NuvaRing and cramps

I have not had any issues with the NuvaRing AT ALL. I think it's awesome that I don't have to take a freakin pill every day. My cramps are lessoned, my periods are lighter.... I'd like to see actually statistics as to how many women are on the NuvaRing vs. How many women actually have neg. side effects from it.

I have been on Nuvaring for 2 months now and after the first month I went back to the doctor and she said that the side effects were normal and would go away after a few months. I don't think I believe that, cause I just feel so bad. I use to never fight with my boyfriend and now it is an every day occurrence. I get headaches all the time now it seems almost everyday. I feel so depressed and before I got on it I was happy go lucky and the peaceful one and now I am just on edge all the time and I hate it. I get nausea and for a moment i was thinking maybe I am pregnant but I am not and it is just frustrating and irritating. The best things about the ring is I don't really get cramps and no period pimples and no weight gain and no pill everyday. I never had there problems on the pill lo overall or on the patch. I must say though that it feels great to know I am not alone cause I was beginning to think it was just me and also i don't know if anyone has this but does your chest or heart feel tight at time like a palpitation? I am 24 and I never had this until now and I am so tired that all I want to do is sleep and I feel faint from time to time. I feel like i have all the bad symptoms except a few and no yeast. I honestly think this is my last month on this and thank you all so much it is such a relief to know I am not alone. Oh and I do get hot too and everything.

Been on it for about a year and a half. Can't handle the yeast infections and the irritation. I haven't "gained" any weight but have always been able to lose weight rather easily and that is no longer the case. I think I'm going back to the patch. I had worse cramps on the patch but none of these side effects. I can't handle the yeast infections! It's nuts! And low sex drive. Yeah, I had it out for a month and my boyfriend couldn't keep me off of him......crazy? Never noticed that about myself - LOL. I'm ready to have my body and drive back. No thanks, NR.

I was on Nuvaring for exactly 2 weeks and 1 day and for the first few days it was great. The only side effect I seemed to be getting was the breast swelling and tenderness. Then about a week in, I started getting cramps that were very short (5-20 seconds or so) but very painful, and then came mood swings. I was very depressed. I didn't want to go anywhere or be around anyone.I would get angry at my fiance and want him to shut up and go away if he tried to have a conversation with me, but then I would cry hysterically if he was on the computer or not paying attention to me for any longer than about 20 minutes. I didn't want to move from the couch. All I wanted to do was nap or eat. If I wasn't doing either of those I was yelling or crying. So, my fiance and I did some research and found that the nuvaring could cause all of that. I took it out, and my mood swings immediately became less severe, and now, after having it out a week are almost gone. The problem is, I just started my period this morning and I am just pouring blood like no one would ever believe, and I have cramps worse than I have ever felt before. I am wondering if I should go to the emergency room or wait this out and call my Gyno on Monday.

I just had a baby about 8 weeks ago and started nuvaring and have only been on it for 2 days and i am already feeling nausea, headaches and severe cramps. i took it out and felt a relief of pressure immediately. i don't know if it is just because i just had a baby but it was not fun and i don't think i will use it again, it is not worth the effects you get from it.

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

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

I had just gotten married and never been on any type of birth control. i decided that since i was a forgetful person the best option was the nuvaring and my husband agreed. my gyno gave me the script and i swear not 8 hours after i put the thing in i was more sensitive. i stayed on the nuvaring for 8 months. i had serious depression, i slept the majority of the day, i'd even sleep at work. i had no sex drive, which doesn't make since, b/c i was a newly wed. i would be angry with my husband if he didn't say i love you in the right way. i had never had any problems in the vag department, and then all of a sudden i had cramps that you couldn't imagine, yeast and bacterial infections and itching that could not go away. i thought my body was just transitioning or something. i had to eat like 24/7... i was always snacking and i have hyperthyroidism so its hard to gain weight but i gained like 15 pounds one week then dropped 20 the next. i hated my life and my family. when my husband would ask me what was wrong i just couldn't tell him b/c i barely knew who i was.

ive been on sronyx for about 3 weeks, and besides forgetting to take it here and there, i am back to my old self, i can have fun and i don't cry if someone tells me i look nice. lol i would definitely caution anyone who is even thinking about the nuvaring, to really do your research!

