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If you have taken the blood thinner Plavix to reduce your risk of heart attacks and strokes, you may be in danger of developing other, serious complications. Studies of Plavix patients have found that Plavix increases your risk of internal bleeding that can lead to long-term complications or even death. In fact, Plavix has a long history of causing serious health problems. If you have taken Plavix and suffer internal bleeding, we can help you make a claim against the drug’s manufacturer.
At John Foy & Associates, our mission is to help people who have been injured by the carelessness of others. We are currently looking into claims that Plavix has caused internal bleeding in thousands of patients nationwide. If you took Plavix and experienced bleeding, we’d like to talk to you, for free and with no obligation. Let us give you a free consultation.
Call us at 404-400-4000 and get your free consultation today.
What does Plavix Do?
Plavix is a blood thinner that is prescribed to reduce a patient’s risk of developing blood clots. It is also known by the generic name clopidogrel. Plavix is manufactured by Bristol-Myers Squibb and was first introduced to the public in 1997.
Plavix is an anti-platelet medicine. The bloodstream contains platelets, and Plavix prevents these from sticking to one another and forming clots. Blood clots are dangerous because they can break loose and travel into the heart, lungs or brain, causing serious damage or death. Plavix is approved for use to prevent heart attacks and strokes in people who are at high risk, but is has been promoted to physicians as a good choice for anyone who has any risk factor for a heart attack or stroke.
What Is the Problem With Plavix?
Plavix was marketed as being safer than aspirin, which can cause gastrointestinal problems if used long-term. However its effectiveness at preventing strokes and its safety have been repeatedly questioned. Some studies found Plavix may not be any more effective than plain old aspirin at preventing strokes, even though it costs far more.
Others found that Plavix is completely ineffective at preventing strokes if it is taken in combination with popular proton pump inhibitor heartburn medications (such as Prilosec, Prevacid or Nexium).
Plavix has also been linked to an increased risk of acute hemorrhage, or severe bleeding, when Plavix patients are compared with users of an older blood thinner called warfarin. This bleeding typically occurs within the gastrointestinal system, or in the brain, causing a type of stroke.
Plavix is also linked to development of stomach ulcers and a condition known as thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (or Moschowitz syndrome), in which small blood clots form within the blood stream, damaging internal organs.
What Are the Symptoms of Internal Bleeding?
Internal bleeding is scary because there is no visible injury to let you know it’s happening. However, there are signs and symptoms, and these will vary depending on where the bleeding occurs. If you have gastrointestinal bleeding, your symptoms will depend on where the bleeding is and how much blood you have lost. Symptoms may include:
- Vomiting blood
- Stools that are black and look like tar, or that have blood in them
- Fatigue and weakness
- Abdominal pain
- Shortness of breath
- Confusion
- Sleepiness
Cerebral bleeding happens when an artery in the brain breaks. The buildup of blood causes swelling, and the blood may pool into something known as a hematoma. This leads to increased pressure on the brain, reduced circulation, and the death of brain cells. Symptoms of this type of internal bleeding include:
- A severe headache that comes on suddenly
- Nausea and vomiting
- Feeling weak in the arms or legs
- Feeling numb or tingly
- Trouble seeing or speaking clearly
- Difficulty balancing or performing ordinary tasks
- Passing out
Internal bleeding can be life threatening and should always be taken seriously. Get emergency medical attention if you believe you may be bleeding internally.
What Can I Recover Money for in a Plavix Lawsuit?
The manufacturer of Plavix has been accused of rushing the drug to the market without adequate testing to ensure it was safe for the public. It did this in order to make a profit. In fact, before its patent expired, Plavix became the best selling drug in the country, generating $7 billion in sales in 2011 alone. The manufacturer is also accused of failing to warn the public or doctors of the true dangers of the medication.
Manufacturers have a legal duty to test their drugs thoroughly so that they are as safe as possible before being sold to the public. They also have a duty to be up-front about side effects. When a manufacturer violates these duties, the manufacturer is liable to patients who were injured.
If you suffered internal bleeding or other side effects caused by Plavix, you may be able to recover money for:
- Your medical bills
- Prescription medications to treat the side effects
- Physical therapy and equipment needed to help you recover as much as possible
- Lost wages, if you missed time from work
- Pain and suffering, which includes your physical pain and the non-financial ways the bleeding, stroke or other injury has affected your life.
If you lost a loved one due to the effects of Plavix, you may be eligible for damages for wrongful death. We know that money is a poor substitute for the life you had before you were told to take this dangerous drug, but it can go a long way to easing your financial stress and improving your quality of life as you move through the recovery process.
Talk to a Plavix Internal Bleeding Lawsuit Lawyer
At John Foy & Associates, we don’t think innocent patients should pay the price for a big pharmaceutical company’s focus on profits at the expense of safety. If you or a loved one suffered internal bleeding after taking Plavix, we want to hear about it. We won’t charge you anything unless we succeed in recovering money for you. Let us give you a free consultation. Call us at 404-400-4000 or fill out the form to your right and get your FREE consultation today.