NuvaRing and anxiety

Well after reading all of this I feel really stupid. I've been on NR for 7 years. I got on it when I went to college and never tried anything else. All these years I thought all these things were just something wrong with me. I had migraines that would last for up to a week in which I had to get a shot from my doctor to get rid of. I had horrible night sweats and horrible anxiety talking to new people. The worst part is the sex drive. I've been married a little over a year now, and can honestly say that i never want to have sex. I feel horrible, but it never interests me. After reading all of this, I decided to take it out. Here's hoping that things change and I can remember who I was back in high school !!

I have been on NuvaRing for 6 years. I had not had any problems until about 1 year ago that I started feeling really depressed, like there is nothing that will make feel happy again (and I've always been a cheerful person), I also started noticing headaches, and I have been trying to lose the 5 pounds I gained for the past 4 years, and have not been successful at all, even though I exercise daily and I watch what I eat. My stomach also feels weird right after I put it in and the next day I have an upset stomach the entire day and feel like throwing up...
My husband suggested that the NR may have something to do with my mood swings,my anxiety and all the other symptoms, and HE may be RIGHT. I am so happy I came across this website. I will get an appointment with my doctor today!

I am so glad I read all these entries! I just made an appointment with my doctor after a long talk with my husband. I have been on Nuvaring for 2 years now since I had my daughter. My sex drive ever since was on a down hill decline, and has been really frustrating for both of us. It's pretty much non-existant. I have also noticed my stress levels and anxiety is completely out of character for me. I get really moody, and if my kids aren't behaving, I feel myself getting red with anger. In my heart I know it's the Nuvaring, so I am going to discuss it with my doctor about an alternative. And now I know I am not the only one:)

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.

I've been using the Nuvaring off and on for almost six years. I started using it after I had my son in 2002, and I never had any problems with it. I used it for a couple years, had to stop b/c of my insurance. I went back to it after the birth of my daughter, in early 2006. I started having a lot of problems around December, 2007, but I didn't even think that it could be because of the nuvaring, since I had been on it for so long already. I was having stomach problems, awful headaches, horrible anxiety, depression, mood swings, had no energy at all, horrible burning pain after sex. I started having spotting and periods that lasted for up to a month, and would pass huge blood clots. I talked to my obgyn in February and she told me to just switch my rings right away instead of keeping it out for a week for my period. That stopped the bleeding for about two months, then my period came back with a vengeance. I bled for over a month, stopped for a week, bled for a few more weeks. It was ridiculous. I've finally given up on the ring after yet another month-long period. I took it out a week ago and I have finally stopped bleeding. I've noticed a difference with other symptoms as well and I really hope my body gets back to normal soon. I found this site last week when I was trying to decide if I should stop using the ring or not and I couldn't believe how many women had the same symptoms that I've been having. I never realized that all of the problems that I've had were all due to my birth control. Now I'm stumped as to what birth control to try next. I've been reading up on them and they all seem to have horrible side effects like the ring. If anyone has any suggestions, please let me know!

I am 25yrs. old and am trying nuvaring for the second time. I am sooo RELIEVED to find this sight because i was blaming myself for all of the things that are going on. First of all, I have never been one to worry too much and I have been suffering with so much anxiety that I feel like i need to be on some sort of medication for it. Also, Sex has become painful during and even worse afterward! I have constant irritation in my vagina and no sex drive at all. I don't even feel like myself anymore and its not worth it to live this way. After this ring I am done and for good this time!!!!

i had the WORST experience with the nuvaring. first of all, after i finished grad school and could no longer get it for free at school, my health insurance was not covering it and i had to pay $58 a month for it. then the side effects where HORRIBLE. moodiness, TERRIBLE anxiety, absolutely no sex drive, and on top of it all, i got a vaginal infection from the ring which caused terrible pain whenever my husband and i had sex. it felt like this horrible stinging burning pain. my gyn stated infections are normal with the ring. one of the worst parts about the side effects was that i thought this was all stuff that was MY fault. i thought i was going crazy and being super anxious and moody and took it to my therapist, and i really thought it was all in my head that sex was so painful and that i rarely wanted to have it. i am so frustrated that this was my experience with the nuvaring and it caused me to second guess myself and blame myself for all of the side effects. moral of the story-- stay away from this, it sounds too good to be true because it IS.

