Nuva symptoms and conditions

Has anyone had the itching? The horrible horrible itching like you want to peel your skin off in a not very pleasant area? My doctor started me on NuvaRing last Monday and ever since it's been like my skin is on fire. I took the ring out last Sunday, but am still itching sporadically. It's pretty unbearable. Any ideas on how to handle? Any help would be appreciated.

I was on nuvaring for about 1.5 years until I quit late summer/early fall of 2008. I'm 25 and I quit because I always felt "dry" and had no sex drive. I felt like I was just pumped full of hormones and wanted to give my body a break and quit all birth control for a while. Around the time I quit, I began to bleed during sex. Not every time, just "hit and miss", not very much, but one time there was quite a bit. I ignored this for a while and then started looking things up on the net which lead me to freak and think I had cervical cancer. I rushed in for a pap test and even during the exam, I bled (pretty badly) this made my results inconclusive and I have to go back in 3 months after the cells on my cervix have re-grown and they can get a proper sample. I'm less worried after finding this forum, but wondering how many others out there have suffered from the mysterious bleeding during sex? Is anyone still suffering from this after discontinuing use?

Other side affects were weight gain, panic attacks, and major hair loss.

i was extremely excited to start the nuvaring but after about six months i start to get extremely emotional. i am a very laid back person and every little thing started getting to me. Things i would not think twice about before. then the headaches started. i get headaches starting the week before my period and go thru the week im on my period. my sex drive faded and seemed to get worse the longer i was on it and once i actually did have sex it hurt. the pelvic pain had me worrying i had PID or something. very strange. I have never had a yeast infection or a bacterial infection in my life and i have had both at the same time with this!! its terrible. i talked to a friend that was also using the nuva and she was having problems with infection too. both of us stopped using the nuva. I switched back to Yasmin. happy with it just didn't want to take a pill everyday but its well worth it compared to the side effects of the nuva. i haven't had any of the symptoms since i switched. emotional i feel sooooo much better and no infections now.

I would just like to let you all know that I posted on this website on February 16th and took the ring out the same day. Today, two and a half weeks later: 1) my libido has returned!! (I'm back to wanting it twice a day, not twice a month), 2) I am no longer weepy and cranky (and I just lost my job--so that's really saying something!), 3) I have lost A SIZE in the past two and a half weeks!!!!--one more reason #1 is great!, 4) I can now drink soda and beer and eat spicy foods without bloating, 5) all of my weird digestive issues are almost completely gone, 6) no more chest pains, 7) I sleep a full 8 hours a night with no problems. Please, please, PLEASE--to any woman who is reading this--GET OFF of the NuvaRing!!

I've been on the ring for 3 months. Before that, I was on the Ortho tri cyclen Lo for like.. 5 years. I have had no noticeable problems with the ring, other than sometimes it gets in the way during sex, but if it becomes a problem I just take it out. I have not noticed any decline in sex drive. Actually, I think I have a stronger sex drive now. I have not felt depressed. The itching some of you describe would occur if you placed the ring without THOROUGHLY washing your hands with soap. So far, this method of birth control has been completely ideal for me, as a person who has serious trouble remembering to take her pill consistently. So far, I would recommend it to my friends. I'm sorry so many of you girls have had bad experiences. For those of you reading this who are considering the Nuvaring, just consider this: People who have bad experiences with a drug are more likely to get online and make their complaints know. People who are getting along fine are less likely to get on here to report everything is dandy. It's like a restaurant review.. "If they have a good experience, they'll tell two people, if they have a bad experience, they'll tell 12." Good luck.

