I was on the NuvaRing for a month. I chose the ring because I ab...

I was on the NuvaRing for a month. I chose the ring because I absolutely hated the emotional rollercoaster I would experience each month when I was on the pill and the ring almost killed me. I tried several tri-cyclin and strong dose pills while in college and ended up puking my guts out, emotionally void, and sexually disinterested on most pills. After an emotional breakup with a serious boyfriend of three years, I took myself off birth control (and swore off dating) completely and felt wonderful! I was off the pill for almost a year. However, I entered a serious and wonderful relationship about 8 months ago and although we use condoms 100% of the time, my boyfriend and I both wanted to have that extra 99.9% back-up guarantee. So I went to my gyno and we discussed options and figured a low dose birth control pill would keep me safe and eliminate the craziness I experienced on the other pills. That didn't work because I ended up spontaneously and seriously spotting 2 weeks out of the 4. Finally after many ruined panties and pants, I went back to my gyno who then suggested that I try the Nuvaring. I thought the Nuvaring was wonderful when I first tried it out. I couldn't feel it physically. I didn't have any emotional side effects, I didn't have to worry about missed pills, it seemed like a non-issue. At this time I was also about 4 months into training for my first marathon and studying for the LSAT. I started to feel really really fatigued (aka didn't want to walk up stairs, moving limbs was too exhausting, disinterest in life, and running because a pain) and I wasn't sleeping at night. If I did actually sleep, I would wake up feeling just as tired, like I had never slept. I attributed all of this to the stress of the LSAT and marathon training. Then things began to change. I would go out for 3-5 mile runs (something that should have been very easy) and wouldn't be able to take a full breath mid-stride. Finally, I had a run that was terrible. It felt like I was having an asthma attack. I was dizzy, out of breath and disoriented and I had to walk home from my run, something I've never done before. I freaked out because the marathon was only 4 weeks away, and went to my doctor. She prescribed me an inhaler and just to be on the safe side, sent me for blood work the next day. I went to get blood drawn and seriously passed out (after the procedure was over and I was getting ready to go to work). I am a needle-phobe and occasionally get light-headed but something was seriously wrong because every time the lab staff tried to move me, I kept passing out. They had to call a hospital code and rush me to the ER. After numerous tests they discovered that I had several pulmonary embolisms (blood clots in the lungs). I spent five days in the hospital and was put on blood thinners for 3-6 months. Pulmonary Embolisms are the second leading cause of sudden death in the U.S. behind heart attacks. I am a 24-year-old woman non-smoker, in excellent physical condition, with no history of clotting disorders. My only risk factor was being on the NuvaRing. I am having a hard time thinking about what could have happened had I not listened to my body when it was telling me something was wrong!