Dear friends, After being on the NuvaRing for nearly two years, ...

I stopped using the NuvaRing in September 2007. I began in July 2006. I had IMMEDIATE weight gain, about 10 lbs. within the first month. I was shocked because I couldn't fit any of my clothes. I went from size 8 to 12. I kept getting migraines once in a while, killer headaches that I assumed were due to caffeine. Not sure if I was the NuvaRing or the coffee. Vaginal dryness was a problem, and my sex drive went from very high to ZERO. Even so, I continued with the NuvaRing because I didn't want to become pregnant. I didn't have much energy and slept a lot, but that wasn't that unusual since I like to sleep in. What was unusual was that I'd sometimes take naps, which I don't do. I would get leg pains once in a while. When I took the Pill in college, I had lots of mood swings because I constantly forgot to take it and had to double up. With the NuvaRing, I had moodiness and crying jags the first few months, then my mood seemed to even out. Then around June 2007, other people began to notice a weird scalp odor with some shampoos. It gradually became worse, and I had very bad scalp odor. I had to stop working for a while. After I took out the NuvaRing in September 2007, my scalp odor was improving. My skin was getting oiler like it used to be prior to the NuvaRing. My sex drive is starting to come back, and it's February 2008. That's how long it took, 5 months! I am still not able to have orgasms. (I used to have no problems with this.) I'm hoping one more month will bring back my ability to have orgasms. I regret ever taking this contraceptive device. I do admit that my hair was thicker than usual, and that I had very clear skin, but I'd rather have an occasional pimple than have a smelly scalp and the inability to have an orgasm. I am more cheerful now since I was so depressed while on NuvaRing. I am 37. Please watch for weird symptoms with the NuvaRing. It really affects some of us worse than others.