NuvaRing and convenience

ive been on birth control for almost 6 years now and i just started on nuvaring 3 1/2 weeks ago and it wasn't until the 4th ring free week that my bf said that i was not being me, which i proceeded to cry about. I DONT CRY about anything so im glad to know that im not crazy and that other people have had emotional issues. I will just go back to my loestrin fe. i was fine with that. like everyone else has said, COMFORT IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN CONVENIENCE.

Hello ladies....I had taken Nuvaring for a little over a year and removed it in August to get pregnant. I too, had the extreme low sex-drive and extreme dryness as well as some initial vaginal discharge, but I had to deal with it until my wedding. It's now the end of September and I am noticing feelings of pregnancy...ie: sore breasts, extreme hunger and my hair is falling out like crazy....in the shower, every time I brush, it's all over the back of my clothes and several times throughout the day I can see my hair just hanging off the bottom of my ends. My hair is fine and thin to begin with and I'm a hair stylist so I am freaking out a bit. I read on another Nuvaring website that anyone who has diagnosed Bipolarism, Depression and other Mental issues should not take Nuvaring because it intensifies feelings of suicide. I will say that taking Nuvaring was very convenient and I inserted the ring after my period and took it out in between and it sounds like for those of you who are keeping it in during your period and/or starting it on the first day of your period are experiencing the worst of the side effects. I hope someone comes up with something someday equivalent to the convenience of Nuvaring without all of the nasty side effects.

I used the NUVARING for about a year before I noticed excessive discharge. After performing a pelvic exam, my doctor said that I had vaginitis and prescribed an antibiotic. When I asked her if the Nuvaring could be causing the symptoms, she told me that it wasn't the cause. The following 5 months, I did not have a period at all and started having pelvic pain. I decided to quit using the Nuvaring to see if that would make a difference, despite repeatedly being told by my physician that it was not the cause. After I stopped, my period returned to normal and the pain subsided. I have always hated taking the pill but my health is way more important than convenience.

I am just started on NR 2 weeks ago. I have had many pregnancy symptoms since insertion of NR....sore breasts, nausea, exhaustion. I started the NR on the first day of my period, which was just starting and a little light, and used extra BC during the first 7 days. My period stopped immediately (has this happened to anyone else?) Of course I was worried when I started having these symptoms, so I took two morning HPTs which came out negative. As I read these posts I am wondering if the NR convenience is worth it. I can't stop thinking that I may be pregnant, when every test I take says that I am not. I am mentally exhausted.

I started my NuvaRing on the 5th day of my period and noticed some changes that are going on with my body. It has only been 7 days, but I feel different. I noticed some white, sticky discharge that is not normal for me and bothers me. It has no smell though. I feel very dry inside.....and my sex drive is low. My breasts are tender. My mood is fine however. I am a little concerned with changes my body going through. When I contacted my doctor, she said everything im feeling is normal. But I wonder if those things will change once I get used to the ring and my hormones even out.
Did anybody felt the same way? Please share if you just waited out! I would love some input, cause I have no idea if I should just get off it or stick it out in hopes it will feel better........Confused ;(

Friends,
I've posted on this twice before. I was on the ring for nearly 2 years before I got off this past February when I discovered this site. I have to say I feel sooooo much better. Currently, I'm not on any birth control (we use condoms and spermicide) and I love being myself and being normal. While I gave up convenience and a relative peace of mind, I also gave up a decreased loss in sex, dryness, mood swings, fogginess, and putting my health at risk etc.

I still have numbness in my legs especially at night (RLS was ruled out) but it's much better than months ago. I never had this before I started the Ring.

I worry about others because I didn't know my side effects were caused by the Ring. And my obgyn made me feel like an idiot when I suggested it. But getting off the Ring was the best choice. I have my health, my sex drive, and natural lubrication not to mention a great relationship with my boyfriend (when you lose interest in sex obviously your partner is going to take it personally).

