NuvaRing and anxiety

I was on Nuvaring for close to four years and all was fine up until about 5 months ago - lots of bad moods, anxiety and just an overall feeling of sadness that I just couldn't kick. THEN I started to notice some hair loss. The hair loss reminded me of the post-baby hair loss I'd experienced three times, but it was much worse. I did some research on side effects and found only one medical website that listed hair loss. I read these posts and immediately removed the ring. I would never use it again, would not recommend it to anyone. I also find it deplorable that this side effect is not listed anywhere on any warning label!

Well I was on the Nuvaring for two and a half years. I was taking it purely for the birth control, my periods prior were fine. I had no side effects until about 2 years in. It was December of this year and I started pulling over on the side of the road with horrible panic attacks. I was scared to drive feeling like I was about to pass out. I started going to and acupuncturist in hopes of relieving my anxiety. Right away he said it was my hormones in the birth control, but I didn't want to believe him. About 3 months later I asked my Gyno and she swore that the hormones from the birth control would not cause anxiety. Well slowly it got worse. I was panicking on an airplane- which I had never done before. I had panic attacks in the middle of the day, when I saw the sun set; I was feeling claustrophobic in my own house. I was constantly nervous, and had lost my appetite. So I decided to take out the nuvaring. Within 4 hours I felt better. It has been amazing the change I have felt. I am not 100% feeling better, because I scared myself with bad thoughts while feeling nervous, but I am on my way back to my old self. I caution the use of the Nuvaring, only because it caused me to feel like I was going crazy, and it took years to see those side effects.

this is B again.18 yrs old. Also my sex drive has raised.I also suffer from Anxiety. I have been have cramps when im not on my period or near cause the NuvaRing im on stops my periods.I also thought I was pregnant but the all turn out neg.

I am writing this because my girlfriend is currently in a rehab facility for Alcoholism and depression. Tonight we came to the realization that the severe depression, suicidal thoughts, and alcoholism all coincided with her starting the NR. She has suffered from depression in the past but since starting the NR it has become so severe that she had to be admitted to rehab facility. Reading this makes me realize that she is not the only one suffering from such adverse side effects. I believe that if anyone is suffering from depression or anxiety that it would probably be a good idea not to use a medication that messes with your hormones.

I have been on the NuvaRing for a year now and this was the first month I skipped by my own fault in forgetfulness. I went on the ring to regulate my hormones and thought it was useful to have a birth control method that overcame my pill-taking forgetfulness. It has worked really well not only in the hormonal department, but with period regulation and cramps. So many have had adverse reactions with their sex drive and emotions, but I was a lucky consumer. BUT THEN I forgot to insert the ring this past month; I was traveling and one day led to the next and you know how it goes. I brushed it off as a "medication free" month and proceeded with making my plans to move from the West Coast to the East Coast.

Last week was the week before my period and I began to experience HEAVY anxiety. Though I was happy and life was great (even with the large change in my life) my body was reacting in distress. At first I dismissed it as anxiety from moving, but then when I got my period it dawned on me. Usually I would experience heavy cramps before my period but the anxiety replaced it. I didn't even know my period was coming. My regular body clues were off base and this anxiety lead to a heavy chest feeling, short breaths, dizziness, headaches, breast soreness and general feelings of depression. As a woman I can be perfectly honest and say this is entirely hormonal because

Today I went online to research and was more than happy to see that I am not alone in the symptoms this birth control has caused me. Oh my goodness, I am almost excited to get back on it after my period to see if it dramatically changes on the flip side. I cannot continue feelings like this.

This is the biggest relief. I am sure you can all relate finding this website. I started using the nuvaring back in February and the side effects started soon after, I just haven't tied it to the birth control until now. The first month I started using it I was planning to move from my home in boise to Orlando Florida to live with my boyfriend.. which is very stressful so needless to say my high anxiety stress irritability and anger all seemed to be pointing to the stress of moving from my home although it is what i wanted it was still scary. I have been here in Florida for 3 months now and still experience the same things adding one to the mix as living with your boyfriend should spark an instant sex drive when you haven't been living in the same city for a year. NOPE no sex drive at all. Maybe once in a blue moon i get in the mood but i literally have to talk myself into it which is pathetic. There are times when i am laying next to him and i have to tell myself if he wants i should go along with it. but though of sex just drives me away. Also the depression is unbearable I am a very happy goofy person and it is a struggle to keep my temper in check or to try and work up motivation to leave bed. I am constantly tired and have no drive to accomplish anything anymore which is out of my character.
Headaches I have always had and migraines i have had before the nuvaring about once a week now i have migraines at least 3 times a week and a headache every day in between. My breasts have been extremely sore so much that i thought maybe i was pregnant in combination with my extreme mood swings. I have thick hair and i shed a lot never thought that it may be due to the birth control. I am getting somewhat angry that this is the way we all have to find out. It is frustrating to feel like a crazy person and wonder what happened to the person i use to be. I have not experience any weight gain fortunately, but since have no motivation i am not in the shape i once was because i have no desire to go to the gym.
The itching sensation i didn't realize as a symptom before reading others stories. Now it is so clear how aggravating. One month my cramps were so bad and a couple of months in a row i felt so nauseous that i would get sick. One time i was driving to a friends house when all of the sudden i knew i was going to be sick and ended up vomiting all over myself... so embarrassing and i couldn't figure out what happened. Tomorrow morning im calling my doctor to see what we can do. This is my last day with the Nuvaring Thank god for this site and thanks to you all sharing your stories it brought me peace of mind knowing ill be myself again soon.

