NuvaRing and mood swings

Wow talk about being relieved....Im 22 years old and i started using nuvaring when i was 19. Then i stopped for about 2 years and i just got back on it about a month ago. The first go round everything was fine....but now....I have a clear discharge (no smell) absolutely NOO sex drive and when i do have sex its so painful i either have to stop....or cope with pain and burning for hours after. I haven't had any mood swings but i don't want to stay on this long enough to find out. Now that i think about it i've been eating WAY MORE than usual so i bet weight gain is around the corner.....Not waiting to find out, im taking it out TODAY and calling my doctor.... Thank u ladies for all your postings this has helped me sooo much!!!! :0)

I started NuvaRing about a week ago and i have been snapping at everyone crying about the littlest things my breast are so tender that I can't even stand it. It makes me just want to curl up in a ball and not move at all because of the pain and I get these horrible,horrible headaches that I can't stand. I am always upset about some thing and the little things are what set me off.

I have been on NuvaRing for 6 years. I had not had any problems until about 1 year ago that I started feeling really depressed, like there is nothing that will make feel happy again (and I've always been a cheerful person), I also started noticing headaches, and I have been trying to lose the 5 pounds I gained for the past 4 years, and have not been successful at all, even though I exercise daily and I watch what I eat. My stomach also feels weird right after I put it in and the next day I have an upset stomach the entire day and feel like throwing up...
My husband suggested that the NR may have something to do with my mood swings,my anxiety and all the other symptoms, and HE may be RIGHT. I am so happy I came across this website. I will get an appointment with my doctor today!

Hey, I decided to try Nuvaring about a month and a half ago & this morning I decided to take it out! My skin is normally fine, until this past month I broke out like crazy! I also got migraines from it. I've also noticed that this past month I was depressed, moody and a bit bipolar. My boyfriend also noticed my mood swings. I've also been extremely itchy on various parts of my body, I'm not sure if that's from Nuvaring, but I am not taking anymore chances with this thing! I'm going back to the pill, I never had a problem with it in the first place. Nuvaring just seemed a little more convenient. But I'd rather have my clear skin back, so goodbye Nuvaring. & Good luck to anyone who decides to try it, I hope your body handles the side effects better than mine did!

I'm glad I found this site. I have a history of migraines so I never thought it could be the Nuvaring. I got on it in Nov 07 and I just realized I experienced a loooottt of the symptoms. Headaches that turn to migraines, suddenly crying even listening to a song on the radio, I get hot and sweaty at night and feel cold at the slightest feel of air conditioning., mood swings, scattered thoughts, lower sex drive, no desire to socialize. weight gain in 10 months I've gained 11 lbs. I welcome it actually cuz I've been 110 for like 8 years. now I am a whopping 121 pounds. I have curves now, I love it

The perks: my breast went from a b to a nice c love it. the ease and clock work of my period. That's about it

I had a migraine so bad I couldn't keep my eyes open, I took the ring out immediately and within hours I felt relieved. I've spoken to my doctor about other forms of birth control and after all my research Nuvaring is actually still the top choice. We all know these BC's have side effects. How can they not. After all the craziness I have read about Ortho, Depo, Yasmin, Yaz, I see only one option. Get off the pills completely be back to my old self I used to be fun and get my boyfriend to wear condoms.

I started NR about 6 weeks ago. Within the first few hours of inserting the ring I immediately noticed how dry I became. This in turn made sex with my boyfriend extremely uncomfortable. For the first time in my life, I've had to use lube. Now, I'm finding that it's extremely uncomfortable to have sex, no matter how much lube we use. Prior to NR, we were having sex at least twice a day. Now, I can only stand to have sex about every other day...and it's almost unbearable even then. I've noticed some slight bleeding after sex. I have chronic headaches, diarrhea, and mood swings. After reading all of this, I'm wondering if I should take the ring out immediately and call my doctor first thing on Monday morning. Suggestions?

This is unbelievable... i thought everything that's been wrong with me, has been in 'my head', sex drive, weight gain, fuzzy vision, mood swings...

I honestly think this should be taken off the market. I cannot believe everyone's comments about this contraception. I have taken the pill over the years, depo provera, and thought my mood swings were bad then, but what really is the kicker, is the sex drive, hot flashes and weight gain/bloating.

At 29 years old, i have never felt the way i've felt on this, i've been trying to explain to my boyfriend 'it's just me' !, now i realize why.
as for the weight gain, i have always been conscious of my diet and exercise. for the past two weeks i have especially been trying to lose weight, but to no avail. hot flashes, it's insane. Please after reading this, look for another form of birth control. This should never have been approved. I took it out immediately after reading other's comments.