First day in I had cramps and upset stomach. Second day in I had cramps, upset stomach, and acid reflux. I never have acid reflux. The cramps got so bad and the pressure from the ring inside that I took it out.
Why can't it be a little more bendy and less springy? That picture is a side view of it flattened, on the directions. It was almost all the way extended inside and boy did it hurt.

i have been on the nuvaring for about five years, at the start before i put it in had sever acne and fluid retention, i started on the NR and i did get nausea and breast/nipple tenderness the week i put it in for about three months then i loved it, skin came good and the weight came off. in the last maybe year or two i have been had these problems, anxiety, heart palpitation, diarrhea like IBS symptoms with cramps and pelvic pain, bladder pain, stomach upsets, dizziness and yeast infections continuously, also the total loss of libido like im a dead fish!
i have since decided to go off it, im a week off it now and i have had spotting and some dark brown bleeding, bloated, aching muscles and pelvic area, nausea, and sleeplessness with a raised heart rate at rest. the main problem at the moment is the tiredness, i just cant do anything! im struggling to get out a bed and even when i do i feel lik im falling asleep and my body and limbs are lik rocks..
i hope this doesn't last long its taken over my life!

I've been only a week with NuvaRing. I've experienced depression, vaginal dryness, vaginal itching, after only 3 days of using it I got a nasty yeast infection, I didn't find my boyfriend attractive anymore, I got offended easily, Also I got this BAD headaches, and cramps "down there" very frequently. Also I got a strange rash on my vag, accompanied with the itching. I don't like NuvaRing at all. I took it out today, since I couldn't sleep because of the itching and the cramps. Bad experience. When is my boyfriend going to get fixed... Back to condoms it is.

I've been on the ring for about 3 days. I've had headaches, heavy nausea, light cramps, and no sex drive, today i came home from school and slept for 5 hours and still feel tired. I'd gotten plenty of sleep. When i had sex the ring kept slipping out and I had to leave it out till we were finished. I felt a little better after the ring had been out for about 45 min. I thought that i just needed time to adapt to the ring but after reading this site i'm happy to see that it might be the ring and not me. Thank You!!!!!

I have been on NuvaRing for many years and have been in an on-again off-again relationship for 6 years. I have been experiencing head aches, heavy depression, NO sex drive, no motivation to do anything. Like many others, I have stressful things happening in my life that I was blaming for the depression, etc. I cry---easily. I have panic attacks. I overreact to small things. Recently is has been worse than ever. I decided to skip my period by using NR back-to-back, I think that has put me over the top. Um going to remove my ring and keep it out to evaluate for improvement. I am nervous though since reading others posts regarding bad cramps post NR.

I was using the Nuvaring for about six months and It started to make my vagina sore, so I took it out for about two months. After my second period ending without having it in, I put in a new one; it has been two weeks and I am potting and getting terrible cramps. I don't know what is really going on and it concerns me because every symptom list I have looked at claims they are pregnancy symptoms or ovarian cancer. ah!

I have only been using the nuvaring for about a month now. I recently took it out as the three week time period had been up. But as soon as I took it out, I began experiencing severe cramps, and sharp pains to my pelvis. My periods are heavier, and the blood clots are about the size of a quarter. Why is this? and is this normal?

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.

About 4 months ago, I decided it was time to try birth control for the first time. I am 23, and I'd been having terrible heavy periods, with cramps that were so bad I couldn't move or function at work. It felt like a little alien was trying to claw its way out of my uterus. I chose NuvaRing because I know I am terrible at remembering pills, and the doctor suggested this as an alternative to pills. The first 2 months on the ring, my period started and never stopped... for two months straight, every day. The third month it seemed to have leveled out, and my fourth month is going fine so far, as far as the period is going. I went from a 6-day heavy painful period to a 3-day light and easy period, which I love. I do not love, however, the other side effects.