I am going to tell you of my experience of being off the Nuvaring. I took it out 6 weeks ago. I got on the ring before my wedding last july. I used it for over a year. I had no experience with how sex was w/o birth control. I didn't know it wasn't supposed to be painful & burn after! The final straws for me were 10 lbs. gained in the last year that would not come off, despite serious dieting and working out 5 days/week. Extreme irritability, inconsistent with my nature, and constantly flying off the handle over little things. The nasty stuff always clinging to the ring when taken out wasn't too pleasant, either. D: Tingling in my legs when working out, migraines, all that jazz.

I was hoping the weight would fall off by now, but it has not. A few pounds lost as I have gone down a full cup size and my hips are shrinking to their original size. (btw, I was 115 at 5'6", now 125, and gained it all in my curvy areas, with a nice lil' pooch on my belly).

The other side effects left within 2 weeks and have not returned. My husband, who is skeptical of me contributing so much to the ring, did comment on how I smile more and am happy all the time. it's true; I am so much happier.

I have more energy and am able to fall asleep easier. I used to freak out at my husband and lay awake for hours with anxiety.(isn't that dumb?!) haven't done that in 6 weeks.

And lastly, I finally want to have sex. :)
thought something was wrong with a newly wed like me...

I'm so glad that I found this site because I was beginning to think that something was seriously wrong with me. I started taking Nuvaring almost 2 months ago. 5 more days and I can take it out...FOREVER!!!!

At first, I thought it was the best thing since sliced bread...and then the weight gain began. My husband said maybe it was just that I was eating junk. Maybe...so I started back on Weight Watchers. I can not lose a single pound, and when I have counted points in the past the pounds fell off the first week or two. I've gained 15 lbs since I started Nuvaring. The strange thing is that it is all just around my stomach. It is like a big spare tire. I've gained very little in the rest of my body.

I also noticed pretty bad cramping after I put it in. It was pretty much all the time, not just during certain parts of my cycle.

Then I started to get headaches. Not little headaches, but debilitating migraine headaches. The sensitivity to light is almost unbearable when I have one of these. Many times I find myself going to bed at 8 pm when I put my son to bed. Pretty much all I ever want to do is sleep. Sex? Nope, not interested. (Very different from how I was in the past.) Huh, I guess it works as birth control because it promotes abstinence!

The worst part is that I am soooooo depressed. Like major depression. I have usually been a pretty even keel personality, but since starting Nuvaring I find myself wondering what I have to live for. I've come to the conclusion that if it weren't for my husband or son, I'd rather just be dead. I've even found myself thinking about how I would want to die. It has gotten so bad that I haven't been to work in almost 2 weeks. I have so much anxiety that I actually feel scared to go. My husband finally called a doctor for me on Wednesday and I start therapy on Monday. I hope that the side effects will go away soon after I take the ring out, but I am very afraid that I might be like this for a while.

I question how so many of us have these HORRIBLE side effects and yet no one in the medical profession has even questioned whether something is amiss. It seems to me that I better just have another child and then have my tubes tied so I don't ever have to mess with all this awful birth control stuff again. (I was bad about taking pills on time, so I ended up having spotting most of the month, which kind of defeated the purpose.)

I'm thankful that I found this site and now I know that I am not alone!

Oh my HELL!

Here's my story...

Well, first of all I am SO happy to read all of these posts.

I have been on the NuvaRing for about 8 months now... At first, it was GREAT! I had no side effects, I could maintain my weight, even my skin cleared up... But I don't know what all the sudden triggered it but here goes the list...

Nausea
Heartburn
Diarrhea
Headaches
DIZZINESS - and this is scary people, especially for someone like me who's never experienced anything like it
light sensitivity
ANXIETY - this also freaked me out... I'm a singer, I do all kinds of stuff on stage, but I'm SCARED!? all the sudden??? this makes no sense!!!
loss of sex drive
mood swings
fatigue
dry mouth
sore joints
acne worse than when i was 18

And the thing is, it worked, WELL, for a long time. But now, I'm convinced. The NuvaRing is Satan... even if it seems to work in the beginning... don't be fooled... I won't use hormones ever again. Ever.

I'm going to be fitted for a diaphragm and that's that. I can't wait.

Thanks for all the support!

Thank goodness for this sight. If you are thinking you're crazy and can't figure out what's wrong while you're on Nuva, scroll down, you will feel like you're getting a big hug!