I thought the nr was the best think since sliced bread. I'm 22 years old and I've been on nuvaring for 3 or 4 months now and I haven't experienced any change in my mood swings or anything as far as depression goes. I can say that for the past two and half almost 3 weeks I've been breaking out in hives really bad like clockwork every night. I've gotten crushing chest pains 3 or 4 times last month and this month. A couple of days ago after I took out my nr for my nf free week I was doubled over with stomach pains. My abdomen was so swollen I looked as If I was 5 months prego. I have no idea what to do now

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'm 25 and have been on Nuvaring for a little over 2 weeks now (because I suck at remembering to take the pill every day). I'm overweight so I thought the chest pains and left arm pain was because of that --- for the first time in my life I have high blood pressure. I thought, seriously, that I was showing signs of an impending heart attack. The chest pains come and go but I'm getting really concerned. I haven't had any noticeable mood swings. I'm just wondering when is the time to stop wondering if the chest pains will get worse and actually say something to my gynecologist.

I was just at the gyno yesterday for an annual check up. I haven't been on BC for years, but thought it was time to look into it again due to my utter hatred for condoms yet my strong desire to avoid pregnancy (I have a 10 year old girl, and twin 4 yr old boys). My doctor put the Nuvaring in around 3 pm. By 4:30 I had the biggest migraine, and the worst mood swings I've ever experienced. I hated everyone in my path. It was like being pregnant and being on that "emotional rollercoaster" all over again. I can't even begin to describe the constant rage I felt. The phrase "seeing red" does not even come close to describing it! Even my worst PMS doesn't hold a candle to the emotional hell I went through in the last half a day. I thought I should stick it out, and that my body just needed to adjust to it. However, after waking up this morning and freaking out on my children and telling my BF I hated him (for no reason) I took it out. It took about 3 hours to start feeling normal again. I couldn't stand myself for the 18 hours I used the NR. I have no idea how anyone has continued to use it for weeks, months, or especially years!!

I am 30 yrs old and have been on NuvaRing for a year or so. When I first started the NV, I was healthy and had no health problems. Since then a gradual onset of multiple symptoms.

It started with pain during sex, then not wanting to have sex, and now I haven't had sex with my husband in a few months because it hurts and I have no drive. I have gained weight. I went to the doctor and they told me that my blood pressures were sky high.

I have never ever in my entire life been sad, depressed, or had any mental issues. I feel so depressed, sad, and tired all the time. This past month I have wanted to do nothing but lay around the house. I force myself to go to work and drag though workouts at the gym. I have no reason...my life is great! NuvaRing is the only thing that I could think of. My family MD conducted a physical on me and found no cause other than NR for these symptoms.

My hair is seriously falling out, I have nausea frequently in the morning, bad mood swings, feelings of rage, vaginal discharge, vaginal pain, painful urination, sex drive is totally dead, I hate sex, I'm tired all the time, I'm often constipated even though I eat a healthy diet, I have to take stool softeners, my stomach always feels swollen, I get TERRIBLE headaches 1-2 days before my period starts, cramps are worse, bleeding is worse, and I feel like crap physically/emotionally.

I am taking this out of my body next week. If you read this please spare yourself from the damage this medication can do to your body.

I have been in a monogamous relationship for 3 years so me and my boyfriend have been using condoms for a long long time. I had a scare last month and thought I might be pregnant so after my period finally came in early August, I made an appointment so I could get birth control. My dr suggested the nuvaring (I took the pill about 8-9 yrs ago and I always forgot to take them plus I hated the side effects.) I went home and put it in on August 22. About 4-5 days later I began to have what felt like menstrual cramps, always hot, always tired, and then at night my legs would ache so bad. Not to mention, I had headaches every day and every morning when I ate breakfast I would become nauseous! I also would wake up every night between 4-5am to pee - and it felt like it was a full bladder even when I would pee before I went to bed! Oh, and on September 3 my nerves were so bad that I had bipolar-like mood swings - one minute happy, one minute crying, another minute upset - I had NEVER had this type of anxiety occur before!

After Google-ing "Nuvaring side effects" in the early morning of September 4th, I came across this site. I read all the reviews on this site and removed the ring on September 4 which was 8 days before I was supposed to. Since then I've seen many changes. No more cramps, no more nausea in the morning, no more feeling lethargic and sleepy. I am, however, still getting a headache every day! I guess it will take some time before all the hormones come out of my body.

