I'm trying my hardest not to cry right now.
I was on the Nuvaring for exactly 3 weeks. Today is my 4th day without it (it took me 4 days to get my period) and I'm still miserable.
The first 2 weeks:
emotionally: nothing changed. I was feeling pretty normal
physically: boobs grew about a cup (A to B) which made me really excited and love the nuvaring (for a very short time)
sexually: sex drive went UP, believe it or not.
*** EXTREME burning, irritation, stinging and dryness in my whole vaginal area. I had UTI once before, but this was even WORSE. I knew it wasn't an infection because there was no odor, but the pain was incredible DURING and AFTER SEX. For the first time EVER, I had to PRETEND I was enjoying sex.... I thought it would worry my signifcant other if I told him that I was in pain. I was so sore, I really wanted to cry because of the pain. I never had trouble getting wet before either, until I started the Nuvaring.
The 3rd (last) week:
physically: bad back pain (very tense, no matter how much I stretched), noticeable lack of focusing ability, couldn't get anything done.... headaches, tensed up neck/shoulder muscles.
emotionally: chronic depression, ANGER, IRRITABILITY, cranky/grumpy ALL THE TIME, even started cursing about the smallest things...Paranoid and worried all the time... Suicidal... became ANTI-SOCIAL!!!! I'm usually always out with friends, but this week I stayed home in my pj's the whole time. Had the biggest fight with my boyfriend BECAUSE OF THE NUVARING. I am 100% sure, because the way I was responding and reacting was seriously not myself. He didn't know how to deal with it because I was just... SO ANGRY at everything!! I couldn't stop crying, after feeling guilty about yelling at him. It was the worst feeling ever. Cried for about 5 hours straight... didn't sleep. In the morning at work, I had to keep myself from exploding with tears... I didn't understand why I was such a bitch, until I read all these posts on this site. I kept wanting to believe that everything will pass and be back to normal, but.... I've already taken the ring out and STILL having problems... I really wish I figured it out sooner that the Nuvaring is just too scary to "let things pass"... I've never been so hopeless and uncontrollably sad in my life before.
I bought 4 rings, after the doctor told me that there were "virtually no side effects". I loved not remember to take the pill, but the pain down there... how can I explain... like boiling, scalding water thrown on your vagina. I'm not exaggerating.
Please make sure that you're a very emotionally strong person... It would break my heart to see anyone else go through what I did... A part of my heart has been ripped off, from all the stress and tears the Nuvaring caused me.