I am 27 and have been on the NuvaRing for coming on 8 months and everything has changed. At first I had severe migraines with nausea, a day after starting, that kept going and still occur. They will last all day long and I can take 8 of my migraine medicine and nothing will help. The headaches ruin days, make work difficult, and ruin weekends.

Second: I gained weight around my middle, so perceptibly, I thought I was pregnant. The bloat and gas is constant, I'm always popping Gas-X extra strength but the gas doesn't quit. It was funny at first (yes, I'm immature) but now I'm so uncomfortable, and my pants are tight around the middle but nowhere else. Boo!

Third: ANXIETY. I've been the most relaxed, calm person until I started on NuvaRing, and now I have a prescription for Valium just to keep me from having nervous butterflies all day. The anxiety goes hand in hand with depression, which sucks because I got engaged literally 2 weeks after starting NuvaRing and am always nervous, anxious and sad, and I'm so in love with my fiance but our home life is strained! I sometimes wonder if it's cold feet, but I know it's not. Which leads me to:

Fourth: NO SEX DRIVE. Gone. Dead. Zilch. Zero. I have been the horniest person I know my whole life. I love sex. But I am almost scared of it now. I have no desire to have sex, recoil when my fiance touches me, and get butterflies when I think he's going to try to have sex with me. I sleep as far away as possible, never masturbate anymore, never feel sexy and the idea of sex just doesn't even pop into my head. So unlike me. This causes anxiety, too.

Fifth: Yeast infections and pain during sex. I've never had either of these before. I'm extremely hygienic, and my underwear are constantly filled with discharge. So gross and painful.

I'm going off of it in 5 days and I cannot wait!

I have only tried the pill a couple of times in my life and the side effects were too much for me to handle. My OB suggested the nuvaring. I've been on it for a year and a half and I'm glad I found this sight. I've experienced the 2 week heavy periods, fatigue, weight gain, the headaches, I had unexplained swelling in my groin area, severe depression and anxiety (which my doctor dismissed as she stated she never heard of anxiety being associated with the ring). I'm glad that I'm not the only one. I'm getting married in November and plan to stop using it then. My general practioner put me on prozac because the anxiety got so bad. I'm lucky that my fiance is a patient and loving person and that this craziness hasn't driven him away.

Hi ladies, I've been using the NuvaRing for about 3 years now. Until this very day I thought I may be absolutely crazy. I was on the ortho patch before the ring, but switched because I didn't like the adhesive left by the patch. I was 31 then and had been with my boyfriend for 1 year. Thankfully we are still together because I have had the life sucked out of me. Sex happens almost never, it's extremely dry when it does, I have headaches often, I am DEPRESSED and the anxiety is unbearable. These symptoms have gotten worse over the years and I thought I may need some help. I never believed I could "get" these symptoms from a ring. I took it out as of 5 minutes ago and hope this will take me back to the happy, healthy, loving person I know I am. I will keep you posted if this helps me. If anyone else is having similar effects please reply.

Hey all,
I am meant to be starting the Nuvaring on Sunday. I was on Ortho Lo for about a year but gained significant weight on it and could not take the bloating so my Dr. switched me to Yasmin last month. I have been an emotional mess all month so we have decided to try another delivery method, the ring now and see if side effects are less for me. I am scared though in case I gain even more weight or have another month of depression. Has anyone had positive experiences switching?

NuvaRing caused me to have a heart attack at the tender age of 32. I had begun using it for the second time after the birth of my third child. My only advice is to pay attention to your body and how you feel. There were warning signs but I didn't heed them as I should have; I chalked it up to being ill. At any rate, the ring caused a blood clot to form and it traveled and blocked a major artery to my heart. As a result I am on aspirin, blood thinners, and blood pressure medicine for the rest of my life. Luckily, my response to the heart attack was quick and no lasting damage was done to my heart. I can't help but be fearful that something like this could happen again even though my cardiologist assures me that my heart is 100% normal. I do suffer from anxiety now, though i'm not sure if its related to the medications i'm on or not. Just be careful and alert your doctor if something doesn't seem right.

I've been on Nuvaring for a year now. Since being on nuvaring, I've noticed alot of emotional changes....anxiety, depression, suddenly crying for no reason. It's like my moods are very distrinct thru the month.
I never put the two together, I just thought I was having emotional issues.
But the more I spoke to my doctor, we think they are related to Nuvaring.
I am supposed to start the ring again this Sunday and will not be...I'm going to see what happens being clear of it for 1 mth.
After reading the posts on here, I now believe it is the ring.
Does anyone else have these symptoms?