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

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

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

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

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

I was on the ring for 5 years with no problems. Toward the end I was having major mood swings; I would get angry or upset very easily. I also would experience occasional stomach discomfort, but not 100% sure that it was as a result of using the ring. It has been 10 months since I stopped using the ring. About two weeks after I quit using the ring I started having periods that would last anywhere from 14-20 days, and stop for 5-10 days. I've had blood tests and an ultra sound just a couple of months ago which came out negative. I've also tried Provera to help regulate my cycle, but that hasn't had much of an effect. I'm still experiencing extremely long periods (averaging 14-16 days long), and short lengths of time (averaging 7-10 days) of not having a period. I wish I never would have taken the NuvaRing.

I definitely could relate.
i like nuvaring. It is the first birth control i've ever been on. i started it when i was 28 - just gotten married..
the only thing recently that have made me doubt it is that i heard in the news that some young woman have suffered blood clots and just die.
But im also reading the other birth controls effects and they are pretty wild as well..
the only side effect so far after 2 yrs and a few month is about 10lbs heavier.., i had mood swings my first week of being on it., occasional headaches when my period is about to start which lasts up to 4 days, low sex drive ( but i still manage to have sex and enjoy it), some dry moments ( i use to be a fountain) so it is different but eventually it goes back to normal. ( harder to have orgasms.., )
so overall nuvaring has worked for me. I just pray it continues to do so.. now i feel like there's no point in switching right now especially - going through a career change.. now is not the time to try a new one just because i hear someone died ( although that 's a pretty good darn reason).
Eventually my goal is once i start having kids God willing.. that i can stay off all these darn drugs and either tell my husband to go tie his dingy or condom it is.. its so not fair that we have to put all that crap in our bodies.. and then we wonder why we have certain weird complications.. "Lord take care of all us..we are just not trying to have 15 little kids running around...".. the researcher..

This is my second time on NuvaRing. The first time followed 6 years of pills. I first switched to NR because I always had breakthrough bleeding on the pill. I had no side effects. Loved it. I got off birth control because my husband and I wanted to try for our first child. I am now on the NR again. It is the 2nd ring since I started on it again. The first month I had some cramping..on and off and never bad enough for medication. I also had some vaginal irritation. During sex, the irritation caused some pain. But I was determined to see it out because I had loved it before. Well am I glad I did!! I have had no cramps, pain, irritation, no vaginal dryness, no mood swings, no weight gain...nothing except for not having to worry about taking that pill every night.

Birth control is like any other medication. Everyone reacts differently to each one. Look at codine...some people do great on it then you have people who are fatally allergic to it.

Dont go by what people say happened to them. You maybe completely different.

I am on my 3rd NuvaRing, and my last NuvaRing. This thing has cause me more pain and problems than anything I have ever used! The first time around the only problem I had was an increase in UTI's and extreme discomfort in my vagina and urethra, especially during and days after sex. I was told these side effects would go away within the next trial of the NuvaRing. Boy, were they wrong. After Taking out my second NuvaRing my period lasted from JULY 5TH to JULY 18TH! I also had to face the heaviest period of my life. I would go through a super plus absorbency tampon and panty liner in less than an hour. How embarrassing, inconvenient, and uncomfortable! I have had two ultrasounds, and 3 pelvic exams since starting the NuvaRing just 3 months ago. I have also had to face headaches, stomach pains, MOOD SWINGS, IRRITABILITY, and depression. This thing has put a damper on my sex drive and my relationship with everyone around me including my boyfriend of 3 1/2 years. I would not recommend the NuvaRing to anyone!!!!!!!!

Hello everyone. Im twenty years old and this is my second attempt of using Nuvaring. The first time I was on it I thought I was ok, but when I think about it today..(two years from the first time) things weren't ok. I had thoughts of suicide and lacked self worth. However, I decided to get off because of financial reasons. This being my second attempt, Nuvaring is has already provided me with about 4 migraines a day. At first I thought they could be managed until they were accompanied by nose bleeds. Ive lost my job, fiance, and social life due to the mood swings and irritability that I now have. This will be the final time that I will ever use this CRAP!!

Hello everyone. Im twenty years old and this is my second attempt of using Nuvaring. The first time I was on it I thought I was ok, but when I think about it today..(two years from the first time) things weren't ok. I had thoughts of suicide and lacked self worth. However, I decided to get off because of financial reasons. This being my second attempt, Nuvaring is has already provided me with about 4 migraines a day. At first I thought they could be managed until they were accompanied by nose bleeds. Ive lost my job, fiance, and social life due to the mood swings and irritability that I now have. This will be the final time that I will ever use this CRAP!!

