migration.

Thrombophilia Due To The Birth Control Ring

The body’s clotting mechanism causes thrombi (i.e. clots) to form immediately after an injury to a blood vessel has been identified. As noted, platelets arrive at the site and begin to clump to one another. At the same time, the body initiates a “coagulation cascade,” which results in the formation of fibrin strands. The body then monitors whether the thrombi are still needed. When they are no longer necessary, a process called fibrinolysis is initiated to degrade the fibrin strands, and dissolve the thrombus.

Blood clots form due to hormones that are released into a woman’s bloodstream. These hormones – estrogen and a progestin called desogestrel – prevent the body from regulating its system of coagulation. They cause a problem similar to hypercoagulability (sometimes called thrombophilia). This is a condition in which an abnormality – in this case, the hormones released by the birth control ring – causes the person’s blood to be more susceptible to clotting.

Thrombi can form anywhere blood travels in the body. This includes the veins, arteries, and heart. When they develop naturally, they rarely leave the site of their formation. One of the problems with Nuvaring blood clots is that they can embolize (or, migrate). They can break away from the blood vessel’s wall, and travel freely throughout the body.

Migration Of Blood Clots

Clots may embolize for a few reasons depending on their location. For example, consider those that form in the deep veins of the legs, a condition known as deep vein thrombosis (DVT). These blood vessels are buried among muscles. Whenever you move your legs, the muscles contract, and squeeze the veins. This is part of your body’s system of venous return; it ensures that blood flows to your heart and lungs. If thrombi are present in these vessels, they may loosen when the leg muscles contract. Over time, they might break away completely, and migrate through the body.

A second reason clots can embolize involves the function of the heart. Thrombi can form in the chambers of the left side, either due to hypercoagulability or an arrhythmia. Once they form, the chambers’ contractions and the flow of blood through them, can cause the thrombi to dislodge.

Doctors try to address thrombi before they become emboli to prevent their migration. If emboli migrate into key arteries, they can cause an obstruction and trigger a medical emergency.

Treatment For Nuvaring Blood Clots

Doctors have several measures they can use to resolve blood clots. Their approach depends on where the clots are located and the danger they pose. For example, thrombi in the deep veins of the legs are usually treated with anticoagulant therapy. Those in the pulmonary arteries may also be treated with anticoagulant drugs, but might warrant thrombolytic therapy if the patient’s health is in immediate danger. When blood clots reach the arteries of the brain, thrombolytic drugs are often given first since brain damage occurs quickly.

The problems associated with blood clots can range from insignificant to life-threatening. Thrombi in the superficial veins (the vessels near the skin) do not pose a problem. Those in the lungs, heart, and brain require immediate medical attention. If you have suffered from abnormal clotting, DVT, pulmonary embolism, or other serious Nuvaring side effects, you may be able to file a claim against the contraceptive ring’s manufacturer. Contact a Nuvaring lawsuit settlements lawyer to discuss your case. We are currently continuing to file cases on behalf of women throughout the United States and there have not been any settlements as litigation is ongoing.

Below, we’ll explain how an ischemic event occurs in the brain. Blood clots (called thrombi) are the root cause. We’ll describe where they form, how they travel, and the circumstances that contribute to their arrival in the brain. It’s important to note that even a small thrombus can cause a wide range of Nuvaring side effects.

Inappropriate Blood Clots In The Legs

Thrombi often form in the legs due, in part, to inactivity. Normally, when you move your legs, the muscles compress the veins, and push blood toward your heart. If you are routinely inactive for long periods of time, blood circulates more slowly.

This problem is exacerbated by the hormones released by the birth control ring. Studies have shown that estrogen and a progestin called desogestrel increase the likelihood of inappropriate clot formation. Once blood clots form in the legs, they pose a risk of becoming separated from the venous wall. They are then able to travel to the heart.

How Clots Travel To The Heart

The venous system in the legs connects to a large blood vessel known as the inferior vena cava (IVC). Deoxygenated blood travels upward from the legs into the IVC, which extends to the heart. The IVC delivers blood to the upper right chamber of the heart (i.e. right atrium).

When a thrombus in the legs breaks off, it migrates along the same route. It is carried along by deoxygenated blood to the inferior vena cava, and onward toward the heart. As blood enters the right atrium, so does the clot.