The last month or two, I've been experiencing headaches almost every day, nausea, dizziness enough to where I have to steady myself, and some crazy roller-coaster emotions. The nausea I can deal with, as well as the dizziness (sometimes), because they only happen once in a while. The emotional roller-coaster I've been on is killing me though. I'm the kind of girl who normally shows emotions with crying - I can't help it. But lately, it's like anything and everything will set me off crying, and the more I try to stop myself, the more I cry. Then I hate myself for crying so much, especially when it makes my boyfriend cry to see me like that. Life has been good for me - not the best spot I want to be in right now (I hate my job and wonder whose life I'm living sometimes, because it sure as hell ain't the one I wanted), but lately it seems like everything is just horrible and I'm feeling so depressed and I just want to get out of here and leave it all behind, including the birth control. And to make things worse, it feels like my sex drive has just suddenly *poof* gone away. It makes me feel terrible and wonder what's wrong with me. What's wrong with me that I'm crying all the time (damn near everyday, now) and get depressed about my life more than ever before, and am suddenly never in the mood anymore?

I really wonder if the benefits of the ring are worth all those side effects I'm experiencing. Though, it seems with any birth control you run the risk of those side effects, so I guess I'm just at a loss as to what to do.

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.

I used the NuvaRing for 2 months, and had a bad experience the whole time. Within the first couple of weeks, my sex drive was gone. I didn't even want my husband to kiss me. I was extremely hormonal, as well as nauseous. I had cramps and spotting for three weeks the second month I used it. It was awful! As soon as I got rid of the thing, my sex drive was back and I feel so much better now!

hey everyone, i am 23 and just started using bc like a month ago. I am on th nv and the 1st 3 weeks seem fine then i got my period like 3 days after i took it out.now my period usual last 5-7 days and i notice i was having bad cramps and a brown discharge. So i decided to put the ring back in yesterday and sure enough the cramps stop but i still have this nasty sticky brown discharge. what the hell is wrong i feel like taking it out and just sticking to using condoms bc i can't deal with the mess. i pay to much for underwear for them to be ruined by brown sticky stuff.....
If i take it out what will happen i am planing to go to Florida in like 6 days and don't want the brown mess. Yuck....

I've been on Nuvaring since June.I have mood swings,I have constant headaches,and there is always an itching sensation in the outer part of my vagina.The little period i do have the cramps are severe.I didn't know these were side effects until i saw a commercial on T.V. Then i googled it for more info.

wow...i must say i feel sooooo muh better now reading this website..this whole time i have been thinking i had fibroids or even ovarion cancer because what i have been going through...this is my 3rd month with nuvaring..i went bc free a month between those though only because my bf was out of state and the bc is expensive..anyway the first month was great i loved it and so was the second but my gosh..this month my period was normal at first..i had the usual 3 days then im done..then all of a sudden my period came back and it came back strong and for a long time i was on my "2nd" period for a total of 3 weeks and 3 days..and finally the bleeding has stopped but im still having the HORRIBLE cramps i have to have 800mg of ibprofn just to make them go away and even still ill still have a horrible headache..(usually in the back of my head) .my cramps are so bad they extend down into my legs..i finally took my ring out yesterday night to start my ring free week and i doubt that i will be paying for a new one...i have also been very moody and bitchy lol...sometimes crying for absolutely no reason...and as for sex drive...now that you talk about it..i haven't wanted to have sex...im just sooooo happy im done with this..and that i wasn't going insane lol..feeling so much better..well mentally lol...

WOW...i have been on the nuvaring since January 2008 and i must say...i had the heavy bleeding and cramps until like..last month
since last month i had a period that only lasted 3 days...which is crazy wince there usually about 5-7 days. it was short and light....and my sex drive is also decreased...like..a lot lol, it frustrated my bf sometimes...but he understands...

i just hope using the nuvaring and the pull out method are good enough! (condoms are painful for him, and not very sensual for me)

I started on the NuvaRing just this past Thursday. It was fine for the first couple of days; no noticeable side effects. I was instructed to put the ring in on the first day of my menstrual cycle, which I thought was odd, but I did it anyway. I usually have cramps before my period and on the first day and then they are pretty much nonexistent, but with this period I had them into the third day. I still didn't think anything of it until today when I realized that I have been extremely irritable and emotional lately. You would think those symptoms would be chalked up to the period, but I am like clockwork every month. I start having PMS symptoms two weeks out from my period and through the 1st day of my cycle. After that, they are gone (besides the actual period itself). I rarely get frustrated with my dogs and lately they have been getting on my nerves easier. I have had a couple weird fights with my husband in the past few days, both totally due to my craziness, which is also not the norm for me. While lying in bed a few moments ago, I decided it must be the ring so I researched it and this is the website I found. I am glad I found it when I did. I am taking the ring out tonight and hopefully everything will go back to normal. My only worry is that I will start my period and it will last for 3 months like a couple of the stories I read on this website. I am going on my belated honeymoon in two weeks to the Bahamas and would hate to be on my period then. I have never had a good feeling about anything not natural going into my body, which is why I have never consistently taken bc. The only reason I started on the ring is because I had some samples from my gyno and had a pregnancy scare recently, which made me (and my husband) realize we are NOT ready for kids and scared me into starting on the ring.