If you have NO side effects and are confident the Ring will not affect you then by all means go for it. But if you have doubts look into it. Trust your instinct and take care of your health. There's no point in taking birth control if it's going to kill you (figuratively or literally).

I'm looking forward to being healthy again and I hope that you all are safe.

This makes me feel a lot better too!! I had been on NuvaRing before and didn't even think that my symptoms had to do with it. My vagina was so irritated and sex hurt sometimes. The area was just so tender, I would get sore after a short time and then have to stop and let myself heal for a few days. My b/f felt bad and thought it was his fault. I wanted to have sex but my body just didn't seem to be into it....I would get dry quickly and it made things even worse. I thought there was something else seriously wrong with me. Well, I took a break for a little while from the NuvaRing and things have been great! But not realizing that could have been the cause, I went back on the NuvaRing a couple months ago because it is so convenient. I am beginning to have the same symptoms, plus symptoms of a yeast infection. I am really bad about taking a pill everyday I love the convenience of the NuvaRing but cannot be uncomfortable like this.

I started using the ring exactly two weeks ago. I started taking naps almost every day. Sleep during the day has NEVER been an option for me let alone a necessity. I decided to research the ring today when I noticed that my belly was extremely bloated. After reading some of the side effects, I can recall a strange feeling of hopelessness and sadness that I've had these last couple of weeks. (I've never been depressed in the past). I've also had very strange dreams. I should have known that an easy BC fix was too good to be true. I was on Depo before I had my daughter 5 years ago and it caused serious bone loss. I loved it because of the convenience and never had an indication that it was causing bone loss (thankfully a new GYN decided to take a bone scan as a precaution since I had been getting shots for 5 years. Luckily I was young enough that my bones are now normal.) Needless to day, I pulled the ring today!

Thank goodness for this site!

I have only been taking nuvaring for a month (just took it out two days ago for the first time) and I have already been experiencing some of the same side affects as many of the women here. For the last week and a half I have been in the biggest depression I've been in in years. I read an earlier post that said if you already have a predisposition to, say depression, the nuvaring side effects can hit you harder. I think I agree with that. I was crying, moody, hollow feeling, and everyone I crossed, whether friend, acquaintance, or stranger, asked me if I was "okay"... It was, shall we say, noticeable to others.

In fact, it was horrible. I just kept telling people, "I don't what's wrong with me but I'm not right." I was grumpy, tired, and had no zest for life. This depression was so pronounced, extreme, and out-of-character in just a month that I started researching and found this site. (I hope that helps for anyone reading this who is thinking about using the nuvaring and are prone to depression).

I also had extreme tenderness in my boobs about a week into putting it in...like so bad you have to gently glide down your stairs because any bobble will be painful...you know what I mean... :)

I had taken estrostep for a few years but I had gone off it for a year until I decided to try B/C again and my gyno recommended nuvaring for the convenience. I don't remember having any side effects with estrostep and I plan to go back to that immediately.

I started using NuvaRing because a couple of friends swore by it. I have had the same side-effects many of you other women have had while using the NuvaRing. I think it is a wonderful concept and would be perfect for me if I didn't feel sick all the time. I tried the patch 5 years ago and hated it. It left a scar for a year and it didn't seem hygienic. I haven't gained weight w/the Ring. I have lost 10 pounds and look a hell of a lot better- the only benefit. I am ALWAYS nauseated and dizzy and panicky. I have diarrhea every day (still) and vomited often the first 2 weeks. I couldn't hold anything down. Everyone kept saying I might be pregnant, but I had just had a negative pregnancy test. I even missed a couple days of work because I was that sick. I didn't quite contribute it to the Ring - it didn't cross my mind. I've had serious drama w/my bf of 5yrs at the same time. I attributed my symptoms to this shock... These side-effects are not worth the convenience. Unfortunately, I will have to d/c usage and move on back to "the pill" YUCK!