I've been on Nuvaring for about 2.5 years until recently. What I liked the most about Nuvaring was that it significantly helped out with my PMDD (super bad PMS ) and kept me from getting pregnant – not to mention, it’s easy to keep track of. The worst side effects I had were major lack of sex drive and migraines approaching the p-diddy (menstruation). About a month ago I decided to get off Nuvaring because I wanted to restore my body’s natural chemistry. . During this past month I have been soooooo depressed and from the previous postings, I think I found my culprit. I’m going to hang in there because I know it will pay off. So for anyone out there who is wonder if their horrible withdraw symptoms are from the nuva, they most likely are. And for those who are on it, be-aware. Find some comfort in knowing you’re not alone because I sure feel a lot more reassured after reading these posting.

Ive been on the nuvaring for about four months and for three of those months everything was fine. my doctor told me that i could leave it in for 3 weeks and have a period for a week or three weeks and change to a new ring. well being that most women hate periods, i decided not to have one four four months. But now i am having this weird brown discharge(no smell) and i have had reoccurring yeast infections (white discharge, itching, burning). this skin around my vagina was raw for a week or so. gross i know. can anybody tell me whats up with this. i have been overly emotional because i thought something was wrong with me. is it?

I'm so glad that I have read all of these. The last 3 days have been horrible. This is my second month using the NuvaRing. I put the 2nd ring in on Monday night and I starting throwing up Tuesday night and haven’t stopped. I can’t hold anything down (not even water). I drove to work on Wednesday morning, while throwing up and literally falling asleep at the wheel. I couldn’t see anything, my vision was awful. I had lost feeling in my arm earlier that day. I took an early lunch yesterday and fell asleep in my car. I fell asleep at my desk and couldn’t see my computer screen. I thought I was dying. A few girls looked up this website and told me to immediately take the ring out after lunch. I had become so dehydrated and weak I left work early and went to the doctor. The Doctor immediately referred me to ER. I have a horrible infection that has gone through my body. I am on strong antibiotics to get better.
Now that I read all of these stories; I realized that I have been extremely tired for the past month and would fall asleep anywhere all the time. Like mentioned from the other girl below it was like I was in a coma. I have lost all my energy. Others have noticed a change in my attitude. I’m usually really hyper and now I’m very quiet. This ring could have wrecked my new relationship. (He noticed my attitude change and that I couldn’t even stay awake to watch a movie) I had a rash on my forearm a few weeks ago that freaked me out. I started getting acne on my face and dark spots on my cheek. And now that I think about it I have thrown up many times in the past month for no apparent reason.
Now that I have read all of these and have went through this horrible experience; I have a much better understanding and will never use the ring again. I feel bad for the girls that are going through this horrible experience now and in the future.

So i told you I would post an update from my gyno... so here it is (below is my original post)

I went to the doctor and her nurse asked me if i had a little bit of cramping and i said yeah its actually off to the side, and she said that i might have some sort of blockage by my ovaries.... well then my doctor came in and she said that everything was perfectly normal. and decided to put me onto yaz... well i'm not going to take it. and it worries me that i might have a blockage. I took out the ring last night and it is gone for good! I can't wait to get back to my normal self. i am going to see how i do this month without the ring and still see if i have the cramps if i do i will go back if not then we can just assume it was caused from nuva....

August 15th
2008
12:14 AM

So I got on NuvaRing because I needed something with low hormones that wouldn't make me crazy like other BC's. I've been on it for almost 3 years now and didn't start having problems until recently. Now I get night sweats... i wake up and i am soaking wet from sweat, depressed, cry and get angry for no reason. Like the other night I was in the middle of eating dinner and i just started balling uncontrollably for no reason. My sex drive really hasn't decreased all that much it's still there; but i have discharge like there is no tomorrow and sometimes it smells. I figured if i douched that would help the situation but apparently not. I also haven't had a "period" in like 4 months and i'm not pregnant. I say "period" because NuvaRing doesn't allow your ovaries to ovulate so it's not really a period but withdrawal blood because your not shedding any uterine lining.I also recently have had bad migraines... thinking that having my wisdom teeth finally removed would take care of that issue but it's been 3 months since that and the answer is no. I have no energy to do anything all i want to do is sleep but i hate sleeping because i wake up soaking wet from sweat. It bothers me when my husband and I have sex and hurts. I also can not go a day without taking pepto; my stomach hurts even if i drink water. don't get me wrong i love the fact that i've lost weight but not because my stomach hurts too much to eat. I know if your looking for something to help you pin point what it is i'm sorry that you're not getting it from me. But I can tell you this after a while you get tired of it. I am going to talk to my gyno to see what my other options are. I can't take it any longer and neither can my husband. I have never PMSed as bad as I have been lately. If you're experiencing any of these I would recommend you call your gyno/dr and let them know; there could be something better for you out there. Sometimes I wonder why we woman put our bodies through these things. If all else fails looks like we'll just be going back to the old school days of condoms and spermicide lube. i'll post in a few days after my gyno apt to let you know what she said about my symptoms... but you'll know when you've had enough.