I have been on the NuvaRing for almost two years. I have had several of the side effects mentioned on this site to a lesser degree - anxiety, moodiness, depression, fatigue, etc. Lately, intercourse has been painful for me, and I have no sex drive at all. Reading this site makes me feel much better because I have been completely stressed out about my loss of sex drive. Four days ago, my boyfriend and I had sex, and I started bleeding afterwards. The bleeding was very light and lasted for two days. This was a week before I was supposed to remove the ring, so I started freaking out and assumed that I was pregnant and experiencing implantation bleeding. When I was still noticing a bit of blood a couple days later, I removed the NuvaRing and repositioned it, and the bleeding stopped. I am still worried about being pregnant, but I honestly think that the NuvaRing caused an abrasion to my vaginal wall, which is what caused the bleeding. Either way, I am seriously considering taking the NuvaRing out for good. I have been on other types of birth control, and the NuvaRing doesn't seem to be any worse than the others for me, but maybe being on birth control at all is a bad idea. I'm just terrified of resorting to condoms as my only form of birth control. Is it worth it?

I have been on the pill for several years and never had any problems...except that I still got pregnant. My doctor recommended the NuvaRing telling me that it was great. Never mentioned any side effects. One year later I went to the emergency room and found that there was a large blood clot in my lung. I am very lucky to be alive. The doctor's know that it was the NuvaRing because I had no other risk factors other than the NuvaRing. Beware. Blood clots in the lung can be fatal. I was lucky. I still have horrible anxiety because of it. I am on an IUD and have had good luck with it so far. Just thought I would share.

I have been on the NUVARING for 2 years and have never had any symptoms of any kind i have had anxiety atttacks since 2005 and they are getting better so i know its not the NUVARING....i love it but just 2 days ago i started to bleed 10 days early.I have been excessing a lot lately, I am not sure if that could mess with my period but i have a doctors appointment Monday and i am worried i am prego or something????
Any one have any ideals...should i take it out since i am bleeding???

I have been on the NuvaRing for 4 months...I have had the worst side effects ever! I couldn't figure out what was wrong with me. I actually found this website and took the damn thing out- THANK GOD! I already feel better. I can't believe the countless number of accounts on this site- women who are suffering from this BC like me. I knew I was irritable. My Symptoms: ANGER, road rage, impatience with my family and friends, feelings of laziness, extreme uncertainty and anxiety about the smallest decisions. I couldn't figure out what was wrong with me..just knew I was WAY WAY off balanced. I thought I might be becoming a manic depressive. The last thing I suspected as the problem was the NavaRing...why????????????... because it's claim on the box that it is less likely to causes moodiness and other side effects than other forms of BC. Not only was I acting like a total bunny boiler but I also broke out several times, gained 10 lbs, had constant UTI's, burning sensations in my vagina and strange odor.

This is the worst form of BC I've EVER EVER tried. I warn any woman that feels strange- TAKE IT OUT!

I have been using the NuvaRing since October 2005. I never had any problems with it. I thought it was great!! Unfortunately, I was dating this guy for the past two years that never wanted to have sex and all we would do is fight. I had no sex drive of course and I was always feeling depressed, anxious, or stressed out. However, we broke up in December, and now I have a new partner. I thought these symptoms would cease to exist now that the other guy is out of my life, but I am still feeling this way. And I thought my sex drive would return, but it has not. Well, last month I started bleeding out of nowhere, in the middle of my cycle, which had not occurred before and I became concerned. I went for a pap smear, and of course, the gynos are dying to get that ring off the shelves and into millions of healthy women, so she told me that my bleeding had nothing to do with NuvaRing (and then attempted to send me for an $1100 ultrasound). If something wasn't up, why would I need an ultrasound? I wasn't pregnant, at that point, which brings me to my next point. It was almost like a normal period when I bled out of nowhere, then my actual period was suppose to arrive 2 weeks later, and did not. But the gyno still said I was fine and there is nothing to worry about! So as far as I know, I'm not pregnant. I've just screwed up my reproductive system with this new BC.