Glad to hear I'm not alone. After being off birth control for three months (to regulate my cycle after missing pills, etc), my doc started me on NuvaRing since I had trouble remembering to take the pill. I noticed that since I've had the ring in (1.5 months), I have been the Grouch. Moody, excessively whiny, and a very bleak outlook - despite a very pleasant and fortunate future ahead of me. My boss noticed it at work and I have since noticed, after taking a step back to evaluate, that I have been utterly irrational, to the point of b**chy.

Over the last week, I've noticed that the second ring that I put in has been sliding out. Not all the way out - but to the point of where it's uncomfortable and slightly painful - almost as if my body won't accept it and is, in way, trying to purge it from my body. Sorry to be graphic, but has this happened to anyone else?

I took it out yesterday and am experiencing major discomfort (dryness?) and UTI like symptoms. The nurse practioner gave me two new NuvaRing's to try. However, after reading this page, I'm questioning whether I should just buck up and force myself to remember to take the pill everyday.

Other side-effects include increased acne (when I was on the pill I noticed decreased acne - not increased!).

Thanks for your posts - very insightful.

THANK YOU JESUS! haha. I cannot describe how happy am I to have stumbled upon this site! I have been on NuvaRing for about 4 months and I have since then been an emotional WRECK. I'm moody, cry over ANYTHING, gained about 10lbs, have migraines about twice a week you name it from any of the below posts and Im right there with ya sisters! Today I was scheduled to take it out...and that baby is staying out. My poor boyfriend is such a trooper...putting up with all my dramatic outbursts and constant tudes! Convenience or not, the NR is totally not worth it. Good luck to the rest of you!

I had used NR for six weeks when I woke up at 3 am with SEVERE chest pains. Went to the ER and was diagnosed with *substantial* pulmonary emboli (blood clots in the lungs). I was hospitalized for five days and am now under the direction of a pulmonologist and hematologist for the next six months while I'm on blood thinner therapy. I had to do injections into my abdomen twice a day to prevent further clotting until my blood reached a theraputic level with the Coumadin (blood thinning drug).

Usually, pulmonary embolism afflicts sedentary people or those who have recently had surgery or those who have cancer . .. etc etc etc. I am a 33 year old personal trainer. I have ZERO risk factors for this to have happened to me . .. other than the nuvaring. It was determined that it was the cause and I was told to remove it immediately and to never never never use it again.

Please be careful in your decisions to use this product. I used it for the convenience of not popping a pill daily as I would usually forget. Wish I would have just looked a bit further into the possible side effects before choosing to go ahead with it.

I actually LOVED the convenience of the NuvaRing. However, I felt that over time, my sex drive had deteriated, I was getting more moody and irritable, and tired all the time. After talking to my Dr., she suggested that I try a low dose pill for a while and see if that helps. Regardless to taking any form of birth control, she told me, the female body will still have hormone changes and other body changes that are not controlled by or a side affect of your form of BC. It could very well have been that my body was changing on it's own, and due to that, I needed a BC change as well. I see some of you blame the Ring for some symptoms that could just be natural to your own specific body type. Talk to your Dr. to see if a switch would be the right thing for you. There may be other factors like stress, depression, anxiety and anemia that make your symptoms worse, not your NuvaRing.

Hello,
Just thought I would add some pro nuvaring commentary to the chorus of horror stories here. I've been on the nuvaring for about two years now and so far I have no babies (yay!) and no side effects I could confidently link to the ring. Like most women I get headaches (about once a week or so), experience pms, and my sex drive is not what it was in the first few weeks of my relationship but I'm unwilling to ascribe any of these 'side effects' soley to the ring. In particular I find it difficult to believe as some of your postings indicate that the side effects of the ring seem to be worse than the pill- depression, weight gain (in one post 40-50 lbs!), headaches, etc. when the dosage or hormones is lower. So I guess simply put, I am satisfied with the ring and although it's not my place to criticize another woman's choice of birth control, I wouldn't let these posts scare you away from what is, in my experience, the best form of hormonal birth control based on its user-friendliness and lower dosage of hormones.

