NuvaRing and fatigue

I don't have too many side effects with the ring. It does not give me nausea as pills, I don't have spotting or severe depression as with patch.
But I still have some serious fatigue and a low-grade fever, similar to cold. But no cold can last 3 weeks. I cannot make myself to do anything and that's the biggest problem. I am considering quitting NuvaRing.

Tearful within hours of inserting the ring. Since, a constant sense of dread; dark thoughts, foggy, sluggish thinking, no motivation (and I'm a go-getter in a highly competitive profession), contact lens intolerance/changes in vision, vaginal dryness (UGH!!) irritability, fatigue, flu-like aches and pains with chills from time to time. Puffy like the Michelin Man. Yuck. Just threw the damned thing in the trash and couldn't be happier. Paragard, here I come. No more synthetic hormones for me. I quit.

A constant sense of dread; dark thoughts, foggy, sluggish thinking, no motivation (and I'm a go-getter in a highly competitive profession), contact lens intolerance/changes in vision, vaginal dryness (UGH!!) irritability, fatigue, flu-like aches and pains with chills from time to time. Puffy like the Michelin Man. Yuck. Just threw the damned thing in the trash and couldn't be happier. Paragard, here I come. No more synthetic hormones for me. I quit.

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

I am 41 year old medical professional. I have been using NuvaRing for 3 years, since my youngest son was born. I have recently developed severe heart palpitations and bigeminy (an irregular heart rhythm which occurs 20 or more times a day). My heart tests are normal. I stopped all allergy and other meds except NR when my heart problems started. I also have constant anxiety and feeling down, moodiness, insomnia with frequent waking during the night, fatigue and constant feeling sleepy, very low libido and vaginal dryness, frequent yeast infections, and skin itching and rash. I am trying to get an IUD but my GYN can't get a good pap smear because my cervix is so friable (bleeds easily) and the blood obscures the cervical cells. I took my ring out today because my friend saw an ad from a lawyer talking about the side effects of Nuvaring and thinks my heart problems are from the ring. I am done. Either my husband can get a vasectomy or it is back to condoms! It's not worth it! Good luck to all of you.

It has been only the third day that I started using NuvaRing. I'm already considering to take it out. First, I lost all my sex drive, and I feel nausea, headache, bloating, depressed and fatigue. However, the yeast infection has not happened yet, which I worry the most before I started it. I thought the side effect might go away in a week or so. Should I take it off and just stick with condom?

It has been only the third day that I started using NuvaRing. I'm already considering to take it out. First, I lost all my sex drive, and I feel nausea, headache, depressed and fatigue. However, the yeast infection has not happened yet, which I worry the most before I started it. I thought the side effect might go away in a week or so. Should I take it off and just stick with condom?

Im 18 yrs old. I have been on nuvaring for almost 2 yrs now. I just started getting side effects recently. I have "Dizzy spells" that are on and off,i can be sitting watching T.V and I will have one. I get "nausea" during the day and night, on and off. I have recently been told I have cervicitis,but I think there's more then what the doctor is seeing. I feel more "fatigue", and more "mood swings" then usual,and 15 pds added to my weight,which I don't like.

I am 31 years old. I had my daughter when I was 24 and developed pregnancy induced hypertension. After her birth my high blood pressure never went away. My doctor and I went around in circles trying to find a birth control that wouldn't make my blood pressure crazy. We finally came across the NuvaRing. I was so excited that it worked. My blood pressure was regulating and it was so perfect because I didn't have to remember a pill and I didn't have to worry about the patch showing in my bathing suit!!! I've been on the NR for almost years now and I'd say the first year or two were good. But I've had all kinds of problems that I just didn't know what was wrong with me anymore. I've had terrible headaches, nausea, severe depression, fatigue, anger issues, crying uncontrollably and lately my hair is falling out in the shower (in chunks). I actually went to a hospital and sat in the parking lot for hours because I thought I was going crazy. Every now and then I thought MAYBE it could be my birth control but then I thought, surely not! The only reason I finally started checking into this is because my boyfriend and I,who I've been with for a year and half, are having some serious issues in the bed. I have lost all desire to have sex. He keeps asking me what he did that made me not like sex with him anymore. I've tried to explain I have no idea what is wrong with me. Now I know. I hate to get off the birth control especially since I had such a hard time finding on that wouldn't effect my blood pressure, which I still take medication for, but this is killing me. I literally feel terrible. I don't wanna get out of bed and my head always hurts. I'm only 31. I shouldn't feel like this. Im so glad I found this website and Im not alone.