Okay, after reading these blogs, I think it's time to trash the NuvaRing and go back to something else. Now that I think back on it, whether or not the NuvaRing has anything to do w/ these symptoms, either way I didn't have them before I started it: migraines, depression, weight gain, hair loss, anxiety, mood swings, loss of sex drive, and tiredness. I am 24 years old, and way too young to feel this way!

I write in a journal from time to time and a few days ago I was feeling so sad and teary that I sat down to write what was going through my head. Then I read the last entry I'd written, only a few months before, and it was like a different person wrote it... I was happy and excited about the future. And that’s when everything fell into place in my mind and I realized how all the sadness, random crying, self-doubt and constant anxiety I’ve been feeling began after using NuvaRing. My doctor has said that side effects usually settle after a few months… but I’m not sure I’m prepared to wait around to see if that’s true. I know depression could be caused by a range of different things but I guess NuvaRing is one variable I have control over… I’m tempted to take it out tonight and see whether I feel better.

I've also experienced many of the same side effects. I was on NuvaRing for 3 years and on the pill for 5 years before that. For me I found the changes very subtle. My sex drive was not effected right away, but it just kept getting lower and lower. I was doing grad school so I was getting more and more stressed and thought that that had something to do with it, so I ignored it. I was also much more anxious, depressed, short tempered, unmotivated, fatigued and oh, did I mention depressed! I honestly thought it was all due to the stress I was experiencing in grad school, but I did feel like something may be up. A lot of my symptoms were similar to hypothyroidism (oh yeah, I also gained 30 lbs after switching from the pill to NuvaRing) so I got tested, but my thyroid was fine. I had heard about the increased risk of blood clots for the patch, so I wanted to find out if the risk was also heightened for NuvaRing, so I googled a bit and came across some other sites like this one and saw how similar other peoples situations were to mine. I went off it 3 weeks ago (after only having a new ring in for one week) and I got a really long and heavy period right away. Since then I've been having mild cramps until today where they are the worst I've ever had. On the bright side, everyone has noticed how much happier I am - I really feel like my old self again. I haven't been depressed or stressed since I've been off NuvaRing!! It's so awesome. We've switched to non-hormonal contraceptive methods - I wanted to give my body a break and I may be trying for babies in the next year. Anyway - for those of you considering going off - TRY IT!! It can't hurt (except maybe for some cramping :D) If you don't start to feel better you can always go back on. It has made a huge difference in my life. I too was considering suicide at 26 when I'm normally a really happy person. My mom has also noticed that my moods are much more stable - apparently I was going a bit bipolar before!

OMG! I'm so happy to have found this site. I HATE the NuvaRing. I liked it at first because it seemed easy. after being on it for a few months I have gained 10 pounds, I'm a rather small girl, I have random migraines and worst of all I'm very very depressed, irritable, anxious, tired. I have had emotional issues in the past but never have i cried this much or been so sensitive. My boyfriend thinks I'm loosing it and now I know why. DAMN THE NUVARING

I was so excited to start a birth control that was only once a month - until I started having side effects. I was on NuvaRing for a couple of months during which time I became an emotional basket case. I have a history of GAD and panic attacks, however I experienced extreme depression and anxiety like I have never felt before. I have lost 15 lbs in a month because I am so worked up I can't eat or sleep. I took out the ring and started taking an antidepressant. This was 2 weeks ago and I still don't feel that much better. I can't blame all of this on the NuvaRing for sure - but it is very coincidental that all this happened within a few weeks of starting the ring. Anyone know how long it takes to feel better?

Is anyone experiencing lingering depression after discontinuing NuvaRing. I was on it for 7 months and have been off of it for 5 weeks and can't shake the blue moods and feeling of hopelessness. My normal self is very happy and I have no history of depression which makes this new trait all the more disturbing. I feel stuck.

I had a period and thought my mood would improve afterward, but it really hasn't. Overall, I am better than I was at first, but the progress is so slow that I can't see it most of the time.