This is the first time I have actually looked up side effects to NuvaRing. I have been on it since March of 2006, so about 2.5 years. I never really noticed side effects, and I have been to the doctor more than once and told them about the same side effects that have been discussed here. They blamed it on lack of vitamins, lifestyle changes and other random facts of life. Maybe that is the cause of my problems, however, why would they all happen at once???

Until today, I was soooo happy with NuvaRing, and I still am. I am just more aware of why I feel the way I do....It is soo easy to use!! I would NEVER remember to take a pill everyday, I would not like the patch, and the shot wouldn't go with me very well either.

Seems as if every birth control has side effects...here are mine from NR

EXTREME fatigue..
I asked my doctor about this. It has been going on since January. I sleep for 13 hours a day and am still exhausted. I cannot get enough sleep. I am a 20 year old that used to lead a pretty active lifestyle, but it seems the last few months that I have slowed waaaaaaay down. It isn't like me. I usually stay busy

Weight gain
I can accurately say that I have not been as active as I was in the past...but in one year I have put on about 17 lbs, and no matter what I do, the scale keeps climbing....I joined a gym for about 4 months, and I didn't lose a single pound. Before, I was able to LOOK at a treadmill and get in shape, now I spend an hour a day on it, and it does nothing for me.

SEVERE Headaches...with sensitivity to light and sound
I have not had this bad of headaches. EVER. It usually starts in the back of my head and moves to only one side. My doctor told me to wean off the caffeine. I did and they are still there. I drink no caffeine daily and I still am getting these terrible headaches. I work at a casino, so sometimes it really interrupts my daily life, with the lights and sounds and everything.

I AM ALWAYS THIRSTY!!!!!

I have NO sex drive
My boyfriend and I used to have sex every single day when I just started the NR, but now I NEVER want to. I have to pretend that I want to have sex, just so his feelings are not hurt. Sometimes I even catch myself thinking "is it over yet??" That is SOOOO not like me. I was an animal the first few months I was on NR. Now I have no desire.

I feel as if I am just living the motions of life sometimes instead of participating in it. Like I am just here everyday, not always feeling what is going on around me. I am semi moody, but nothing out of the ordinary. Week 3 of the ring is ALWAYS emotional, but the week before my period has ALWAYS been like that. I find it very normal.

My periods are WONDERFUL. I used to have a full 7 day period from hell. Now they last only 3-4 days, and I can basically tell you when I am going to start to the hour. It is AMAZING.

All in all, I love NR still. I am not going to stop taking it yet. I am just glad I found this site so I know the reason behind all of these changes in me. I have never put two and two together....that NR was causing all of these things...but now I know it could be. Or maybe it isn't. Who knows, but as long as I keep an eye on symptoms, I think I will be okay...

If any of you have any questions I have been on NR for quite a while, so feel free to email me at ******

I cannot disagree with these negative postings more. I absolutely love the nuvaring. I have not gained any weight...of course I diet & exercise about 5 days a week....do those of you who have experienced weight gain exercise regularly? I have also had an INCREASE in my sex drive...I have been with my fiance for 5 years, and for the past 3 of those, I have had no sex drive whatsoever. I got on the ring & bam, it's there with a vengence...the only problem with that is that we're getting married in 2 weeks & I wanted to make it special & stop having sex a couple of months before the wedding...but I just can't get enough of it. I have dealt with depression & anxiety my entire 27 years of life, so if the nuvaring is causing that...it's not any worse than normal. The only side effects I've had is the discharge, (which yes, is very annoying) and tender breasts...but I can deal with that. Although I have noticed that I cry a bit easier...but I was always a crier as well. I cry when I'm mad, sad, happy...always have, so nope...guess that's not from the ring either. ALL birth control effects everyone differently. I'm not saying this for everyone, but sometimes a lot of people like to blame certain actions & physical changes on something & maybe this is the case...for some people. I've been on the pill before & I always got off it b/c of weight gain....well, it was b/c I wasn't eating properly or exercising. I liked to blame my mood swings on the pill as well, but once I thought about it, I still had those before & after taking the pill. The only reason I quit the pill was b/c it did give me acne. Anyway, just my thoughts....& I wanted to post something positive for the ring.

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?