I am 25 years old and have been on nuvaring since July of 2007 (so 2 full years now). I didn't really start to notice any symptoms until June of 2008. I didn't have any of the weight gain (I actually lost weight--probably due to a battery of other side effects I'm now noticing-- I was 125 in college and am 114 today).

In June 2008 my periods started to get REALLY BAD! I mean I would put a tampon in and an hour later be leaking like a river. I was at a movie one night and actually had to tie my sweatshirt around my waist and run to the bathroom because I had bleed through my jeans SOOOOOOO bad. For the last year I've had to change my tampon every 2-3 hours and always, always, always use super sized pads to make sure I don't bleed through any more clothes! I've noticed clotting the past few months as well. Before that I had NEVER passed clots during my period.

Since April of 2008 I've been in a serious relationship with a loving man who recently became my fiance. We are deeply in love, but I have ABSOLUTELY NO DESIRE to have sex, none. This is worsened by the fact that sex causes me UNIMAGINABLE pain and burning to the point I try to avoid it at all costs (we've tried condoms, water based lubes, silicon lubes, gels, you name it, all to no avail!). I went to the OB/GYN in February of this year (2009) to tell her about my painful sex experience, because this was something completely new to me. She said I had vestibulitis (very similar to vaginitis) and gave me pills and creams to take everyday twice a day for the rest of like forever to try and help me. From reading some of these posts I'm thinking that getting rid of the nuvaring might just help more than those pills and creams (and the nuvaring probably gave me the damn vestibulitis to begin with!). I am also hoping to get any of my sex drive back at all. Please!!

The past two weeks is where the headaches, neck pain, dizziness, fatigue, nausea have really started to become noticeable. I almost couldn't finish making the bed yesterday and I've had a headache and neck pain for the past 8 days straight! I am constantly tired and have realized looking back that I've been constantly tired for pretty much the past two years. I've also realized that I've had some mild depression for the past two years as well. I pretty much haven't wanted to get out of bed or eat anything for the past few months and have no desire or energy to do pretty much anything.

I also think I have the mood swing issue. I cry, and I mean to the point I can't speak, over the stupidest things. And the crying comes on with no warning. I can be talking and fine one minute and a sobbing mess the next. I get really angry with my fiance for what seems like trivial things a lot lately. I get very irritable really easily and it seems. This is strange for me because in the past I have normally been able to stay pretty stable and even keel emotionally.

I took my ring out today, even though I really have like 10 days left for this month. Back when I was 19 and started on the Pill I did so because my cramps and periods were so bad I missed class or work. I am hoping that the next couple months aren't quite that bad, but I'm hoping to detox my system of this ring and start over. AND GET MY LIFE BACK!

I started the ring because of it's easy "put it in and forget about it for three weeks" convenience. When I was younger I was always forgetting to take the pill. I am not sure what kind of birth control I'll go back to when in a couple months, but I know it isn't going to be this EVIL RING!!!

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 HAVE BEEN ON NUVARING FOR 5YRS. I DO HATE IT.BUT THE ONLY GOOD THING IS I DID NOT GET PREGNANT FOR 5 YRS.
I HAVE HAD MORE URINARY TRACT INFECTIONS THAN BEFORE,EVEN ACUTE PYELONEPHRITIS,PREMATURE VPCS, BAD MOOD, WT GAIN, FATIGUE. HEAD ACHES, SINUSITIS.
NO SEX DRIVE, CANT GET WET LIKE I DID BEFORE. VAGINAL DISCHARGE, ITCHY VAGINA,
I AM A HEALTH CARE PROVIDER AND I DO TAKE EXCELLENT CARE OF MYSELF. I THINK NUVARING SUCKS!!!