Hey there, I'm 21 and just recently started the NuvaRing (Dec.4th)....
This site dumb founded me! I was just clicking around this morning before work to see what this thing was doing to me and couldn't believe my eyes! Or the fact that I hadn't realized until I read it from others how it effected me personally! I have experienced almost insanity,crying, depression, confusion in my life, pains, bloating, my eye twitching?, rash and itching on my lower tummy and boobs, restless nights, I've always been pretty sexually driven but not so much lately... I just couldn't believe that almost everything I have been going through others are going through also! What is up with that? I tried the patch once awhile ago and it made me moody... so I went back to pills (I'm not a good pill taker) and about a year ago I ended up in the Hospital with an Ovarian Cyst the size of an orange! They put me on a higher dose of BC to make the cyst shrink/go away... I still have had pains and problems associated with the cyst so my OBGYN suggested the NuvaRing so that I wouldn't forget to take my BC and it would help me... Not So Much... I don't know what to do...? The past few days I haven't been as irritable or grumpy and have felt like a happy person but am still having pains. I started to have the beginnings of a period (not actual blood) at the end of Dec-beginning of Jan and recently 3 days ago actually started bleeding... so I've had an ongoing period for weeks.... I'm half tempted to just take this sucker out... I am calling my OBGYN tomorrow and explaining all this... any thoughts-comments- would be appreciated! Wish me luck...
Amanda

Hello ladies. Thank you for being brave enough to share your experiences. I was on the NuvaRing for 10 days, and realized that it was making me crazy and causing me to think I was losing my mind. The day after I inserted it I felt like I had no control over my thoughts. I felt as though I was becoming a schizophrenic. After several days I considered seeing a shrink because I was so depressed. I called my OB to let them know this was going on and they said they'd never heard of anything like that happening. So I felt like I was the only one, and that maybe I really was losing my mind. They told me it would take about 2 months for the hormone to leave my body. I felt better after taking it out but now, 3 weeks later I am starting to have anxiety. I have never ever had problems like this in my life even when I was on the pill and the patch. Hopefully I will feel better completely. I do have several good days in a row where I feel normal, and back to my old self, and then some days are very bad. Has anyone had similar problems, and if so.... how long has it taken to get back to normal?

Hi! This site is a relief!! I started the NuvaRing and nine days later I had my first ever panic attack. I have NEVER felt anything like it before! I immediately took out the ring, but I have had more panic attacks and serious anxiety since the first one, and I have completely lost my appetite (and I usually love to eat!). I have now been off the ring for 15 days and I still don't feel right at all! I am taking Xanax as a sort of band-aid for the anxiety, but when is this going to end??? Has anybody had symptoms like these go away - how long does it take?? I feel for all of you who are having problems with this drug - hopefully we'll get through it!

How long does it take for the side effects to get out of my body??? I have been on the NuvaRing for 5 months. At first I did not have bad side effects, besides I didn't stop bleeding. Once that got better, horrible side effects began. I have headaches, lower back pain, bad leg aches, some abdominal pains at times, anxiety, and moodiness. It would suit me fine to stay in my pjs in bed and sleep all day!! I have no motivation or energy. This is NOT like me!! I feel like I have been living someone else life...my poor kids and husband!! So, after months of my Dr. telling me my body would adjust, I took the ring out yesterday!! I am so ready to be back to myself!!!

How long does it take for the side effects to get out of your system and go away??? I was on NuvaRing for the past 5 months. At first it seemed okay, besides the constant bleeding. That went away and then horrible side effects began. My Dr. told me it would just take a little while for my body to adjust. Well..finally after 5 months, I TOOK IT OUT yesterday for good. I have had very bad lower back aches, horrible leg cramps on and off, a yeast infection ( which is gone since i took it out yesterday), anxiety, and zero patience. I feel like I have been living in a different world for 5 months...my poor kids and husband!! I am so ready to be back to my laid back happy self!

What a relief to see all these new postings. I took out the NuvaRing after a month and a half. I'm still experiencing terrible anxiety, paranoia, and some depression, but I think I'm a little better. I'm not seeing weird/disturbing images anymore, and the all over breakouts and immediate weight gain have gone away. About a week after I took the NuvaRing out I couldn't sleep for like two weeks. Then I could sleep, but I was still extremely anxious and depressed... incessantly crying, feeling completely hopeless. Mainly I haven't felt in control of my thoughts or feelings since the NuvaRing. I still feel anxious and paranoid and I can't sleep again. Hopefully this will run its course and I'll go back to normal, but I've been scared shirtless for so long. Please sent me a message if you have words of consolation or any idea how long it will take to feel normal again. I'm still pretty miserable and it's been two months since I've discontinued NuvaRing :(
PS: I had a horrible (but not quite as bad) experience on the pill too, though I didn't know that was the cause at the time.

