My contraceptive pill almost killed me – more women need to know my story and the side effects

A YOUNG woman almost died after she started taking a new contraceptive pill.

Holly McComish was 25 when she suffered a stroke, just weeks after she had been prescribed oral contraceptive Microgynon 30 over the phone.

“It felt like I was trapped inside my own body – I thought I was on the edge of death,” the theatre producer said, recalling the terrifying event

Holly, who was otherwise “fit and healthy”, collapsed during a business meeting in October 2021.

“My vision started blurring and I couldn’t get my words out,” she said.

“Luckily someone noticed half of my face had dropped and they called for an ambulance,” she explained.

Just two months earlier, in August, Holly had been prescribed Microgynon 30 by her doctor over the phone, back during the Covid lockdown when GPs weren’t providing face-to-face appointments.

“She gave me the pill far too easily,” the young girl said.

According to Holly, now 26, the GP failed to warn her of some of the pill’s major side effects, perform any tests or ask her important questions relating to her health.

The contraceptive pill is not safe for every women to take, therefore healthcare professionals usually ask women a series of questions and check their blood pressure before prescribing the medicines.

“All she explained the pill came with a small risk of depression but I was fine with that because I thought if I felt down I could stop taking it.

“Nothing was said about blood clots or strokes,” she said.

By September, Holly started experiencing “dizzy spells” and headaches which she brushed aside.

“I wasn’t warned this was a side effect, I just assumed it was normal reaction to starting a new medicine,” she said.

Just a month later Holly suffered a transient ischaemic attack (TIA) or “mini stroke” while at work.

TIAs are usually caused by a temporary disruption in the blood supply to the brain, often caused by a blood clot that has formed somewhere else in the body, according to the NHS.

While waiting for the ambulance  Holly was put on the floor, while she was “unable to speak or move”. She said, “I was thinking, is this it? Am I dying?”

Holly was later referred to the London Neurological Hospital where it was confirmed she had suffered a stroke after a blood clot had travelled to her brain via an patent foramen ovale (PFO) – sometimes called a hole in the heart.

Doctors told her to was told to stop taking the contraceptive pill immediately and placed on blood thinning medication.

Holly said: “I immediately burst into tears, it just felt like a bad dream.

“You just really don’t expect that to happen to a 25-year-old.”

For some people, oestrogen in the pill can cause blood to clot more readily. If a blood clot develops, it could lead to several dangerous conditions including deep vein thrombosis, heart attack or stroke.

The NHS website lists a number of minor side effects associated with the combined pill and also states: “The risk of getting a blood clot is very small, but doctors usually check if you have certain risk factors before prescribing the pill.”

Later she underwent surgery to repair the hole in her heart and has now fully recovered.

It’s thought up to 25 per cent of people have a similar undiagnosed heart issue, without ever knowing about it. 

Thankfully, Holly has been left with no long-term health issues after her stroke.

“I’m really glad it happened in public. If I was at home alone I wouldn’t have known what was happening and I could have had more strokes which could have given me brain damage,” she said.

Holly is now campaigning to raise awareness around the risk of taking the pill.

“I don’t think the side effects are ever highlighted enough. Doctors just had you a leaflet covered in tiny writing detailing the risks and hope you’ll read it,” she explained.

“I know what happened to me is rare, and many women will be fine on the pill, but if I can help at least one woman by sharing my story that will mean a lot.”

She’s also calling for the NHS to ensure doctors perform more tests on women before handing out the drugs.

“I should have been given a heart scan before starting the medicine, and other women should be offered one too,” she said.

During the period when she spent much of her time at home recovering from surgery, Holly discovered a passion for writing poetry.

She ended up producing a poetry collection, If Tits Could Talk, which was inspired by what had happened to her.

Through her poetry, she hopes to raise awareness about the risks that can come with the pill, so women can make a more informed decision when it comes to their health.