Non existent symptoms and conditions

My doctor put me on Nuvaring about four months ago to prevent my rupturing ovarian cysts and to prevent pregnancy. I love the convenience of the ring, although I have experienced several side effects I contribute to being on the ring. First of all, my sex drive is now non existent, which is a large change for me. Also, my periods have become worse since starting, I have very heavy bleeding, primarily dark brown clotted blood and severe cramps which travel to my back and down my legs. I have also had three yeast infections in four months, which before the ring, I had one my entire life. The worst of the symptoms, which if anyone else is having this, PLEASE share with me, is I am leaking a small amount of urine. It doesn;t matter if I have to go to the bathroom or not, I just leak a few drops an hour. This has started a few weeks ago and I am not sure how or why. I do have to say, since starting the ring, I have not had any ovarian cysts rupture, which the several birth control pills I have been on for the past 12 years have not been able to stop. I am open to suggestions!!

I am so glad that I found this site! I have been on the NuvaRing for about a year and have noticed side effects that I couldn't pinpoint the cause of.

I'm a very petite girl. Only 5 feet tall and usually about 94 lbs. Well since going on the NuvaRing my weight has gone up to 112! Not a big increase to the average person. But I am so small boned and so short, that all of this extra weight went straight to my tummy, butt and thighs and now I look so un-proportioned that it's ridiculous! 18 lbs. is a HUGE amount of weight for me to gain.

I've also had terrible headaches that (if I don't take anything right away for them) sometimes cause me to pass out or vomit because the pain is so intense. I have crazy mood swings that go up and down minute by minute and this has caused many fights between my fiance and I that start over stupid little things.

Also, my periods are alot heavier since I've gone on the ring. I used to have to change my tampon once every five hours or maybe even every six and never, ever leaked. Since going on the ring my periods have changed drastically and now I'm lucky if I can go two hours without leaking through a tampon! When I have my period I'm on constant guard.

Lastly, my sex drive is non-existent. Completely 100% gone. It's awful! I never, ever feel like having sex and that is NOT the normal me. Normally my sex drive is through the roof, but since going on NR I've noticed my sex drive drop more and more every month, every week, every day. This has hurt my fiance because he thinks it's him, which obviously it never was. Now after finding this site at least I can assure him of that.

After all of these side effects I decided to go off the NuvaRing. It's a form of birth control that I don't feel is safe for my body and is damaging to my relationship. I was on Ortho-Tri Lo before and will happily be going back on it again. After all I've gone through with NuvaRing, taking a little pill every day doesn't seem like that much of a hassle anymore.

I was on Yasmin and then YAZ for about 5 years and started when I was 19, and am now 24.

ON YAZ: I got a lot of urinary tract infections, had mood swings, depression, snappiness, and anxiety. I also felt swelling and occasional bruising in my legs ( started when I was 23). I stayed really thin and never felt bloated (5''7 120). I also never got pimples.

OFF YAZ: I have actually gained a few pounds and I KNOW its from going off the YAZ because it happened almost instantly. (5"7 126) YAZ does have a diuretic in it, so it really does help with the water retention. I feel bloated for the first time in my life. I broke out a little bit on my face and back. However, my mood swings have gone away, and my depression and anxiety have been almost non-existent. I am so much happier! I no longer feel swelling and bruising in my legs. My Urinary tract infections are gone as well.

Overall, I am a little bit chubbier, and have a few more pimples. But- I am happier, less irritable, anxiety free, and generally have a better, healthier outlook on life. The swelling in my legs and UTIs have also disappeared.

Any suggestions on a new BC?

So I decided to stop my nuvaring this week, and while I do agree that every person has a different experience with hormonal birth control, this route was just not for me. I have been on BC since I was 15 and have had mixed experiences. Started with Ortho-Tri Cyclin which made me crazy, went to orthocyclin which was great until my insurance stopped covering it, did lo dose Apri for 6 years and found that it made me very lethargic and moody with use over time and i think caused me migraines, switched to the patch and ended up in the hospital with elevated blood pressure during the first week (I was 23 and 130lbs), then tried nuvaring for the last 6 months. Started off well, my period became predictable to the hour and my migraines disappeared. However, I gained 15lbs! I am 5'3" and I know it is the nuvaring because I have been training for a marathon, running 4 days a week, 2 days of weight lifting and eating perfectly! Also, my sex drive is gone, like non-existent until my no ring week when I have my period. I am tired all the time and even though I sleep 8-10 hours a night. I also seem to be waking up once or twice a night. Worst of all, I am depressed and moody for no reason, all the time. I feel so bad for my poor boyfriend who has been walking on egg shells around me because he knows I cry and snap at anything. So I am stopping for a few months to see what will happen, and then maybe consider a copper IUD. I will update this post in a few months and let everyone know what happens.

