My friend nearly died from brain clots. She was put on BC because of really bad periods. Apparently she had a high level of C reactive protein and was not tested for that before going on BC. She was somewhere in her mid to late 30's when it happened.I think a lot more women should be tested for things like that. One time I had an inflammatory joint thing that was viral. I was already allergic to Sulfa, and the doctor nonchalantly handed me a new arthritis drug that had just come out. Not reading my chart or the pill description, which said for people allergic to sulfa not to use, he just said .. here take this, it's new. I developed a rash from head to toe, leading another doc to think I had lupus and I went through a battery of tests. It was an unnecessary bunch of fear laden days on my part that might have been avoided if the doc had done his research.