I'm seeing my OBGYN in a few days and will give him a laundry list of problems I've had with this bc. What a nightmare, and just now am I coming out of it. The worst anxiety and paranoia I've ever had, no sex drive, horrible neck aches and migraines, bladder control issues and depression are just some of the side effects. I hate taking anything at all, but was told this was an easy, and mild birth control. I'm never taking BC again after this experience. How this thing is still on the market, I dont know.

I'm only 18 and I've been using nuvaring off and on for a while.
I took it out the first time because it was making me gain weight, decrease in sex drive, anxiety attacks, painful sex and i had been crying for no reason. I feel so bad for my boyfriend because I'm just now realizing that my lack of sex drive and painful sex is most likely related to the nuvaring. We've both been confused for so long and he's been feeling so bad about himself thinking its his fault :(.

This is the 2nd week I've had it in since the first time i took it out months ago and I've gotten what seems to be a yeast infection...but like someone mentioned earlier, my yeast infection tests come back negative...as do std and sti tests.
This is my second time with yeast infection symptoms and im only 18...
so, already that seems a little fishy (no pun intended).
Ive also been tested twice for all stds and sti's both times negative.

My doctor and mother don't believe any of this has anything to do with the nuvaring and tell me that i shouldn't believe what i read on the internet because most of what im reading is "rare"..but i believe it and i believe its happening to me.

im taking it out right now.
This website has been very helpful!

Does anyone have any thoughts on after stopping the nuvaring. I was only on it for 2 months but the extreme moods and depression made me stop and never look back. Its been 6 months since I stopped, I have not used any birth control since. My hair started falling out when I was on it, but it never stopped and is now getting worse. I am not feeling well and seem to have all the symptoms of hypothyroidism, I just had a blood test today and am waiting on the results. I am 25 yrs old and otherwise healthy besides this. I feel like all my symptoms, physical and emotional started with the nuvaring, I am wondering if anyone else has developed hypothyroidism after being on and stopping the nuvaring???

With my NuvaRing experience, at first it was all great! I was loving the convenience, it seemed perfect for me and then the side effects started. At first it was nausea. Then came the vomiting. NOW I am experiencing back pain, abdominal pain, severe fatigue, vaginal discharge, tingling in my finger tips and toes. I have only been on the Ring for 2 months but KNOW I have already gained weight. My mid-section is bloated and I FEEL pregnant but no that I am not. Mine is coming out tonight.

I'm 17 years old and I started nuvaring in October 2008. It didn't occur to me that I wasn't myself until February 2009, and I honestly believed I was going crazy. I became so anxious and depressed about everything, especially my loved ones. My boyfriend is my best friend and my biggest support alongside my parents. I've been reevaluating every friendship/relationship i've been in. I've lost interest in my hobbies and passions. I've felt indifferent about everything, not to mention I have absolutely no sex drive. And I'm devastated that I did not enjoy my senior year of high school. I didn't think about the nuvaring until 2 weeks ago. I came on this website and read all of the stories of depression, mood swings, anxiety, etc. You have no idea how relieved I felt. I took out the ring on Saturday as usual and got my period today. However, I will not be continuing nuvaring. I still feel anxious, irritable, and I'm even second guessing that the ring is the cause, however I very much hope that it is and that I feel like my carefree outgoing self again soon. I'm angry that I didn't make the connection sooner because it made my senior year very upsetting and has slowly been hurting my friendship/relationship with my boyfriend.

I put in the Nuvaring about 2 hours ago for the first time. Within ten minutes I experienced dizziness, "floatyness", anxiety, jitters, and about an hour later my skin started itching(back, legs, etc). I feel like I'm high? I called ask-a-nurse since it is Memorial Day and my OB is closed and she said those weren't typical side effects, though she doesn't THINK they are dangerous. Did anyone else have any immediate side effects? Thanks..

I have been using the NuvaRing for about 6 months now. I thought it would be a blessing because I would not have to take a pill everyday. I am 23 years old. Have a fantastic serious boyfriend. and NO sex drive. I have always been a happy person, so this behavior has been obvious to not only me, but others. I have been considering going to see a therapist because i just can't seem to get out of this "funk". And thanks to all of the posts, I now think I have a legit answer to my behavior. Besides having little, to no, sex drive.. I have been having waves of depression, headaches, moodiness, feeling anxious, fatigue, weight gain, (looks like someone put an air pump in my face, ugh.) and plain weird thoughts. I really just feel out of my body, just not with it at all. I have tried diet changes, regular exercise, etc. Basically, trying to fix my depressed feelings/anxiety without having to see a doctor or get on another medication. Does anyone know how long it takes to get the NR out of your system. Just ready to get back to normal!!!