I have only been on using the NuvaRing for about 2 weeks now but I am already having mood swings and extreme irritability. I go to school with all men because I am trying to get into the aviation field and the guys I go to school with have informed me that I have become a super bitch. I did not attribute it to the ring until reading the other post's here. I usually ignore all the immature comments that the guys make but lately I have found myself bickering with them on a regular basis.

I have only had sex 3 times since I have been on the ring but each time I had an intense burning sensation on the exterior of my vagina, almost like a yeast infection. The reason that I decided to google the side effects of the ring is because ever since me period has ended I have had a think brownish discharge and cramps every day. I have been wearing panty liners for almost two weeks and this definitely needs to stop. The number one reason I decided to try birth control was because of my severe menstrual cramps, heavy periods and mid month spotting. Now I have all month spotting, what the hell!

By far the worst experience I have had since using the ring happened yesterday. As I mentioned before my irritability has definitely increased. That was very evident yesterday when while at work, of all places, I attacked a girl and beat her up. I was arrested and charged with battery. Granted the girl and I have been having an escalating fued for the last couple of months. My mother was also involved and she was more pissed with my mother than with me. But the fight had in no way been physical until yesterday when she began to curse at my mother. I lost it and swung her into the wall by her hair, she never even saw it coming. I sort of blacked out and cant even remember all the events. This whole thing was definitely out of character for me, especially since I was at work. I am fortunate to work at an office where we are all close enough to be called a family. My boss stood by me and did not fire me. He even bailed me out of jail but that is definitely one hell of a side effect

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 am very surprised to see that some of you hated the Nuvaring, also. I had been on the pill for about a year and i absolutely hated it. It was to hard to remember to take the pill once i had missed only one pill, and i was always nauseous. I started using Nuvaring about six months ago, and i love it. It's so easy. I use a calendar to keep up with the schedule, and it is so much easier to put in a ring, leave it in for three weeks, and take it out. I take it out on Fridays, and my period starts on Mondays and ends the following Friday. I have had more bloating and mood swings while using the ring, but my Gyno says it's normal. I would highly recommend NuvaRing to anyone. It's great.

I have been on the ring for 4 years now, and I haven't really experienced all these crazy side effects. I do have headaches, loss of energy, mood swings, decreased sex drive (which doesn't stop me anyway). Its all the same bull****. It really is true that everybody is different, but seriously, ALL forms of birth control WILL give you some kind of side effects. we are ruining our bodys natural order buy consuming these dangerous hormones. All because we want to have lots of sex without the troubles of a baby. Its a choice and a risk that we are taking. Now after reading all these scary things, its making me thing if I should switch. But how am i supposed to know if taking a different BC is going to make it better. its just going to be another batch of side effects. And is it really healthy to keep switching to diff BCs? A part of me wants to change BCs but another part of me loves it. I guess Im just scared of ALL birth control.

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.

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

I just started nuvaring 6 days ago after having a mirena iuc for 3 years. This is the worst bc ever. I have put on 3 pounds, am extremely bloated and i get so tired i just can't do anything, and oh the mood swings. I will be taking it out today.

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

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

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

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

Like many others who have posted here, many symptoms have been present, but I failed to recognize that NuvaRing may be the cause. After another restless night, lying awake at 3 a.m. and considering seeking help for my increasingly unpredictable mood swings and depression, I had an epiphany, which led me here.
I’ve long suffered headaches, so I won’t pin that on NuvaRing, but I used to be one who rarely cried. I’ve felt absolutely crazy lately, both crying and being openly hostile to my husband. It’s a relief to think there may be a cause I can do something about. Now I can’t decide if I should remove it now and risk having my period while on vacation next week or leave it in and be miserable.
I’d finally been able to lose a few pounds, but only two months after beginning NuvaRing, it was all back, plus a few more. I hadn’t thought to connect it to the new birth control, as I’ve been on various pills since 1999.
Stomach problems are another issue I was already dealing with, but the possibility that they've been compounded by this birth control is frustrating.
Another symptom that I’m not sure is related: raised bumps on my upper arms and thighs, dry and slightly itchy. Has anyone else experienced skin-related symptoms with NR?
Many thanks to all who have shared their experiences.

I've been on Nuvaring for just a month and I'm already getting off! I've had a constant head ache almost every day, I'm always moody and depressed, crying for no reason at all and I've been getting mad at every one for every little thing. The mood swings actually caused my boyfriend to break up with me! I got on nuvaring so we could be together and it has instead ended the relationship! I know that all medications have side effects but my doctor didn't warn me about any of these, if I had known nuvaring was the cause I would have gotten off weeks ago. It's good to know that I'm not the only one feeling this way!