Circumstances That Result In Clots Exiting The Heart

Deoxygenated blood flows from the right atrium to the right ventricle (lower chamber), and then to the lungs, where it is replenished with oxygen. Blood then travels from the lungs to the left atrium, and is then pumped to the left ventricle. Finally, it is pumped out of the heart to the rest of the body.

When thrombi enter the right side of the heart, they cannot immediately cross to the left side (barring a congenital defect, which we will explain in a moment). A wall of tissue called the septum separates the two sides. Clots are instead pumped to the lungs via the pulmonary arteries, where they travel downstream until they are either dissolved, or become lodged. A thrombus that obstructs one of these arteries causes a pulmonary embolism.

One of several outcomes of a PE is increased blood pressure in the lungs and right side of the heart. This pressure can trigger an arrhythmia, a condition in which the heart’s rhythm becomes abnormal. It may beat too slowly, too quickly, or quiver in an erratic fashion. Some arrhythmias can prevent the heart from pumping blood properly, allowing it to pool inside the chambers. When blood pools, it becomes stagnant and can begin to clot. If this occurs in the left atrium or ventricle, the clots can be pumped out of the heart.

A congenital defect called patent foramen ovale may allow thrombi that arrive in the right atrium to cross directly to the left atrium. This defect is a hole in the septum between the atria. As before, once clots reach the left side, they can be pumped outside the heart, where they migrate through a large artery called the aorta.

How Migrating Thrombi Cause A Stroke

Oxygen-rich blood flows from the heart through the aorta to the rest of the body. Downstream in the aorta lie the left and right carotid arteries; they deliver blood to every part of the brain, ensuring a constant supply of oxygen and nutrients. Thrombi can travel into these blood vessels. Similar to clots in the pulmonary arteries, they will migrate downstream until they dissolve or cause a blockage. The latter event will trigger a stroke.

Nuvaring Lawsuit 2011
Some side effects involving a stroke may cause minimal difficulty for the survivor. Others, such as paralysis, vision deficits, and speech-language impairments, can be debilitating. If you have suffered from blood clots, pulmonary embolism, stroke, or other serious Nuvaring side effects, you may be able to file a claim for compensation. Contact an experienced Nuvaring lawyer to discuss your options.

A PE is caused by blood clots (called thrombi) that block the pulmonary arteries. In nine out of ten diagnosed cases, these clots originate in the deep veins of the legs (called deep vein thrombosis, or DVT). They travel to the arteries of the lungs, and cause an obstruction that restricts blood flow to the lung tissue. Depending on your medical history, and the severity of the condition, emergency treatment may be necessary.

First Response To A PE

Once your doctor confirms your vital signs are under control, he or she will determine the most appropriate first response. Assuming the pulmonary arterial blockage is mild, and thus does not present an immediate danger to your life, treatment normally begins with anticoagulation therapy. It is administered with warfarin and heparin.

Both may be given at the same time. Warfarin is given orally in pill form, and requires a few days to take effect. Heparin is given intravenously, and starts to work immediately. Once warfarin begins to show results, heparin is usually stopped.

Both drugs are sometimes called “blood thinners” even though neither actually “thins” your blood. Instead, they interrupt your body’s clotting process, thereby slowing the rate of coagulation. One of the risks of anticoagulation therapy is that the medications can cause internal bleeding. Given the nature of a Nuvaring PE, however, the benefits of providing these drugs usually outweigh the risk.

Thrombolytic Drugs For Aggressive Treatment

In some cases, a pulmonary embolism is large, or has gone untreated for an extended period. Both circumstances can pose an immediate health risk. The PE may threaten to cause substantial – and permanent – lung damage, and even place your life in danger. In such times, thrombolytic drugs are given. This is a treatment approach that is more aggressive than anticoagulation therapy.

Unlike anticoagulants that merely slow the rate of coagulation, thrombolytics actively dissolve existing clots. They activate a proenzyme called plasminogen, and convert it into an enzyme called plasmin. Plasmin is an essential component of your body’s fibrinolysis process (i.e. the breakdown of blood clots). It causes fibrin strands, which “hold” clots together, to deteriorate.

The problem with thrombolytic medications is similar to that of using anticoagulants: internal bleeding. Here, the risk is higher, however. Most doctors are thus loathe to administer thrombolytics if their patients have undergone recent surgery, or have an existing bleeding disorder. When they are given, it is usually because the patient’s life is at stake.