A word of encouragement to all those that suffer from anxiety and depression:

You are not alone. I suffered from an episode of anxiety coupled with panic attacks a few years ago. I thought it would never go away, but I was able to work through it on my own and I am fine now. I still have occasional anxiety, but it seems to be for an actual reason rather than out of nowhere. Do not lose hope; you CAN overcome these conditions and live a normal life. Surround yourself with caring individuals and others who understand what you are going through. What I learned from my experience: trust yourself, have confidence in yourself (because everyone is amazing in their own way) and learn to let go of your past mistakes (everyone makes them). Don't let the word "mental illness" scare you into thinking you are crazy. Think of it this way... you are going through a difficult time in your life that you have to work through. "This too shall pass" as my mother has always told me in difficult times. It helps when you know there IS light at the end of the tunnel.

I've used NuvaRing for over 4 years ~ LOVE IT! I always had a light period with no cramps or anything like that. The ring hasn't changed that. I think the only noticeable side effect I experienced recently is the inability to continue to wear contact lenses. My left eye has become extremely dry and no eye doctor could figure out why... I assume it's from the NR, though hard to imagine since I've been using it for over 4 years.

Well, seeing as that's my only complaint, I still think it's so worth it. I never used BC pills because I know I'd forget. The NR works great and I have never had any problems with it.

My doctor put me on Nuvaring about four months ago to prevent my rupturing ovarian cysts and to prevent pregnancy. I love the convenience of the ring, although I have experienced several side effects I contribute to being on the ring. First of all, my sex drive is now non existent, which is a large change for me. Also, my periods have become worse since starting, I have very heavy bleeding, primarily dark brown clotted blood and severe cramps which travel to my back and down my legs. I have also had three yeast infections in four months, which before the ring, I had one my entire life. The worst of the symptoms, which if anyone else is having this, PLEASE share with me, is I am leaking a small amount of urine. It doesn;t matter if I have to go to the bathroom or not, I just leak a few drops an hour. This has started a few weeks ago and I am not sure how or why. I do have to say, since starting the ring, I have not had any ovarian cysts rupture, which the several birth control pills I have been on for the past 12 years have not been able to stop. I am open to suggestions!!

I've only been on the NuvaRing for a month now. i just had my first cycle and the moodiness was horrible. i woke up the second day full of anger. i have been fighting with my boyfriend which isn't normal at all. he will say something and i know he doesn't mean it in a rude or hurtful way, i even tell myself that but within seconds i start yelling at him. Today i started getting angry at myself because i'm not where i thought i would be in my life. yes i get like that sometimes but today was really bad, i cried for two hours. i am super tired all the time. i have to take naps with my daughter. sex hurts because of dryness. sometimes it burns so bad with i pee it makes me cry. i'm not sure if my recently poor eye sight has anything to do with the NR but it just popped out of no where. i have headaches all the time. and the cramps are horrible. i'm really glad i checked out this site. i haven't heard anything bad from friends who use NR so i almost didn't look into it. thanks everyone!

I've only been on the NuvaRing for a month now. i just had my first cycle and the moodiness was horrible. i woke up the second day full of anger. i have been fighting with my boyfriend non stop for a week. he will say something and i know he doesn't mean it in a rude or hurtful way, i even tell myself that but within seconds i start yelling at him. i am super tired all the time. i have to take naps with my daughter. sex hurts because of dryness. sometimes it burns so bad with i pee it makes me cry. i'm not sure if my recently poor eye sight has anything to do with the NR but it just popped out of no where. i have headaches all the time. and the cramps are horrible. i'm really glad i checked out this site. i haven't heard anything bad from friends who use NR so i almost didn't look into it. thanks everyone!