I was on Orthocept pills for 10 years with no problems. Short, light periods, no PMS. I can have a temper, but it was when I was younger and in the middle of a fight. That being said...I gave birth to twin daughters in November 2005. 9 months later, I stopped breastfeeding and had to go back on birth control. My old pill didn't work and neither did 3 others (included Yaz). I bled almost the entire month. I was crabby and irritable, but mostly frustrated. It was a horrible 1 1/2 years. 6 months ago I was put on Nuvaring because it should produce no side effects for the most part. Besides heavy discharge (which I could live with if I wasn't bleeding all month), I had heavier periods. I also noticed I was starting to get some nasty PMS, which I've NEVER had in my entire life. I was moody and irritable and cried even more easily than normal. Lately, I've been lashing out at my sweet girls and yelling at them. At first I thought it was because they are going through the difficult "2's" and mealtime is a struggle. I thought, they are more challenging so my patience is worn a little thinner. My husband has a different story. We've both noticed nasty mood swings and it's gotten to the point in the past month that I feel bi-polar. I really feel out of control. My doc said to go off it for a few months to see how I am. This is my "period" week and all of a sudden I've had a little period. I haven't been able to get my hormones under control since giving birth and it's frustrating. My husband wants his wife back and I don't want my girls to remember me yelling and crying for no reason. THAT'S enough to make anyone depressed on their own. I'm not sure what we are going to do for birth control at this point (condoms I guess...which is no fun when you are used to not using them). I will see what happens. I hope it's not the Nuvaring, but after seeing these posts, I feel a little better knowing I may be able to get rid of some of my craziness over the next few months as my body goes back to "normal". Good luck to the rest of you as well. I love being a woman, but boy, we get the short end of the stick sometimes!

I have been on the Nuva Ring for almost 3 years. I didn't realize that my rapid weight gain, my horrible acne, and my mood swings were the side effects of my BC. I have been telling people (ever since I have been on the ring) that this is the best BC out there. I am wrong! I have been trying for weeks now to loose weight, and by the way...I have gained about 35-40lbs, and only now am I seeing results, and that is because I have it out this week. I have no energy and absolutely no sex drive....like NONE! I always have discharge and after sex I have this burning sensation that I have never experienced before until using the ring. I have been tested so I know that nothing is wrong so I don't know why I didn't think that the ring was the problem till now. After reading some of the complaints and effects it has had on others that explains so much. I wish I would have seen this earlier because I would have gotten off of it years ago...and it would have saved me like 30lbs. I also sometimes have numbing in my right hand and I didn't know that was a side effect until I saw someone else say they had the same problem. So, I thought I loved the ring, and I thought all the problems I have been having was due to my own personal mishaps, but turns out....I hate the ring.

i have read almost all of peoples complaints and yes the side effects are horrible for most but the thing that gets me the most is how no realizes that these side effects (e.g. blood clots, mood swings, nausea, etc.) are in ALL birth controls and different people react differently to every medication some jus have worse than others as well as more than others. so if you are experiencing these problems severly and can't take it then u should consult your doctor about what might would be best for you. nuva ring does release a fairly big amount of hormones in your body and will cause nausea, etc. it's the same senario as being pregnant. i have been on nuva ring for almost 2 years and yes i have some side effects but it works for me and i can handle the few i have they're not severe.

I LOVE NUVARING!!! I've been using it for over a year, usually keeping it in for a month then replacing it with a new one to avoid having a period. I sometimes have some spotting at the end of the month; then I just take out the ring and have a full period and put in a new ring one week later. I have none of the problems with mood swings that others have posted - on the contrary, I no longer have PMS symptoms.

However, during those rare menstrual periods, I sometimes pass a few thumbprint-sized pieces of an unusual MEMBRANOUS BROWN TISSUE-LIKE SUBSTANCE (cap'd to draw attention). No other symptoms.

Has anyone else experienced this? My nurse practitioner hasn't had any other patients mention it and she can't think of what it could be (uterine lining??).