I have been using the Nuvaring for about 5 months now and I can say that I wasn't a fan from day one.

I have been taking BC since the birth of my second child 6 years ago but I often forgot to take my pills and I wanted something easy. I thought the NR would be perfect until I got one.

I have been extremely moody, I have terrible headaches, occasionally the anxiety is so bad that I get nauseated, and all I want to do is sleep.

Wow am glad I read this when I did, have only had nuvaring in for 5 days but already noticed side effects which made me investigate. I found all these reports and took it out. Felt the burning sensation explained during sex, which made me not really want to have sex. Was definitely feeling more emotional than normal, on the verge of tears a few times for not a valid reason. Got really irritable with my boyfriend for no apparent reason. Felt anxiety driving home today as if I might crash. Thats about it but i realized there could have been a lot more to come had I not found this website, glad I found out when I did! Thanks everyone

I am 18 years old and I have been on the NuvaRing for about a week and a half...already I have been extremely emotional. I am the kind of girl who never crys, and lately EVERYTHING makes me cry or upset. Granted, I do have a lot on my plate right now which adds to my anxiety and stress levels so that could be it too. My boyfriend doesn't like the feeling of it when we are having sex either, and it causes a burning sensation for me when we are finished. Ive experienced sleeping problems as well. Im not quite sure if it is because of everything going wrong in my life right now..or if it is because of the NuvaRing. I have also been experiencing back pain.

I am 19 years old and saw a gyno for the first time in October. He recommended NuvaRing to me, and I was very excited about using it to control my periods, during which I typically pass large clots, which makes them very painful. I started with the ring that day, and did not experience any noticeable side effects until I went home for Christmas. I began to become increasingly disillusioned with my life, which has absolutely nothing wrong with it. I have friends who love me, and a very intact and functional family, no man problems, and I am doing really well in school. When I went back to school in January, I immediately sank into a severe depression, probably paired with anxiety, in which I was afraid to leave my apartment and did not want contact with any other people in my life. The first morning of school, I called my mother and told her "I am not OK." I took the ring out, and the same day, my mom sent my father out to stay with me, and he did so for a week and a half without complaint. Eventually, though, he had to return to his life back home, and I was doing better and in the control of my friends, so he left. I struggled the first couple of days without him, then gradually got back to doing pretty well, but was not back to my previous self. I went home recently for Spring Break, and when I came back to school, I immediately had what I think was a panic attack (I've never had one before) and began to become depressed again. This time, however, its different. I hate being alone, and when I have down time, I start to think very profoundly about life and what it means...very philosophical and metaphysical thoughts. I only had the ring in for 2 and a half months, and I have had it out for about the same amount of time, but am still experiencing depression symptoms. I have never had problems with depression before, and am wondering if it has taken this long for anyone else's depression issues to work themselves out. Has anyone tried anti-depressants, or would you recommend them?

where do i begin? i started the ring three weeks ago my gyno put it in for me. she convinced me for my age (20) this was the best method for me and she'd feel better, because ppl. my age are so careless! I've taken the pill before and stopped for over a year because ortho killed me, and i had no insurance. I should also fill you in that before I had the ring put in I had two utis back to back. I obviously can get them very easy, so i don't understand why my doctor would push this on to me! Anyways, I just suffered from a horrible uti and was so excited to feel "ok" again and honestly from day one or maybe two of the ring being in place I felt irritation! I have felt these awful cloudy adomonial cramps(all day long), pelvic pain, chest pain, sore throat, discharge, carpel tunnel, depressed, crying, mood swings, anxiety, bad dreams, tired, not sleeping through, loss of appetite, and god knows what else..It just seems never ending! So today I just happened to pick up and read "welcome to NuvaRing" and all it had listed for side effects were the commons ones such as vaginal infection, irritation, and vaginal secretion...thats it! I couldn't believe that I was feeling this horrible and this is all the information I had! So thankfully I found this website! I told my mom and she made me take it out today(supposed to take it out Friday) and honestly I feel better already and its been a hour! I have an appointment with my gyno tomorrow anyways so hopefully i'll find a better method of bc. I just wish we didn't have to go through all of this! They need to make a bc for men!!!!!!! LOL

I have been on the NuvaRing for at least 4-5 yrs now and I love it. However, it wasn't until my cousin and sister started to use it and began to complain of low-to-no sex drive. I have no issues in this area, in fact, my sex drive seems to be in overdrive. But, in the last few months my mood swings and level of depression seem to have increased along with moments of elevated anxiety. I also cry at the drop of a dime these days. I am overall a very happy-go-lucky person and just attributed these symptoms to personal and financial problems. I'm not really sure what to think about the ring, it's so convenient but i may have to revisit my choice of BC if I find out that it's directly contributing to my symptoms. My research continues.

I knew right off the bat that the NR was making me crazy, but I wanted to see if the side effect would go away. It did not. And things just kept getting worse. I was having some intense mood swings, angry about the most useless things. I would cry in a second. It got to be an issue.
The worst part for me was on the days i would put it in I would get such a bad migraine that all i could do was lay in bed and cry. No pain relievers could help. Also, I run and train for half-marathons and in the last month i have been putting weight on, especially my stomach, even though I have been running up to 3 miles a day.
I am done. today was the end.
Thank you all for your useful posts. It solidified my decision.