I used the Nuvaring for over two years. I absolutely loved the convenience of it, and for a while, everything else. I had always had a little PMDD/PMS on hormonal BC, but over for the last 8 months or so I was on the NR it had gone from one or two days a month feeling a little wacky, to a week, to two weeks, then to feeling like that ALL the time. My self esteem was shot, I could rarely feel really happy or excited about anything, my sex drive had finally started to go, and it go so bad that one day I couldn't even get out of bed. I am pretty in-tune with my body and I knew this wasn't normal at all. It had started to affect my relationships with friends, and most importantly my wonderful boyfriend. I wasn't the confident, fun girl he fell in love with...I was a crybaby with self esteem issues and severe mood swings. So, I decided to stop using the Nuvaring for good about a month and a half ago. I have PCOS so it was "regulating" my cycles as well as preventing pregnancy, but I did a lot of research and decided to try and treat my PCOS with diet, exercise and supplements. I have already had one whole cycle off the ring, and I feel amazing. My body is doing what it is supposed to do, naturally, without synthetic hormones dictating what my female parts do. I am not depressed, my self esteem and motivation have returned and I feel HAPPY again. It's like a cloud was lifted from me or something. I can hardly describe the difference.

I know to some women, this may sound a little exaggerated, but the ring really was making me severely depressed. So, if you're one of the women who are affected this way, stopping it may help. I had my doc fit me for a diaphragm, and though it's a little weird at first, I love it and so far it works great for us. Hormonal BC only masks the symptoms of my PCOS, so I believe treating it the natural way will be a lot better for me.

This list of side effects helped me tremendously when I was researching my depression and going off the ring. Good luck to any of you other ladies who are going through that! It will get better :)

I absolutely love the convenience of the NuvaRing, and it has pretty much eliminated the mood swings I had on the Pill. Unfortunately, it has completely killed my sex drive, too. I want to go to bed around 9pm every night, and sleep for 12 hours, and I've noticed that I barely even feel affectionate toward my boyfriend any more. Now that I've read this, I think NR may also be the reason I can't get a good night's sleep -- I get very hot and restless all night! I don't know what to do. NR is so easy to use, but I'm way too young to give up on sex!

I am 22 years old and have been on the nuvaring for over a year and 8 months. As of today I am no longer using the NuvaRing.
A month after I started the ring I went to Hawaii and cried every single day for no reason at all. I was depressed for months after that and had many more "crying for no reason" episodes and now realize it had to have been because of the nuvaring. At first I loved the convenience and effectiveness of the ring but the side effects I've experienced because of it are no longer worth it. Since I started on the ring I have gained 20, TWENTY, pounds! My diet has improved and my physical activity has increased over the last year and I still can't seem to lose the weight. I experience major mood swings that I have never experienced before the ring and my sex drive has been extremely low ever since I started. What's the point of birth control if you never want to have sex?!

I just read about the 50+ lawsuits being filed against the makers of the nuva ring (one of which is over the DEATH of a woman caused by the ring) and can't believe my doctor ever recommended it!

Are there any lower dosage birth controls that women recommend? Ones that don't threaten your health and make you gain tons of weight?

Also, is there hope of returning to normal (weight, mood, sex drive, etc.) after getting off the nuvaring? Thanks!

I must say I love the NuvaRing. I've been on it for almost 3 years. It is extremely convenient. I do have some issues with weight and depression, but I've had those for a while so I don't think I can blame them on NuvaRing. I was previously on Depo for 3 years, and before that various pills (which I could never remember to take). I loved the Depo for it's convenience, but I think it caused a lot more weight gain and loss of sex drive than any other birth control method I've tried. I also tri-cycle my rings (I only have my period after every third ring cycle). The less periods the better in my opinion. I have very very light bleeding during my period. The only drawback is I have one day of horrible cramps that I never used to have. I just take some Ibuprofen and remember that it's only one day every three months.

