Kerry Sharples, a 45-year-old mother from Cheshire, England, is grappling with a life-altering diagnosis about her brain and sight, after years of relying on hormonal birth control injections to skip monthly periods.
She visited her doctor in 2025 when she began experiencing a pulsing sensation in her right ear, prompting her physician to order precautionary scans and bloodwork, leading to the discovery of four benign brain tumors, known as meningiomas.
The largest tumor, located behind her right eye, measured about 1.4 inches (approximately 3.5 cm) as per PEOPLE.
Doctors informed Sharples that the tumors could be linked to her long-term use of synthetic progesterone-based contraceptive injections, which she had received regularly for 21 years.
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They immediately advised her to stop the shots.
"I regret taking these injections. It sounds so silly now, that I just didn't want the periods and stayed on it. And now I've got four brain tumors. I'd take the periods any day now. It's crazy," Sharples said.
Sharples, a mother of two and teaching assistant from Crewe, reflected on her trust in the medical advice she received over the years.
"I know a lot of ladies had certain side effects, but as far as I was concerned, I was fine. I thought, 'Why change something that wasn't broken?' Had they mentioned [the brain tumors], it would've been different," she said.
"I was a bit naive to [not] look into it. But you just presume you're getting it from the doctors, so you're okay," she added.
She did not disclose the exact name of the injection but expressed hope that her experience raises awareness.
Sharples said, "I don't want to scare people [or] to put the fear of God into them, but they do need to be aware of what [the shots] can cause. Just re-think and do your research. There are other options out there."
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