This website had made me sane!!! I have recently become a crazy woman searching side effects of birth control like it was my job, it has taken up my entire head!.. I started nuvaring four months ago (first form of birth control ever) to help control my horrible pms and very irregular period, and it helped that out, HOWEVER, I have recently decided I would prefer the pms over these awful, AWFUL symptoms. Although little spurts occurred here and there, this month is the absolute worst. I have managed to gain 12 lbs in under a month ...(keep in mind I am a work-out freak and have made sure to burn as many calories as I take in each day simply because I just can't stop gaining the weight!) I don't fit into any of my clothes and I just do not like the way I look. It is as if my body has just gotten wider and larger. I used to love my body and now I cant stand looking in the mirror everyday. My eating habits are awful....I try to starve myself for periods of time because I simply cannot help myself when I enter the kitchen. I feel like a bulimic girl, without the puking afterward. My binges are DISGUSTING, I'm actually ashamed. The worst symptom of all, though, are the mood swings. I cry at the drop of a hat every single night, I'm 20 years old away at college, and last night I cried because all I wanted was my "mommy." That's embarrassing. Not to mention my boyfriend thinks I am absolutely nuts because I have "changed." When you tell a severely hormonal woman she has "changed" you better expect a shoe or the nearest object to fly at you, which is exactly what I did. I CAN'T HELP IT! I also have been having negative thoughts about life as a whole lately and have even entered the realm of slight suicidal thoughts, or at least thinking my life was worthless. I've been through too much with my cycle to stop it now (even though I feel like ripping this thing out ASAP) and have 2 weeks left before I can take it out FOR GOOD! If anyone has any feedback they want to share to keep me sane through these last 2 weeks PLEASE PLEASE share! Also, does anybody know how long it will take for me to get my life back?! =(

I got on NR because I was having horrible mood swings and anxiety on the pill. My OB-GYN thought the constant supply of hormones from NR, rather than the up and down-ness of the pill would help with the moodiness. I liked it in the beginning but then it started feeling like it would slip out, especially in the first few days of being in. It did shorten my periods, almost irregularly, and my cramps have been worse. My biggest complaint is that I have not been able to lose any weight while on it. I did Weight Watchers back in 2007 and l lost 30 lbs. I recently started back, and have not dropped any weight. I haven't gained any, but I do think being on NR has prevented me from losing.

I have been on the nuvaring since May of 08 to relieve my endometriosis. At first I loved it; less cramping, lighter periods, but then around November I started feeling stressed. Lots of anxiety during the first few days of every cycle to the point it was like I was paranoid. I'm not one to worry about what to do if my husband dies but with the Ring I was getting these feelings. I thought it was stress of work messing with me, maybe some winter blues. When I finally got around to seeing my Dr. he said it could be the ring and I needed to get off of it. He's putting me on the pill and I look forward to seeing if things change.

I am 23 years old and started the NuvaRing in November. The first month was great the 2nd month started with:
Crippling heart burn, Huge mood swings, Anxiety, Fogginess in my contacts, decreased libido, 15 lb weight gain, Inability to sleep through the night, vaginal irritation, debilitating leg cramps in the evening, and an insanely itchy rash on my stomach and legs.

After reading through the symptoms to go to your doctor with I decided to throw the bugger in the trash. I am outraged to hear the apathy of everyone's health care professionals. They should be brought before the medical board for such negligence. Short of death what side effects do they need to see that this is a HORRIBLE form of birth control.

Wow, finding this site was like finding light at the end of the dark tunnel. I was on Nuvaring for 3 months and during those first 3 months don't really recall experiencing any serious side effects besides any normal anxiety or stress from everyday life. But for the most part I was always able to get through anything somewhat difficult and stressful with a clear head. Well I had lost my medical insurance and so I stopped using it for about a month or so. I consulted my gynecologist and asked her to switch me to something else more affordable due to lack of insurance. She was going to prescribe me something like the pill for a 4$ RX from Walmart, but in the meantime gave me 3 samples/3 months worth of Nuvaring. On the first day of my period which was January 14th I put it in. These past two weeks I have been experiencing some serious depression and anxiety. Like most of the other testimonials, I have had serious mood swings, crying for no reason, negative for everything, the littlest task caused me anxiety, everything worried me, and just in general hating life. I couldn't think straight to save my life. I thought I was literally going insane. I was desperate for help, almost to the point of seeking therapy. I was ready for anything I had to go down the toilet. I was probably about to lose my job, my apartment, my car, maybe even the love of my life. FOR NO REASON. I started researching Nuvaring and remembered seeing the ad for the lawsuit. And after seeing this site and another site found some hope. Needless to say I took the ring out ASAP. I pray that this helps anyone feeling like I did, and that soon I will be back to normal.

