Bilateral Pulmonary Embolisms
Hello! Please get genetic testing done before starting a new medication! It could save your life. I’m a twenty-two year old woman who back in Mid-November 2025 had started taking an estrogen based birth control (Yaz) to help with heavy periods. Forty Days later, I had to go to the ER because I was in extreme pain and felt like I couldn’t breathe. At first the doctor assumed it was a panic attack, asking what I was “so stressed about”. I insisted that it wasn’t that and turns out… I was right.
I had clusters of blood clots in both my lungs. So much so that it was causing right heart strain and liquid to start forming around my heart. The clots led to infarctions, meaning that parts of my lungs died and my lower right lung collapsed slightly. While all this was happening, I had to get a ton of tests done. My mom asked if I could get a genetic test done for my heart. Turns out, I actually have a recessive gene for Factor 5 Leiden, a blood clotting gene.
Birth control is known for causing blood clots. Yet, it’s not mandatory to get genetic testing done to make sure it isn’t deadly. My gynecologist didn’t think to check and the ER doctors didn’t think to check either. Thank God my mom is in the medical field and thought to ask. It scares me that someone else could be in my position or worse… Not even knowing what happened. So please take this as a sign to be cautious! Advocate for yourself, it could mean your life.
It’s been four months since it all happened and I’m doing okay! I still have some struggles, but that’s to be expected. If you have any questions, please reach out! Or if you want to talk about your experience also. It’s nice to have a community here to talk about it. :)
(Ps. It’s funny now, but almost dying a virgin because of birth control is irony not lost on me.)