As with others on this forum, memory loss is a side effect I'm experiencing with Lamictal. In fact, it's THE only side effect. I began taking Lamictal three years ago, and have maintained a dose of 300 mg a day. My short-term memory is practically non-existent. I have to write EVERYTHING down, and sometimes that isn't even enough. I've been known to forget what I've read only minutes before. I used to pride myself on my impeccable spelling, and now I'd say I'm at a fifth-grade level. In fact, I feel like I'm about ten years old. I've been taken to task over and over by employers who are frustrated with my poor performance. I've lost one job and due to lose another any day. Sure, my mood is stabilized, but for what good if I can't even support myself? I would definitely go off this medication if there was a good chance I would get my memory back, but I haven't come across anything in my internet travels that indicate this is a possibility!

I am 44 have been on yaz for two years at first it was great all my symptoms went away acne, mood swing and lost 10 pounds in two months great, then last year i started different tired and gaining weight i had my blood work done and my thyroid was off the chart and my triglycerides were 267 my doctors said to eat better i have always worked out and ate right then about 5 months ago i started getting belly fat, and a month ago i got my blood work done again and my triglycerides were 300 and my thyroid is still high i went off the yaz after reading all the comments i figured it has to be the yaz i have been off of it for a week i feel really funny light headed jittery.

I posted back in August or September 2008. I FINALLY had my Mirena removed and when I say FINALLY, I mean FINALLY. I went in late October to have it removed only to be told that it could not be located. I then had to have an internal ultrasound to locate the IUD. Thankfully she found it, but I was very scared of the pain of removal that I talked some more with my OB about it and decided to wait until the New Year to see if my symptoms had subsided. My symptoms were namely the horrible acne I started having after insertion. My periods at this point were non-existent, which was nice, but as a 37 year old woman, the acne was more than I could handle. Come 2009, the acne was still there - and when I say acne, I mean acne. I mean hard cystic acne that turns red and does not go away with time and medication. I have been a Proactiv advocate for a long time and sadly not even Proactiv was managing my acne on the IUD. So . . . January I went in to have the Mirena removed. The doctor knew it's general location and tried to remove it. She could not locate it and the procedure was extremely painful. Long story short, I had to undergo out-patient surgery and be knocked out to have it removed. I'm back on the Yaz and am already noticing a difference in my skin!

If you ever struggled with acne during your teens and early twenties, I would think twice about the Mirena. I struggled with acne and was finally at a point where my skin was "maturing" and the Mirena made me feel like that 14 year old with horrible skin all over again.

Hello! My name is Angelita and I am so happy that I found this website. I had the Mirena put in about 4 months ago. Thank "GOD" I had it taken out today. I've been dealing with headaches, fatigue, hair loss, acne, mood swings, upper and lower back pains, insomnia, cramps that felt like contractions, weight gain, hot flashes and joint pain as well. I seriously feel as though the "DEVIL" lives with in me, because I have been so mean towards my family. Taking all the strength with in me that at times I don't even want to get out of bed. I don't even want to leave my house to spend time with my family, because I am to tired to get up and get ready, and I feel ugly due to my weight gain and acne out breaks. For 4 months Mirena has stolen my life! I demanded yesterday that my doctor take it out! I told him that if he did not have the time to send me to another doctor who did because I wanted it out! He called me in the morning and asked if I could be there at 2:00, with a big smile I showed up. It didn't hurt when he took it out, but I did feel like a rush around my pelvic area. I felt like a drain sort of speak. Pressure like a period was about to start, although I have not started to bleed. Does anyone know when I should expect to bleed and when will all the other symptoms go away?