I just want to mention that for those of you who react poorly to hormonal birth control, as I do, it is worth considering a non-hormonal IUD if you are in a monogamous relationship. For me, it was a godsend. Although most often given to women that have had children already, plenty of Dr's will consider if your experience with hormonal BC forms has been bad. Every pill, ring, patch, etc, I tried caused bad side effects, all of which have been listed and discussed already. The copper IUD, on the other hand, does not interfere with your body's natural hormonal cycle. There can be some cramping (sometimes severe, especially directly after insertion) and heavier flow, but to me, these are worth it. I take ibuprofen a day or two each month for the cramps but nausea, lack of sex drive, mood swings, anxiety/depression, breast tenderness, etc etc are a thing of the past! And it's good for 10 years! Good luck ladies.

Been on this thing about 10 months, recently have been having blurred vision and 2 days ago passed out, thankfully not while driving with my two children in the car. Decided to see if this was what was causing all these problems. Other side effects have been no sex drive, cranky, anxiety, mood swings, eating all the time, breast tenderness, excessive discharge-usually about a week after inserting a new ring- but to the point of changing panties 2-3 times daily and then before bed, headache, back ache- upper and lower. Obviously I think this may be what is causing all of this due to the many of other women that are experiencing the same things, and also that a few of the serious symptoms are listed on the official web site. I have every form of birth control other than the IUD and of course having my tubes tied. I am at the point that I want to try the IUD, but am tired of all the side effects from every one I have ever tried.

I have been on the Nuvaring for 5 years. I started experience anxiety, panic attacks and depression about 3 years ago. Recently they have gotten worse again. I also have very restless legs (not sure if this has anything to do with the ring) I am now 47 years old and decided that all these risks increase with age so I am getting off of it and seeing what my body will do naturally. My husband doesn't like it but all I can say is snip, snip!

I am just about to finish my 3rd month of nuvaring. I have never been able to take the pill (I either vomit, or bleed non-stop). I have been having side effects that are increasing daily. I have a bit of lower back pain, started bleeding the day before I took it out on the 2nd month. I have been spotting this month since Thursday of last week, and have 3 more days before I am supposed to take it out. I am using a tampon today because it is so heavy.
I have nausea that comes in waves for the first 10 days. I also have severe breast tenderness.
I have minor headaches in the early evenings. I am not a headache person; never really have them.
The worst part is is the panic attacks (which I have never had). It starts with me holding my breath, tightness in my chest, and severe anxiety. I have felt weepy and out of control. It is getting worse the longer I am on it. It feels like someone else is driving my feelings. I don't recognize myself, nor my reactions to things. I feel a bit paranoid about things. My fears have been irrational. I feel sad, and cry for no reason at some point every day. On the 6th day after I put it in, each month, I have cried the entire day. I am taking it out tomorrow after I speak to my doctor, and getting an IUD. This is a nightmare. I also have night sweats. I also think it is pushing on my bladder. I feel like I have to urinate all the time, and then I sit down to pee the tiniest amount imaginable, and I do not have the ability to push my urine out quickly, which I could do before the ring was in. I had my doctor check me for a UTI, or any other problem like that, but I was "fine."

I have been off the Nuvaring for the first full cycle after being on it for about 20 months. I posted previously -- but went off because I was experiencing an increase in overall anxiety, including a tightness in the chest, night-time panic attacks, and more anxiety. I am feeling so much more normal now -- even though I did have PMS this month (which I didn't have as noticeably while on the nuvaring), but it felt normal and identifiable. My moods and emotions are easy to pin to an event (whereas I just felt this vague sense of uneasiness all the time before) and I'm so much more relaxed. A friend of mine recently went off for similar reasons, and is feeling better as well. Birth control definitely isn't as convenient as it was; however, my overall quality of life feels much improved.

First, I just want to thank everyone for posting your experience with the NR. I can now identify with the changes in very unpleasant mood swings, BIG attitude, crying, depression, throbbing headaches, slight burning / irritation, night sweats, nausea, and LOTS of anxiety.

The trouble has been that these symptoms came on so subtle that I had difficulty pinpointing why I was feeling the way I did. I thought I was going through a terrible phase of some mid-life crisis. I removed the ring just yesterday (prior to reading of others' experience today), and wouldn't you know it -- no headache this morning! And other than feeling a little tired, mood seems to be pretty darn good.