I have been using nuvaring since 2004. I am basically healthy but over the last year i have developed a series of symptoms.

1. Decreased sex drive and cannot orgasm
2. Increase Sed rate
3. Positive C reactive protein
4. Fatigue
5. Anemia
6. Aches in my legs and lower back
7. Depression
8. IBS

They have ruled out lupus and RA even though i seem to show those symptoms.

Wondering if anyone else has experienced these. I'm especially curious about Sed Rate and C-Reactive Protein.

day # 3 ive got the worst yeast infection i was fine b4 i put it in now im uncomfortable ........bloating,fatigue, nausea,headache,.. all after 3 days called the doctor he said to give a month just use some monistat but it is now midnight and i just took it out, and you know what...... instant relief im not putting that thing back in ( from my fiance.....fellas don't let her do it you will be sorry)......well back to the pill : ) keep posting this was very helpful

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 started using nuvaring 3 weeks ago. I have had no negative changes in my life... actually some positive one but I am an emotional wreck. I have contemplated suicide everyday for the last 2 weeks. My mom, sister, and friends have spent the night at my house bc I have been in such bad shape. I have had periodic bout of depression but nothing like this esp. Without any cause. I am removing the ring after I finish this post.

One thing I find interesting, I used the ring about 5 or 6 years ago without any problems. I was 26 or 27 at the time. I am 32 now. Really makes me wonder what age has 2 do with emotional side effects as it seems many other younger posters here don't complain of nearly the side effects those of us with a few years under our belt do. :)

I also had weight gain, big time increase in appetite, dryness\burning burn sex and foreplay. Also some headache and fatigue... but those maybe coincidence.

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 just started NuvaRing this month, and I have 3 days left until I have to remove the ring. After which, I will not be using it again. Only a week after I started taking the pill, I started experiencing fatigue like I have never had before, along with severe, random cramping. Soon after, I started to get INCREDIBLY emotional. Granted, that might be the medication interacting with an antidepressant I am on, but this FAR surpasses any mood swings I have EVER had. Now, this morning, I wake up to my entire body itching like crazy! I've been scratching ALL day, and now, at 4 am the following morning, I'm developing this extreme rash all over my body. I will be calling my doctor tomorrow to see what she thinks I should do, but either way, I WILL be switching birth control methods. This may work for other people, and I thought I was crazy with this whole rash thing until I got on a few sites, and noticed I'm not the only one. THANK YOU LADIES for posting your experiences, without which, I might still think I'm a nutcase with a random rash!

I recently gave birth to my 2nd child in November 08. Before my second child, I had tried birth control pills (which gave me 2 periods a month) and the Depo shot ( which completely killed my sex drive and I gained 47lbs. in 6 months). After my 2nd child I had heard so many good things about the NuvaRing, so in Jan. I decided to give it a try. The first month was great!!! Although the 2nd month is when I started having problems. I was having dark brown bleeding before my period and serious mood swings. The 3rd time I removed it, I decided it was not for me. I gained almost 20 lbs. in a matter of 3 months and was a total bitch to everyone. After reading all of these side effects, I am relieved that I am not the only one and that I didn't throw a clot that could have possibly cost me my life! I took my Ring out on 3/1/09 and think that this is the best thing for me! Good luck to any women who continue to use the Ring!

