NuvaRing and 3 years

Your stories makes me feel much better. I've been battling with yeast infections on and off for the last five months. It's been scary and frustrating. Surprisingly I've been on NuvaRing for about 3 years and these symptoms have just begun to be a problem but they won't stop until the ring is out and my period starts. I've tried everything, I've changed soaps, changed to lube without parabens, stopped wearing cute underwear, started showering twice a day, and have used several types of over-the counter's. I've treated with so many over-the-counter creams for yeast infections that I'm getting concerned about what all that fungicide might do in the long run. They usually work but then the yeast infection will return. I think perhaps the NuvaRing may affect the chemistry inside the vagina making it more susceptible to yeast infections once one occurs. This has negatively affected my sex life with my fiance because sex stings and burns and I always get a yeast infection, I'd rather avoid it all together. I was going to go to the OBGYN and beg for Diflucan but from a previous post similar to my situation it may just be another temporary fix. I've never tried the pill but I'm going to switch this month and see if the yeast infections finally go away.

I'm glad I have read this. My year appointment is next week and hopefully I can switch to something else and start feeling better! I have been on NuvaRing for about 3 years now. Yes it is convenient and I have never had any real issues. But here recently the noticeable lack of sex drive and tiredness is beginning to take it's toll. It's like I have NO desire for anything sexual and I feel completely exhausted all of the time. I am a very active person, have a three year old and I do not want to continue feeling like this any longer - I'm 31 - I still have a lot of things I want to do! I also notice I wake up most mornings with a nasty headache. I even have bouts of depression from time to time. Thanks everyone! I'm definitely ready for a change! Any suggestions for new b/c would be greatly appreciated!

I am a healthy 38 year old woman. I started using the Nuvaring about 2 years ago. Ever since I have had a drastic decrease in my libido...and by drastic I mean virtually no desire to have sex at all. I've also had frequent headaches that last for days at times, leg cramps, depression, and I've gained almost 15 lbs that will not budge no matter what I do. I work out five or six days a week with absolutely no decrease in weight or increase in muscle tone. I am so glad I found this site!! I've been thinking that something is wrong with me and I've been really down on myself. The lack of sex drive has been very difficult for my fiance'. He can't help but take it personally that I NEVER want to have sex. This has been a tremendous eye opener for me. I'm going home tonight to take this thing out and I'm never going back on hormonal birth control again! Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to share their experiences!

I have been on the nuvaring for a little over 3 years now and have never thought to search for possible side effects until now.
I am constantly tired, I never want to do anything, My body aches. I have NO sex drive. I'm always dealing with depression. I randomly cry for no reason. I've ruptured a cyst on my ovaries which landed me in the ER...
Finding this site is making me really rethink my bc choice. I love the convenience of the Nuvaring, but I miss having energy :(
Any suggestions on what i should switch to?

Hi
I first used the ring 3 years ago when i got married. ever since then, I've had extreme pain upon penetration. Basically, we haven't had intercourse for 3 years. My vagina burns like crazy, like sand paper every time my husband penetrates. I also haven't menstruated in 3 years. So far, doctors have not been able to treat the problem. I am going to an endocrinologist now who will prescribe hormones short term for my period. Has anyone had a similar experience? I would appreciate any feedback, advice, doctors, etc.

I was on NuvaRing for 3 years. Just recently went off, because we TTC, I got my 2 periods. Now I'm 4 days past due. Pregnancy test came negative, I have terrible cramps, sore breast etc. I wish I never used NuvaRing....

I was on NuvaRing for 3 years. 3 months ago I stop using, because TTC. I got my first period and second, but now I was due for next one on September 7, and still nothing. Pregnancy test came negative, my breast are sore, I have terrible cramps. I wish I never use NR.....

Hi there, i have been with my boyfriend for 3 years now, i recently gave birth to our son 3 months ago. when i was pregnant i ballooned to a size 16 am back co a size 10 now however my boyfriend still wont get intimate with me, we dont even sleep on the same bed anymore! I do understand that after witnessing the birth of his son he was left a bit traumatized, however when will it end, ive tried so hard to getting back into shape, looking after my appearance more just like the way he first met but his totally gone off me, am scared to even make any type of sexual move just in case he rejects me. Its really making me moody to the point i cry myself to sleep at nights. I am loving motherhood so much and he is the best father my son could ever have. Were a very happy family however i really miss us making love.

Thank you all for sharing your feedback here. Reading this has come as a true relief. I've had the ring almost 2 weeks now, my gyn gave me one after i mentioned i was interested in other options besides the pill. I started the pill almost 3 years ago because my period cramps were so bad. I always use a condom and use the pill as backup in case theres an accident. I hated having to remember it, so she popped in a ring before i could really say OK I GUESS. I was not sold on it because i knew there were different side effects, but she insisted that it was "just like the pill".

Lies.

Today almost broke down crying for no reason in front of all my coworkers. I have been really depressed, to the point where its affecting my work and friendships and i can barely do anything. The first week of the ring i was so tired, i took 3 hour naps in the middle of the day...

I am 24, exercise regularly and take very good care of myself, and from the first day of having the ring i was weary. I have been having so much discharge that i have to wear a liner, the discharge has an odor that's totally embarrassing (i told my gyn and she said there was no way it was the ring, probably an infection, just see if it goes away). I've never ever had a yeast infection...though I bet I will now that I have read everyone elses statements.