Surgical Clot Elimination

Prior to the introduction and widespread availability of thrombolytic medications, surgical embolectomy was the primary emergency treatment approach. This is a procedure during which an embolus is removed. It may be performed using a catheter, or through open chest surgery (i.e. thoracotomy). During the operation, the surgeon will usually place a filter in the vena cava to prevent subsequent clots from reaching the lungs. You may also be placed on anticoagulants for several months following the procedure.

Doctors normally reserve pulmonary embolectomy as a treatment option for patients who are dying, or cannot tolerate thrombolytic drugs due to the risk of hemorrhage. Sometimes, the procedure is done when thrombolysis fails to dissolve clots quickly enough.

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As mentioned earlier, the consequences of a pulmonary embolism can be mild or severe. Mortality is rare, and depends largely on an accurate, timely diagnosis and prompt treatment. If you have suffered from blood clots, DVT, or other serious Nuvaring side effects, you may be able to file a claim against the contraceptive ring’s manufacturer. Contact a Nuvaring lawsuit 2011 attorney to discuss your case.

Once the carotid arteries become obstructed, brain cells begin to die almost immediately. The extent of the brain injury depends on the severity of the blockage, and the time that passes before blood flow is restored. The larger the occlusion, and the longer blood flow is restricted, the more pronounced and longer-lasting the side effects. For this reason, Nuvaring side effects involving a stroke is considered a medical emergency that warrants immediate – and on occasion, invasive – treatment. We’ll describe the most common measures taken below.

Intravenous Tissue Plasminogen Activator (tPA)

Tissue plasminogen activator is a clot-busting medication that is usually delivered via intravenous (IV) line. It activates plasminogen, and converts it into plasmin, an enzyme that breaks down fibrin. Fibrin is a clotting protein. It forms a protective net of sticky material over a platelet plug, thereby providing structural support for a clot. When plasmin degrades the fibrin net, the clot deteriorates.

Even though a stroke requires rapid treatment, doctors will usually perform a computed tomography (CT) scan of the brain prior to administering tPA. The goal is to ensure there is no bleeding since this drug poses a high risk of hemorrhage. A cerebral hemorrhage can be fatal. Because of the risk, doctors prefer to administer tPA within three hours of the first symptoms. After that point, reversal of the brain injury becomes less likely. Doctor must weigh the benefits of using tPA with the danger of hemorrhage.

Catheter-Delivered tPA

In some cases, physicians will use a catheter to administer tPA directly into the blocked carotid artery. This approach is usually reserved for circumstances when the arterial blockage is severe, and its location has been identified. The catheter is inserted into a blood vessel in the leg, and advanced upward through the heart and into the affected artery. Once it arrives, the clot-busting medication is released.

This approach is faster than delivering tissue plasminogen activator via IV, and thus is often given several hours following the first symptoms. But the drug still poses the same risk of hemorrhage.

“Blood-Thinning” Drugs

For many reasons, doctors might conclude the risk of using tPA is too great. This may be due to an existing bleeding disorder, the patient having undergone recent surgery, or many other circumstances. As an alternative approach, antiplatelet medications and anticoagulation therapy is used. While they are commonly referred to as “blood-thinning” drugs, they do not actually thin the blood. Instead, they interact with your body’s natural clotting system to slow the rate of coagulation. This prevents existing thrombi from growing larger, and new thrombi from developing.

Like tissue plasminogen activator, antiplatelet medications and anticoagulants pose a risk of bleeding. But the risk is lower than with tPA.

Surgical Removal Of Obstructing Clots

For arterial obstructions that are particularly severe (i.e. over 75 percent of the blood vessel is blocked), surgery may be performed. The procedure is called a carotid endarterectomy. It is typically done in cases where tPA and “blood-thinning” drugs are either contraindicated, or are believed to be inadequate given the dire circumstances.

A surgeon will make an incision into the neck, and a second incision directly into the blocked artery. The obstructing clots are removed, restoring blood flow, and the incisions are closed. The danger with this procedure is that the surgeon will inadvertently knock loose other thrombi, sending them downstream within the artery where they may cause a subsequent stroke.