Unfortunately I have crappy health insurance that won't cover NuvaRing, so I'm thinking about switching to Mirena. I'll miss the Ring, but hopefully Mirena will be good to me.

I have been on NuvaRing for about 9 months now. I really love the convenience of it. I have had no complaints until now. About two months ago I was having some issues with insomnia. I tried a prescription sleeping pill (rozerem, I'm not sure how to spell it) for about a week and after I got off of it I was back to my usual sleeping habits. It didn't even cross my mind that it could be the ring. I thought it was just stress from school. I might have been that and not the ring.

I have put on about 15 pounds but again I attribute that to my eating habits, not the ring. However, the past month and a half I have been on a strict diet and meeting with a personal trainer 2-3 times a week. On top of meeting with the trainer I go to the gym for a least an hour everyday. In spite of all this, I gained 3 pounds (on top of the 15). My doctor said it could be my thyroid but I just got the results of my blood test and my thyroid is normal. So I think it must be the ring.

The problem is that I really like the ring and I don’t want to get off it. Has anyone gained weight from the ring but been able to lose it while staying on the ring?

Thanks to all of you who have posted your experience with the Nuva Ring. I have been on it about a year, and have had side effects that I never attributed to the Ring.

I have been trying to lose weight and have been unsuccessful, despite my best efforts. I have gained about 15 lbs. in the past year, though I eat well and work out often. I CAN'T lose a pound! Plus, I am tired all the time, have limited sex drive, and often feel seriously depressed. I even went to a general practitioner to have thyroid test done, and nothing is wrong with me at all. I am not anemic and my thyroid is just fine. So? What's the problem here?

I happened to glance at an article in my newspaper yesterday about a woman around my age (I am 28) who was on Nuva Ring. She began coughing up blood, and it turns out she had a few clots in her lungs that they said had to be caused by the ring, as the woman had NO history of this in her family. I know that this a severe possible side effect and doesn't happen to many people...so then I decided to do my OWN research. I found this page and realized that perhaps my symptoms are NOT caused by anything my body is doing wrong, but just from this birth control. I just put my new ring in yesterday, but now I think I should take it out and go back to the diaphragm, because it seems to me that if these symptoms came on around the time I started the Ring, maybe they will just go away after I am off it for a while.

Geez, and it's crappy because aside from the possible harm it's doing to my body, I LOVE the convenience of the Ring. I sure wish I could stay on it, but I am getting too old to be irresponsible about my health. I used to be able to ignore the side effects on the package, because I figured it would never happen to me. But it seems that it's happening to so many people, I just don't want to take the risk anymore.

Again, thanks to those that have posted. I appreciate knowing I am not alone here!

I started using the Nuvaring 6 months ago because my doctor didn't want me on the patch anymore due to the threat of stroke. I was on the patch for two years and had no problems (I was 5'9", about 180lbs, so the higher dose of hormone was fine for my size). Since I started the Nuvaring I've had excessive discharge (soaking onto my pants!), I'm tired all the time but can't sleep at night, I've gained a lot of unexplained weight (hence, I said I WAS about 180, I think now I'm up to 200) despite increasing workouts and no diet changes, and I have NO sex drive, which really freaked me out. At first I thought it had something to do with my boyfriend, like I had lost my attraction to him. Then I thought, "If Brad Pitt walked in my house right now, would I want to have sex with him?" and I realized the answer was no. Talk about freaked out! Also, during my period I had a day of intense cramps, which I've never had in my life! Something about that just isn't right.
After I found this site I realized all of these side effects are common, so I'm calling my doctor to go back on the patch and feel normal again! Tell me, though, ladies, if I take the ring out after only being in for 1.5 weeks, will I get my period after a couple days like I usually do or will it wait until the normal time?
To anyone wondering about the Nuvaring, you'd have to try it to see if it works for you. Some women love it, and I have to admit the convenience is the best I've had, but for others the side effects are life-altering. Everyone's different!