I feel disgusting, im so bloated i look pregnant, all i want to do is eat, i have no motivation to exercise which is a real problem as i do races and marathons. I know I have gained weight....weight that I have worked very hard all summer to get rid of...that i have gained in not even 2 weeks...

i have absolutely ZERO sex drive. I never thought I would care about that last one, but I feel like i have become a passionless robot from Brave New World or something. It SUCKS. nothing turns me on. I thought it was my last boyfriend that was the problem, but I'm dating again, and I have no desire. its becoming really sad for me.

i always had a little acne break out on my chin, but i have had a bunch of breakouts nonstop.

thats it in a nutshell. i already told my gyn i want to go back to the pill, because of the discharge alone being enough of a nuisance. she said wait and try it a while. I'm talking to her in the next couple days and insisting a switch back to the pill before i am due for another ring. i cant wait to get the thing out. i don't really think its a good idea to have a plastic thingy shoved up in there anyways.

i wish we didn't have to get all hopped up on hormones that throw our bodies off so much.... :( i hate it.

Hi I'm 19 years old, I've been on the NuvaRing for about 4 months now and I'm taking it out this weekend to switch to the pill. I loved the convenience of it and not having to worry about taking a pill everyday and it was always comfortable. But I've noticed in the past 3 months or so that all I do is sleep! I've experienced the worst fatigue of my life and I've been really depressed for no reason and have no interest in doing anything which is not myself at all. I've had crazy mood swings where I'll be screaming or crying one second then laughing the next, absolutely no sex drive and always dry during sex, every little thing irritates me, i'm always hungry but have only gained about 5-10 lbs, I'm bloated, my skin is always itchy and extreme vaginal itching, I've had a yeast infection, a urinary tract infection and bacterial vaginosis all in one month of using NR, and I've noticed I've been stuttering here and there as well? I was always recommending the NR to my friends because of it's convenience but after reading this I realize that all of my symptoms are due to NR and I do not recommend this anymore!

I have had a TERRIBLE time. 3 months-of almost non stop bleeding (3 1/2 weeks, 2 1/2 weeks and 16 days and counting )and I do already have overactive bladder but now all the sudden if I don't run to the bathroom as soon as I have to pee(even if my ladder is not full) or if i sneeze I pee myself and i am 29!!-this never used to happen!! My obgyn finally decided to switch me to the pill thats 3 months of active and 1 week of sugar. The whole reason i tried this was bc my periods were beginning to get longer (7-8 days) and this made them so much worse. She did a biopsy and an ultrasound both of which were normal. I already have a non-hormonal iud (which i have had for 3 years) but we left it in bc i take topamax (which decreased the effectiveness of birth control) for migraines so i need the iud for birth control. im just trying something else to improve my periods and obviously this is not it! i am beginning to wonder if the topomax also causes an increase in bleeding too...

I am 40 yrs. old and have been on nuvaring for almost 3 years for treatment of PCOS & endrometriosis. Unfortunately, I had to go off the pill after experiencing a number of migraines w/an aura. The first year was great, no pills to remember, but then I started to have discharge and slight yeast infections on occasion. As we were experimenting with replacing the ring 2 months at a time to lessen the migraines, I thought it just may be my hormones adjusting. About 5 months ago, I was placed on Inderal LA to help with the migraines and started to notice hair loss. I instantly thought it was the Inderal and have been off it now for 6 weeks & still have hair falling out - more than before. I'm wondering if perhaps it could be the nuvaring, after reading all these entries. It will be interesting to see if it continues. I don't think that nuvaring has had any worse side effects then any other BC I've been on....it's just what your body can handle.

I have been on NuvaRing for 3 years now. I was using Depo Provera shots for 2 years prior, but struggled with consistent weight gain, mood swings, and no sex drive. Since I have been on NuvaRing, I have had none of those side effects. I have been very pleased with this product, except for the 2-3 times a year that I get a yeast infection as a side effect. I do also get a headache the first day I take it out. I love not having to remember a pill. I never feel the ring at all. I am a happy customer!

I am 24 years old and have been on the nuvaring for more than 3 years. It has been pretty much impossible for me to have sex for most of that time. Although I have not noticed hair loss or weight gain since use, I do experience a burning pain when having sex. The pain almost feels raw, as if there were an exposed cut splitting in my vagina. I have had multiple tests for STDs and all have come out negative, and am in a stable relationship. I have often been diagnosed for possible yeast infections, and the medications prescribed have not relieved this pain. It is until now that I have associated the nuvaring with my problem, and I will try removing it to see if I notice any difference. I hope that those who have tried this method and noticed positive results will keep in touch and let me know how long it took them to see results. Thanks for posting your stories.

Hmm, after reading all of this ive decided that my decision after medicaid declined my ring for 3 more days to finally get off of it was right. Ive noticed that within the past 2 weeks ive had more energy, my headaches are not as bad, and ive not been having the crippling stomach pain i have after i eat some foods. Ive been on it for about a year and a half, i tried depo but i gained 40pds while on it, so i moved to the nuvaring, as i had it 3 years ago right after i had my daughter. While on it and it still hasn't went away, i have pain during sex, burning after sex, stomach cramps, lower stomach cramps, headaches, Ive had 2 bouts of chest pain that made me freak out because i about went to the hospital, I am overweight, i was only 215 when i had my daughter, and was healthy and played basket ball, and now im 265. The doctors complain at me, but i did remodel for 2 months and lost ONE pound. All while taking care of a two year old. I got two yeast infections within 6 months and id never had one ever before (im 22 this month)All these problems combined with my back pain from my accident, Ive decided, im going to use other methods like condoms and spermicide. i cant take the hormonal crap.