I am so relieved to know that I'm not turning into some crazed basket case!
I've been on nuvaring for over 2 years. In the beginning, I couldn't believe the product...it was phenomenal! Put it in, and forget about it! Also, skipping periods was never so easy! I never spotted...just inserted a new ring and went on my merry way!

Well, that all changed about a year ago. I was planning my wedding, so I chalked my moodiness and depression on this huge event (of course! makes sense, right?). Time went on, and the feelings have not dissipated. I have always been a very emotional "in tact" female...a tuff Texas girl! I've had management jobs where my even keel disposition has been key to my success. Now, I'm afraid I'm going to breakdown at work...that would be BAD...really bad.

Also, my weight has been a thorn in my side. Although, I am not a big girl (135#), I'm bigger than I'd like (used to be 125). And, what's up with the belly pooch!? NEVER in my life have I had a belly that pokes out like this! I work out 4-5 x a week and eat healthy (yes healthy, you skeptics). My breasts have blown up like the Macy's day parade which my husband is all for, but I'm, quite frankly, getting a little scared of them:)

I am taking my nuva out on Sunday, and I CANNOT wait!! I want to go back to my fun, happy-go-lucky self.

BTW!! - To you men reading these entries with a girlfriend or wife that has recently turned into a crazy loon...stay strong for your lady. My husband has been an amazing man. I know he's wanted to get in his car and run away a couple times, but he has stuck by me. And I'm about to rock his world with my new and improved sex drive (when it decides to come back).

Best of Luck and I'll see you lovely ladies on the other side!!

i feel AWFUL reading this. i have on the ring since 16. im now 21. i cant believe how i dealt with this mess for 5 years!(and is now just realizing like TODAY now realizing). Before i continue, the ring usually fall out when when its MIA(missing..). When you poop or pass gas ur lady mussels pushes it down(like givn birth). Also one time i started having pains like my period was coming.That meant i needed a new ring. I just bought one so i knew it hadn't "ran out". I checked myself for the ring. It was gone. Lets just say i found it under the bed from the night b4 lol. i say this b/c they don't get lost in you. neither does tampns but this is NO JOKING MATTER. I know that i WAS a happy OUTGOING energetic young woman. I have thought to myself several times why aren't i going anywhere? It seems for that last few years my life's story is really basic and it includes the following:
random moodiness, fits of crying coming out of no where, terrible PMS symptoms , increased irritability with my boyfriend, white lumpy discharge toward the end of my 20 something days when its time be replaced, itchiness sometimes ,i was told i had bacterial vaginitus last Wednesday , random painful stabbing sensation in the vaginal area,but i haven't really experienced increased dryness during sex, major lack of sex drive, painful breasts and or extreme swelling of the vaginal walls during and after sex. I will tell you guys a SECRET if u twist the nuva like a bow. it will perfectly sit inside you w/o moving and u wont feel a THING! that's how i stopped mine from sliding around. i also noticed when i have it like that no spotting or NOTHING until its time for a new one...
I found this sight by looking for nuvaring lawsuits and i found much more than i bargained for. I never put all of these symptoms together b/c i was a teen and going thru teen things. I am a grown woman and i realized something IS wrong. This isn't me. My sudden outcries and fits of rage wasn't enough for me to realize bc it is hormones that i was taking and i expected that. The headaches and wanting to sleep all day was surely coming from work and school & in my alone time my family and friends thought i was too busy to be bothered... And i was! Sulking in my room about nothing for hours. Now i reflect back as i type. I am more depressed that i missed out on fun and business opportunities b/c of this and didn't even see it coming.i so badly want to go "natural" but i have never been preggo and don't want to be now bc when i do get preggo for the first time i wanna plan my pregnancy. My friends call there babies "patchbaies or pillbabies" b/c that was the method they were actively using at the time!PLEASE! PLEASE! PLEASE!:Does anyone out there know of anything better? ****** if you do.

