NuvaRing and nuva ring

I am a healthy 38 year old woman. I started using the Nuvaring about 2 years ago. Ever since I have had a drastic decrease in my libido...and by drastic I mean virtually no desire to have sex at all. I've also had frequent headaches that last for days at times, leg cramps, depression, and I've gained almost 15 lbs that will not budge no matter what I do. I work out five or six days a week with absolutely no decrease in weight or increase in muscle tone. I am so glad I found this site!! I've been thinking that something is wrong with me and I've been really down on myself. The lack of sex drive has been very difficult for my fiance'. He can't help but take it personally that I NEVER want to have sex. This has been a tremendous eye opener for me. I'm going home tonight to take this thing out and I'm never going back on hormonal birth control again! Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to share their experiences!

omg i am soooo glad that i came across this website.
i was beginning to think that i was the only one with this problem.
i have NEVER EVER had problems with vaginal dryness..... but after about 6 months of using NR that all went to hell!!
i have lost of my AMAZING sex drive :( and that has made me feel really down... i love having sex, but with a dry vagina it is very painful to have. after i finish typing this i am going to take out my nuvaring. but i have one question for those of you who have gone to the doctor? will my vaginal lubrication ever come back??

There are so many of us with depression/emotional issues from the NuvaRing.

For me, the NuvaRing saved me, only by revealing the MESS it created.

I was diagnosed bipolar in 2000 and spent 5 years on heavy medication in an attempt to manage it. In 2005 I went off the medication and my oral contraceptives in order to become pregnant. Following the birth of my son, I never returned to oral contraceptives AND never followed the typical path of a bipolar mother. There were no PPD issues, and I ended up not returning to the bipolar medication. I was symptom free without an explanation.

In May 2009, after years without anxiety symptoms, I went on the Nuva Ring. Within 12 hours, all of my old symptoms had returned. Within 5 days, I realized there could be a correlation and removed the ring. By the next day, I returned to myself.

With a call to my psychiatrist, who I hadn't seen in over a year, I described what had happened. She explained that the hormones do not process through the liver with the NuvaRing, unlike the oral contraceptives. This direct route into the body made the effects of the LOW dose hormones that more apparent. Thankfully, I learned that my issue all along was the hormonal birth control, and not my mental health.

My option is now a non-hormonal IUD, which has it's own messy issues, but I embrace fully in exchange for the emotional instability.

I feel that I have one of those stories that women need to hear. I do believe we are not realizing the full effects of these hormones. I took it as far as one can take it, with a full diagnosis and years of medication. I have to wonder how many women are experiencing milder effects and just don't realize that it could be the hormones.

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

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

Well, I am so glad I found this website. I am 39 yrs old and my husband is fixed....so I have no reason or desire to take any form of hormonal birth control. I never liked the idea of inserting a ring or taking hormones after the many female issues I have endure. I only agreed to this because I have painful ovarian cysts chronically, at least 6/year and 3 or 4/year that take me into my OB/GYN for a scan. I have previously had a tubal pregnancy (tube was saved because my OB/GYNs also specialize in fertility) and have had endometriosis. I have had 3 laperoscopic surgeries and 3 miscarriages. First for the tubal, second for follow-up endometriosis and third to remove a GOLF ball sized ovarian cyst to prevent ovarian torsion. Finally, I agreed for the 4th time to take birth control (previous attempts were thwarted by side affect from oral products. I used the nuvaring for 3 weeks and removed it today. Five days into the use I started cramping and bleeding AGAIN (10th day of my cycle). I have been bleeding, heavily for 11 days now, suffered dizziness intermittantly, have had a headache for the last 6 days and been more anxious, moody and tearful. I removed the ring today! I see my gyno on Tuesday. My cycle was predictable before, albeit painful and with ovarian cyst. Just want to say to all who took the time to share. Now I know it isn't in my head.