Thanks again, Ladies, for your input -- I no longer feel like I'm the one going crazy!

I just finished my 5th cycle on Nuvaring. I decided to use Nuvaring because my OBGYN suggested it as a contraceptive, I did not want to take the pill everyday and I was hoping it would help regulate my periods. Nuvaring is the only birth control I've been on and the information I got with it did not list mood swings as a major side effect. I did not realize at first that my moods had changed until a few months after I started the medication. I've been having horrible mood swings, depression, and anxiety. This caused a lot of fights with my boyfriend and I thought that it was all his fault but I realize now that I have become very testy and I overreact... I did not act that way before the medication. I now realize that these severe mood changes occur the worst on the day I take the ring out and during my period. At first I was so happy that my period was lighter and not sporadic. I have not had any of the other side effects I've read on this forum but I am going to discontiue using it. I recently saw an advertisement for a birth control pill that is suppose to have less side effects and I am going to ask my OBGYN about it.

I began using Nuva Ring about 20 months ago and, never having used any form of birth control before, thought I had found a very convenient form. Around the same time I started using it, I also moved to a new town and new job and my relationship became long distance. I had a lot of anxiety, but thought it was from the move. I have since gotten married and the anxiety and panic attacks (mostly at night) did not get better, even though I could not identify any clear issue that was making me anxious or depressed. I have had more headaches than previously, but mostly was concerned about the constant anxiety -- including sometimes a tightness in my chest. I took my ring out this month and am going to start using a diaphragm. I will re-post in a few weeks to report on whether or not going off the nuva ring resolves these symptoms.

I was on the Nuvaring for about two months. During that time my already presesnt anxiety was out of control. I lost about 8lbs in two weeks at the worst time. I could not eat, I could not do anything. My work requires me to stand for a long period of time, in which my upper and lower abdominals would cramp so bad that I had to sit, or hunch over to try and get away from the pain. Due to other things going on in my life, I decided to take the ring out. After changing my diet and taking out the ring I put weight back on, I wasn't happy about it; and I didn't want to have unprotected sex with my partner. I started using it about two weeks ago, and wow! The side effects have hit me harder and faster. I woke up last weekend wanting to cry, then back to sleep, woke up and almost got sick. I feel terrrible and I dont want to do anything, and my relationships are suffering the most. I called my local Womens Health Clinic and they told me to take the ring out immediately and try to get on some other form of birth control. My advice, if anyone has those symptoms, consult your doctor asap.

And, I also had the discharge, and constant yeast infections right before my period, and it always come out in sex. Its just a good thing that my partner and I are comfortable with each other.

I've been dry as a desert and feel like someone just turned her off down there. It just isn't working- there is no desire and when I actually give it a go- OUCH! I burn intensely and then begin to feel so irritated until my period comes back. It's a dependable cycle every month. I get relief from my period and then it's back to irritation and serious dryness. When I asked my OB/GYN about the relation to NR, he said no. So, this month (6months after asking my Dr. that)I took it upon myself to leave the thing out because I was so desperate for relief. Guess what- someone flipped the switch because I actually feel tingly and ready. I forgot how it felt to want my husband.
I also was put on Lexapro for anxiety after begining the ring- maybe a relation? Didn't think of it 'til I began reading others side effects.

I've tried several bc pill methods over the last three years. Last summer I started the nuvaring. The first 3 months I thought that I was going to crawl out of my skin. I was extremly angry all the time and very fearful. I decided to wait out the symptoms. They did subside, however, I rarely had a regular period. I would experience cramping between periods and occational shooting pains in my uterus. Last month, I started experiancing uncontrollable anxiety. My thoughts were so out of my own charater that they scared me. Along with the aniexty I would wake up in the middle of the night with panic. 9 days ago, after reading a blogg of other women suffering from the same symptoms I decided to stop the nuvaring. The aniexty has subsided and I now feel more myself, although not 100%. Unfortunately after reading some of these bloggs I notice that healthcare professionals claim that there is a very unlikely chance that nuvaring can cause this type of side effect. This is due to the low hormone doses in this BC. I'm here to say that I have NEVER in my experiance had this type of aniexty even during the most stress and low times of my life. I have read consistantly that woman on this BC have the same symptoms....so what? we're all crazy??? Just remember everyone has different bodies and any kind of hormone that is not your own WILL effect you low dose or not. It's just a matter of how it will effect you, positive or negative.