Let me just tell you how much I feel better after reading this. I swear I thought I was losing it. My husband was the one that pinpointed my overnight changes started in July/August. I suffered from extreme hemorrhaging and my doctor prescribed Nuvaring as a last resort before opting for minor surgery (Novasure). I HATE IT! I snap at everything. I cry for everything. I can't sleep at night, nightmares and my mind just won't stop going, going, going. I could sleep all day and still feel tired. I'm a stress case, both at home and at work. The severe cramping that makes me want to roll into a ball. I'm a wreck. My poor kids are stuck at home because I don't feel like changing out of my pajamas. My sex drive is virtually non-existent. Trying to explain what's happening to your husband who doesn't understand at all what i'm going through is difficult and I feel so bad for him having to deal with me. I'm 29 years old and have tried my fair share of birth control but NEVER have I experienced the side effects that Nuvaring has given me. And the gross discharge, not smelly, but definitely nasty. I haven't experienced the nausea but I'm calling my doctor to get me off this crap. Right now the option for surgery doesn't sound half as bad as this.

I had Mirena inserted 2 years ago. When I first had it fitted, I bled heavy, straight for 7 months. The cramps were almost unbearable. I went to my doctor several times during this 7 month period, which he told me that all of my symptoms were normal. I decided to wait it out.
The bleeding stopped but the cramping never really eased.
I got used to being in constant pain.
I also had severe migraines that would keep me from doing anything until the pain subsided.
My libido was non-existent (which in my opinion, is probably why this form of birth control is so effective). My relationship with my husband deteriorated partially because of this.
Fatigue is an understatement. I could never get enough sleep.
I also felt depressed most of the time and became VERY moody.

After coming to this site a few days ago, I decided to get this thing out of me. It was removed yesterday. It kind of hurt but not as bad as putting it in.
Cramps are gone. I feel energized and HAPPY today!!! I'm SO ready to get romantic with my husband again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I've been using NR for 3 months. My husband and I used to sneak around to have sex and now my drive is completely non-existent.I have been racked with anxieties that keep me up at night. I couldn't sleep just trying to decide on my presidential vote! (How silly is that?) I've been irritable and can't handle the smallest stress. I've been feeling so exhausted I have to take a nap after going out of the house for just 20 minutes! Previous to using NR none of these were issues for me. I was starting to believe I had hypothyroidism until I saw this site. This has been my first attempt at bc. I hope other options don't effect me like this so I get my old, happy, sexy self back.

there are 25 pages here! i am shocked, i've been a nuvaring user for a few years now.. (i'm 20) i didn't know about the decreased sex drive but mine is non-existent! what's the point in taking birth control when you barely have sex? i know it sounds backwards but i'm going to stop taking nuvaring and see if my sex drive comes back, and then if i start having more sex, i'm going to pick a different type of BC. (i'm with a steady partner and we use condoms anyway)

i'm started to get scared of these hormones, though..

Ditto - I have been off for about a week now and my sex drive has returned, it was non existent on Yasmin.

I am feeling a bit odd being off it - definitely a bit bloated, emotional, acne/greasy skin and 'spaced out' but hopefully I'll get back to normal.

My four old son has been on singulair for about two weeks. The change from wheezing/coughing attacks at night and terrible allergies during the day has been amazing. They are almost non-existent to this point a great plus. However, a i stress however his behavior and speech has been VERY INAPPROPRIATE and quite frankly it concerns me. He now states "im a bad boy" and "i dont listen" and his mornings are very testy to say the least. Granted these sound like normal 4 yr. old sayings that he would pick up from other children on the playground but how do you explain them happening almost simultaneously with his taking singulair. I find it very hard to believe that it is a coincidence and that these are normal things for a 4 yr old to say/do when all other things have remained the same. My advice is to diligently watch your child for these warning signs and find other remedies if you have reservations. Im not promoting natural cures but i am leaning toward a diet change for the whole family and consulting my doctor for food allergen testing. I hope this helps. Be Well.

Wow, I am so surprised to discover that Lisinopril is the culprit diminishing my sex drive. I have been going through therapy (after a messy divorce) the past 17 months and at the same time my doctor has been increasing my dosage of Lisinopril from 5 mg/day to 80 mg/day to combat my HBP. Just recently I underwent a vasectomy and have began to have a sexual relationship with a lady friend and I have been having trouble with my sex drive, it is almost non-existent after one sexual cycle. Suffice it to say that I have been very frustrated and have been wondering if the curtailment was due to my BP med or the vasectomy, now I see that once again I am part of the 1% that has this lack of sex drive issue. I will be scheduling a doctor's appointment this morning.

