NuvaRing and migraine headaches

I'm so glad that I found this site because I was beginning to think that something was seriously wrong with me. I started taking Nuvaring almost 2 months ago. 5 more days and I can take it out...FOREVER!!!!

At first, I thought it was the best thing since sliced bread...and then the weight gain began. My husband said maybe it was just that I was eating junk. Maybe...so I started back on Weight Watchers. I can not lose a single pound, and when I have counted points in the past the pounds fell off the first week or two. I've gained 15 lbs since I started Nuvaring. The strange thing is that it is all just around my stomach. It is like a big spare tire. I've gained very little in the rest of my body.

I also noticed pretty bad cramping after I put it in. It was pretty much all the time, not just during certain parts of my cycle.

Then I started to get headaches. Not little headaches, but debilitating migraine headaches. The sensitivity to light is almost unbearable when I have one of these. Many times I find myself going to bed at 8 pm when I put my son to bed. Pretty much all I ever want to do is sleep. Sex? Nope, not interested. (Very different from how I was in the past.) Huh, I guess it works as birth control because it promotes abstinence!

The worst part is that I am soooooo depressed. Like major depression. I have usually been a pretty even keel personality, but since starting Nuvaring I find myself wondering what I have to live for. I've come to the conclusion that if it weren't for my husband or son, I'd rather just be dead. I've even found myself thinking about how I would want to die. It has gotten so bad that I haven't been to work in almost 2 weeks. I have so much anxiety that I actually feel scared to go. My husband finally called a doctor for me on Wednesday and I start therapy on Monday. I hope that the side effects will go away soon after I take the ring out, but I am very afraid that I might be like this for a while.

I question how so many of us have these HORRIBLE side effects and yet no one in the medical profession has even questioned whether something is amiss. It seems to me that I better just have another child and then have my tubes tied so I don't ever have to mess with all this awful birth control stuff again. (I was bad about taking pills on time, so I ended up having spotting most of the month, which kind of defeated the purpose.)

I'm thankful that I found this site and now I know that I am not alone!

HELP!

After reading many postings, I don't feel like I'm the only one with my problems.

I've been on the ring for the past 2 1/2 years. Looking back I've noticed that I've had numerous migraine headaches and pretty much ZERO sex drive. How frustrating!!

What the heck do I do? Anyone know of which birth control I can switch to? I've been on numerous pills (orthocept, orthonovum, orthotri), the patch and the depo shot. They all made me emotionally crazy. Condoms don't really jive with my body.

Although I am not a woman, my fiance is using nuvaring, and on her 2nd day, she's vomited 2 or 3 times. I went to a professional health web-site that listed the "COMMON" side effects of nuvaring, which are:

More common side effects may include:
Abdominal cramps, allergic rash, bloating, blood clots, breakthrough bleeding and spotting, breast secretions, change in menstrual flow, changes in the breast such as tenderness or enlargement, dark pigmentation of the skin, decreased milk production in nursing mothers, depression, emotional instability, gallbladder disease, headaches, heart attack, high blood pressure, intolerance to contact lenses, liver disease, liver tumors, migraine headaches, missed periods, nausea, problems with the ring, sinus inflammation, stroke, swelling, temporary infertility after discontinuing NuvaRing, upper respiratory tract infections, vaginal inflammation or discharge, vision problems, vomiting, weight gain or loss, yeast infections, yellow tint to the skin

These are DANGEROUS side effects. not to mention they're "common". i don't know what you girls must be going through, but I really don't want my fiance going through these things. she's always been really sensitive to medicine and changes in her medicine. I am not a gullible person and I'm usually pretty skeptical when it comes to things like this, but I honestly do not think that NuvaRing is a stable product. As one other girl on here mentioned, my fiance recieved a sample and prescription for it. we read through literally EVERYTHING she received, NO side effects listed *whatsoever* She's already had problems in the past with depression, this is really the last thing she needs.

This is more of a vent. sorry to waste space, but people need to know what they're putting in their bodies.

If this WAS a safe product, they would freely and openly tell the people they're handing these rings out to, the common side effects. BUT if they did that, no one would buy this thing. It seems more like quick release of a new product without proper testing.

Stay SAFE! just because a doctor gives it to you, doesn't mean its safe.

Ok, this forum is scaring me, I just had nuvaring inserted today and am reading this forum. I am confused why would the Drs. give us something that will make us worse. Is it possible they dont know and how could they not know, I was given nuvaring for severe PMS that last for 14 days, not for birth control as I dont need birth control. So my primary problems were Migraine headaches, insane for 14 days, etc. and now this forum is telling me that this is what nuvaring will make me feel like the exact things I am trying to cure.

Please advise

I have been using Nuvaring for 5 months. It took me a while to realize that it caused all the problems I've had recently:
Migraine headaches
Nausea
Insomnia. I woke up every night for 2-3 hours. I have never had any sleep problems until using Nuvaring.
Agressivity. Friends describes me as someone patient, calm and suddenly I became mad a teveryone
Cramps durong periods
Weight loss (I'm slightly underweight, and do not need or want to loose weight)
loss of libido

I'm probably forgetting some as there are so many..
I took the ring out 2 weeks ago and already feel better, and I can sleep