Wow.... I am so glad I found this site. I am a normal, healthy, 24 year old who has been on Nuvaring for about 2.5 years after being on orthocycline since I was 19. I have always had a little bit of anxiety when speaking in front of a crowd, but it has gradually grown to panic attacks when make any sort of presentation (something that is regular for my job), and heightened anxiety when simply interacting with people I don't know very well. My doctor gave me Ativan to control the panic attacks, but recently I have been contemplating taking something daily. I've also noticed lower libido, overall lack of motivation, constant fatigue, constipation, slight hair loss and thinning, and overall irritability (yet no vaginal side effects). In the past year, any light amount of cardio will make make my heart race and make me feel like I'm going to faint (pulse was at 180 bpm in 1.5 minutes running slowly on the treadmill). My doctor ran tests and attributed it to "exercise induced asthma" which he gave me an inhaler for. That didn't work. Thank you to everyone who has posted on this site because now I KNOW it's the Nuvaring (which is unfortunate because it's soooooo convenient).

To this day, I am not sure if Nuvaring is the cause of all my problems. But after reading about the side effects and finding many commonalities in my own experience, I took it out today and will not continue using it.

I've been on Nuvaring for the past year. Just before I started using it, I had an episode in the gym where my heart started racing very uncomfortably and I felt like i was going to faint after running. Two visits to the ER and numerous specialists' visits later, they concluded I have generalized anxiety disorder.

Over the past year since that incident, I've become much more anxious than I ever remember. I've gained about 20 pounds. I get headaches all the time. I'm CONSTANTLY tired, to the point where it doesn't matter how long I sleep, I still don't want to get out of bed. Most of the time, I don't want to have sex. I have spells where I feel like I'm about to faint (but never do). Of course, the doctors attribute this to my anxiety, and I'm pretty sure that's what it is since it doesn't seem to be anything else really serious.

Like I said, I don't know if the Nuvaring has had a hand in putting me through this ridiculousness, but I'm not taking any chances. I read somewhere the Nuvaring isn't good for people with anxiety problems because it just makes these problems worse.

At least if these symptoms continue for a while after I've stopped the Nuvaring, I'll know it may not have been it. However, every month I feel my best the week of my period. Coincidence???

Like many of the women on this site, I am so relived to have found out that the symptoms I have been experiencing are because of the NuvaRing and not me. I just had a baby 10 months ago, so I have been telling myself that the depression, lack of energy, and serious loss of sex drive were because of the pregnancy hormones. 2 days ago I took out the NR for my cycle and noticed that I finally felt attracted to my husband again. Also I have had a slight stinging sensation in my vagina on a daily basis, which is 10x worse when I have sex. I didn't realize that loss of sex drive was a side effect for the NR, it has put some serious tension and anxiety between my husband and I and nothing is worth that. I was worried about our future because there were times when I didn't even want him to touch me. Obviously something I never felt before and was very worried as to why I felt this way. My husband has also been pointing out that I seem depressed lately and rarely get excited about anything. I am not going back on the NR and expect to see some improvements.

I've had positive and negative side effects. The positive are I've had awesome sweet booty time since I've started the ring, I haven't gained weight (I've gained as much as 50 pounds on other birth controls just to lose that weight when I came off), less body hair, and my anxiety has pretty much cleared up (I've been taking a low dose of zoloft but have pretty much quit since I've been on nuvaring, except I'll take half when I start to have withdrawals).
The bad side effects are cramps (but those cleared up for me), a longer period (4 days, which isn't bad, but my normal period is only 1 to 2 days in length), headaches (which I've been getting every day), some mild nausea, lethargy, and I've been getting pimples all over my butt region!
I can't decide if it's worth it or not. I really like the pros but the headaches and super tiredness just aren't much fun.
Oh I've been craving sweets like crazy, too!
But, so far, Nuvaring has been not too bad for me. If the headaches don't ease up, I'm going to try pop's again and if I still have problems there, then I may try basal body temperature. Anybody know how effective BBT is?

I am glad I read about all these women and the side effects of the nuvaring. I have been using the ring for around 7 months and even though I always suspected it had something to do with my mood swings, I never really knew for sure (at least to this extreme) until I read other girls explaining their situations. I have a strong character so It is hard for me to differentiate what is the hormones acting out or just my personality. I specially have fights with my boyfriend for no reason, feel sad and want to cry (I have never been a big crier), can't sleep parts of the night (I just lay in bed widely awake with my head going 1000 miles per hour as if I had done speed). Basically I was starting to think that I was loosing it and that it is my head (not the hormones). I considered therapy (which I haven't done) because I even had suicidal thoughts and this really scared me. I am really desperate for not being able to control my emotions. While using the ring I have felt misunderstood and blamed my boyfriend for not being empathetic of what I am going through. I want to break up with him all the time and then I regret it. At the same time it makes me really frustrated since I cannot explain when I am asked WHY acting like this? which also makes me insecure.
But this is not all. On top of all the mental issues I also experienced physical problems which are not caused by nuvaring directly. I think my emotional instability didn't help. I believe that your head controls all your body even the physical part. Years ago I had my first bartholine cyst in the vaginal area. This is a painful and depressing thing to go through as a woman. The cyst gets infected and grows to the size of an orange making it hard to sit or even walk. When infected you have to get it drained (cut it open basically). In the past 7 years this happened to me twice. Since I put the ring on (7 months) it has happened to me 3 times so I am finally getting surgery to remove the 2 bartholine cysts. All this has obviously affected my sexual life and my relationship with my boyfriend.
I am really disappointed with the fact that doctors don't inform you of all the terrible side effects. They just give you a leaflet but don't really talk about it. It seems like the nuvaring is a serious thing to be prescribing it that easily. Today I have decided I am not using the ring anymore. I hope this helps someone else like the stories I read helped me.

