Vulva symptoms and conditions

Hi all, I tried the Nuvaring for 3+ months and there was probably only a week in there where I could not feel it. I adjusted and adjusted and adjusted! I eventually took it out because I could feel it in there and all the way down to my vulva. I then ended up getting a burning feeling when I used soap on my vaginal area and sometimes even the water just hitting it made it hurt. I finally went in for a pap smear and brought up the side effects that I was still enduring--at this point it felt like little cuts might be springing up and healing on the vulvar skin--and my doctor suggested it might be lichen sclerosus. (By this time if it was just related to the Nuvaring, it would have subsided.) Heck, I don't want to think that that's what I have because it's not curable (it's inflammatory and likely hormonal) and I'll have to keep using steroid cream topically for ever it seems. The reason why I'm pretty sure I have it is that twice daily for 10 days now it has not cleared up. My doctor wouldn't make the connection with Nuvaring but a couple of searches I've done have found the two things written up together.

I had the Mirena inserted in July 2008 during my period (as I was told it had to be). I was also told to give my body three months to "get used to" it. Where should I start? I had some cramping, followed by contractions five days later - yes, I said contractions (ladies with babies, we know the difference between cramps and contractions); I had itchiness outside (vulva) and inside which was a yeast infection that was treated twice - once with OTC medication and then with antibiotics. My period ended in July; when I thought I was getting a period in August, it started as that thick brownish gunk. It was like this for 4 days; then I started bleeding, thinking I was gettting a normal period. Well, since August, the bleeding would come and dissipate - not totally go away - until within the last couple of weeks (since the end of August - beginning of September) it has become heavier. This is not normal or natural. I have bled through a pantyliner. I bled through to my pants using a tampon and maxipad. I've had to change the tampon and pad within one hour. I've had bleeding that is bright red followed by small clots and then one huge one (approx. 6 inches long, and 1.5 -2 inches wide). I repeatedly called the OBGYNs office throughout this ordeal; they have told me to give it time, this normal, "well this is better than the alternative - what would you do (re:pregnancy)" and have at times reacted as if I'm overreacting. Last week I went there to express the concerns, to have a checkup, and to express that I want it removed; the PA could find the strings and wrote me a script for a sonogram. But before I left the office, when I mentioned that I wanted this out, she said, "You really don't want to get this out - just give it some time- give it another 3 months - really, you don't want to take this out."
I went for the sono on Saturday and the tech asked when I had my last period. When I mentioned a brief synopsis of what has been happening, she mentioned that my uterine lining is very thick. I questioned, "Shouldn't it be thinning out if I'm having my period?" I also mentioned that it should be thinning out because of the Mirena. She couldn't afford any answers in regards to the Mirena but did confirm that during a period the lining thickens up and then thins out - sheds - but that mine was very thick.
Ok, now I'm totally freaked-out. I hope this isn't anything serious.

I've had my Mirena for about 15 and a half months and I am having it removed today at 2 o'clock. At first I had sharp pains when I would sit down and I felt like the cords were poking me and irritating me. My OB/GYN requires patients to come back one month after having it put in so he can check it and make sure it is still in place. At this visit he also trimmed the cords although he acted like he didn't believe me when I told him that I could feel them poking me when I sat down and that it hurt. At first I didn't notice any bad side effects, but I did have one good one: my periods stopped, but I still had occasional and sporadic spotting. I didn't think to look for any bad side effects because I got the device under the impression that it had no bad side effects. I thought it only had a rare complication of perforating the uterus, but since mine was in place at the one month check, I didn't think about anymore until I started thinking about having another baby recently. I went online to see if I had to have a doctor remove the Mirena or if I could do it myself, and I found out that it's best done by a professional because bad things can happen and then you'd have to go to the doctor anyway. Plus, I didn't want to hurt my chances of having another baby. While online I discovered this whole world of message boards where women were having a lot of the same problems I'd been having in recent months and they all blamed their Mirenas. Some claimed that their problems had gone away since having it removed. I never thought to link my circumstances to the Mirena, but when I saw how many women are having the exact same problems as me I knew that I needed to go ahead and get mine out ASAP. Here is a list of my side effects, and I've found other women have had them as well with Mirena: weight gain, bloated stomach, depression, short temper with husband and daughter, acne, low sex drive, spotting, cramps, constipation, and back pain. There may be more, but I can't remember them all right now. Some of them may not even be related to the device, but I've read of so many women with Mirena who are having or have had the same issues, so I suspect a link between my problems and Mirena. I hope this helps someone out there looking for answers. God Bless!