Thanks to all for being open!

Wow. I am blown away by what everyone has said. I am 27 and got my Mirena put in June 2007. I thought I had hit gold finding a form of BC that didn't require any work on my part and that didn't have side effects. YEAH right! A week after getting it inserted I began having migraines on a daily basis to the point where I had to go and see a specialist. I have gained about 15lbs, my sex drive is almost non existent (when I should be at my peak) and I am crabby all the time. However, the cherry on top of all of this is that my darn period has gotten longer and heavier. I went to see my GYN yesterday only to find out that the Mirena was in the wrong place! HUNCH!! That means it wasn't working and I have a possibility of being pregnant right now. Not cool at all. To say the least I had the darn thing removed and have chosen to go back to the NuvaRing. I never had side effects and it's as easy to use as putting in and taking out a tampon. If you have Mirena I would say get rid of it!

I take Lamictal with Wellbutrin 300 XL for bipolar with OCD tendencies. Some side effects are doubled due to this. Leg pain, especially my hips, forgetfulness (talk about annoying!), off balance and a bit clumsy, and some irritability. HOWEVER, my mood swings are almost non-existent. I still get sad/mad/depressed but it doesn't linger for days/weeks like it used to. I don't like the side effects and they do affect my quality of life but not nearly as much as my condition used to. I simply try to do things to make up for the side effects - stretching, taking things slower, forgiving myself when I forget things and not being afraid to tell people that I forgot something (tho IMO it isn't any of their business why).

I began 50 mg Toprol XL 2 years ago then reduced to 25 mg when palps and blood pressure normalized. Had trouble sleeping. Back in August, I began taking the generic version Metoprolol. One day I couldn't feel my index finger and thumb on right hand and immediate began to worry. I also began feeling depressed and was having terrible panic attacks. Sleeping was non-existent. Also, my chest felt as if it was on fire. Throat closed up and had difficulty breathing. Went to Walgreens nurse and she looked at me funny and said it was allergies to try Claritin and Flonase. DID NOT HELP! Went to the Dr. and he too chalked that up to allergies and gave me a shot. That relieved the breathing symptoms but nothing else. He told me numbness was tendonitis and gave me a "pretty brace." Numbness and tingling did not improve in fact went into other arm which caused me alarm. I went to chiropractor for help...nice massages but still numbness! Then my hands and feet started going cold...I'd had it. Went back to Dr and he put me on Xanax for panic attacks, told me I was depressed and need to see a psychiatrist for mood altering meds. I was ready to slug him! The numbness and tingling are insane! The Dr. to appease me switched me back to Toprol XL...no relief then tried Atenolol. The thing is for a few days while the insurance was figuring out what to pay for, I didn't take meds and began improving. Tried Atenolol and symptoms came right back. Called Dr and was told to just stop altogether...no weaning. Terrible tightness in chest could not breathe...miserable and scary. The next day I got a little better. Sleep improved somewhat but still having trouble with muscles tingling in feet up to knees and muscle cramping in right calve and for arms. Wondering how long this stuff stays in system. Seems to me I should be done...I have been off 17 days and am looking for relief for muscles symptoms...also looking for new Dr...anyone out there know how long this stuff hangs out in your muscles and stuff?????

um... i think the mood swings are just bitchiness... i dont think its the medicine making u like this... no one I know has had this problem... this pill is awsome and no matter the side effects, it gets the job done... personally, I havent had any side effects... i went on this site before I started taking this pill and it made me so upset... i was so scared to take it but I had to at least give it a try... I'm glad I did... It's awsome and saying negative things like this just scares girls who are researching pills... maybe you should see a psychologist if you have mood swings... be greatful that you have something like this... its better than being pregnant...

Finally! I knew it. I got on NR when my baby was 9 months old. My libido went from high to zero, literally. I was already on medicine for anxiety/depression, but it seemed to stop working, and I got really bad. I went to the DR. He changed my anxiety medication. I was an emotional mess and told him about the sex drive thing. He said it was due to stress or a problem in the marriage...Now my baby is over two years old, and the sex drive is still non-existent. I know that it started at the exact time I started the Nuva Ring. The DR swears there is no way it is caused by the NR. But I knew that was all it could be. This has had a bad effect on my marriage and my whole life. Thank God I found this site. I gotta get off this thing and get my life back!