Hello. My fiance was on nuvaring for nearly 2 years and gradually began experiencing many of the side effects listed here. The last 6 months were the worst in that the mood swings, anxiety and depression seemed to get out of control. She recently stopped using the ring about 6 weeks ago but it seems like the symptoms are still persistent. Does anyone have any experience with coming off of the ring and whether or not it could take longer than 2 months to get back to normal?

I had mirena put in 9 months ago after I had my baby. I began bleeding and cramping immediately and it never stopped. I had no energy and breakouts on my back and face. I couldn't take it anymore so I had it removed yesterday. I'm trying the nuvaring, well see. I'm still bleeding and cramping and had some numbness all over last night. I'm sick of this why can't they invent a bc that doesn't have so many crazy side effects.

i have been on the nuvaring about 2yrs give or take. Just about 2mths ago i discovered having head aches. They have not gone away ever since. I have have blood work done, and mri. the mri showed i my jaw pops out of place when i open my mouth to wide. The doctor says that it looked lik TMJ but there to independent things. So he suggested to stop using my birth control. I called my gyno, she said that people have had cases of getting migraines but its unusual to be on it for so long and suddenly develop migraines. I have been on lots of medication nothing seems to work. She told me to stop taking it after my next menstrual cycle, im praying that this will cure my migraines.

My experience with NuvaRing is very similar. I got on the ring last April after being on Depo for seven years. I loved the shot and I loved not having to deal with periods or cramps or emotional issues, but my doctor was concerned about my bone density and took me off of it.

My side effects with NuvaRing are as follows:
- EXTREME irritability and emotional distress to the point where I feel completely out of control.
- Zero sex drive.
- Pain during sex (which on top of the lack of a sex drive makes for a very sad sex life with my fiance).
- Constant yeast infections.
- Odor.
- The type of cramping that keeps you from going to work.
- Extreme breast tenderness.

I have my annual exam next month and will definitely be getting off NuvaRing. I want my life back!

I used the nuvaring for over a year. We had two children and wanted to wait for a while. I loved it, but did gain 25lbs while using it. Which is alot because I only weighed 115 when I got it. I look four months pregnant. Sa. So we decided to have our third and final child...then get my hubby fixed, so I tool the ring out. I tool it out in the middle of my cycle bcause the nuva site said it was ok. That was 6 days agoa nd I am bleeding so heavily still I cannot leave the house. am having bad back pain, and my boobs hurt so I can't stand it. I have broke out and my hair feels and looks nasty greasy no matter how much I wash it. I can't stay awake to care for my toddlers. I suffered from depression, severe headaches, and lost my sex drive completely while using the ring. I thought the side effects would go away when I discontinued use, but they have just multiplied! I hope these after effects stop soon. I am miserable and will never use the ring again. I hope my fertility is not effected...:(