Hello everyone,
I have tried the Depo shot, copper IUD (what a nightmare that was), and am currently on the NuvaRing. First, I will admit that my body is very sensitive to hormonal drugs. I started the NuvaRing 3 months ago and loved it initially. During the second month I started to realize that I was more tired than usual looking forward to bed as early as 8pm; 2 1/2 hours earlier than my regular bedtime. My appetite started decreasing but I still gained weight. I could only rationalize that my sudden fatigue was adding to my weight gain. I started experiencing nausea that got increasingly worst in time and my hair started to fall out. I am also having horrible nasal problems. I had a yearly physical January 13th and as usual all of my blood work and vitals were normal. I have always been in great shape so why am I feeling nausea and tired and having hair loss? I saw my gyn February 27th and ordered another round of blood test. She made me 2 appointments; one appointment for the GI doctor and one for the Dermatologist. I also took a pregnancy test that came out negative.I am not sure if the NuvaRing is the cause of all of these symptoms but I am taking it out and will see if the symptoms go away. I noticed that some women have stated that they experienced a decrease in sex drive. I can't say that I have but then again, maybe I have been to busy to notice.
Gook Luck to all of you!!

Well ladies let me tell you what... I must be super sensitive to this crap!! I started the ring because I had used it years ago and LOVED it!! I mean LOVED it! It WAS the only bc that didn't give me any issues... they really must have changed it... I'm gonna list my new symptoms and reasons for taking this crazy thing out...

Nausea,
Headaches,
Visual Migraines... spots in eyes
Dry Mouth
Breast Pain
ALL of my hair is FALLING OUT
in 3 days gained 10lbs!!
Mood swings
Think i'm pregnant every day!
Still get cysts (which was my need for the ring)
Horrible constipation/diarrhea... IBS like
Lack of energy
Itchy scalp
Leg pain
Hip pain
All the symptoms of thyroid issues!!
Circulation issues
Took Sudaphed and almost had a stroke!! BP was 180/110 WOW!!
normally is 117/67

My advise... GET OFF THE NEW RING... The old one was great...this new one is DANGEROUS!! I have worked with doctors for years... they prescribe things that the cute sales reps bring...

Contact me if you have felt the same... It's good to know there is someone out there that has been thought it too!!

I am set to begin taking Nuvaring as soon as I get off my period this week. I got it from my campus health center and the resident ob/gyn said it had the same side effects as other forms of BC. This is the first time I will have started BC and am honestly a little nervous after reading these reviews. I am in college so any unwanted weight gain is the last thing I need. Also, I don't have sex that much but I am worried about the sex drive issue. I have issues with fatigue and insomnia already so I am also worried about these side effects. The ob/gyn never said anything about this stuff to me, so I am just going to try it and see what happens. I'll let you know!

After reading this I feel inclined to write. I am a 35 year old mother of 2. I decided to use NuvaRing as my bc after having the morena (sp?) IUD taken out due to weight gain and excessive acne. I was really excited about the ring as pills make me feel pregnant i.e. go to bed early and force myself to eat saltines.
I have in the past 4+ years of being on this drug noticed huge mood swings and definite lowered sex drive. This is suppose to be my sexual prime and man, I feel like a dead fish. I am recently separated and filing for divorce so it is interesting to think that all my husbands comments about my mood, over the years, may have been directly due to the NuvaRing. I thought that he was being insensitive (which he has always been guilty of).
Don't get me wrong...my marriage was abviously not strong enough to withstand such hormonal turmoil especially for this length of time, however, this is all very interesting. I have felt rageful around ovulation time. I cannot keep from yelling. Also prior to my period I am again feeling a little crazy. I had excessive eating and drinking due to depression but some of that could be my unhappy relationship.
I did have leg cramps mostly at night that I did not understand. Nausea seems to hit mostly at night and headaches were something that happened off and on. The fatigue I remember off and on over the years.
I believe that I was one of the first people to try this drug and was very happy with it. I always recommend it to others. I thought it was wonderful. I did go off at one point and remembered why I need regulation...My periods are long, heavy, painful, horrible and irregular.
I am due to put the ring back in tomorrow, however I will be heading down the road of recovery alone, with out my beloved NuvaRing that may have led me astray long ago.