I decided to get Mirena after the birth of my second son. I seemed like such a great idea. I had it put in last Sept. My doctor is very good and warned me about some things that might happen after it was inserted. What I didn't expect was just how bad I bled after getting it. I know it sounds like I'm exaggerating, but there was a point where I was running to the bathroom every 15 minutes to change. It was horrible, but my doctor assured me that everything was normal and I should see some improvement within the next few months. Including the heavy bleading, I bled for about a month and a half straight. About a month of that was the annoying spotting. Since then, I haven't had a period, which I love...the only thing I love about it. The past year has been rough, but I never associated it with Mirena until now. I was starting to lose my baby weight but now I weigh about 5 lbs more than I did just after giving birth. My stomach looks bigger than my sister's and she's almost 7 months pregnant. I was put on anti depressants, but associated that with post partum depression...now I'm not sure what caused it. My husband and I have been fighting more and we even considered spitting up. I'm just not ME and he has even said it. I have acne like a teenager, weight gain (no matter what I do), very low sex drive, BLOATING, cramps, my memory is pretty much non existent, nausea, horrible sleep pattern which causes extreme tiredness all the time, sore body, constant discharge, and blurred vision. I've actually taken pregnancy tests because I felt worse than when I was pregnant. I've talked to my husband about the Mirena and wanting to get it out, but he's just worried that I'll get pregnant again if I get it out. He doesn't realize how bad I really feel cuz I'm not telling him. We decided that our marriage is worth saving so I'm trying to do my part by not getting mad at him for every little thing and not complaining about how awful I feel. He just started a new job, too, so insurance hasn't started at the new place and his old place of employment has already stopped it through them. I can't pay for a regular doctor's visit without insurance, so I guess I'm stuck with it for now. Sorry for babbling, I just don't have anyone to talk to, so once I start, I just keep going.

Been taken synthroid for 2.5 years. I am 30 old male, Really athletic.
I notice that I get fatique very easly and memmory and concentration problems. But the most noticable is shortness of Breath, and I have very high anxiety. I lost wait since being on synthroid.

Last night I bought 2 new shirts, was completely disgusted with my stomach and mid section. I had went to the doctor about 2 weeks ago for a cold, and when I was weighed, I had gained about 10 lbs in a month. I am completely disgusted with my stomach. I had a pooch down there since having my baby, but she is 19 mos now and since I had it inserted in April, I feel like a growing marshmellow. Sometimes I cant stand to even have my husband see me change clothes. Im about 195 lbs now...almost my PREGNANCY weight and I hate to get it taken out now since I just had it put in - in April. Also I have NO SEX DRIVE. My husband complains about it constantly and Im so tired all the time, I'm always saying how I could fall asleep. I keep attributing it to having a 19 mo old and working full time, but she sleeps through the nights now and I'm always tired. I've also had several dizzy spells that I can not explain. I'm going to keep reading these comments and it seems like I may have found what my problem is! Thanks for the help. I should have done my research before I went through the pain of having it put in. That would have been smart right?

Hello,
I am soooooo happy to have found this post!!! I have been on Yasmin for approximately six months for very irregular or non-existent periods. About four months ago I began having dizzy spells where I could not walk or move my head without vommitting. I have now had one each month, this last one occuring for three days. I have also experience nausea, stomach aches, vommitting, etc... intermitent from the other symtoms. Long long story short I was referred to an ENT specialist and was diagnosed with Meniere's Disease (Inner Ear.) I didn't buy it so I began searching for side effects of Yasmin - I am stopping it today! I have my fingers crossed this is the problem>

OMG! Thank goodness for this web site. I had the Mirena inserted two years ago and have been anxious and depressed and moody ever since, not to mention my non-existent sex drive. I have also suffered from insomnia ever since (which is what the doctor blamed the depression on). I have been to my gyno AND Family Planning to have it removed as it was the only thing I could think of to cause this - it was just too much of a coincidence - and they both talked me out of it, saying it 'couldn't possibly be the Mirena as it is so localised' and I have to look at other issues in my life. There are no other issues. I am having this thing removed tomorrow now!! I am so angry. I feel like I have had two years of my life robbed of me. My poor husband and kids! They have had to put up with this as well. Doctors should be a lot more read up on this and LISTEN TO THEIR PATIENTS. If it wasn't for this web site I would still be in the dark.