I've been on the Nuvaring for about a year now. At first there were no symptoms and I actually felt a lot better since it made my periods shorter and lighter with less cramps. Recently, my skin has been acting up with rashes on my forearms and between my thighs and even sometimes on my face and lower abdomen! I've always had issues with my skin because I have eczema but it's never acted up this way before and the last time i had it anywhere but where my arm bends was when I was 12!
My attitude has also taken a turn for the worse, I used to be very active and play sports all the time, but since using the Nuvaring my body has changed so much! My flat stomach is gone. :( I feel like I'm always bloated and my weight went from 120 to 135. I attributed all these changes to maybe being disinterested in playing sports or maybe because I'm in a serious relationship, but after reading all these posts I'm sure I'm getting off of the Nuvaring. I haven't had a lessend sex-drive, but I don't orgasm as much as I think is normal. I also had really curly hair before, I thought it straightening out was maybe because I was straightening it too much, so I stopped using the straightener and started using a curl boosting shampoo and conditioner, its been 2 months and I still have not even one curl.

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

Like everyone else I am so glad to have found this website!! I am 23 and have been on the ring for 3 1/2 years now. The biggest side effects I noticed immediately was being more emotional for no reason at all but that was about it until about 2 years ago when I began to gain weight and I gained a total of 20 pounds. I chalked the weight gain up to not being as active as I had been in high school so I started hitting the gym with not a bit of success. During this time I still felt ok until I also started cramping all the time, I never cramped before taking the ring. The cramps are so bad I can hardly stand at times! Since the beginning of this year I have really been noticing my body being out of whack. I am over emotional, I cramp like crazy, I have a lower sex drive, I too have noticed burning during and after sex, I am always tired lately,I have been getting headaches daily, I am always starving, my breasts are super sensitive at times, I feel bloated and have had diarrhea for almost three weeks now, and although you are supposed to be able to regulate your period on the ring mine is completely unpredictable the last couple of months! I have been bouncing between spotting and being on a full blown period for the last 3 weeks now and I took the ring out finally last night! I am exhausted and tired of worrying something is seriously wrong with me!! I would NOT recommend the nuvaring especially for long term use!!!!!!!!

I started taking nuvaring because it worked well for my sister and my husband and I are not ready for kids. I've only been on it for 6 months but i've had all sorts of issues, like chest pain, feeling very negative and just sad for no reason. Hair loss (i wouldn't have even thought to put that on if it weren't for this site) weight gain which i thought was because im a newlywed.... and no sex drive (which has been devastating as newlyweds are supposed to really enjoy themselves) I already didn't like or trust medication and this has just made it worse. My sister has had hers out for 5-6 months and has been rendered infertile because of nuvaring, shes very healthy too! and she wants another baby! I took it out about a week ago (for good) but it was earlier than i should have according to the calender and I've been a wreck. I've always had bad cramps (runs in the family) like the type that you literally cant stand from, but today its been so bad i felt like i was gonna throw up and had to go home from work. This is ridiculous for my body to react to negatively!! My sister is now trying a natural birth control method that is more scientific than the normal chart that tells you when your fertile and when your not. Im waiting for the book to show up, its called "Taking Control of Your Fertility, by Toni Weschler" Which involves taking your temperature every morning and charting yourself every day, checking your cervix, as it moves up and down based on weather or not your fertile. Then you know when you should use a condom (since im not fond of them all the time) and when you are infertile. Its not for everyone since it isn't easy, but im not willing to mess my body up anymore, i want my energy back, my body back, and my sex drive and if i have to sacrifice 5 minutes a day to do it I WILL!!

WOW!!! I am SO GLAD I stumbled across this site. I have been on the ring for about 4 1/2 months. The first few months were fine, but these past few months I have been experiencing the exact same side effects that everyone is describing in their posts. I have no sex drive whatsoever, have been extremely moody and depressed, constantly eating & wanting to eat. My cycle may be a little off, definitely lighter (which is a major plus), I don't really get cramps anymore, which is great. But now after reading all these posts from everyone, I am convinced the reason I have been so depressed with no sex drive is because of the ring. I am also constantly tired and fatigued ALL THE TIME. Wow, am I glad I came across this site. Thank you so much to everyone for your posts. I believe it is the end of the ring for me :) Does anyone have any suggestions as to another form of the pill that may not have these crazy side effects? Thanks so much!

