NuvaRing and leg cramps

I have a really bad rash under my breast and leg cramps off and on so i took it out. i also had burning sensation after sex.

I have to say the nuvaring has been pretty good for me. I am so thankful not to have had any major side effects from it. For a very long time I was not given any Bc that had hormones because my mom had a stroke from estrogen in the BC pill. It was in the 70's and MUCH higher doses of estrogen were in the pill. But anything with estrogen was off limits to me. I was in the need of some form of BC after 10 years not being sexually active.My husband died of cancer and was not dating until 10 years later. I went for BC counseling and the doc. recommended the Nuvaring. yes it has a tiny bit of estrogen but sh was not worried. I also complained that my period was always so heavy I had to wear the depends underwear because if I didn't I would have to change a tampon or a pad every 8-10 minutes. And I had extreme cramps so bad they went down the front of my legs. She was like "have I got a deal for you'! Well... she put me on the nuva ring and had me change it every 28 days no break in between. Result: NO PERIOD! I love that woman. Ok on to the side effects...I had spotting for like 3 months here and there, The first few months I lost a clump of hair to the side of my part by my forehead..it grew back..I get leg cramps every once in a while and they are doosies (sore for 2 days after) If I forget to remove it during sex my vagina burns after. and yes I have more wetness in my vagina. My b/f jokes it is I just think about him too much! Ladies to all of you that have the terrible side effects my heart goes out to you. I hope you find the BC that works for you. Keep trying others there will be a good fit for you sooner or later.

Just to put my two cents in as well... I began NuvaRing three weeks ago and it crept into my life like a disease.
~ My co-workers thought I was constantly mad at them.
~ I had a look of 'disgust' on my face all the time.
~ I haven't smiled for the past three weeks.
~ I CAN sleep all day--> no question about it.
~ My sex drive is gone.
~ I was having extreme leg cramps.
~ I could eat everything on the face of the earth.
~ I feel fatter than ever before.
~ I felt constipated for three weeks...as soon as I took it out for 'the week
off' I had extreme, severe cramping diarrhea.
~ I have had the uncontrollable desire to drink alcohol excessively (??)
~ Yesterday I wanted to kill myself and the world--> It was best for all
mankind that I lock myself in my bedroom

Next month I am going to switch to a different kind of BC

Wow..I thought I was the only one! I have been on the NuvaRIng for 7 months and my libido has crashed. I don't know what is going on because this has never happened before I am only 26. I have also experienced being really cold at times and leg cramps, and lets not get into the mood swings.. I see that I am not the only one who is feeling this as well. I think I am going to try to find a different method.

Where do I begin?

I can’t tell you all how appreciative I am to find this site! I have been on the NuvaRing for nearly three years and was ignorant enough to never attribute my increasing problems to this terrible medication. In all fairness, I must admit that the initial reason I decided to use the ring was because I had even worse results with three different types of pills. My doctor then prescribed the ring, telling me that it would have the very least amount of hormones of any birth control. What she didn’t tell me and may not even know is that some women can not physically handle any type of added hormones at all in their body and must use a non-hormonal method. Why don’t they warn us of this?!