Reading this has made me feel so much better. I have been off and on birth control since the age of 17- Loestrin, Alesse, Ortho Tri, Ortho Evra. With almost all of those, my body acclimated and I would start spotting. If I missed a pill by like an hour, I would spot. It was incredibly annoying. I wanted to try the NuvaRing because it sounded so convenient.

I have also experienced the increased anxiety, mood-swings, and the yeast infection feeling. I have had increased itching in that area, so bad that I have scratched myself. In order to keep my cycle normal, I'm keeping it in for a few more days, but I'm not going to use it again.

I've been on Nuvaring for about two and a half weeks. I was previously on the patch and had done pretty well with, but I thought it was worth trying something new with a new doctor that I trusted. Or so I thought. I worry a lot about my health and I always feel like I may be imagining things, but I have noticed in the past two weeks a scary pain in my chest below my left breast that has been getting worse. It has been hard to sit certain ways, sleep on my side, and even breathing is sometimes uncomfortable. I am so glad I read this blog! I had a feeling the change had to do with the Nuvaring, but I have several other medical conditions that I didn't want to rule out either. I think this was it, I only hope it goes away. I also am breaking out like I did when I was sixteen overnight and I'm losing some hair in pretty much one spot directly in the front of my head. I have been extremely lethargic and very hungry. Also extra anxious and I don't want to go anywhere and do anything, even necessary things like going to the grocery store or the pharmacy or gas station. I can't function and I have to!! This thing is ruining me. I also can tell you all that I feel Nuvaring is damaging b/c I have been on anxiety medicine for years and have been fairly happy with it, but in the past two weeks I feel more nervous, shaky and uncomfortable in public, I also tend to cry easily and have been in just a pretty bad mood. It has been hard to just be happy, even when the situation is light hearted. I feel like Debbie Downer or something. I have also had gastric bypass surgery and cannot eat much and do not easily gain weight, but since the ring I have felt more appetite and feel like I may have gained a pound or two, which is rare for me. This ring is bad news, beware!

Hey Ive been on the NuvaRing for about 2 1/2 years and I had been hearing bad side effects of the NR like Pulmonary Embolism (A PE is a blockage of the pulmonary artery (in the lungs) or one of its branches by a blood clot) Symptoms include:Chest pain (hurts especially to breathe), shortness of breath, anxiety, coughing (may cough up blood), sweating, and fainting or passing out. The risk of PE scared the crap out of me so I took the ring out immediately. But the problem is I took the ring out after just putting it in for two days. I had already had my period and everything and now Im spotting or I just started my period again! Did this happen to anyone when they took their ring out permanently? Im kind of scared that this isn't normal!

Ha I know what you all mean when you say that the NR was hell, the first week of trying it I had nausea, spotting, and it hurt VERY bad to have sex. I thought this all was normal so I didn't even think twice about it until now!! Lately though I have been having an increase in chest pains, stomach aches and headaches and IM ONLY 18! But since I took the NR out about 3 days ago my headaches haven't been bothering me as much and neither have my stomach aches. These are the only things that bugged me while on the NR, I only had minor mood swings and I didn't have a decreased sex drive. But still I DO NOT recommend the ring to anyone because recently Ive heard of women dying from the NR. NUVARING HAS SERIOUS SIDE EFFECTS AND ITS NOT WORTH IT!!

Shame on me... I had read similar reviews when I was prescribed NuvaRing a year ago, and thought "Side effects vary among women", but the general consensus seems to be that WE are the majority, not the "occasional" exception.

I have been experiencing many of the same disastrous effects of the Ring for the past 12 months I have been on it. Depression, ZERO SEX DRIVE, headaches, intense mood swings that lead to physical aggression, frequent (nearly daily) uncontrollable crying, anxiety, more vaginal discharge, pain after sex (on the rare occasion that it DOES happen) and overall a poor outlook on life. It's ruining my relationship with a wonderful man, who (bless his heart) is nearly at the end of his rope dealing with me and all the tribulations listed above.

To those of you who thought you were crazy, BEFORE you blame yourself, consider that the Ring may be a contributing factor.

I was on Nuvaring for one month and things were okay but not great - nausea and cramping. Then after taking it out for a week and putting it in for the second week I only made it 3 days before I thought I was going to die. I did the patch years ago, which admitting that raises eyebrows but that was a cakewalk compared to this! I feel like it's ruined me for good because I took it out two weeks ago and the symptoms aren't getting better - they're just changing. I feel pregnant and I know I'm not. I feel like I have cysts or something and I know I need to see a doctor. I'm so scared that using this for a grand total of 3 weeks 3 days has ruined me. I have heartburn, cramps, abdominal pain, swollen breasts, weight gain in the mid-section...this was THE worst idea ever!