Thanks ya'll,
~ Texas Pharmacist

ABNORMAL PAPSMEAR I have never had one in my life me and my husband get tested regularly and we both practice safe sex which is no sex really since having our daughter (she is six months). I got on the Nuvaring three months ago and found it uncomfortable, I would bleed, cramp, mood swing and eat i am a very active person right after i had my daughter i was back in the gym but as soon as i got the ring i hated the word gym. With the ring in i never wanted to have sex because penis dry walls and round spring that doesn't stay in place never quite turned me on lol i told my doctor and she said my body was just adjusting i also told her about the bumps on my cervix and she said i didn't know what i was talking about, now i have to have a colscopy to figure out why my papsmear is abnormal. I honestly think it was the ring. I take yaz now I like it

I'm 25 yrs old. I started NuvaRing about 2 months ago. I've been on Lo Ovral for about 9 years and never had any issues other than having a hard time remembering to take my pill everyday. So I thought NuvaRing might be a better option for me. It's not!
ACNE: About a month into the ring I noticed my face began to break out. I've had occasional pimples here and there and some bacne. Well, my back is so bad I haven't worn a tank top all summer. And my face looks like I’m going through puberty.
DEPRESSION: I've been really bummed out about life lately. I have a business degree and a great job but lately I feel like I should just quit my job and live a life full of hopelessness and despair. I told my friend I feel like a troll that should hide in a dark corner. I’m normally the office cheerleader but lately I keep my door closed and my conversations short. I haven’t answered my cell phone in a month! You can’t even imagine how many unchecked voicemails I have. It’s really sad.
WEIGHT GAIN: I normally live in the gym. I run, swim, lift weights, do yoga and play sports. Now, instead of going to gym I go home upset that I'm a loser with no motivation to do anything- I eat fritos and any other carbs I can get my hands on for that matter. Then I take a nap (because eating can really wear a girl out). Wake up, eat dinner and go back to bed.
NO SEX DRIVE: The thought of having sex makes me cringe. They said you shouldn't feel it when you have sex but I sure do! And things get real crowded up in there when we're doing it. It's not pleasant and I feel like a contortionist trying to find some comfortable position. My husband gets frustrated with me and then I just get upset and then it ruins the entire mood.
Basically it took me 2 months to tie all of this to the NuvaRing. I just thought I was going through some sort of quarter-life crisis where everything was falling apart. So, I start my pills today and hopefully my life will be back in order again.

I am so relieved to has found this page. I had no idea how many people on the NuvaRing were having the problems I've been having. I started using the NuvaRing a few years ago soon after starting to have sex. I wasn't very good at remembering my pill everyday, so I thought it would be a good option. I was so happy in the beginning because I could depend on it.

However, the first major thing that happened a few months later was IBS symptoms, which has put a big damper on my life since. I never know what food item will cause me to cramp and bloat next. It changes every day. I have always doubted this symptom attributed to Nuva until now. I thought my metabolism was changing because I was entering the workforce and exposing myself to new levels of stress.

Next, I never expected that it would diminish my sex drive. I have to convince myself that I'm in the mood, feeling responsible for maintaining a healthy sex life with my husband. That sounds so horrible, and it is. I'm almost never in the mood, not even to masturbate, and I have to keep a calendar to keep track of the last time I pleased my husband. I have not had a real orgasm since before starting the nuva.

It doesn't help to not only be not in the mood, but also when I do have sex, it's uncomfortable, burning, and very painful urinating afterwards. On many occasions, the ring gets pulled out a little during sex, causing a moment of uncomfortable prodding plastic for both of us, and I need to stop long enough to take it out and put it somewhere so I remember to put it back in again. Sex is more comfortable without it after that, but the irritation is still there. It takes a few days to heal before having sex again.

The last straw is more recent. I began to get discharge - a lot - starting the second week in the cycle. It wasn't a yeast infection, as I had a physical and pap at this time and the doctor would have picked it up. There was some itching, but mostly, I've had to wear panty liners 3 out of 4 weeks, including my menstrual cycle. This makes me feel less appealing, and much less interested in having spontaneous sex because I have to clean up first.

It just sucks that this has effected me for almost my whole relationship with my husband. Our dates, our honeymoon, our first anniversary vacation last month. All this time, and I find that the only prescription drug I'm on is what has caused me so much stress, sexual tension, and digestive ailment. One can only imagine what all these other happy commercialized medicines have in store for us, and in multiple amounts!

I am 22, I started using the NuvaRing about 4 months ago. I took it out and I am not putting it back in. I HAD NO SEX DRIVE!!!! I also had really bad mood swings and got depressed really easily, which is not my personality at all. Especially the first couple days after I put it in I would be just crazy. I also had a lot of burning after sex and I could not keep it in to have sex because it hurt so bad. My doctor said most people can't feel it during sex, but for me it hurt. My biggest complaint is the total and complete loss of sex drive. I can't explain it. I have read other people's posts on here and I am glad to find out that it's not just me and it's not just all in my head.

