We put a lot of faith in the medical industry. We trust that our doctors genuinely care about our well-being, and we take the drugs they prescribe because, after all, who has the medical degree here? The problem with that is the medical industry has become a business and pushes medication on everyone, sometimes even when it might not be the best option. As a female patient, I’ve been dismissed more times than I can count, especially when it has come to my gynecologic health.
After seeing commercials for Yaz birth control back in 2008, I was convinced I had premenstrual dysphoric disorder, or PMDD. My doctor, without much prodding, prescribed it. A year later, I had to have my gallbladder removed because of being on Yaz and was never even warned that could be a side effect. And that’s on the mild end of medical negligence.
People recently reported that Kerry Sharples, 45, took birth control shots for 21 years and it led to not one but four brain tumors.
Sharples went to her doctor after she had a nagging pulsating feeling in her right ear.
Kennedy News reported that Sharples’ doctor ordered several scans and blood tests to be safe, and when the results came back, both doctor and patient were slack-jawed: Sharples had four benign brain tumors. The largest of the tumors measured at about 1.4 inches and was behind her right eye.
After digging into her medical history, doctors learned she had been taking hormonal birth control shots for 21 years to avoid monthly periods, and they advised her to stop the shots immediately as there was relatively new evidence that these shots were linked to brain tumors.
“I regret taking these injections,” Sharples told the outlet. “It sounds so silly now, that I just didn’t want the periods and stayed on it. And now I’ve got four brain tumors. I’d take the periods any day now. It’s crazy.”
The mom of two claims that had she been aware of the link, even a small chance that this could happen, it would have changed her health plans.
“I know a lot of ladies had certain side effects, but as far as I was concerned, I was fine. I thought, ‘Why change something that wasn’t broken?’ Had they mentioned [the brain tumors], it would’ve been different,” Sharples said. “I was a bit naive to [not] look into it,” she added. “But you just presume you’re getting it from the doctors, so you’re okay.”
The entire thing was completely shocking to her, and she admitted she doesn’t know if she has really come to terms with the diagnosis. The reality that she could have gone blind, deaf, or even died had she not seen a doctor is a very sobering one. “I’m hoping they shrink, or just don’t grow, now I’m off [the hormones].”
Although Sharples didn’t explicitly name the drug she took, she is not the first person to report these side effects.
An exclusive interview with the New York Post reveled that Elizabeth Fleurisma also learned that she had a lime-size tumor in her brain after taking hormonal birth control shot Depro-Provera. She is just one of 75 New Yorkers and one of 1,000-plus people who believes the birth control is to blame. Depo-Provera, a progestin shot made by Pfizer, is administered monthly, and the company stands accused of failing to inform patients of the potential risk.
Pfizer told the Post it “believes these claims are without merit and will vigorously defend against these allegations.” The statement continued, “The Company stands behind the safety and efficacy of Depo-Provera, which has been used by millions of women worldwide and remains an important treatment option for women seeking to manage their reproductive health.”
Though the risk of brain tumors is still reportedly low, Sharples shared her story in hopes that other women can heed it as a warning.
“Just re-think and do your research. There are other options out there,” she stated.