I am just turned 24 years old. I have done the ortho evra patch before and had no problems.. well two weeks ago i started the nuvaring.. i though it would be good as much as my doctor talked good about it and meaning it cost me 50 dollars for 1 ring.... well the first few days went okay i didnt have many symptoms.. well then i started noticing a yellowy discharge and had to wear panty liners and it made it feel like i was always wet there.. well then there ended up a smell there and yet i was washing the normal amount of times a day.. then i ended up with a uti that lasted a week.. as well as it was my birthday weekend and i spent most of it with mood swings.. mainly i was very depressed and spent alot of time crying or angry for no reason at all.. like every little thing got on my nerves.. i ended up feeling very tired and wanting to sleep alot but then would wake up in the middle of the night with cramps... Then ever since i started the ring my acne has been terrible.. i wash my face and use proactive but it didnt work.. well i had a pimple near my lower lip of my face and it hurt really badly well then this morning i woke up and the whole area around it was swollen and my lip was massive.. and right that moment i knew it was the ring.. so i took it out.. and since ive taken it out ive felt happier, still a bit tired but not as much, and the swelling in my face and lip finally went away.. and when i took the ring out i felt nausea and had a headache.. which was a typical ever day thing since i started the ring these werent like typical headaches they were very painful...

i do not recommend anyone to use the nuva ring no matter how good the doctors talk about it.. it causes depression and everything that everyone else puts out there.. i read this website after i had just put it in and i regret not listening to all the other woman on this site...

I HAVE BEEN ON THE NUVA RING FOR 2 YEARS AND AFTER ABOUT 6 MONTHS I NOTICED I HAD A BUMP WHERE THE NUVA RING WAS PLACED. I HAVE NOW LEARNED THAT THE NUVA RING MAY CAUSE A CYST. I HAVE WENT TO MY DOCTOR BUT I HAVENT FOUND OUT FOR SURE IF THATS EXACTLY WHAT IT IS. ILL POST LATER TO LET EVERYONE KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR. I ALSO HAVE MOOD SWINGS, NO SEX DRIVE, MIGRAINES, AND OTHER SYMPTOMS.

I am 38 and I have been using the NuvaRing since 3/23/08. My GYN thought it would help regulate my hormones, as I was experiencing vaginal dryness and decreased libido. I have been on BCPs since I was 18, except for 2 pregnancies and breast feeding. I had no problems on BCPs, except the vaginal dryness and decreased libido (which have been coming on gradually). So far, I have breast enlargement and tenderness, emotional lability, and I have not slept well since it went in (waking up frequently and vivid dreams). I'm going to stick it out a little while, but WOW, I didn't sign up for this. If this form of BC has less hormones then why do I feel this way?

yikes. honestly, if I wasn't already on nuvaring, I definitely wouldn't after reading this site. but I've been on it for about a year now & haven't had any side effects except maybe more headaches than usual & I've maybe gained about 10 pounds (not all at once, over the course of this entire year, but my diet & lack of regular exercise contributes to this as well - I'm not blaming the ring!). I've always been super-emotional & have had anxiety attacks for years now & haven't noticed any difference in those things since starting. I think alot of people on here didn't give it much of a chance - sometimes when starting new medication (or birth control) like this, it takes a few months for side effects to even out! I don't think more frequent headaches or mood swings are any reason to completely write off a method of birth control! all in all, I'm very pleased with it.

Crikey - I've been thinking about taking the NuvuRing on advice from the Family Planning Clinic. Thank you for everyone for sharing their experiences. I definitely won't now! While most people probably have great experiences, there are countless examples of side effects listed below that are too extreme to even risk having a good experience (blood clots, black outs, migraines, numbness, insomnia, lower sex drive, depression/suicidal thoughts, body swelling, painful sex/sexual organs, candida, weight gain and the list goes on and on). It's incredible that this is on the market and has gotten through the testing stages.

I took the pill for about a decade and went off it three years ago, mostly because I was over taking something every day and felt I was gaining a bit of weight and had a slightly lower sex drive. After going off it, sex changed (slightly elevated sex drive and easier organsms but less intense) but no change to weight (damn those extra three kilos!). I did lose the horrible brown pigmentation stain on my forehead (which was my initial only conern with the NuvaRing can you believe!) and my skin has remained clear. I have been much more sensitive to thrush/candida though since going off the pill, which my Dr said was due to changed hormonal levels due to such a prolonged time on the pill (10 yrs).

Since '05, I've been using a diaphram which has been fine. It's annoying to have to stop for that 60 seconds and put it in before sex, but I've had no major problems with vaginal skin irritations (very minor) and can feel it slightly during sex, but no where near the extent of condoms and the feeling is about 90%+ as good as without. Noting the issues raised on this site, I think I'll stick with the diaphram as I think I want to stay away from hormone options and the fiddliness before sex is a small price to pay by the sounds of things.

Sounds like the decision to take use the NuvaRing should be a carefully considered one.