I have been on NuvaRing for about 3 years now and never really noticed any side effects. Normally, I have bad cramping and a heavy period, but NuvaRing relieved me of that. But for the past couple months, right before and during my period, I will get the most intense 3-4 day migraine/headaches. I have to constantly take Excedrin or something, the pain doesn't stop. So now that a couple months have gone by, I spoke with a girlfriend of mine she said that her old b/c used to give her headaches. I googled Nuvaring and headaches, and here I am at this site. I am so happy I found this site because I have had NO sex drive at all and I really thought there was something wrong with me. I am young, happy, in a beautiful relationship and my fiance thinks Im not attracted to him anymore. It makes perfect sense though, this has happened ever since the NuvaRing, i really just have no want or need to have sex at all-like its a task or something. Its horrible. And I saw several mention the discharge and the yeast infections and the UTI's. Wow. I have unlimited prescriptions that my gyn had to write me because I get UTIs. I keep asking my gyn what causes them and he tells me sex and not urinating after sex and blah, blah. I''ve heard every single reason and believe me, I avoid all of them and still get them. I am the most careful person ever because my UTIs are horrible. I wont have one, then BAM, it burns to urinate, i urinate blood, i go to the bathroom every 5 seconds, horrible cramps, paint in my back. Horrible.
Seriously though, I am in shock that it took so long for the headaches to start and for me to look into this medication more. I was 118 pounds when I started this pill (around 17 or 18 years old)...at 21 years old...I am 150 pounds. All of which, I definitely wouldn't blame on the ring, but never in my life have I gained so much weight for no reason. I was even working out at the gym and couldn't loose a pound. I feel like giving up, because by the time I get out of work all I want to do is sleep. I have zero energy, I am always tired and never want to do anything. And it seems like so many other people on this site have had these issues to. I hope my story helps someone else in their decision to stop NuvaRing. Thankfully, I just took out my last one on Sunday and didn't spend the $150 for a 3 ring refill. Crazy prices, especially when you pay good money for insurance.

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.

i just got on the nuvaring about 2 1/2 weeks ago. its about time for me to take it out. for good im starting to think. the reason i got on the nuvaring is because i was on the pill then stopped it for a while and i took a pregnancy test and it came back positive. then the next day i started bleeding and cramping really bad. i went to the doctor and they just did the urine pregnancy test on me and theirs came back negative. so apparently mine was a false positive. but this whole time i have been on the nuvaring i bleed NON-STOP. my period is usually only 5-6 days. and its been 2 1/2 weeks. i have no sex drive what so ever. couldn't because im bleeding anyway. horrible mood swings that drive my fiance just absolutely CRAZY! i have a 5 1/2 month old little girl and i try soo hard to be happy around her. but im soo emotional. i cry all the time about the littlest things. my breasts are incredibly tender. i have already gained 4 pounds. and i eat maybe once a day. i get these really sharp pains in my stomach that is just unbearable. i have always had bad cramps but just on the first day of my period and i could take Midol and it would make it go away. now NOTHING helps. the cramps are the worst pain. is it the nuvaring causing all these problems for me?

After being on several birth controls for 5 years, the past 3 have been on NuvaRing. It was great for 2 years but the past year hasn't been great. I was getting my periods on Tuesdays and very light flow that lasted 3 days. Now I get it on Wednesdays and it lasts 5-6 days. Not to mention the horrible, painful cramps I get when I take the ring out. I have gained an enormous amount of weight and become very emotional with constant mood swings. I know with the other birth controls I have been on my body got so used to them to that it started rejecting the hormones. I have to say that the same thing is happening with NuvaRing. While by body was accepting it, NuvaRing was a great alternative to a pill. But, all good things must come to an end so today was my last day on it. I'm curious to see what happens next.

I have been on NuvaRing for almost 3 years now, i had no problems with it besides it would slip out sometimes during sex. 2 months ago i left it in a week longer then i was suppost to and started it a week late so my doctor said it was like starting nuvaring all over again, since then i have have the worst chest pains, kinda feels like someone is squeezing my heart and my period lated 7 days instead of the normal 2-3 days and i got headaches like everyday that wouldn't go away no matter what medicine i took. I overall recommend it you just have to stick it out.

So I decided to stop my nuvaring this week, and while I do agree that every person has a different experience with hormonal birth control, this route was just not for me. I have been on BC since I was 15 and have had mixed experiences. Started with Ortho-Tri Cyclin which made me crazy, went to orthocyclin which was great until my insurance stopped covering it, did lo dose Apri for 6 years and found that it made me very lethargic and moody with use over time and i think caused me migraines, switched to the patch and ended up in the hospital with elevated blood pressure during the first week (I was 23 and 130lbs), then tried nuvaring for the last 6 months. Started off well, my period became predictable to the hour and my migraines disappeared. However, I gained 15lbs! I am 5'3" and I know it is the nuvaring because I have been training for a marathon, running 4 days a week, 2 days of weight lifting and eating perfectly! Also, my sex drive is gone, like non-existent until my no ring week when I have my period. I am tired all the time and even though I sleep 8-10 hours a night. I also seem to be waking up once or twice a night. Worst of all, I am depressed and moody for no reason, all the time. I feel so bad for my poor boyfriend who has been walking on egg shells around me because he knows I cry and snap at anything. So I am stopping for a few months to see what will happen, and then maybe consider a copper IUD. I will update this post in a few months and let everyone know what happens.

