Beasley, Allen, Crow, Methvin, Portis & Miles, P.C.

An estimated 20 million Americans have gallbladder disease, a condition in which the bile in the gallbladder becomes concentrated and thickens. The condition most often affects people over 60 years of age, says Dr. Ronald Hoffman, an active clinician, author, radio host and lecturer. However, many young women have developed the condition, thanks to their oral contraceptive.

The gallbladder’s sole function is to store bile, a dark green to yellowish brown fluid produced by the liver to aid in the digestion of fats in the small intestine. When the gallbladder becomes diseased, it can become inflamed and produce gallstones. A gallbladder attack occurs when the stones block the flow of bile. These attacks can cause excruciating pain and oftentimes the only remedy is to have the gallbladder removed.

Common contributing factors include weight gain or loss, hypothyroidism or thyroid disease, high cholesterol, alcohol intake, family history of gallbladder disease, and diabetes. However, use of estrogen and birth control pills are also considered risk factors as estrogen increases the concentration of cholesterol in the bile.

Gallbladder disease is one of the many serious adverse events reported with use of one particular brand of birth control pill, Yaz, also known as Yasmin and Ocela. An estimated 1,100 lawsuits have been filed against Bayer, the makers of Yaz, by women who say the birth control pill caused them to develop gallbladder disease, blood clots, seizures, cardiac arrhythmias, heart attacks, or strokes. As many as 59 deaths to date have been linked to Yaz.

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