I have been on Nuva for about 4 months and am just realizing that this is what is causing me to feel so AWFUL! I am experiencing similar symptoms to others on this site- anxiety, nervousness, borderline depression and horrible mood swings. I have removed the ring and hope this gets better. I can't believe the affect it has had on me and I can't believe this BC has been approved! I would warn any woman NOT to try this form of birth control... I would never want anyone else to go through what I am going through.

i've been on nuva for about 6 months... the first 2 weeks, i felt a little irritable, but nothing serious. within the past month, ive started noticing more serious symptoms. i went to the emergency room because i was having sharp pains when i breathe in. (this actually started months ago but it wasnt really that bad until a couple weeks ago) they did an x-ray and said i had "pleurisy"...ive also been having heart palpitations...both of these have been freaking me out but i never thought they had anything to do with nuva (and neither did the doctors apparently)...ive been flipping out lately...im usually pretty easy going and happy, but lately, i have been having severe mood swings...i get sad, angry, anxious and i cant figure out why...when i snap out of it im like "wow that isnt like me"...it was horrible and i thought i was going crazy. i have been exhausted during the day and i fall asleep soon after work (which i didnt think much of because i work with children all day) and i have had headaches daily...i was eating nonstop, none of my clothes fit me because i have gained weight and i am bloated every day. oh yea, and once i had pain so bad during sex i had to stop and i was in tears...right after, i felt like i had a UTI. the pain lasted 2 days and went away.

i took it out yesterday and i WILL NEVER use it again. i felt so good today. i am happier, not hungry and i have more energy. seriously, im mad that no doctors have mentioned any of these symptoms to me and when i went in for a check up at the gyno they didnt say that my symptoms could be caused by nuva.

I've been on Nuva for about two months. So far the only side-effects I've had is lightheadedness... and it may not be related to the ring. I'm wondering, though, why some of you have had bad experiences with it, and yet you remain on it for 2,3,4 years???

Hey everyone.
I wanted to thank you for all your comments. I've been on NR for 5 or 6 cycles now and didn't realize that it might be the cause of recent issues.
1. My breast are lumpy/sore and have increased a cup size
2. Some weight gain and salt cravings (I feel like a pregnant woman) which, in turn cause me to bloat.
3. Facial bloating
4. mood swings. I'm on top of the world the first to weeks it's in then im awful the last week.
5. Worst worst, is the constant feeling going into the end of the 2nd/3rd week that i'm on the verge of getting some kind of vaginal infection.

I had something going on over Christmas (my gyno thought it was a yeast infection or cysts) with vaginal pain ovarian pain and back pain that I thought I had PID or even herpes even though tested negative for everything.

I took it out today on my normal cycle and I wonder if I should just stop completely. It scares me because of my fam. history of breast cancer. I've only been on nuva. is there some other form of hormonal birth control that's right for me?

I was on the NuvaRing for 2.5 years... and am loving life since I have been off of it. Every month I had the same symptom. My intestines burned and felt so raw, as if a wire bristle brush was being used to scrub them out. Every month for about 3-4 days I was out of commission, without fail. I would wake up in the middle of the night sweating, and felt extreme nausea and burning in the intestinal region. It was as if I had a stomach virus every month. I really did not think that the ring could cause the symptoms that I was having. When I researched on the net, I only came across positive testimonials. Well, after last month of faux food poisoning, my husband and I agreed I needed to take the ring out. I have had a full month without the ring and have not had another monthly bout since. I have not read about this symptom from other Nuva users, but maybe this will help any other women out there that are currently going through the same monthly symptoms. Another added bonus to switching methods is the increase of libido. I know that every woman's body is different, however, I myself have tried several birth control methods and didn't think that such a low dose combination (Nuva) could have such a high impacting syptom on my life. If any other questions, I can be reached at ******

hi, i've been on nuva for about 8 months and am stopping next week. i have been lightly depressed and have experienced A LOT of hair loss, but the worst for me have been the debilatating panic attacks. my advice: "waiting it out" is NOT the answer. there are plenty of other forms of birth control, including non-hormonal barrier methods.