Medical attention for a stroke should be sought immediately following its first signs. Brain injury occurs rapidly, and much of the damage may become permanent. If you have suffered from blood clots, stroke, or other serious Nuvaring side effects, you may be able to file a claim for compensation. Contact an experienced Nuvaring lawsuit settlements attorney to discuss your options.

To understand these Nuvaring side effects, it is important to understand how NuvaRing works. NuvaRing contains two types of hormones: estrogen and progestin. These hormones are released continuously and absorbed into the bloodstream. Higher estrogen and progestin levels tell the brain to not release hormones that cause egg maturation. Without an egg ready to be released into the fallopian tube, ovulation cannot occur. With two types of hormones, NuvaRing is called a combination hormonal contraceptive.

What are the possible NuvaRing side effects?
If you take NuvaRing, it is helpful to know the following NuvaRing side effects information. All medicines may cause side effects, but some common NuvaRing side effects include breast tenderness or enlargement; change in appetite; changes in weight; dizziness; headache; mild hair loss; nausea; nervousness; stomach cramps or bloating; and vaginal spotting or breakthrough bleeding.

Among combination vaginal hormonal contraceptives, there is an increased risk of some serious conditions resulting from the use of the product. This NuvaRing side effects information is very good to know:

• Blood Clots

The hormones in NuvaRing may cause your blood to clot more easily. In fact, the risk of getting blood costs may be greater with the type of progestin in NuvaRing than with other types of progestin in birth control products. If a blood clot forms in your leg, it can travel to your lungs and cause a sudden blockage of a vessel that carries blood to your lungs. Clots can even occur in the blood vessels in the eye, which may cause blindness.

• Strokes and Heart Attacks

One of the NuvaRing side effects includes a risk of stroke. A stroke is the blockage of blood flow to the brain. NuvaRing can also cause a heart attack. Heart attacks occur when the flow of blood to the heart is blocked.

• Cancer

Breast cancer has been diagnosed slightly more often in women who use birth control devices, including NuvaRing. The increase gradually dissipates in the 10 years after stopping use.

• Gallbladder disease

NuvaRing users have a risk of developing gallbladder disease.

• Liver tumors

In rare cases, combination hormones like NuvaRing can cause benign liver tumors. Although these are noncancerous, they can break and cause fatal internal bleeding.

• Other serious side effects and symptoms of a serious problem

NuvaRing side effects information of serious side effects and symptoms of serious problems includes: severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue; unusual hoarseness); absent menstrual period; breast discharge; breast lumps; change in the amount of urine produced; confusion; coughing of blood; fainting; mental or mood changes; numbness of an arm or leg; shortness of breath; slurred speech; swelling of the fingers, hands, legs, or ankles; symptoms of toxic shock syndrome; unusual or severe vaginal bleeding; and yellowing of the skin or eyes.

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If you have suffered serious side effects involving blood clots or a stroke please contact us for a free no-obligation case review and the latest Nuvaring lawsuit settlements news and information. We are currently continuing to file individual Nuvaring lawsuits on behalf of women throughout the United States.

The IVC is a large blood vessel that begins in your abdomen from the merger of the common iliac veins. It ascends to your heart, and drains into the right atrium (i.e. upper chamber). Migrating blood clots can travel through this vein, enter your heart, and be pumped into your pulmonary arteries. There, they can obstruct blood flow to your lungs, and cause a PE.

Some cases of pulmonary embolism are mild, and do not cause noticeable symptoms. Other cases are severe, and can lead to the patient’s death. Doctors consider the condition to be a medical emergency because of the risk of extensive lung damage and mortality. Treatment usually begins with anticoagulants (blood thinners) and thrombolytic drugs (clot-busters).

Heparin And Warfarin

Heparin and warfarin are anticoagulant medications. They help prevent existing clots from growing larger and new clots from forming – both are priorities with a pulmonary embolism. Heparin is usually given intravenously, and begins to work immediately. Dosage is continuous through an IV.

During clot formation, an enzyme called thrombin interacts with fibrinogen, and causes it to convert into fibrin. Fibrin is a protein that forms a cross-linked net over a platelet plug. It is an essential factor in your body’s clotting process. Heparin inhibits thrombin, which slows the conversion of fibrinogen into fibrin. This slows the rate of coagulation.

