I understand the frustrations of many of you who have posted. I h...

I understand the frustrations of many of you who have posted. I have been on the Nuvaring for the past 2 years. It's the only medication I am on, and I think it's really starting to affect me adversely. Before the ring, I used Seasonale for 3 years, and before that a different low dose pill. It's great not having a period every month, or with NuvaRing less of a period, but I think the synthetic drugs are starting to cause problems with my emotions, or lack thereof, and weight, etc. I have no sex drive anymore, I gained about 20 lbs within 2 months of being on the ring, and haven't been able to lose any weight since, even with 2 medical diet programs. Now I'm starting to get scared of what the plastic ring is leeching into my body constantly. If the drugs are absorbing into my skin, what else is? It is still much better than Seasonale, which took 6 months of constant heavy bleeding till my body adjusted to it, but I'm 33 now, have 2 friends who had to be hospitalized because of blood clots from birth control in the past 3 years, (1 smoked, 1 never smoked) and I want to take care of myself more naturally. The only reason I am on birth control is because of ovarian cysts. I have been on/off birth control since I was 23 because of cysts, but I couldn't ever stand the side effects so I would go off them again after a year, then get cysts and start again. This time, I'm trying a proper diet, supplements, and avoiding xenoestrogens, such as those in plastic bottles and frozen food trays, etc. To me, after years of side effects, I'm ready to try to do something healthy for myself. I have a nutritionist/chiropractor friend to help me find the best way for me. I have been off the ring for only 2 days now, but strangely feel less hungry, and I think I lost about 3 lbs. of water weight! It's crazy. These system-altering drugs just cannot be good for you long term. My sister talked me into stopping as well, as she had terrible side effects from birth control for years. She would get migraines every month, out-of-control mood swings (I mean it- she was nuts!) and missed many days of work. She's a teacher and can't let these things happen. She's slim, but even she said she couldn't budge an inch off of her body even when going to the gym 4 or 5 days a week working out and doing dance classes when she was on the pill. Soon after she stopped the pill, she lost 10 lbs and no longer has crazy mood swings and migraines. Stopping the pill/ring may not be an alternative for everyone, but for me it's not worth the possible lifelong effects just to prevent cysts that I could possibly get while using the NuvaRing anyway. I only had spotting if I forgot to put the ring in for a day or even just half a day if I took it out. As soon as I would remember, I'd put it back in. Then it would be weeks on end of constant spotting. I feel like my side effects were different in some ways. Instead of mood swings, I have no mood. Everything is kind of, well, blah. Even sex is very blah. I feel bad for my boyfriend, but I told him it's really not his fault! I love him and he's a great lover, but wow did I turn lousy! I heard that the reduced sex drive can be irreversible for some people as well. I don't think I'm that far gone yet! I'm just happy that I'm already feeling better. I even felt happy going to work today just knowing that I'm doing something better for myself. I don't want to feel this way anymore, and I want to try a healthier way to help prevent cysts, without unnaturally altering my whole body.