I love my NuvaRing. But don't get me wrong, I have had severe side affects (vaginal swelling tenderness, chronic yeast infections, Vaginitis, painful sex, gas, bloating, fatigue, anxiety, weight gain, no sex drive, engorged breasts, clear skin, leg cramping, you name it I have probably had it) with it some of the effects are just normal for birth control or my not so perfect lifestyle). I have been on NuvaRing for 2 and a half years. I have had many drastic changes in my life while on the medication. I will not blame it on the Ring, but I won't say it was something else.
I loved the NuvaRing when I first got on it. It was strictly for BC, not to regulate my cycle or bypass cramping or anything else. The first year I was on it, I was a sophomore in college. My stress level was normal for a college student on scholarship, I was anxious and sleepless even before starting the NuvaRing. So when I started it, I remained the same. The first few months were fine. After a while, I began to get easily irritated and snapped easily. Again I was a college student, handling more than I should have. I had 18 hrs. in courses, a full time job, and a part-time job. So I just thought it was me, it couldn't have been my BC. Again sleepless and anxiety were a way of life.
I have always struggled with weight. I'll admit I was 198 lbs. when I started NuvaRing. I am slightly ashamed to admit that I now weigh 255 lbs. Granted: I have poor eating habits and exercise for me is walking to my car.
But this year something changed. I graduated college (cum laude) and started my career. I don't feel the stress of college anymore and I thought I would have no anxiety, my sleeplessness would dissipate, my patience back, and frankly would return to what was normal for me
Now for some of the negativity.
My parents have noticed my irritability and my weight gain. (who hasn't its pretty obvious). They never said anything, until I one day just couldn't take it anymore. I yelled at my parents (I have never done anything like that before) and I cried all night. The next day, my boyfriend called and I for some odd reason did not want to talk to him, yelled at him, and hung up. Not really a nice way to treat someone you love so dearly.
I have been short tempered and honestly don't see why anyone puts up with me. After I yell at people (the anxiety and short temper) I always feel so bad and end up crying for hours. Even the little things will make me cry. I was always an emotional basket case, but I was never a crier. I now cry for no apparent reason at everything.
Because of my gift of forgetfulness: a few months ago (5 to be exact) I forgot to take my ring out for the one week. I put it in a week late. Ever since then my body has been out of whack. I have suffered major depression. I struggle to get out of bed in the mornings. I can't wait to get off work to come home and crawl back into bed. Not exactly the thoughts for a new college graduate doing her dream job. Some days my depression will control my life. Other days I feel like a normal person. If you ask anyone who knows me typically; I am a fun loving easy going patient person. I mean I gotta be: I became a special ed teacher. Lately I have suicide thoughts, as I lay awake for hours.When I fall asleep, I feel I could sleep for days. I attempt to get 8 hours of sleep a night, but usually end up with 2 maybe 3. Then there are days I will sleep all night, come home from work and go to bed at 4pm and sleep all night again.
I also have noticed that I crave food 24-7. I kept attributing it to my way of coping with everyday stress and my eating my emotions (emotional basket case, I know) I feel like I am constantly starving.
Why is it now that something has changed so dramatically. It is just me and my chaotic emotional basket case life or is it something directly linked to my method of BC? I have no honest idea, but I feel much better knowing that others out there have had great experiences with NuvaRing, and something then goes wonky. (for lack of a better word).

Does anyone know if maybe they changed the formula or something?

I think it is very important to point out that most people posting on here only come with bad experiences, as those are the ones people are passionate enough to write about. Personally, I have been on the Nuvaring for several months now, and I absolutely love it. I experienced no nausea or headaches. The only thing I experiences was mild fatigue for the first month or so, but that resolved itself. I understand that not everyone has the same experience, but just recognize that everyone is always going to have some sort of problem with every single birth control method out there. You will never know what works for you until you try it. I know several women who use the Nuvaring and not one of them has a bad thing to say about it. So really, give it a try!

the day i take it out i start experiencing bloating so bad that i can't bear to wear underwear, cramps, back pain similar to early labor, dizziness, fatigue, nausea, constipation. i experience anxiety all the time on it. i have to figure out how to ease off of it, though, because the side effects are unbearable when the ring comes out. i just put a new on in to see if it would ease the symptoms.