Warfarin is given in pill form, and begins to take effect two or three days after the start of therapy. Unlike heparin, it does not directly target your body’s thrombin system. Instead, it targets vitamin K. This vitamin is responsible for the production of several important coagulation proteins, including prothrombin. This latter protein is the precursor of thrombin, which, as mentioned, interacts with fibrinogen.

Warfarin inhibits the production of vitamin K, and thus reduces the production of prothrombin. This in turn limits the availability of thrombin.

With a pulmonary embolism, your doctor will likely give you both heparin and warfarin at the same time. If the blockage in your arteries is nonmassive, your doctor may give you low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) instead of unfractionated heparin (UFH). The former is preferred since it can be delivered through injection on an out-patient basis. It also requires less monitoring. When warfarin begins to take effect, LMWH or UFH is stopped.

Tissue Plasminogen Activators And Streptokinase

Thrombolytic drugs dissolve clots. They do so by interacting with an enzyme called plasminogen, an inactive precursor of plasmin. Plasmin cuts through fibrin strands, and causes them to break down. As they do, the protective net over the platelet plug deteriorates, which helps to restore blood flow through the blocked artery.

There are three main classes of thrombolytic drugs: tissue plasminogen activators (tPAs), urokinase, and streptokinase. Each class produces the same result, but does so through a slightly different mechanism. Though urokinase is occasionally given to treat a PE, therapy usually involves tPAs or streptokinase.

The Risk Of Using Anticoagulation And Thrombolytic Drugs

Anticoagulants and thrombolytic medications pose a serious risk of hemorrhage. The risk is lower with anticoagulants, which is why doctors are inclined to begin therapy with them. “Clot-busting” drugs are typically reserved for cases where the patient’s pulmonary function is unstable due to a large thrombus. Many doctors feel that though the efficacy of these medications is high, their use may not warrant the risk of bleeding. If the patient is suffering a massive pulmonary embolism, and anticoagulants are inadequate, surgery may be necessary.

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The severity of Nuvaring blood clot problems depends on the extent of the blockage, and the time that passes before treatment is administered. If you have suffered from deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, or other dangerous Nuvaring side effects, you may be able to file a claim for compensation. Contact a Nuvaring lawsuit settlements attorney to discuss your options.

If the resulting brain injury occurs within the temporal or frontal lobes, you may also suffer a language disorder known as aphasia. It presents in different forms, and can pose serious difficulties with communication and interpersonal relationships. Below, we’ll cover each type of aphasia, including the steps toward rehabilitation.

Different Types Of Aphasia

Aphasia presents in three main forms. The first, called Broca’s aphasia, involves the production of speech. The second, called Wernicke’s aphasia, affects the manner in which we comprehend others’ speech. The third is known as global aphasia. This is a severe form of language deficit that combines elements of both Broca’s and Wernicke’s aphasia.

Broca’s aphasia is caused by an injury to the frontal lobe. The stroke survivor will have difficulty forming words or phrases when trying to speak, but will be able to understand what others are saying. This is understandably frustrating to the survivor. Lacking the ability to form intelligible sentences, she must compensate through alternative means of communication.

Wernicke’s aphasia is caused by an injury to the temporal lobe. The survivor will be unable to understand her own speech as well as the speech of others. When speaking, her sentences will make little sense; the words will seem unrelated and jumbled. For example, the survivor might say, “I sidewalk the couch around the toast when pooch,” to mean, “I will walk the dog.” Though she will realize her own speech is unintelligible, she will feel as if the person to whom she is speaking understands her. Awareness of the problem is often accompanied by anger and depression.

As noted, global aphasia involves language deficits characteristic of injury to both the frontal and temporal lobes. The side effects are similar to those described above.

How Aphasia Is Treated Following A Nuvaring Related Stroke

The National Institute Of Neurological Disorders And Stroke estimates that one in four survivors will experience a language deficit. There are several strategies used to treat such deficits, though most are considered experimental; for all but a few methods, sufficient testing regarding their effectiveness is lacking. That said, speech-language pathologists have identified clear benefits to certain forms of treatment.

The main goal of therapy is to help survivors either recover lost language functions or learn another means of communicating their thoughts. When treating Broca’s aphasia, therapy includes repetition of words and phrases as well as exercises involving reading and writing. With Wernicke’s aphasia, the speech pathologist may coach the stroke survivor in aspects of conversation, including being able to identify verbal cues.