I've been on NuvaRing for about 6 months now and Its better than the last 6 birth controls i've been on in the last 4 years. I've gone through 4 different pills, and was on the shot for 2 years. The One thing i've noticed with the ring is that it makes me crazy! and not just once a month. I have random mood swings that I never used to get before I was on this ring, and I get violent! (not the kind of person i am.) Other than that, i really can't complain. Other birth controls were actually making me bleed for weeks at a time...sometimes months, and nothing was ever right. I'll deal with an occasional mood swing as long as im regular and healthy! oh yea...i like the fact that you can't even feel it =)

I was on many pills over the past 5 years, all with really bad side effects. The pills would cause me to have a period every two weeks, give me CRAZY yeast infections, cause all sorts of mood swings, and completely took away my sex drive. After giving me so many different brands of pills, my gyno decided that my body metabolized the hormones too fast and not enough of them were getting into my blood stream. He put me on the NuvaRing because it totally bypasses the digestive tract and the hormones get absorbed directly into your blood stream. I've just come out of my 1st month and feel great! My boyfriend and I both don't even notice it's there. I'm actually starting to regain some of my sex drive back and couldn't be happier with my new BC.

hi board:
I just wanted to throw my 2 cents in....
I went on NuvaRing about 3 weeks ago. Immediately (!?!?!) I began sleeping about 13 hours a day (10 hours per night, with a 3 hour nap every afternoon). I have NEVER been a napper, and I never have needed more than 7.5 hours a night. Additionally, everything seemed a bit off-- on three occasions I got into weird funky mood swings and rearranged all of the furniture in my house. (again, this isn't really me). Appetite increase, for sure, and the gas was just nearly. Decreased sexual drive.... I usually am a sex fiend, and I actually passed up sex once.
On the flip side, it sure was easy! And, no dryness or itchiness or anything.
Anyways, not for me. I think I am going to try Yaz.
I hope you all have better luck than I do!
(ps-- to those who worry about online fora: I am not crazy. Just a happy law student trying to avoid an untimely pregnancy....)

NuvaRing is my 4th birth control in 10 years. I have been on NuvaRing for 10 months, ( began it the month before I got married) and have noticed a few side effects.
- I have gained 20 lbs since beginning NuvaRing.
- My energy fell, and it has been hard to walk for exercise. I was running 5Ks before starting this medication.
- I am very anxious
- The tiniest things get on my nerves, and I have to mentally count to 10 all the time.
- I have had a few very very nasty mood swings during PMS and yelled at my husband (for no reason.)
- Headaches.
-vaginal dryness
- I am hungry ALL the time
I went to see the doctor (afraid of the weight gain and moodiness) and she said it could be the NuvaRing that made me gain and prescribed "Yas" - however after reading THOSE stories on this website, I'm considering having her prescribe another pill. Mircette seemed to be good for me a few years ago.
Everyone reacts differently to different medications. This one hasn't worked well for me.

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.

I started on NuvaRing a week ago, and had to take it out because of the side effects with my contacts. My eyes have been very irritable and got extremely red. They constantly hurt. I experienced mood swings too with a touch of depression.

I took my ring out this morning. I have dealt with anxiety and some depression to varying degrees in my past, but lately it has been much worse for no apparent reason. I started having panic attacks and heart palpitations last fall, they told me I was fine physically, and there was no other explanation. I have irregular periods, so I was hesitant to stop using the ring, but I've made my decision. Before I spend hundreds of dollars going to specialists to try to help me, I'm going to see if taking the ring out improves anything, and based on all of the other posts here I suspect that it will.

Just another FYI, I started the ring in the first place because my doctor told me it was a lower does than the Pill. The Pill gave me GALLSTONES 4 tears ago at 19 years old and I had to have my gallbladder removed! Then, when I was on vacation in Mexico, I had to go to the emergency room b/c I had symptoms of a blood clot in my leg. UGH! I was hoping the Ring would be different, but my elevated level of anxiety and depression and mood swings leads me to believe that it's not different at all.

Overall, birth control is just not worth it. It is not worth sacrificing my sanity. Condoms here I come! lol.

I just started on NuvaRing YESTERDAY and already I'm getting headaches and experiencing vaginal pain and abdominal cramping. I was on the pill two years ago for a year to regulate my periods, and I experienced ridiculous mood swings and severe depression. My gyno recommended this because of the lower doses of hormones. With the exception of 1 review, everything I've found so far has been extremely negative regarding this birth control. I'm thinking this probably isn't going to be the right one for me...