I started using Nuvaring 4 months ago. Im 26 years old. Nausea started like 2 weeks after I started using the ring, but I never related it to the ring since my GYN didn't tell me about possible side effects. The first 2 weeks the ring slipped out until it became really uncomfortable to the point that I thought it would come out when I sat on the toilet. So, I developed my anti-slip technique after reading the leaflet (that says it doesn't matter the shape inside), to fold it in two rings like an eight, so when it gets in, it would be open like butterfly and it wouldn't slip out. It worked out great and didn't slip out. I wasn't aware of the ring at all, not even when I had sex. It didn't bother my husband or me. However, the nausea got worse and worse with the time. There is nothing in the world that I hate the
most than to vomit and I try very hard to avoid it.

Also, I start getting really nervous for everything, first I thought it was because of the nausea, but then I started getting paranoid about vomiting in front of everyone or on the street. Then it started developing more and more to the point where I was so nauseous I couldn't be 15 feet away from a bathroom. The nausea was permanent, so I couldn't ride the subway. I also got subway-phobic, more like a claustrophobia mixed with nerves, and I felt I was about to lose my mind. I couldn't be around masses of people or the subway and that is kind of impossible in New York City. I has horrible panic attacks, e.g, fast heart beat, crazy sweating, nausea, dizziness and shortness of breath. I feel every time I was riding or underground with a bunch of people that I was running out of air. I cried all the time because of my subway phobia and felt it was nonsense, since I have been living in New York for a while and using the subway all the time. I barely went out of my apartment for almost three months and at some point I was really afraid of going outside just to my doctor appointments.

The paranoia, anxiety and nervousness was out of control. So anxious that I complained to myself about how slow I walked, even though I was almost running to get to places. I wanted everything to be fast with no reason. Not to mention that in addition I had some capillaries or broken little blood vessels in my legs they were blue and purple. I was previously been using Ortho Evra, which I stopped taking because I felt lots of pressure in my legs and when I was lying down or sleeping I felt like pins or needles in different parts of my legs. And I also broken capillaries. I was really concerned with my use of Ortho Evra.

The worst part of my situation was the severe depression I experienced with Nuvaring. I am a very positive woman. I love nature and being outdoors. I have always considered myself strong and I rarely if ever cry. Well these three nightmare months were all about crying. Once I was in a ballgame with my husband, we both love baseball. I start feeling so nauseous and bad that I start crying but trying hard to contain myself of expressing because i didn't want to make my husband upset. Thank god my husband is a understanding and patient person.

I spend almost all day at home waking up really late or sleeping all day, feeling nauseous but, don't get me wrong, I was really hungry. As soon as I ate I got nauseous. I felt in the top of my stomach really nauseous and in the bottom of my stomach really hungry. I became totally intolerant of wine or coffee, and eventually even water. I lost all interest in the gym, or making new friends or meeting my old friends, just crying and crying for no reason. I lost interest of everything, when I thought of something to do, 5 seconds later I was thinking of how negative that activity was even if my first thought was...this could be interesting. I lost interest in life, even though I love my life and love myself. I'm a newly wed, I didn't have problems of any kind. I'm a happy and positive person. My husband was looking at me weird at some point. When people were speaking to me I was like on Mars looking at the infinite. That is scary! I have never had mental problems or anything like that.

My husband told me I was completely another person and that he felt I wasn't the person he married. I consulted our family doctor who referred a gastro for my uncontrollable nausea. I was loosing weight really fast - 14 pounds in total - and I am very thin and that was concerning. The gastro prescribed some antibiotics, thinking was some kind of infection and
prescribed medicine for the acid, both of which made the situation even worse. I never talk to him about the depression because I couldn't identify my negativity and depressed feelings with my stomach. I got really constipated and even more depressed. Also I got night sweats that would wake me up. I didn't see anyway this would end.

The gastro told me that he couldn't figure it out and my lab test came out with good results. So his next step would be a endoscopy to see what was going on. Every day I was trying to return to normal activities like riding the subway, going shopping, walk some, etc. I went to a store one day. Like 10 minutes later, I felt really dizzy, couldn't see very well, sweating, nauseous and about to faint. I left the store really fast throught the elevator
(the fastest way to leave, so my problem wasn't quite claustrophobia) And I went home thinking of how miserable I have been these days and how much I hate it of course crying like a baby. I had to cancel at the last minute a wedding in the Caribbean of a friend that I really wanted to go. And the fact of missing the wedding was so sad that I started thinking of all the medications I was taking.

Of course the ring was not taken by mouth and I wasnt aware of it, just when it was time to change it. I start reading all the leaflets that comes with the medicines and voila the ring side effects are bloating, nauseas, vomit, depression, weight loose or weight gain, among other serious side
effects.

I took out the ring two Sundays ago, Oct 19, and the nausea considerably lowered down after a few hours after I took it out. It has been lowering down gradually since I took it out. The nausea comes like a wave, but is not constant as it had been, and is coming less often. I haven't feel depression since Wednesday, Oct 29. And I am getting better
every day. I don't know when all these symptoms will disappear, but I hope really soon. I just know that this hit me really strong and I don't wish this to anybody. Stay away from ,Nuvaring!! I know not all the bodies are the same or have the same reaction, but, If you have to choose, don't use hormonal contraceptives. Please look reviews before you try a medicine, so you are aware of the side effects. Make your family aware so that if you have strange behavior they could let you know. The doctor told me that it will take two weeks or more to get rid of the hormones in my body.