I have been on the NuvaRing for 3 weeks now.... It is convenient but the entire time I was extremely queasy and nauseous with a little cramping almost every day. I just took the ring out three days ago for the "off week" and i am having extremely severe symptoms, such as nausea without vomiting, i cant smell some foods or i want to throw up, and cramping. i should have had my period today (it says 2-3 days) but i haven't yet. i am extremely anxious (more so than I've ever been) and my boyfriend is really worried about me right now. i feel pregnant, but i shouldn't be! it seems impossible because we've ALWAYS been safe.

i might not put it back in!!! it seems like this convenience isn't worth the suffering and panicking every month!

I'm really scared now!!!

I've been on BC for about five months now but I've been incredibly "hormonal" as you girls can relate...except an extreme. So crazy. crying, no reason.

so i said...maybe the NuvaRing. my friends on it...I'll try it. i put it in and immediately inside my vagina started to feel irritated.

I don't want anything related to depression/weight gain/etc because i already have that shit going on.

I'm also worried to completely change personalities. Witch could be a good thing.

DOES ANYONE! have anything good to say about this thing?

I have gone to so many doctors to help me figure out what's been going on with my body the past 6 months, and now it all makes sense. I've had INTENSE pain in my right side that I had looked at, and northing's been found, been back to my gynecologist for the burning after and during sex, I've have NO sex drive for months and has almost cost me my relationship, I've been bloated every night, been depressed, lazy, school work and drive has deteriorated, my mind is so foggy, I've gained 10 LBS, had severe headaches, especially behind my right eye, been to an orthopedics for HORRIBLE back pain that I thought was hip pain- it paralyzes me twice a week to a point where I can't move for 10 minutes at a time, I've been irritable and just not myself ... I mean the list goes on and on--- and this all began, I recognize now, when I started using the ring. Every hell I have gone through since August, is due to this tiny convenience.
Thank you everyone for your comments- tomorrow I am making an appointment to have my liver checked out (cross my fingers)- I'm mad- I'm so upset. They should not have "safe" things like this on the market. I'm suing if I find something. I feel like I've been a test subject. I'm 21- I want my life back!

lower than low sex drive, occasional sharp pains in the uterus/ovaries... I'm actually considering going to the doctor pretty soon about it-- I mean, aside from the convenience of not having to worry about taking a daily pill, I don't feel as healthy as I did before starting the prescription. I'm still weighing the odds of whether or not I should stop using it. It's almost as if I feel swollen.

I'm glad I've stumbled across this site... now I know I'm not the only one dissatisfied with the product

Yuck. When I first put in NuvaRing, I experienced the severe nausea, but that only lasted for a day or so. I've been on it for almost 3 months now and have noticed that am not sleeping as well as I had in the past. I'm always feeling tired and slightly down. I try to lead a very healthy lifestyle; I exercise daily and eat a very healthy, balanced diet. Despite these facts, I seem to be slowly gaining weight. Don't get me wrong, I love the convenience of not having to take a pill everyday, and the NuvaRing has actually helped to clear up my skin. I'm not sure if the hormones are throwing my body out of whack or what. I don't think I'm willing to sacrifice feeling and looking good for the sake of convenience. I hope there are other options that don't screw with a person's lifestyle. I think I'm gonna check out IUD's...

I have used NuvaRing for over a year now and LOVE IT! I always forgot to take birth control pills, but it's so easy to use the NuvaRing. I've have had no side effects.It scares me to read these side effects that other women have had, but I would say unless you have issues with it or there are really bad statistics out there, the ring is much better.