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

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

I forgot to mention I've been experiencing cramps, like i would with pms, and discharge. It's just so weird b/c the first 2 months I didn't experience any of this. The only I had was my period started 2 days early while the ring was still in. I'm already on meds for depression - I seriously hope this doesn't make it worse :(

I just got back on the NuvaRing after having my son 9 months ago. I feel like my breasts are tender and have cramps and lower back pain. I am also urinating a lot more than normal. Could this be the ring or am I pregnant. I just had my period 2 weeks ago????????????????????

All I can say is that I am 27 years old and have been using the ring for a year and the problems I've been having are extreme cramps right before my period. Like the day I take my ring out the cramps are horrible and I never had cramps before I started birth control. Also I think I have become a very emotional and sensitive wreck. I can't accept any form of criticism and cry about everything. I feel like the world is against me.

This is my second week on NuvaRing. First month was going fine for a couple weeks. About the end of the second week, i started having BAD cramps. Which is completely not normal for me, ever. And so I asked my doctor and she said its normal. Ok, i can deal with that. When they continued throughout the third week, i got worried especially at night when the cramping would keep me up. I got headaches almost every evening, again, not normal for me. So I took it out and nothing. I waited two weeks without a period before it finally came. My period had been clock work since i was thirteen. Told my doctor, suggested i was pregnant? Took store bought test, said no. So, here came month two, same side affects except headache's. Week four now and no period still. Ring was taken out a week ago. Dont believe i am pregnant, we are always careful. And if i was pregnant, why would i have my period the first month (after two weeks)?

The nuvaring should be re- named to the devil ring. I went on it for two days about a year ago. I went for a jog (like i have been doing every day for years) and felt this horrible cramp in my pelvic area. I had to sit on the curb and almost flagged somebody down to take me to the ER because I could not get up. Finally, I made it home, took out the ring, and about a half hour later I was fine. People thought I was crazy when I attributed it to the ring so I decided to go on it again last week. I immediately felt very much not like myself. I was on vacation with my family and was so extremely moody and irritable I was just un-bearable to be around. I had it in for 7 days before I decided to remove the ring. Once removed, about a half hour later I was much more pleasant and less irritable. It has been 6 days since I removed the ring and I have gotten my period. I experienced terrible terrible cramps yesterday to the point that while shopping I was huddled over in the aisle because I kept getting this shooting pain from my back to my lower abdomen. I have also been having very bad night sweats (I wake up in the middle of the night and have to shower because my clothes are completely drenched). Now, today I have a very bad migraine, I am experiencing the chills and sweats with no fever. I have made an appt w my GYN for Monday but its Friday...that means I have to go through two more days of this. Has anyone experienced similar symptoms even when the ring has been removed?

After all the bad ratings on the nuvaring, I am suprised it is still recommended for use. My doctor told me to try the nuvaring because I have a history of having break through bleeding every day and he didn't want to put me on the medicine (northindrone) that will stop it and straighten me out quickly. Not sure why but I might have to switch doctors. The first month I had break through bleeding every day during the 2nd and 3rd week. When I took it out for the 4th week, the break through bleeding stopped which I find weird. My cycle didn't start until 3 days later. I'm currently on the 2nd month and I experienced large amounts of discharge the first week and just moving into my 3rd week I am starting to experience break through bleeding, cramps, and bloating. I have never bloated before in my life. During these past two months I have also experienced episodes of extreme hunger and then episodes where even the thought of food makes me sick. I have ZERO sex drive, am extremely dry (doesn't make sense with the increased discharge?), and there are times when it is too painful to even have intercourse. I have not experienced the real bad mood changes/ depression but I am tired all the time. The tiredness gets to the point where I can barely stay awake and I always get more than 7 hrs of sleep a night. I'm going to give nuvaring one more month and if it straightens out my breakthrough bleeding I will stick with it because bleeding every day is the most frusterating and depressing thing I can think of. It doesn't even compare to the side effects I experience while on the ring. I have tried 6 different forms of BC with no avail and bled for a year straight once before.