I come from a generally nervous and careful family. You could say they take life very seriously and perhaps too much at times. However, I myself have always been very social, productive, and had a passion for life. I used to love to write. I was good at it. When I started taking birth control, I was busy planning my wedding and so I just figured all the stress and business of life was taking all the fun out of everything. When I did get married, my sex drive tapered drastically (with the exception of my “free week” when it’s at its highest all month long, but still not what it used to be). I stated suffering from severe abdominal pain at certain yet random times of the month. One month, it got bad and was associated with a mild fever. The doctors did an emergency appendectomy on me just as a precaution. It turned out my appendix was fine and never needed to be pulled! Since the beginning, I’ve suffered the same pain almost every month. Not a month goes by that I don’t have weird things happening to me physically. About a year ago, I started suffering terrible panic attacks! I get extremely dizzy in stores, in traffic, while eating, lying in bed and it happens completely randomly. I suffer terrible leg cramps at night during the week of my period. They’ve gotten so bad that I wake up crying sometimes. I never used to grind my teeth and now I have TMJ! I’ve become overly paranoid and find that at certain times of the month I have more courage to do things I know I shouldn’t ( I have crazy thoughts), while at other times, usually right before my period, I’m afraid to do anything at all. I become obsessed with the thought that I’m dying and I suffer from extreme panic attacks for no good reason at random moments. Rarely, but on occasion, I feel completely normal and just wish I could stay in those moments for good. I suffer from: night sweats, bouts of intense emotion and sadness at the start of my free week, nausea upon insertion of the ring, lethargy and the feeling that my body is held down by weights. My appetite fluctuates greatly from day to day. One day, I’ll eat very little, and the next I’ll want to eat everything. Also since I’ve been on birth control, I’ve developed what you could call an eating disorder. I argue that I don’t have an eating disorder simply because I know that I am not myself on birth control. I haven’t always been this way, and I look forward to the day when I’ll be back to normal. I’ve grown so neurotic that everything in my life is just one big disorder! Doctors can only seem to diagnose what they can see, and so naturally they label me anorexic at 5’7 and around 90llbs. Two and a half years ago, I was a thin, normal girl at 105lbs. The pill made me gain about ten pounds, and since I’ve been on the ring, I’ve lost more and more weight as I’ve grown weird about everything in my life including food. I don’t use laxatives or throw up my food; I’m just a strict eater, disciplined to a fault and with more self control than one should be allowed to posses. I hate my life now. I’m terrified of having an attack in front of people and my daily life has become unpredictable and daunting. I want to be normal. I don’t want to have another dizzy spell ever. I hate it! I feel for women everywhere who are put on such drugs. I did decide to contact NuvaRing first, even before I found this site. I figured they could provide the best answers. Since it’s the only form of medication I take continually, (I’ve decided NOT to follow doctors orders to take the three different anti-depressant meds they’ve prescribed to me in the past two and a half years) I started to wonder if this was the cause of my problems. A representative of the drug told me that there have been no known reports of dizziness, my main complaint. This made me feel alone in my frustration. Now, either she was out right lying to me or the company hasn’t been notified by patients like us who suffer everyday from the adverse reactions to the hormones unnatural to our varying bodies. Regardless, this will be my last month on the ring. I’m pray that I can go back to life as I knew it. I don’t know if that’s even possible. Right now, that just seems like a dream.

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

Hi guys, I've been using the NR for about 8 months and i am experiencing very painful leg crapms in my claves. It happenes once a month or so, but they seem to be getting more frequent. Is anybody else going through this too? please let me know/

Hi. I started the NR about 5 weeks ago and for the first few weeks I was fine but then started experiencing leg cramps, chest pains, more gas than usual and even swollen down there! WTF! I literally took the thing out as I was reading all these comments on here! SCARY STUFF!!! I am waiting a few days and if the swelling does not go away I am going in asap! I have tried all sorts of B.C. but nothing works for me! Thank god my husband just went and had a vasectomy (SP)! But still have to becareful for a few months...no more babies for this mommy. Thanks for making this website!

Okay...I started the NR 48hrs ago...and so far...no depression or anything like that. I am however having these weird leg cramps. I didn't know if I should be concerned or if its your typical leg cramp. I am not one to try new things so this is kinda scary for me. I have always used the Depo shot...but quit taking them after forgeting to get them every 3 months...and then became pregnant. Now that I am back on birth control I thought this would be better than the pill. I will definatly not take any sign or sympton for granted. Thank you all for your postings...it will help lots of people.

Guest #40983:

OMG if you are having leg cramps take the Nuva Ring out IMMEDIATELY and either visit the ER or call your doctor. I can't believe whoever gave you the prescription did not warn you that leg cramps are THE serious indicator of birth control-induced blood clots, which can and have killed young women on the Nuva Ring. The clots travel from your legs into your lungs and brain, causing a stroke. If one leg is swollen or red, or cramping severely, take the ring out!!!

so far i'm loving it. this is week 5 (my dr told me to change every 3 weeks to prevent endimitriosis so i'm not getting a period). Last week, however, i started getting the most AMAZING leg cramps. I'm just wondering if this is a side effect of the nuva ring or just really bad dehydration (i was in the carribbean working for the past 2 weeks). Any information you have on leg cramps related to nuva ring usage would be greatly appreciated.

I have been having side effects also...leg cramps, not as interested in being intimate with my boyfriend which is not like me at all...and very moody all the time. I also noticed I get cramps right before my period, which I did not get when I was on the pill (Yasmin). I think I am just going to go back on the pill. I hate how I feel!

I went on the nuva ring about a year ago-to help alleviate severe cramping at ovulation. It defineately helped with that, however I have been plagued w/ mood swings (none of which are pleasant more depressing), headaches (not migraines but some close), leg cramps, chills, diarrhea and other anxieties that I had never had before. I am afraid to go off and return to the cramps but also think that all these new "symptoms" are a result of use and long time use of the nuva ring! I said "good bye" to it today!! Condoms here we come!!

god! I thought I was the only one!!! I'm definitely talking to my doctor as soon as possible....I've had headaches and nausea and cramos, leg cramps, and the latest one...a cold sore!! I love how convenient the product is, but the side effects are too much....luckily I havent had the mood swings...but I'm not going to wait til I get them!!