I have been on NuvaRing for over 3 years now. When I first went on birth control I was using the ortho evra patch however, I was suffering from side effects such as nausea, always feeling sick and tired. I eat a lot and everything but while using the patch I felt TERRIBLE eating the blandest toast. I am not a heavy drinker but even one cocktail would cause me to be extremely sick. I switched to NuvaRing and since then I was back to my normal self. Not only that but while on the NuvaRing my period is like CLOCKWORK, I know exactly when I am getting my period. I did not experience any breakthrough bleeding and my periods are extremely light. Overall the switch to NuvaRing was so worth it.

I took the Nuvaring for 3 years. I switched to it from the pill because of the side effects I was having from that, and the nuvaring supposedly has a lower dose of hormones (plus I thought it would be nice to not have to remember to take it). On the pill I was an emotional wreck (I'm normally a very easy-going/happy person), which did get a little better on the ring. When I went on the ring, my libido completely disappeared, and every time my husband and I had sex, it was extremely dry and painful for me. I got frequent splitting headaches, and had several stomach problems (constant cramping and bloating). I still had some small bouts of depression and frequent mood swings. I went off the NuvaRing in Nov. '08. My last period lasted 2 weeks, and was very heavy and painful. I am very happy to not be on the ring any more, and all of the symptoms I have listed here have gone away since I took my last ring out.

I cant believe I stayed on this torture device for so long! I was on the NR for about 3 years. I started getting migraines shortly after starting it, but liked the idea of being on a BC that was easy to maintain. The migraines kept getting more severe, more frequent, and lasting longer (4 days). I would vomit, have diarrhea, miss work, and social opportunities and waste my life away lying in bed in dire pain, sometimes to the point I wanted to shoot myself in the head to ease the pain.

Finally, last month, I took the NR out for good! I did have a very small migraine last month, but it was nothing compared to what I have had, and this month, I have not had a single one!

So long NuvaRing.

I feel A LOT better now after reading these. I had my nuvaring in for almost 3 weeks, i had horrible headaches, and started bleeding after the first week it was in. I took it out 2 days ago because i couldn't stand the migraines anymore, and I had horrible cramps. Ive been very irritable and angry. How long does it take for the bleeding to stop... I'm getting kind of worried now, because ive been bleeding for 9 days. Its starting to get heavier, and i had a weird clot today. I booked an appointment to see my doctor because this is driving me crazy. I am NEVER using the nuvaring again. I started it because 1.EVERY single pill ive tried has cause me to become depressed 2.I bled for 3 weeks when i used the patch and my doctor told me to stop and 3.I don't want my period to stop, or gain weight so i refuse to try depo. Does anyone have any suggestions?? I have 2 year old twins, and i want another kid within the next 3 years, so i refuse to use an IUD and possibly screw that up for myself.

I have been on the nuvaring for almost 3 years.
The first year was great! I hated taking a pill everyday, so at first i opted for the Depo, which was great for a year, but i really didn't trust it and not having periods made me uneasy.

The nuvaring seemed like a blessing! I had no trouble for the first year and a half. I recommended it to all my friends. I didn't have any side effects, and I loved the convenience!

However, now i am experiencing some serious side effects, and thanks to this website I realize I am not the only one. I have two concerns that i link to the BC: depression and no sex drive. Some days I just want to lay in bed, and sleep. I do not want to leave the house, or see anyone. I have told my BF (of 3 years) that i just need some "me time". I am fatigued and show many symptoms of depression.
I am only 24 years old, and i have NO sex drive. It has taken a tole on the relationship with my boyfriend. Many nights i try to get in bed before him, so i can appear asleep. There have been so many nights where i would tell him "i'm sick", "i have cramps"... sooo many excuses. When we do have sex it is usually forced, and i do it because i haven't in a week!

This past year I have also had digestive problems, which seemed to have appeared out of no where. Im not sure if I blame them on the nuvaring, but I've noticed a few other people have mentioned it as well.

Hi,
I have posted here before, and now I'm wondering about you who have gone off the ring after using it a few years, how your body has reacted to the stopping of Nuvaring? Has anything changed?
I was using it for about 2 years and now I have been off it for about 3 weeks (first 1 regular week off and then I just didn't start a new ring). I haven't had my period again after going off it (just during that regular 1 week off), so I'm not sure how my body will work now that I have stopped using Nuvaring after about 2 years of using it. For those who have gone off it after a few years, how has your body reacted?
Thank you!

Wow. This is amazing to hear everyones experiences. I've been on the Nuvaring for about 3 years and thought I loved it, until I realized all the symptoms I was having (brown discharge, moodiness, decreased libido, tiredness, etc.) was all related to that nasty little ring. I realized, I couldn't take it anymore. I took it out yesterday and I will never put another Nuvaring in again. I can't wait to get back to myself and have a normal cycle of menstruation. Before I ever started the NuvaRing I was very in-tune with my body and cycles and I knew exactly when I was ovulating. I am looking forward to having those days again. I will certainly not miss having all of my underwear ruined by that disgusting brown discharge. It got to the point where I had to automatically put on a panty liner everyday no matter what day of the month it was. NOT FUN!!

I was on Nuvaring for 3 years. During those 3 years I developed the following symptoms that at the time I just blamed on old age, being in my upper 30's.

Asthma like symptoms--After my breathing problems got progressively worse over the last year on Nuvaring, I went to a pulmonologist. I'm a non-smoker that couldn't even walk up one flight of stairs without loosing my breath. I had tests, MRIs and CT Scans. They couldn't find anything that would cause my breathing problems. I tried Advair and inhalers. No medications helped. The Dr. decided to take me off Nuvaring just to see what would happen with my breathing. After quitting Nuvaring, my breathing is back to normal. I can exercise and walk up steps again without feeling like I'm fighting for air.

