FALLAN Kurek was like most young women her age. She was fit, healthy and never had any major health problems.
So when she was prescribed the pill to help regulate her periods, she thought nothing of it.
But after just three weeks of taking the medication, the 21-year-old was rushed to hospital and placed in intensive care after collapsing at her parent's Staffordshire home.
Three days later, on May 14, the former teaching assistant died.
Her devastated parents Brian and Julia told the Birmingham Mail doctors said her death was caused by the contraceptive pill.
"We felt angry when they first mentioned it could be the pill," Mrs Kurek said.
"She was only on it 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."
Mrs Kurek said her daughter was prescribed Rigevidon by her GP to regulate her periods.
She was to take it for three months, then have a break. However she began having a reaction to the drug after just three weeks.
Mrs Kurek said her daughter suffered what they initially thought was a panic attack. She was breathless and had pain in her legs and ribs.
They took her to the local hospital where she was given the all-clear after an electrocardiogram (ECG).
"They said everything was fine, they said she had probably bruised her sternum," Mrs Kurek said. "They said to go home and take some Ibuprofen and paracetamol. If symptoms continue then go see your GP," Mrs Kurek said.
"We thought nothing more of it. She still said she had this little niggling pain, but it wasn't bothering her too much."
Four days later, Fallan collapsed on her parents? stairs.
Her parents told the Birmingham Mail that their daughter had taken her pill just moments before she blacked out.
After being rushed to hospital, Fallan was placed on a ventilator and emergency scans were taken on her head and chest.
Doctors then asked if Fallan was on any medication.
"While they were working on her someone came in to talk to me," Mrs Kurek said. "They asked me whether there was any heart problems in the family, or if Fallan had taken drugs - definitely not.
"The third question was, 'Is she on the pill?' I said, 'Yes, is that relevant?' He said, 'We know what it is' and off he went.
"Brian and I just looked at each other =-we couldn't believe it."
The scan revealed a large clot on Fallan's lung which was causing the right side of her heart to become inflamed.
Three days later, Fallan's blood and heart rate increased dramatically. A few hours later she was declared clinically brain dead.
Her parents then made the heartbreaking decision to switch off the ventilator.
"Fallen was looking forward to the rest of her life," Mr Kurek said. "She was confident, cheeky, bubbly, and the mother hen to all her friends.
"We just don't want any other family to go through this."
Fallan's parents said they decided to share their story in the hope it would raise awareness about the dangers on the pill.
They said they also wanted doctors to warn all women about the serious side effects.
"They know the pill can cause blood clots," Brian said. "We can't bring her back; all we can do is maybe save another life."
In Australia, it is estimated that between 50 and 80 per cent of women take the pill during their reproductive lives.
While authorities generally consider the pill to be a safe form of contraception, there have been concerns that some pills do cause blood clots.
Four years ago, the Therapeutic Goods Administration acknowledged there was a small risk that all pills could cause blood clots after concerns were raised about the brands Yaz and Yasmin.
And two years ago France temporarily banned the sale of Diane-35 following a spate of deaths, the ABC reported.
http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/rea...-1227370234562
http://mydeathspace.com/article/2015...raceptive_pill
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