I've had the Nuvaring in for 2 weeks, and during that time I've noticed what can only be described as a burning sensation on my vulva (outer vaginal lips) it really is uncomfortable. I've also noticed a slight coloured discharge in the last couple of days. I keep thinking I have thrush, but now I'm wondering if this is caused by the ring. I also don't feel as if the ring is inserted correctly as sometime I can feel it when I'm walking, and all I want to do is go to the nearest toilet and push it back up! I've not really noticed too many mood changes as yet.

I've been using the NuvaRing for about nine months. I had used it about 3 yrs ago for a 1.5 yr period. At first I noticed similar symptons to the first time that I used it- very intolerant to alcohol, slightly depressed, naseaus frequently. But wasn't too concerned- I have a number of stomach problems, so I though that it just was agrivating that, and didn't worry too much. Then last month, my period came 20days after the previous, for about 15 days, with extreme itchness around my vulva. (Before going on the ring I would get my period every 33-35 days for about 3 days-no cramping, which increased to 30days/8-9 day length with light cramping on the ring) Now again, 13 days after I put a new Ring in I got my period again- really heavy. I'm going to try and see my gyno this week about it.
The most concerning thing is that my Cholesterol has increased 30 pts since last year- I'm practically vegan- only eating cheese on a rare ocassion, an active rock climber and road biker, and eat less cheese then last year, so it's a drastic increase. Also, my Triglyceride level was high- which I have never experienced before.
Also- about 4 months into using the ring I had an ovarian cyst pop in me. It was a random occurance that I ended up in the ER for and had never had anything like that occur before- can't say for-sure if it's related, but it was really scary and I couldn't move for about a month of my life.

I had been using the nuvaring for a year when I started noticing side effects. At first I thought it was just me adjusting to a new partner, or that it was a yeast infection. But then it returned at the same time during each of the next three months. A few days after I took it out, the skin of my vulva would become sensitive and itchy, somewhat swollen or red, and it became difficult to use my keeper (a healthy alternative to tampons). But a few days after the ring went back in it would go away, only to return again. Well, my skin became so sensitive, that my vulva actually tore- almost an inch gash- when I was having sex with my boyfriend and blood was everywhere. I promptly went to my gyn, who had no immediate idea as to the cause of this sensitivity. There are a few possible skin conditions, such as lichen sclerosis, but the thing that stands out is that it happens at the same time each month. My Gyn also said that lack of estrogen can cause the vulvar skin to thin, which would make sense then since it happens when the ring comes out. Perhaps, she said, my body has stopped compensating by creating its own estrogen when on the nuvaring, and the nuvaring is not an adequate replacement. Anyway, its a possibility that the problem is unrelated. i am going for a biopsy tomorrow. But have already comitted to never using the Nuvaring ever again. And my boyfriend is totaly supportive of leaving hormonal contraception behind!

I was prescribed it for a vaginal yeast infection and "jock itch"...I took it the first night - and I woke up with burning and itching where it was relatively mild before. Thinking that it was just an initial reaction, I applied it again in the morning only to have it BURN for the rest of the day! I knew that it would cause that side effect, but not to this extent. I looked again, and my left side of my vulva was red, inflamed and itchy...where only the area near my vaginal opening was irritated before.