Arthitis like symptoms--pains in my hands, knees, waist. I never did go to the Dr. for these symptoms, simply because the symptoms went away after quitting Nuvaring. Some days I couldn't even sit still because of the hip/pelvis joint pain. I thought I had carpal tunnel because I couldn't even grasp a cup or throw a dart.

Hair loss--I had some thick hair before Nuvaring. The only thing I can blame my hair loss on is Nuvaring.

I've been off of Nuvaring for 15 months now. Yes, it's convenient and affordable. But you can't put a price on a healthy life!

I am 24 and used the NuvaRing for almost 3 years. As I finished up college at 21 and directly afterwards I was becoming more and more depressed, which I first attributed to the transition. It was while I was still in college that I also noticed a change in my ability to concentrate and remember. Focus and decision-making were abnormally difficult. My moodiness and depression increased over the next two years, my sensitivity to other's comments became more acute and I constantly felt at the edge of tears. I had little to no enthusiasm for even my favorite activities, no energy for sports/physical exercise, and no interest in sex with my partner. I required more sleep, always feeling tired when I woke up. I also began to have headaches, which had never been a trouble before.
I have been off the NuvaRing for about 3 weeks. Like some have posted earlier, I feel like a dark cloud has lifted and I can enjoy life again. Notable changes over the last couple of weeks have included:

1. Waking up naturally in the morning, almost 2 hrs earlier than before
2. Dramatic increase in ability to focus and remember (effectively study)
3. Happy mood and few to no self-deprecating thoughts
4. Increased energy
5. Enjoyment of flavors
6. General clarity of thought
7. Return of interest/enthusiasm, competitive spirit
8. Interest in sex
9. Decrease in headaches

I am absolutely thrilled to have identified the NuvaRing as the source of these issues and having eliminated it from my routine. I feel like I have my life back.

Just started with Nuvaring a week ago. Haven't been on any birth control in over 5 years. I don't know if these are common to all hormonal birth control methods but have been experiencing nausea, dizziness, anxiety, mood swings, pelvic soreness, and I can feel the ring; in general and during intercourse. My boyfriend can feel it, too. Also, there is some vaginal discharge that smells funny. Not strong, just funny. The mood swings are intense, from crying for almost no reason, to a strong sense of anxiety. My sleep has been disturbed due to a general sense of nervousness. I think after this month, I will switch to the pill.

Ladies, I just wanted to add a post to say thank you. I am 30 and my husband and I just decided to go off birth control after 12 years. I have been on the NuvaRing for nearly 3 years and was just browsing the internet tonight to read about going off of birth control (took out my ring earlier tonight). Your posts have answered so many questions that I've had about my libido, vaginal pain, and leg cramping that I had not connected to the NuvaRing. But, after reading your posts, and thinking back to when these changes started, I'm so thankful to be off of it! It is frightening to me to think of what I've done to my body (and sex life) being on BC for this many years... and specifically, the NuvaRing. Thank you, ladies, for sharing your stories.

Thank you for sharing ladies. I'm 31 years old and have been on one form of hormonal birth control or another since I was 18. I've been using Nuvaring for about 3 years now. It's coming out today -- for good.

I loved it at first. However, I've recently looked back on the past three years, and I really believe Nuvaring is the culprit for all my problems. I've always been curvy, but I used to like it. I typically was able to maintain my weight with some minor fluctuations -- I'm about 5'8" and was about 160-165 pre-Nuvaring. Well, I got on the scale this morning after stuffing myself into my pants, again, and after the three years on Nuvaring, I'm topping the scale at a whopping 194.5. That's the last straw for me. I'm not inactive and I have a reasonable diet that has only improved over the past 3 years, not gotten worse. My ass, boobs, and stomach are enormous, and my arms and thighs aren't so pretty either. I'm done.

Now, reading through the rest of these posts, I think there's even more going on than I even realized. I'm constantly tired and have this muscle stiffness in my legs that makes it almost impossible to walk after I've been sitting for more than an hour. And like everyone else, I have no libido at all. I've had this constant dull abdominal pain for awhile now, to the point where I've just dismissed it as normal and ignore it. And who knows what else.

I'm getting off this thing immediately and am going to look into a non hormonal option. I really want my body and myself back to what I consider normal, and I want to maintain control over it. No More Nuvaring!

I had been using the Nuvaring for over 3-years and took it out for a couple months (simply due to an insurance issue). Anyway, I JUST started using it again-- because i LOVE the Nuvaring, it has been great... up to now. I put it back in about a week ago and I am now experiencing serious tiredness, nausea, diarrhea, a brownish discharge (that I feel like might be due to the excretion the ring already causes and is maybe mixed with some old blood (spotting?)). Has anyone had a similar experience? Might you share and tell me what the outcome was?... please tell me it gets better and goes away!

I have been on Nuvaring for 3 years. After putting the ring in at night I would feel dizzy in the morning and anything that I would eat I would throw up... It was horrible, I was starving but couldn't eat until about 3 PM. But one day a month of being miserable seemed a fair price to pay for not having to deal with taking a pill every day. I also liked the fact that my periods started on a precise schedule.
I have been with my fiance for 7 years now, and we have been living together for only one year. This past year my sex drive has declined dramatically. First I didn't want to have sex, but I would occasionally masturbate. After a while I stopped masturbating, but had sex just to keep my partner happy. But it's hard to pretend when you're not into it.
I suspected that there had to be something wrong with me, but I kept trying to convince myself that it was all in my head and I just wasn't excited about my partner anymore because we have been together for a long time.
I have been off the ring for 2 months now and the sex wave just hit me. It's eye opening really. We have sex almost every day now and on top of that I can't keep myself away from watching porn and masturbating when I'm alone in the house. I shop for sexy lingerie now.
I'm just glad my sex drive came back, some people who posted here were not as lucky, but I hope you keep your heads up.