I hope somebody can help me. I was on the Nuvaring for 3 weeks, took it out for the 4th week and within a day I was a mess. Sweating horribly, actually soaking through my pillow and sheets at night despite the air being chilly. Nausea as if I were pregnant, gagging from a cough! Diarrhea, and my head hurts so bad it's all I can do to get out of bed. Fatigue...I though my body had gotten used to the hormones and was withdrawing so I put the ring back in after 3 days and took it out a week later when the symptoms didn't subside. Now its 2 weeks out and these symptoms have not eased up AT ALL! Anybody else have an experience like this? I'm considering the ER tonight if this headache doesn't ease up. I'm scared, and completely unfunctional.

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

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

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

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

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

I started using the Ring 2yrs ago, and at age 38 thought it was the best birth control for me, however within 2 to 3 days after putting it in I had extreme low pelvic back pain,and then within the 1st month, mood changes, fatigue, depression, no sex drive at all But somehow 3 months after being on it I got pregnant. Now I am 40yrs and started the Nuvaring again about 4 months ago and have all the horrible side effects as before. I don't know why I let my Gyn talk me into again. I am now experiencing major pains in my left leg, which I have never had such pain in my leg before at all. And I believe it is the symptom of having blood clots. Which is one of the side effects that is listed. I will be going to the Doctor ASAP to check this out. So anyone else that is having any type of pain in the leg, even if it feels like a ingrown hair bothering you or a little pinch feeling or burning sensation here and there, Go have it checked out before its to late and it becomes painful and possibly a blood clot.

NuvaRing was great for me for years and then I began experiencing most of the symptoms noted by others. However, when my LYMPH NODES become ENLARGED AND PAINFUL I realized it was time for me to take out the ring and give my body a rest from the foreign substance. Once I removed the ring completely, within two-weeks my HAIR BEGAN TO FALL OUT each time I washed it. After weeks, my JOINTS became so INFLAMED I could not walk even though I had been working out four-days per week for many years prior. I also experienced HAIR AND SKIN TEXTURE CHANGES, and ONGOING FLU-LIKE SYMPTOMS which included: BODY ACHES, SEVERE FATIGUE, NIGHT SWEATS (DRENCHING), HEADACHES AND WEIGHT LOSS. I saw numerous doctors to try to figure out what was happening to my body. After over a year, I was diagnosed with an AUTOIMMUNE condition (SLE). It has been two-years now, since permanently removing NuvaRing, and my condition has improved with time but my IMMUNE SYSTEM is still out of whack and my LYMPH NODES ARE STILL ENLARGED throughout my body. If anyone else has these systems and has been diagnosed with an AUTOIMMUNE DISORDER after using NuvaRing, please respond. CAUTION: please be careful young women as added hormones are not good for our bodies and really should not be pushed so readily by the health care profession. Also, keep in mind that your doctor will not back you when you are experiencing problems from medications that he/she prescribed. You will ultimately be told that the medication did not cause the problem in order for him/her to avoid becoming a party to a lawsuit.

Hello. My fiance was on nuvaring for nearly 2 years and gradually began experiencing many of the side effects listed here. The last 6 months were the worst in that the mood swings, anxiety and depression seemed to get out of control. She recently stopped using the ring about 6 weeks ago but it seems like the symptoms are still persistent. Does anyone have any experience with coming off of the ring and whether or not it could take longer than 2 months to get back to normal?

Oh my HELL!

Here's my story...

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

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

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

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

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

Thanks for all the support!

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

I am 41 and like another poster, I use the ring to help regulate my period as I am in perimenopause. I have had no sex drive, fatigue, extreme change in discharge and a lot of vaginal pain. This is my 4th ring to use, and I am considering taking it out and talking to my doctor about something else. Maybe I just need to deal with the side effect of extremely long amounts of time between periods, but it sure doesn't make me feel secure since I can still get pregnant!