Like most posts, I am happy that I found this site. I have been on one form of birth control or another for 11 years (16-27). I have been on the NuvaRing for almost 3 years. Loved the convenience and short periods! Didn't like the weird smelling discharge, but it seemed a small price to pay. Almost a year ago, I suddenly lost my sex drive and motivation, both of which were strong presences in my life. I attributed this decline to moving to a new area that lacked all of the things that I enjoyed. I forced my motivation back into gear, but I was just going through the motions. I tried to do the same with sex, and it worked during the off week of the ring. Still, I didn't attribute my symptoms to the ring. I lived with this until last month, when I started getting nosebleeds and the last bit of my sex drive left. The discharge was so bad I embarrassed myself. I was disgusted with any sort of sexual touch, although clothed-cuddling was fine. My mood declined and I actually thought I should go to a professional for depression. Finally, I called a friend crying about how horrible my life was, and how miserable i was and blah, blah, blah. She mentioned that it could be birth control. Since I had been on b/c for so long, and the ring for three years, I thought there was no way that these symptoms would just appear out of the blue. but i was desperate and didn't put the ring back in this month. i have been without the ring for a little over a week now, and I'm already noticing some differences. I don't have to force myself to get motivated, I am not as moody, i can think clearly without getting distracted easily and I'm not as hungry anymore. sex drive is still non-existent, but I'm no longer disgusted by the thought of sex. The discharge has vanished. I do have to mention that I did have some "withdrawal" symptoms. My breasts became so tender that I didn't want to wear a shirt or even move. I had some generalized cramping in my abdominal region for a couple of days that was pretty intense.

if all of these symptoms were caused by the NuvaRing, what am I supposed to do now? Pills made my breasts extremely tender all of the time. condoms are okay, but I'm anxious that they might break. and since I haven't given birth, the doctor isn't eager to put me on the IUD. and when am I going to get my sex drive back?

I started the ring seven months ago and thought, at first, that it was perfect. Though my period lasted 12 days when I first inserted it and my mood swings were monstrous (upon insertion) the first couple months After about 3 months my moodiness - now, one week before I start my period - has become uncontrollable. At first, it was just sore, enlarged breasts and a slight decrease in my sex drive, then it became, depression and crying for no reason, then a burning sensation in my hips and now my depression and crying jags have become all consuming and detrimental to my entire well-being. I would like to know what type of BC that women with similar symptoms have started taking. I need to change before my entire life becomes compromised because of my mood swings.

I was on the Nuvaring for 3 years. I had similar experiences to everyone else here. They came on so gradually I seriously thought it was something else. I had night sweats almost everynight some nights so bad I had to change clothing and bedding in the middle of the night. I thought I had cancer! And then the migraines came on a couple times per month, and headaches every evening some lasted until morning. . I never had a migraine before but I attributed it to stress. I also had chronic swollen glands in my head and neck that were sore. I kept asking my doctor she just did blood tests and said I was fine. All of these would cycle so you thought it wouldn't happen again and then it did. I loved the convenience of it so I stayed on it too long. I just got married so I went off it 2 weeks ago and I haven't felt so good in years!

I started using the Nuvaring a few months ago. Since then I experienced itching, burning, irritation that got better and worse but never completely went away. Sex with my boyfriend became very painful and the burning sensation lasted a long time after we were done having sex. I went to the doctor and she told me to take it out immediately and put me on a month long dose of antibiotics to attach the chronic yeast infections that would not go away because of the ring. I took it out and immediately started feeling better. I only started on NuvaRing for the convenience but my advice is if you can live with the pill stay on it because the side effects of the ring are not worth it.

I've been on the ring for two months, at first I loved it, but now I've noticing that the mood swings are terrible. I am a bit of an emotioanl person, but lately I've been HORRIBLE. I snap at my boyfriend for no reason,and I cry all the time. I think I'ts ruining my relationship with my boyfriend. I've also gained about 5 pounds since I started using it. I'm always craving sweets. I also get more headaches than I used to. I think I'll give it another month, but if the side effects continue I will be forced to discontinue it. I do love the convenience of not having to remember to take a pill everyday.