I've been on the Nuvaring for almost a yr to date & could not be more excited to be getting off it next week!!! No sex drive the 3 weeks I'm on it, horrible migraines, sinusitis, upper respiratory infections followed by the excruciating pain of costochondritis, leg pains, neck & back tension, extremely tired all the time, nausea, horrendous cramps, angry mood funks as we call them, bloatedness to the point it appears I'm 5/6mths pregnant, acne returned, weight gain, discharge is out of control & the newest symptom had a yeast infection for a month that just seems impossible to get rid of not to mention attempting sex was very painful. I only switched from the pill b/c of acid reflux and my body not digesting it promptly or correctly but I'm switching back to a diff pill. The only positive things I can think is the irritableness was not not AS extreme as the pill & you don't have to remember to take the pill every day. That's it. I really wish I had discovered this website a year ago as it probably would have changed my decision.

Just shouting out... I LOVE the NuvaRing. Two years going and couldn't be happier. A good girl friend of mine has been using the ring for six years now and is still perfectly pleased. Endometriosis symptoms are lessened, hormonal balance is fine, cramps are lessened, and my once 7 day period has now gone to 3 days. To each their own, there is no perfect drug - but for me, this is about as close as it's going to get to perfection.

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

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

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

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

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

I have been on the NuvaRing for two weeks now and I have had cramps almost every day. They have been getting worse as time goes on. I am cranky and starting to argue with my husband more now. The first week on the ring sex was great but now it just burns and hurts. I still want to have sex but avoid it because I know how much it will hurt. I have also experienced breast tenderness and spotting. I do not like it and plan to take it out forever after this next week.

I Just started NR a week ago on the 1st day of my period, I have already gained 5lbs, have constant cramping (not severe but noticeable) my boobs hurt, and I have constant lethargy. Went for a walk today with my BF and could hardly stand it. Just wanted to lie down...

We then got in a huge fight because I was freaking out about every little thing. I was crying and screaming at him, and we almost broke up. I am normally not like this. So I just took it out. Im sure my OBGYN would say to give my body a chance to adjust but I can't take another day! So Im probably messing up my Menstrual cycle but I'll take that chance especially after reading all the experiences of you other poor ladies.

I had tried to get an IUD after many of my friends recommended it. I chose Mirena although I am usually anti hormone, but my doctor says that the hormones in Mirena do not go into your blood stream but stay locally in your uterus. My friends who have Mirena love it, less periods, no cramping, no side effects. My one friend who had the non hormone one had terrible heavy bleeding, severe cramps etc. So after TWO TERRIBLY painful attempts at inserting the Mirena, ( I had to come back a second time on Valium, Vicodin, and a pill to dilate my cervix) I was told I am not a candidate because my uterus is TOO SMALL! The U.S only has two IUD's. Europe, Canada, even Mexico has smaller sizes available.

Sooooooo, long story short, I either have to fly to one of these countries, (England is farthest but will do it for free) or find another option. My friend just told me about a promising sounding option called Lea's shield- ****** which is like an updated, easy to use, strangely shaped diaphragm. Its available from Planned Parenthood, and due to its unique design is one size fits all so you don't have to get it fitted and can order it online. Hope this helps. Thanks everyone for your frank sharing, hope I have helped someone too!

The worst birth control option out there! I started the nuvaring three months ago when I decided I was too forgetful for the pill. The first month was fine, then after that everything started to get messed up. I was bleeding a ridiculous amount, I would spot the week before and the week after my period, and practically every time I had intercourse! (not so great) The cramps were so intensely painful, I didn't want to move. I also became a crazy woman, I was so moody, emotional, and irritable, and even started to feel depressed. My husband was getting genuinely very worried about how I was acting. Something always felt wrong, I either had a headache, cramps, fatigue, or was just pissed off for no reason. I am glad I found this site and can now convince myself I am not crazy, and it is that cursed nuvaring. I took that mothah effah out.

DO NOT, I REPEAT DO NOT START THE NUVARING.

you'd be better off just having a baby then dealing with these stupid symptoms. :)

i took it out and it better be the end of it's crap....

I recently posted about being on NR for 4 years. Well this is my first month off of it (I didn't insert another one after my period). I'm wondering if anyone has had any side effects coming off of the ring? I've experienced cramps, breast tenderness, moodiness and weight gain or swelling. The big thing has been the swelling. My body is just holding in every thing I drink (I drink 64 oz of water each day). I look at my body and don't see the extra weight, but my pants especially are fitting tighter around my abdomen. It's been this way for about 10 days now, which is about the time I should have inserted a new ring. Has anyone else had similar effects coming off the ring? Any opinions would be great.

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