Looking for an alternative I found a natural way called cycle beads that I will try, and there is also the rhythm method. The only good thing about the ring it is that keeps you from getting pregnant and you just think of it once a month when you're taking it out. That's it! I felt I have wasted 3 months of my life, but I am willing to recover and enjoy my precious health these future months.

I have tried the NuvaRing off and on over the past year. My journey started because every pill I tried gave me mild to severe headaches for 3 to 10 days a month. I have not had headache issues with NuvaRing -- yeah!!

BUT -- here is the kicker. I take Zoloft too. When on the pill and taking Zoloft, my anxiety was under control. When I use the NuvaRing and Zoloft I spin into anxiety mode again, almost as if the Zoloft doesn't work at all.

I am 39 and my spouse won't do something permanent. I feel really trapped.
Does anyone have any suggestions?

I wish I had read some more information before starting the Nuvaring. I read about possible mood swings but I never thought I would feel this DEPRESSED. I am going through a very stressful time in life but before I put the ring in I could at least control my worries, not cry too much, not be too angry. Now I feel as though I am going crazy- I cry so much, probably 6 days a week, I have lost motivation- like cleaning, taking my kids outside, even fixing my hair and things like that. Also I have these uncontrollable feelings of anxiety and then I begin to feel paranoid. This has caused numerous, pointless fights with my fiance- and he is wonderful and is sticking with me (the paranoia is directed at him and in my good moments I know there is nothing to be paranoid about). I told him I was taking it out and he 100% agrees. I have never even had to worry before in my life that I even in the slightest had depression or anxiety but now I would definitely say YES!! I really do think these feelings are caused by the ring. They are totally uncontrollable no matter how happy you try to be. So I would definitely say NO to Nuvaring. Especially if you have had depression in the past- or suicidal thoughts/tendencies. Yes those are included in these depressive episodes. I took it out and if this does not help I will be seeing a psychologist but I am really guessing my symptoms will get better. Otherwise the only other side effect I think is bloating. I hope this help someone!! I will post in a few weeks to let everyone know the results!!

The gynecologist examined me and refused to insert a copper IUD because he said my uterus was too small. After I got dressed, he handed me a FREE SAMPLE of NuvaRing. I said : "But I don't want to use hormonal bc." He said : "This has less hormones and doesn't go through the liver." Well I guessed that was a GOOD thing, which he wanted me to believe of course. The mood swings, serious anxiety, irritability (I would go as far as to say, anger and impulse control problems) and burning vaginal pain during sex seriously affected my relationship with my boyfriend. We may even be broken up now and I blame it partly on NuvaRing and other hormonal bc I took after my 2 months on NuvaRing. I am so sad that I had to go through all that! I wonder how many gifts the doctors get for giving us the prescriptions of bc. Anyone interested in non hormonal bc? There is the cervical cap in many varieties and sizes. It doesn't affect sexual spontaneity because you can insert it several hours before sex and you can have intercourse several times with it on. You can even keep it in for up to 3 days.

Hi, For those who are wondering if you can experience sudden, intense emotional changes as soon as you begin using the NuvaRing, here is my story:

I was on NuvaRing for 2 months. I put the 1st one in on Friday and by the following Tuesday, I had severe irritability, anxiety, anger control problems. I blamed myself but looking back now, having found websites and forums where other people talk about going through the same thing, I know it was the ring. I remember that Tuesday, thinking I had gone too far with my boyfriend by blowing up at him and being extremely anxious, unable to deal witht he stress i was facing that day. After I blew up at him, I was so remorseful and I cried and cried. The following evening, the Wednesday, again I became frightingly aggressive toward him, followed by intense crying. I felt so bad, so angry with myself for treating him that way. These outbursts continued and I became increasingly tired. I ended up going on the pill because the Ring gave me intense burning during sex. it was very painful. 4 months later, I was diagnosed with major depression and put on antidepressants and work arrest.

I warn everybody not to use hormonal birth control. If you decide to use it, be aware of the signs if your mood changes. It is so easy to blame yourself when it comes to emotional problems, but they are related to physical health (brain chemistry). It's all a big whole which you cannot separate. So if you play with hormones, you can become very screwed up emotionally. And don't expect the doctors/pharmacists/psychiatrists to listen or to recommend you go off the pill. For me nobody listened. it was my own decision to stop everything.

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!

I went on the ring about a year ago and I have loved it. I have been having a problem when I drink too much alcohol though and I am not sure if it has to do with the ring. Whenever I drink to the point where I don't feel good and I have a headache, I get really suicidal and freak out. My boyfriend noticed a few days ago that these episodes started around the same time I got the ring, but we aren't quite sure. Has anyone else ever had any experiences like these? I would like to know as soon as possible so I can take it out. Also, I would like to know if there are any other birth controls that people would recommend besides the pill. I don't like having to remember to take them every day.