I went on the ring a couple of years ago.I never had a problem with feeling it inside me or falling out. My boyfriend cant detect it either. It is convenient and easy to use. Around the same time of starting the Ring, I felt like I was starting to lose myself and sense of personality. I have experiences almost all of the above symptoms: major depression, acute anxiety, sleeplessness, weight gain, acne, fatigue, loss of sex drive, and now I'm learning that NuvaRing is linked to 12 deaths. Blood clots. Scary stuff. I am getting off this thing strait away and hopefully I can rediscover myself and my health. I guess I'm lucky my boyfriend stuck with me thru this. It can only get better from here....

I've been on NuvaRing for a year and I thought It was working great. After having two rings "disappear" I decided to talk to my doctor about a different form of b/c. I have not had a ring in this month and I cannot believe the sex drive I have now. I'm single so I hadn't really noticed it was gone but now that it's back I realize how much the NR had affected me. As I was reading posts here I was amazed at how many symptoms I share with others. I have always been prone to headaches but since starting this a year ago they got more frequent and more intense. I also had issues with fatigue, however, being a single parent of a one year old I just kept blaming the baby but so far this month without the ring I hardly ever need a nap anymore. I have also noticed my mood swings are not as severe...I won't blame NR for all my moodiness because I have always been a moody person but I can tell a difference. I never had problems with the nausea or charleyhorses or tender breasts but all hormones have a different effect on different people. NR may work well for some and to those I wish congrats. I am hoping that my new method of b/c works out for me but I will be paying attention this time to what the hormones are doing to my body.

This is a weight of my shoulders.
I have been experiencing many of the symptoms that have been posted here and cannot begin to tell you what a relief it is that I'm not alone. I have been using the Nuvaring for 6 months. Some of the pros were convenience, larger breasts ( I went from a full C to a DD), and more lubrication. My side affects were extreme leg pain, excessive weight gain (about 30 pounds), increased appetite, fatigue, head aches, irritability, heart rate increase, dizziness, gas, bloating need I say more? Last night I took it out immediately because I finally put all the pieces together. It's amazing to know that I'm not alone in all of this. The weight gain was so fast that I have stretch marks that are extremely deep and I have belly fat for the first time in my life it has sprung right on my stomach. I'm only 19 so this is quit concerning for me... I went from 165 to 195. I have stayed around 165 for 5 years and the fact that I put on this thirty pounds was extremely concerning. I am grateful I know what's the issue, and hopefully with more energy and a decrease in appetite, I will be well on my way to my old self.

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.

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.

Hi! I have started the NuvaRing almost three weeks ago, and I have been feeling sooo tired that I have lost all my interest in everything-except sleep.Also-I have had these weird, charley-horse type cramps in my calfs which swing down and around the arch of my feet. The cramps started exclusively on my right side; but recently I have started feeling them on my left. I would wake up in the morning, get up and I could hardly walk until sometime in the early afternoon. Today, fed up with this crap, I took the damn thing out-and almost immediately the charley horse tightness and pain dropped off. I also knew it would not be long before I would start to gain weight, as I have slacked off my exercise program due to major fatigue. It has been only a day, but I am feeling great,knowing I made the right decision. I have varicose veins in my thigh and calf area-and I fear the blood clots that the ring would predispose me to. I don't need birth control as my husband is infertile; this was prescribed to clear up a cyst.

Hello!!! I feel like you people are reading my mail! I have an appt with my doc tomorrow. I've been on the nuvaring for 5 months & have gained 10 pounds (seems to be the magic number!) & have TOTALLY lost my sex drive. And I used to be like Samantha on Sex And The City! I'm praying that as soon as I get off this thing, I'll be back to previously fabulous self! I've also experienced fatigue. Anyone else? What gives?!?!

Hi I have had the nuvaring for 11 days today and today I removed it! Long story short I had a Paragard IUD which I found out I was 7 weeks pregnant on and then literally the next day had a miscarriage. Its been a horrible horrible time and then 1 week later my doctor put in the nuvaring.I had for 11 days and last night I had a horrible shooting pain in my right calf.. Then I stretched it out and I was ok, I have experienced shortness of breath, fatigue, hunger,and bloating. Am i crazy? If I took it out am I ok now? Should I still see a doctor? Can I have a possible stroke/clot or am i paranoid? Im so scared and I hate all that I have been though with birth control! Please help!