I have been on Nuvaring for almost 3 years now since I had my second child. I haven't had many issues with it and actually really enjoy not having to remember to take a pill every day. However, in the past few months out of nowhere I am now experiencing extreme dizziness, which I've never experienced before. I am not sick nor have a cold or sinus infection. I have not changed my eating habits and work out regularly. Now after reading this I am really tempted to take the ring out and look into other options. Since the birth of my second child my sex drive has been nothing - so I don't even really need it because I don't even have sex because I don't want to. I've always had mild depression but I am definitely more irritable and depressed now - of course I also have an extra kid and more stress in my life - so I'm definitely not blaming my mood on the ring. However, the dizziness is just strange! I think I'll definitely talk to my doc after reading these posts!

I have been on the nuvaring for about 3+ years now. I am 28 years old.

I am experiancing slight weight gain, vaginal dryness and nearly no sex drive anymore. This started about a year ago. I don't do anything else to my body. I work out and am very healthy. I want to possibly switch BC's but don't know which to try.

Any suggestions?? I know that everyone experiances BC's differently.

Thanks. Heather

i'm so glad i found this site. i've been using the nuvaring for around five years. i can't remember exactly. i thought it was great at first. i get really sick on other bc. but i started getting leg cramps recently and i also had a gallbladder attack and they found three small gallstones. i'm a very healthy person so i was concerned but i didn't relate these things to nuvaring. my boyfriend moved out of my apt. we had been together for 7 years and living together for almost 3. i'm starting to go back and realize the depressed feeling i've had for years now. i didn't realize it could be NR. i lost my motivation, i was performing terribly at my new job that i started 3 years ago (couldn't focus the way i should and i always do well at work) luckily, i still have my job but it's been a struggle emotionally. i wasn't' really interested in anything and couldn't get back into my own personal artwork. i thought i was depressed in my relationship and work but now i'm thinking again this might be the nuvaring. could all of the 'bad luck' i've had in these last couple of years be that? it's hard to blame it on that but reading everyone else's reviews is starting to really scare me. i knew something felt off but i didn't know what it was. as the years have gone on i have lost my excitement for things. arghhhhh! this is so frustrating. i only started looking up nuvaring side effects because i heard something about blood clots and i started getting bad leg cramps. i played competitive tennis when i was young through college and other players would get leg cramps but i never did. now i'm getting them and i work out a lot.

If you want to punish yourself, feel hallow inside, get fat, hate sex, get horrible headaches, have an itchy vagina, and feel like throwing up all time, then I would recommend nuvaring to you.

I took nuvaring for 10 months. During this time I got headaches all the time, increasing in severity and frequency the longer I was on nuvaring; esp. during the week I took it out to have a period. I had very angry mood swings and felt apathetic towards everything. I have been depressed before, so I figured it was just me and it would pass soon, it did not.
I also ate out of boredom. I wasn't hungry per se, I just felt like eating all the time, so I did and I gained about 15 lbs. I was on the same regular exercise routine, and I still gained the weight.
I felt nauseated at the beginning and end of every cycle. I had zero sex drive, it hurt to even have sex most of the time. My husband could feel it inside of me the months it would not stay in place. Some months I could hardly feel the ring,and other months I would have to reinsert it almost every day. I ended up taking the ring out during sex and putting it back in afterwards. This helped some, but I still had no interest. I had abdominal cramps ALL day EVERY day reguardless.
I had vaginal itching and irritation as time progressed, and mild vaginal dryness which caused us to use a lubricant during sex.
It does not get better, it gets worse over time.
I have been off nuva ring for 3 weeks and I feel so much better! I'm happy and interested in things again. I don't have as many headaches and I don't have intense abdominal/low back pain any more. Sex drive is back, and it feels normal now. I don't feel nauseated or as angry. I don't feel the need to mindlessly eat. My nipples have been very sore for a week now, though and I have not yet gotten my period. I have all the signs of it: normal moodiness, mild cramping, really really light (like pastel) pink spotting, so I am just waiting for it come. Hopefully I will be regular, but as I have been reading on here, that's not always the case.
The ONLY benefit from nuvaring was a shorter and shorter period.
I will never use nuvaring again.

I started using the NuvaRing 5 months ago. The first month I felt great. By the second to third month I was experiencing severe vaginal itching and soreness as well has vision problems. I kept thinking that my body needed to get used to it so I used it for 2 more months. The itching and soreness did not subside so i took it out about 45 days ago. These last 45 days have been crazy. I have been an emotional mess with crazy anxiety attacks. (I am typically an easy going calm person) I am experiencing hot flashes that start in my scalp and ears and continue to my extremities as well as itching all over my body and random intense pain in my arms. I have been to the doctor twice in two weeks because I thought something was seriously wrong with me. All of my labs came back normal so he keeps reassuring me that I am going through "hormone withdrawal" and it should get better within two months. This has been a horrible experience and I will never go on it again or refer it to anyone.

