Mirena Allegedly Caused Pelvic Inflammatory Disease

More and more instances of complications with the IUD, Mirena, have been brought to light in recent months.

Mirena is an intrauterine device that is used by many women as a possible form of birth control. The device is implanted in the uterus and can be left there for a number of years. But many patients have been coming forward with stories of complications with the device and reports of side effects that have been very difficult to deal with.

One patient who had the IUD, Mirena, implanted in 2007 as a form of birth control says that ever since the implantation she has been experiencing a plethora of side effects, including cramping, bleeding, pelvic inflammatory disease, and although she had the device removed, a small fragment of the device still remained inside her.

Just three months after having her Mirena implanted, this woman experienced so much bleeding and cramping that she had to have the device removed. However, the side effects did not stop after the device was removed. She continued to experience serious side effects, including severely high blood pressure, and she developed several bacterial infections. By 2009 her doctor ordered an ultrasound, an MRI, and a CT scan because her condition failed to improve and continued to deteriorate. During these tests its was discovered that a piece of the device about the size of a fingertip was still inside of her body, embedded in her uterine wall.

Her OB/GYN performed surgery to remove the fragment, but during the surgery her doctor was unable to find the piece of the device and could not complete the procedure. One year later, she was back in the hospital when her blood pressure was sky high. Her doctors continued to perform tests and she was presenting symptoms that were similar to the flu. She was nauseated, vomiting frequently, and was lethargic, so she went in to the ER. Doctors at the ER gave her medication to treat her flu-like symptoms and sent her home, but she continued to vomit. The next day she went back to the hospital and it was discovered that she had been vomiting blood for two days.

The woman was admitted to the hospital and treated by a gastroenterologist. The doctor performed an endoscopy where a tiny camera is inserted into the body to better help the doctor find and view the problems that are causing the serious symptoms. During the endoscopy, the doctor found ulcers but was unable to locate the Mirena fragment. She was then referred to an oncologist and underwent another procedure in February of 2013. This time the doctor found two Mirena fragments inside of her and was able to remove both pieces, though the pieces were deeply embedded and tissue had grown around the fragments.

Even after all of this the woman continued to have problems. “I was out of the hospital recovering and what would you know – I was bleeding again and bloated and generally feeling lousy. And my blood pressure spiked again. Next day I went back to the gastroenterologist who told me to go to ER immediately. I had a cardiologist and two infectious disease doctors look-see and they all consulted with the OB/GYN who took the Mirena out.”

She was diagnosed with PID, or pelvic inflammatory disease, which needs to be treated promptly or can become life-threatening. PID is usually sexually transmitted, but the woman asked her doctor how she could have contracted it, and was informed that she could have possibly gotten it from the Mirena. She was unfortunately one of the 1 percent of individuals who get PID from the IUD.

She is still on antibiotics and has questions that remain unanswered. “At what point did this Mirena break inside me? Did it come off when it was implanted or when it was removed? I wonder how many women have had this same thing happen to them.”

For this woman, the issues caused by the Mirena device have snowballed and she continues to be affected by the damage that the device has caused. “I have lost so much because I have spent so much time in hospital,” she explains. “I lost my job and I lost my fiancé. And I know that I will have stomach issues up next. And this is the icing on the cake: they just found a cyst caused by the PID – I am not done with this yet.

Contact a Medical Malpractice Lawyer

If you have been injured by a Mirena IUD you should immediately contact a personal injury attorney who has experience dealing with product liability and medical malpractice cases.  They can help you to sort through the details of your case and move forward in holding the device manufacturer responsible.

The lawyers at the Zevan and Davidson Law Firm in St. Louis, MO have a proven track record of successfully handling product liability and medical malpractice cases. It is important to contact our experienced Missouri medical malpractice attorneys immediately following complications to ensure that your rights are protected.

Call Zevan and Davidson at (314) 588-7200
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photo credit:  manoj damodara