MANCHESTER women are being urged to sign a petition calling on the NHS to stop using a controversial make of combined contraceptive pill.
The combined pill ‘Rigevidon’ has caused concern among users who were previously unaware of its side effects.
Rigevidon causes common side effects such as headaches, mood swings and nausea but has also triggered more serious effects such as blood clots. These have caused fatalities to females in the UK.
To protect women from these dangers, a petition has been launched on Facebook to remove contraceptive pill Rigevidon from the NHS list.
Health care assistant, Laura Ephraums, set up the petition after she developed a blood clot on her brain and an early onset stroke, just eight weeks into taking the combined pill.
Results from numerous tests showed that there was no other factor causing the blood clot besides this pill.
Miss Ephraums, 20, from Ottery Saint Mary, said: “After what happened to me, I discovered it had happened to lots of other women as well on the same pill so I decided something should be done about it.”
Laura is not the only woman to have developed serious health complications from taking Rigevidon as many others commented and shared her petition, claiming that they too have suffered from blood clots in various places.
So many girls are unaware of the risks of taking the pill, blood clots are such a common danger and girls are never told the symptoms by drs
— Larissa Davey (@LarissaDavey) September 18, 2016
Rigevidon is an effective form of contraception if taken correctly and also helps the menstrual problems that women face.
As well as its contraceptive purpose, women are prescribed Rigevidon to help with painful or irregular periods. The pill is to be taken every 21 days followed by a seven day break, where women will have their period.
However, with similar alternatives available, the dangerous side effects are seeming to outweigh the purpose of this pill.
Women from Manchester have shared their opinion on whether or not they believe that Rigevidon should be removed from the NHS list of contraceptive pills.
Allegra Stratton speaks out about the need for greater awareness of the side effects from the pill on ITV News.
In May 2015, it became public that 21-year-old Fallan Kurek had died, from what doctors said was side effects caused by the contraceptive pill.
Fallan’s parents said: “She was only on the pill to regulate her periods. I couldn’t believe nobody had said the pill could do this. It should say it on the pack that they can kill and the label.”
One plea is for doctors and nurses to make patients who are recommended to take Rigevidon more aware of the serious consequences leading to blood clots. But women all over the country want to go further by removing contraceptive pill Rigevidon from the NHS.
Laura’s petition is available to sign here.
By Phoebe Jobling
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