Other strategies include cognitive linguistic treatment and group therapy. The former focuses on helping the survivor recognize the emotional content inherent in language and communication. This may include exercises during which the patient learns to identify tonal qualities and facial expressions in the person speaking. These skills improve their comprehension.

Group therapy is valuable because it gives patients the opportunity to use their newly-learned language and communication skills within a social setting. Moreover, they can do so while receiving constructive feedback from pathologists and other stroke survivors suffering from aphasia.

Nuvaring problems caused by a stroke vary for each patient, and as mentioned, depend on the location of the brain injury. For some survivors, impairments may affect cognition and memory. Others may experience physical deficits, such as paralysis, numbness, and loss of bowel and bladder control.

If you or someone you know has suffered from blood clots, stroke, or other Nuvaring side effects, you may be able to file a claim against the manufacturer. Contact an experienced Nuvaring lawsuit lawyer to discuss your options.

A stroke is ischemic rather than hemorrhagic; it is caused by blood clots that block one of the arteries of the brain. This typically occurs in the carotid arteries, but can also happen within the basilar, cerebral, and vertebral arteries. Treatment is focused on restoring blood flow to the brain while preventing existing blockages from enlarging.

Addressing Immediate Symptoms Of A Stroke

When you suffer an ischemic stroke, immediate medical care is critical to minimize brain injury and any resulting impairments. Upon your arrival at the hospital, the medical team’s main priority is to normalize your vital signs. They will monitor your blood pressure, body temperature, and heart rate, and if necessary, will introduce medications to help stabilize them. Once your vitals have been brought under control, and the severity of the blockage has been determined, the priority shifts to acute stroke therapy.

Dissolution Of Blood Clots In The Brain

Because a stroke can cause brain cells to die within minutes, therapy often begins with thrombolytic medications. These include tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) and similar drugs that are designed to dissolve clots.

The drawback to thrombolysis is that the medications pose a high risk of internal hemorrhaging. For this reason, your doctor will perform a computed tomography (CT) scan to check for bleeding near the brain prior to starting therapy. If there is no bleeding, and other risk factors (e.g. seizures, history of bleeding, etc.) are nonexistent, your doctor will proceed.

The drugs are introduced through a catheter, which is inserted near the groin and advanced to the site of the clot. A device on the tip of the catheter may be used to partially break it apart. Then, tPA is injected to dissolve the remaining mass.

This form of treatment is most effective when the medications can be delivered within three hours of the first symptoms. As time passes, their effectiveness declines. Hence, the drugs are rarely given after eighteen hours have passed.

Preventing The Stroke From Worsening

In some cases, your body may be unable to tolerate tPA and other thrombolytic drugs. As an alternative approach, your doctor may administer anticoagulants and antiplatelet medications. The purpose of these drugs is to slow the rate of coagulation in your blood. This prevents new clots from forming and existing clots from growing larger.

If your doctor has administered thrombolytic therapy, you will likely be given anticoagulants and antiplatelet drugs as a long-term treatment measure. They are usually given twenty-four hours following the introduction of tPA into your bloodstream since they, too, pose a risk of internal bleeding.

Surgery To Remove The Obstructing Clots

If thrombolytic drugs are insufficient for dissolving a clot – or therapy is contraindicated – a procedure called carotid endarterectomy can be done. This is an operation during which your doctor will remove the clot from the affected carotid artery. It is usually performed while the patient remains awake so the doctor can monitor brain activity.

A small incision is made into the back of your neck near the obstruction. Another incision is made into the blocked artery. The clot is removed and the two entry points are closed. The entire procedure can be completed within two hours. The risk is that your doctor may inadvertently dislodge other clots, and thus trigger another stroke.

Nuvaring stroke problems are varied and largely unpredictable. Even after the affected lobe of the brain has been identified, the nature and severity of the side effects may remain a mystery. If you have suffered blood clots or stroke after using contraceptive ring, find out about your legal rights. Contact a Nuvaring lawsuit attorney to discuss your options.

The veins and arteries carry blood throughout the body. If an object forms in the bloodstream, it can travel back to the lungs and creates a blockage. The lungs cannot get blood, and that lack of blood and oxygen causes serious damage to the cells in the lungs.

PE can be caused by tissue, fat or air bubbles in the bloodstream, but the most prevalent cause of a PE is a blood clot. Blood clots may form in the lower extremities, although some may form in the heart as well. Blood clots are more likely to form in older people, but can occur in anyone. Those with heart malfunctions or recent surgery have a higher risk.