I thought I was the only one experiencing the mood swings. I am an emotional wreck!!! Everything my fiance does irritates the hell out of me. I feel like I am about to loose the best thing that has ever happened to me because I can't seem to get hold of my emotions. I am experiencing discharge unlike anything I've ever experienced before and my sex drive is non existent. I loved the nuva ring because of the convenience but it seems to be causing more problems than it's worth. I would not recommend it to anyone. I wish I'd found this website before I tried the nuva ring... then maybe my life wouldn't be in such a state of chaos.

Wow. After reading about everyone else's experience, I feel much better. I love the convenience of the Nuvaring, and in the two months I have used it, I have experienced no vaginal discharge or pain. However, the mood swings and bouts of depression have been positively debilitating. I don't know if it's a direct result of the ring or a side effect of the depression, but I am so tired all the time. I have fallen asleep three times over the course of the past two weeks in my car at work in the middle of the day. My sex drive is non-existent and I feel like a bloated cow. In September, I was running 11-minute miles in 5K races. Last week, I could barely walk on the treadmill for 35 minutes. I just feel like my body is betraying me. Will it get better????

I have been on Nuvaring for 2 months now. I have noticed that I have had a very thick, mucousy discharge, nauseated all the time, and have severe mood swings. I can be really happy one day and the next I totally hate EVERYBODY! I feel absolutely CRAZY!! and as for sex drive...what's that? My husband is always wanting to have sex and I look at him and say,"Dude, are you freaking kidding me? You want to have sex...AGAIN?" and that is so not me. I am nothing like what I used to be before I started it. And I don't know if anyone else has had this weird side effect, but I get really dizzy and lightheaded and tingly. And I have passed out once. Not sure if it's the ring, but I have been constantly dizzy and lightheaded since. I don't dare pick up my children for fear of dropping them. I also have been sleeping HORRIBLY. It takes me at least 4 hours to get to sleep at night. Then, once I finally do, I wake up a million times a night. And all these symptoms seem to progressively be getting worse. I thought they might get better as time went on...no way! i am stopping this thing on sunday!!! The convenience is really nice, but is so not worth the crazy way it makes me feel!!

I'm so glad I found this sight!! I knew the ring wasn't for me, but my OB said I was crazy, and that my experiences were more stress based rather than birth control based. My sex drive has diminished, I experience pain during intercourse, I've had 5 UTIs this year, I have extreme mood swings - especially the week before my period, and I can not lose any weight - no matter how much I exercise or how healthy I eat.

I KNOW that the Nuva Ring is the cause of this and I won't stay on for another month. I will be giving up convenience, but my marriage and family is more important.

I have been on Nuvaring for 2.5 years. Most of the initial side effects (spotting, discharge) cleared up after six months or so, but I started having migraines around my period for the first time in my life. My doctor suggested I leave the ring in for three weeks then replace it with another ring right away, skipping my period (and hopefully the headache). I've been doing this for six months and the migraines have gotten MORE frequent. I hate to do it, but I'm going off Nuvaring to see if the migraines stop. It just isn't worth the convenience for me. I've been miserable.

I have been using the Nuvaring for the past couple of years. While it's a greatly effective form of birth control & I love the convenience I have recently started to realize that some of the problems I've been having may be side effects of it though. My sex drive dropped to almost nothing shortly after going on the nuvaring...I thought it was just my life (twins born 13 weeks early and were about a year old at the time and I was in college full time). Then the depression started getting worse & worse. I've been on and off several anti-depressants in the past year or two and they help, but don't help the sex drive problem. My husband & I have decided to try for another baby, so I'm stopping the nuvaring this month as well as the welbutrin xl and am hoping that I will see an improvement in both sex drive and the depression. I had no idea that these problems could be related to the nuvaring. None of the Drs I've seen mentioned it as a possible cause for these issues.

I have used the ring for 2 months. Loved the convenience compared to taking the pill every day. But I've been bleeding constantly and cramping for the past 3-4 weeks. Also at one point I thought the ring fell out, but then I found it a few days later. It has been scary to bleed this long even after taking it out. I'll probably switch back to the pill.