It seems like I am the only one to use the Nuvaring for more than a couple of months. I have been on it for about 3 years now. I have loved it until the past 6 months or so. I now am having severe night sweats and a general increase in body temperature all of the time. My sex drive has decreased drastically as well. I have not had any weight or mood fluctuations though. I change the ring to a new one every 3 weeks to avoid having a period altogether. That has been great, but I have been experiencing horrible cramping at random times in the month and sex has become extremely painful due to the cramping afterwards. I guess I can say the 2 years without side effects was great, but I am going to switch this month. I cant take this extreme body temperature any longer. Maybe the birth "control" is to make you feel so crappy, that you don't want to have sex.

I am so glad I came across this website. I just saw a TV commercial today about a lawsuit against NuvaRing. I have been on NR for almost 3 years and am sick of feeling "crazy." I have no sex drive, I'm extremely nauseous all of the time, I can't sleep but am always really tired, I'm extremely emotional and sad and have frequent headaches (at times very severe). Last year, I had surgery for my endometriosis and my gyno prescribed 9 weeks of the nuvaring and one week off. Having monthly periods makes the endo grow back quicker. Ever since last year, I have gained 12 pounds, I'm hungry all of the time yet still nauseous, have frequent headaches, my sex drive is non-existent and I have been really depressed and extremely anxious. Now I'm thinking the NR is to blame! Not to mention the possible side effects of blood clots, stroke and heart attacks!! I'm taking the ring out and calling my gyno. Now I know I'm not crazy. Thank you for the information.

my name is amber and i've been on nuvaring for almost 3 years. I took it out today, because i realized that it was ruining who i am. the doctors told me opposite but I've read all day about symptoms. It all started when my friend saw a commercial about a nuvaring lawsuit, and she called me to warn me. It is dangerous and can cause major problems. yes i'm young (19) it is more likely to cause harm to older women but i still don't want to take that chance. I've had horrible symptoms. I've been so depressed, I'm so mean to everyone ( I was never like that) My family suffers from my "snappiness" Before nuvaring i had an amazing sex life. now, i never have the desire, not to mention i'm dry, it hurts, and it burns afterwards. I've talked to my docs. but they never say anything... the worse part is Chest pains, i feel like i'm going to die sometimes, and the lower abdominal pains suck!! But one of the worse is WEIGHT GAIN.. the doc says it doesn't cause it but there is no other explanation for it. in 3 years of nuva ring i gained a whopping 60 lbs. i exercise everyday, i eat well, what the heck?? oh and don't forget the painstaking nausea!!! when i finally found out all signs point to nuvaring....i dumped it. because i choose to be happy skinny and chemical free, like i always was. nuvaring destroyed 3 years of my life, it was a major altercation. and I choose life over death. I choose to be responsible about sex and just be chemical free. it's been about 5 hours since i took it out and i feel a 100x's better!!!

the nuvaring is not right for me but always check with your doc before you do anything. I did. I called my nurse today to talk about it. They acted shocked but after reading this i realized i'm not alone. and i wanted to write this to you to let you know your not alone and if you feel it's not right for you then talk to your doc and get the poison out before it's too late.

I have been on birth control for 11 years, never having any severe problems. I had a baby 3 years ago and was taking Yaz. With being on Yaz I had a migraine about every 3 months. My Dr. suggested me trying the NuvaRing. I was on it for 2 months and my bleeding was uncontrollable. During the time of switching bc, my grandmother got really sick and I lost my job. I was concerned about the heavy bleeding and clotting and questioned my dr. and they just told me to hold on for another month or so, it was probably from the stress. I changed from the NR to Seasonique, still the bleeding was uncontrollable. I never had menses like this in my life. Going back to the dr. I had a pelvic examine and they just gave me provera to help stop the bleeding. Well it worked for a week and then here we go again! After about 4-5 months of this cycle I decided to stop taking any bc and let my body try to get back to normal. About a month later I started hemoraging and had to go to the er. They kept me for 2 days and found that I have a fibroid on my uterus. I also had to get a blood transfusion. The fibroid is pushing on my uterus causing my uterus to be double in size. WTH? Where did this come from? I am now having to take the Lupron shot to help shrink the fibroid and hopefully in 3 months I can have it removed. I can only blame this on the NR. I NEVER had problems like this before. It is truly discouraging. I advise anyone thinking about the NR to clearly STAY AWAY!!! I know have several medical bills all from trying to stay away from migraines. I can deal with those much easier than what I have been thru.

Has anyone had worse symptoms with the NR than with the pill? I was experiencing terrible migraines two days a month, right before my period started. I was also finding that my period was getting lighter and lighter as the months went by. I've been on some form of the pill for about 15 years off and on, this time for about 3 years straight. A doctor told me the NuvaRing might help with the headache...so I switched to it. the headaches are no better, I gained 11 lbs in two months and I have NO sex drive at ALL. I also get hardly any period at all. Anyone else having that problem? I got worried that I was entering early menopause, but they did a pelvic ultrasound and blood tests that were normal.

Wow, reading all of this has got me kind of scared. I've been taking Ortho-Tri-Cyclin-Low for almost 3 years, my doctor put me on it, to help with my extremely painful periods, and it worked like a charm. I wasn't sexually active, so I never really worried much about taking it at the same time each day. Other the last several months my life has gotten pretty busy, and its become extremely hard to remember taking the pill each day. I started having sex with my boyfriend earlier this month, we've been using condoms, but they are uncomfortable for both of us, and we don't really want to use them (we were both virgins before this, so we're not worried about STDs). So Friday I went to see my doctor and she suggested Nuvaring, and gave me 5 months worth of samples to try.

