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Jennifer Gardner, 18, of Georgia was prescribed the Ortho Evra patch in March 2005 to help regulate her menstrual periods. As a perfectly healthy and active teenager, she didn't expect any real problems with the patch. She wore the patch for just five months, and suffered two strokes during that period.
Increased Blood Flow, Other Problems
Soon after Gardner started wearing the patch, her periods got much heavier, with increased blood flow. She started getting headaches and felt light-headed all of the time. Her primary care physician sent her to a cardiologist in New York, whose testing showed normal results. She was not told to remove the patch, and she didn't do so.
Told to Remove the Patch Immediately
When she returned from the long trip to the cardiologist's office, she couldn't walk, and she was then admitted to a hospital for three days. Diagnosed as having had a stroke, Gardner was then seen by numerous specialists, and each one told her to take the Ortho Evra patch off immediately. She took off the patch, but serious damage had been done to her heart; she was told by cardiac specialists that she would have to undergo heart surgery. There was no history of heart disease in her family.
Permanent Damage
Before the surgery could be performed, Gardner had to have five months of treatment from a hematologist for the blood clotting that had developed. She had the heart surgery in June 2006, and then had a more severe stroke in September 2006 in which she lost all feeling in her left side for two months.
After months of rehabilitation, Gardner relearned to walk, talk, and move, although she still has limited use of her arms. She needs further heart surgery to replace a damaged valve. She is expected to need heart medication the rest of her life.
Have you suffered adverse symptoms from wearing the Ortho Evra patch? Contact an experienced Ortho Evra attorney to discuss your legal rights.