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

This is my third month using Nuvaring and now I feel that my body has adjusted. My first month, I followed the instructions and inserted it on Day 1 of my cycle. Similiar to another post (cslayton) I bleed the entire first three weeks I had it in. My off week was a very light light spotting -- we're talking pink water. Month 2 was fine. My off week (2nd) was finally normal. I took it out and three days later started my period. My period was finally enough to justify using a tampon and it only lasted three THREE days! Yay!

The only side effects I've noticed is that on the day I take it out (in the am) I get a massive migraine about 8 hours later but if I take a 1/2 hour nap it subsides. Also, on the day I insert a new ring (in the am) about 8 hours later I am extremely exhausted and take a two to three hour nap. This is bothersome only from the fact that my day is a Tuesday -- work day.

I have hypothroidism and was briefly concerned with the fatigue but realized that it is only on the days I take the hormones out and put them back in. I haven't noticed any other listed side effects or at least haven't connected the dots yet. It is VERY TRUE that the ring either works for you or it doesn't.

I'm 24 and have been using the NuvaRing for 4 months now. I've been waking up to find myself drenched in sweat which I have never experienced before. I started looking at different web sites to see if that is a side effect (which I couldn't find anywhere) when I found this site and after reading everyone's comments, I realized how many side effects I am having. I have no sex drive at all, I am depressed and want to do nothing but sleep, and I find myself eating way more than I used to. If anyone else has been having night sweats, please let me know.

I have been on NuvaRing for about 7 months. In the beginning I didn't have any side effects. My boyfriend and I always have unprotected sex. My mother was cleaning up and accidentally threw my NuvaRing box away, so i was without NuvaRing for about a month. I can't remember exactly when i started NuvaRing again, but I'm experiencing fatigue, nausea, and headaches. My cycle was shorter than usual and I'm praying that I'm not pregnant. My symptoms could be side effects associated with NuvaRing.

I think the NuvaRing has catapulted my baby blues into post partum depression. Over the past week I have experienced severe mood swings and fatigue among many other irritable symptoms that if it wasn't for the depression and fatigue I may have been able to tolerate this BC. Although
I recognize the NuvaRing has been great for many for me it has been a hellish experience that has caused many problems with my husband and I. I would definitely not recommend this BC to anyone until they are sure they are past the baby blues/ post partum depression stage and or have no history of depression. Even the mildest depression, such seasonal mood disorder.

I have been on the NuvaRing for nearly two years and had many of the symptoms mentioned: fatigue, tender breasts, no sexual desire, etc. The pain didn't start until I took out the ring nearly 3 weeks ago. The abdominal pain is severe. To the others who mentioned pain after removing the ring, how long until it stops hurting?

Advise on tender breasts... in the beginning mine hurt so bad I could not lay on my stomach or give hugs. My doctor told me to take lots of calcium, they stopped hurting all together. I take 1800 mg of calcium per day. Not sure why it works, but it was a life saver!

I decided to research the NuvaRing because I have been experiencing pain/stinging during and after sex and also a strange discharge. Little did I know I would discover a multitude of symptoms I have been experiencing since I started the NuvaRing in August. I have been suffering from severe anxiety, panic attacks, depression, fatigue, headaches, crying spells, and insomnia. All of these things started up at the same time I started the NuvaRing but I never put two and two together. I had a very traumatic experience back in April so everyone (myself, my doctors and friends and family) assumed all of the symptoms were due to that. I have not been able to work since September and have been going to counseling, also trying a number of medications to treat my anxiety and depression, however the symptoms are still very prominent and haven't been improving. I never put any consideration into the possibility of the NuvaRing causing these symptoms (including lack of sex drive which I just figured went hand in hand with the depression) but now I look at the timing of when everything happened and it makes so much sense. I have never suffered from anxiety/depression in the past and I have felt like I don't even know the person that is inside my body anymore. I am definitely making an appointment with my doctor and changing birth controls ASAP - I will try to remember to keep you posted on whether or not my symptoms improve.