Blood clots are may form in healthy people as a result of inactivity, such as in a long plane ride. They may form in pregnant women as the weight of the baby on the pelvis can slow down the flow of blood, making it more likely to clot. Those who are dehydrated may develop clots because the blood has thickened.

It can also occur in those who use estrogen medications. Women who use NuvaRing contraceptives have had a higher incidence of blood clots and pulmonary embolisms because of the way the birth control medicine affects clotting. These Nuvaring side effects can sometimes result in life-threatening situations if the blood clot breaks free and travel to the lungs or brain.

Symptoms of Pulmonary Embolism

When a blood clot has not yet reached the lungs, a person may not even be aware of any symptoms. However, she may notice warmth, pain or swelling in the area of the clot, which typically occurs in the upper or lower leg. The limb may also feel heavier or look paler than the other.

If the clot reaches the lungs, a person may notice sudden shortness of breath, chest pain that does not go away with rest, wheezing, fast heartbeat, or begin coughing blood. Once the clot has reached the lungs, it is essential to get medical attention immediately.

Once PE is diagnosed, the physician will determine what type of medicine to administer. Blood clots typically dissolve on their own. If the clot has not reached the lungs, doctors may give medicines to keep the clot from getting bigger and to keep it from traveling to the lungs. If the clot is already in the lungs, the patient may be given a strong type of medication called a thrombolytic, which can dissolve the clot, but may also cause severe bleeding, and is only used in a life-threatening situation. Doctors may also try to extract a clot using a catheter inserted into the area.

If you have concerns about pulmonary embolism, contact your doctor to discuss how your history, health and lifestyle may affect your risk factors. If you have used the NuvaRing contraceptive and have had any symptoms of pulmonary embolism, contact your doctor immediately.

For information on how NuvaRing may have affected your condition, contact us. We currently represent women throughout the United States who have suffered from blood clots and pulmonary embolisms after using the birth control ring. There is a limited time to file a Nuvaring lawsuit depending on the relevant statute of limitations.

Deep vein thrombosis occurs typically in the upper or lower leg, when blood flow slows and begins to pool. This can be the result of a variety of causes including inactivity, physical conditions like obesity or pregnancy, or medications like NuvaRing birth control and other combined hormone contraceptives. As blood clots form, a person with DVT may or may not experience any symptoms. The area may feel warm, painful or weak. One leg may look larger and paler than the other.

If this condition is not treated, blood clots may travel up through the bloodstream to the brain, blocking blood vessels in the brain, causing a stroke. Likewise, blood clots can travel into the lungs, blocking blood vessels there, causing a pulmonary embolism.

Doctors will treat deep vein thrombosis using blood thinners to keep the clots from growing and to prevent them from moving up through the body. Clots will usually dissolve on their own. If necessary, however, doctors may use a catheter to remove the clot, or insert a filter in a vein in the abdomen to keep the clot from getting into the heart or lungs. In extreme cases, doctors may use clot-dissolving agent, but there is a risk of causing excessive bleeding.

Most cases of deep vein thrombosis can be treated effectively, but once you’ve had deep vein thrombosis, you have a higher risk of it reoccurring. In addition, research shows that patients who have been treated for DVT successfully may continue to have long-term problems. In one study, 17-50% of patients who had been treated for DVT still had chronic problems within two years of treatment, including leg swelling and pain, inadequate blood flow through the veins, skin ulcers and hardening of an area of the skin.

Given the long-term effects of DVT, taking steps to prevent DVT from developing in the first place is the first line of defense.

Certain risk factors may not be controllable: people who have heart conditions, obesity or high blood pressure are at a higher risk of developing DVT. Still, maintaining good health and stabilizing these conditions can help. Other lifestyle changes can also be beneficial.

If you are a woman using NuvaRing contraceptive and have deep vein thrombosis, talk with your doctor about treatment options. Then contact us if you have questions regarding any Nuvaring side effects involving blood clots you may have experienced as a result of using this contraceptive. We are currently representing women throughout the United States who have developed a clot while using the birth control ring on a contingency basis, and there are no legal fees unless we win compensation on your case. We offer a free no-obligation consultation regarding your legal options including filing a Nuvaring lawsuit.