I was supposed to have my period this week, I actually quit taking the pill last Tuesday or Wednesday (today is Sunday) because I kept forgetting. So my doctor told me to go ahead and have my period then put the first ring in next week. After reading the information packet and on the nuvaring website I decided to put the ring in last night (Saturday night), and skip my period this month.

I had a headache last night, and its still here (though not quite as bad) today. Today I also started having spotting and mild cramps.

The headache could be from me just getting over the flu (I had that Friday & Saturday), and being tired from the flu. And I'm sure the spotting is probably normal, considering I was supposed to start my period in the next few days, and I've only had the ring in for about 12 hours.

I'm going to be on the look out for side effects though. I sure hope it works for me, because I really am horrible about remembering the pill.

I came upon this site while trying to search about people's experiences with sex while using the ring, because I'm kinda nervous that it will be uncomfortable for my boyfriend and/or I. So if any of you have any input with that, please reply to this. Thank you

I'm so glad I found this website! I'm 25 and I've been using Nuvaring for 3 years (Ortho-tricyclen and low dose for 5 years before that), and I also found that the bad side effects of Nuvaring came on gradually. I've been experiencing nausea, headaches, abdominal cramps and diarrhea, anxiety and depression, irritability, fatigue, and low to no sex drive. Because they all came on gradually, I really didn't attribute them to Nuvaring. This past month, I accidentally left the ring out for 10 days instead of 7 to have my period, and since I've put the ring back in, I've been VERY nauseous (this has lasted for 4 days so far). After reading all of your comments, I'm going to remove it for good. I just hope the nausea goes away soon.

I had been on the pill for years until my OB suggested the NR. It sounded like a great idea (no worries about missing pills). I was on it for a week until yesterday when I was on my way to a metro station from work. I suddenly felt faint, nauseous, I was hyperventilating, shaking all over and I could barely walk. I stopped at a local store I tried to drink some water and eat something but the food just sat in my mouth, I couldn't swallow and my throat felt as if it were closing up. All the things that could be wrong with me flew through my mind. Was I having a stroke, a heart attack, was I dehydrated, did I have a brain tumor, do I have diabetes, I am going into a diabetic shock. All I knew was that there was something terribly wrong and whatever it was couldn't be stopped and I was going to die. I had to call a co worker to come pick me and take me to the nurse at my office. It was the most terrifying moment of my life.

Once at the nurses office she determined that I was having a panic attack. She ran off a list of possible causes and one that stood out immediately was that it could be hormonal. I knew then that it was my new birth control (the nuvaring). It was the ONLY thing that had changed. This explains the fatigue, mood swings and the general malaise I've been experiencing over the last week. I thought I was just having a bad week, things that never used to bother me suddenly became unbearable.

I immediately took the ring out and I will NEVER use it again. I have had only one panic attack before this, and that was 3 years ago, but it was mild compared to this one. I was absolutely crippled yesterday. I have never felt so helpless/crazy/terrified/alone in my life. I'm still not 100% today (a little weepy/depressed), but it feels like my body is getting back to normal.

So if any of you start feeling depressed or fatigued shortly after using this product please please please consider using another form of birth control. I don't want anyone to EVER go through an anxiety attack like I did.

I started using the NR about a month ago. About 4 days before I was supposed to take it out I started to get extremely depressed, which is not like me at all. I began to feel very insecure and started accusing my boyfriend of 3 years that he was cheating on me and now he doesn't even want to be around me I am so miserable. I feel very irritable at work and spend my days with my door closed not talking to anyone. Since I took the ring out I have experienced very bad cramping in the mornings to the point where it is almost debilitating. After reading these posts I will not be putting the ring back in once my period starts, which hopefully will be soon since I took it out 4 days ago! I hope that I can salvage my relationship!

I thought I was crazy until I found this site... I've been toying with the idea of taking the nuvaring out because I've been so ridiculously depressed lately, exhausted for no reason, and my sex drive is basically at zero. I had almost convinced myself that I'm just depressed but started thinking about the nuvaring. I've been on it for almost 2 years now, and had minor problems at first but then after I got used to it, it seemed fine. Lately, it's been getting worse. Before I lived with my boyfriend (and in the same city), I worked at a horrible job that made me miserable and depressed and gave me horrible headaches... I thought it was just that, my job. But it's not any better, except the headaches are somewhat better... but I'm more depressed than ever, my sex drive is worsening, I'm crabbier than ever, all I want to do is sleep but when I do sleep it's not good sleep, I have zero energy, I can't bring myself to do the smallest tasks, and I'm so insecure and scared that my bf doesn't love me anymore. I even think I've developed anxiety. Sex hurts almost worse every time, I get that burning thing other people have been discussing, and it burns after sex when I urinate. I asked my gyno about the pain during sex and she almost acted like I was crazy. I think I'm ready to take this thing out. Condoms, here I come again. There were positives to the ring, like a way lighter period, I only have one sort of heavy day, and the rest are super light, and my cramps are nothing compared to what I used to experience. But those positive things do not outweigh my other experiences. The point of going on BC is so you can have sex without getting pregnant... well having sex once a month because I feel bad that my boyfriend isn't getting any is so NOT worth the money I spend on this thing and so not worth the side effects. It's so weird that for almost a year though I was fine on it, it almost makes me think that they changed something about it. And it's weird that the doctors seem almost brainwashed. I'm not the only one who had the gyno acting like they were crazy. I'm hesitant to take it out now, I still have 2 1/2 weeks until I'm supposed to take it out, but I don't want to wait another 2 1/2 weeks if I could start feeling better by then if I took it out now.