I am 18 years old and ive been on the nuvaring for about 2 months.. Ive been depressed, angry for no reason, snappy at my boyfriend and on top of that- my once amazing sex drive has dropped off the face of the planet. Ive been on edge and anxious, ive had constant headaches all day, plus calf/foot cramping. Ive woken up in the middle of the night almost every night since i put the ring in.

I just took it out this morning after researching and looking on multiple websites, and im so so SO happy i found this website.. Already im noticing a difference in myself this afternoon and its awesome.

I find it sickening that when i brought this up to my gyno she had no idea about the symptoms i had been having and i type in "nuvaring" in google and it brings up thousands of pages of symptoms, side effects and even deaths.. Its scary.

Ladies, do your research, no more nuvaring for me.

My experience with the NuvaRing thus far has been disastrous. I was prepared to put up with the ruined underwear from unexpected menstruation but today whilst sobbing uncontrollably on the freeway with my husband gasping at me helplessly was enough. He actually was the one who suggested that it may be the ring and after reading the accounts of other women I am glad it is not me (and so is he). I actually just read some accounts to him and he was looking at me with a "told you so" look on his face. I have been in remission from clinical depression for a year and a half now, and these feelings I am having whilst on the ring are those of depression. I was seriously scared that possibly I had slipped back into a depressive state, but only a few weeks ago I was happy with my life and safe and stable. I am also ANGRY at everything. Again, something I was really concerned about- that is totally not the person I am. I am also having periods of dizziness and loss of consciousness which I thought was dehydration, but I could not seem to fix it. I am sure this is an effective form of birth control for some women, but I would just like to let you all know that constant vaginal bleeding, depression and thoughts of no self worth, anger, dizziness and pain are not worth it. Not in my experience.

This is the biggest relief. I am sure you can all relate finding this website. I started using the nuvaring back in February and the side effects started soon after, I just haven't tied it to the birth control until now. The first month I started using it I was planning to move from my home in boise to Orlando Florida to live with my boyfriend.. which is very stressful so needless to say my high anxiety stress irritability and anger all seemed to be pointing to the stress of moving from my home although it is what i wanted it was still scary. I have been here in Florida for 3 months now and still experience the same things adding one to the mix as living with your boyfriend should spark an instant sex drive when you haven't been living in the same city for a year. NOPE no sex drive at all. Maybe once in a blue moon i get in the mood but i literally have to talk myself into it which is pathetic. There are times when i am laying next to him and i have to tell myself if he wants i should go along with it. but though of sex just drives me away. Also the depression is unbearable I am a very happy goofy person and it is a struggle to keep my temper in check or to try and work up motivation to leave bed. I am constantly tired and have no drive to accomplish anything anymore which is out of my character.
Headaches I have always had and migraines i have had before the nuvaring about once a week now i have migraines at least 3 times a week and a headache every day in between. My breasts have been extremely sore so much that i thought maybe i was pregnant in combination with my extreme mood swings. I have thick hair and i shed a lot never thought that it may be due to the birth control. I am getting somewhat angry that this is the way we all have to find out. It is frustrating to feel like a crazy person and wonder what happened to the person i use to be. I have not experience any weight gain fortunately, but since have no motivation i am not in the shape i once was because i have no desire to go to the gym.
The itching sensation i didn't realize as a symptom before reading others stories. Now it is so clear how aggravating. One month my cramps were so bad and a couple of months in a row i felt so nauseous that i would get sick. One time i was driving to a friends house when all of the sudden i knew i was going to be sick and ended up vomiting all over myself... so embarrassing and i couldn't figure out what happened. Tomorrow morning im calling my doctor to see what we can do. This is my last day with the Nuvaring Thank god for this site and thanks to you all sharing your stories it brought me peace of mind knowing ill be myself again soon.

I have been on the NuvaRing for my 3rd month now. I seriously just went into the bathroom and took it out! I have been having some intense anxiety, and I swear my hair has been thinning out, and feeling depressed. Not to mention I've been gaining weight!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I looked at the NuvaRing website and seriously I have experienced almost every single symptom. I have not felt like my normal happy go lucky self the past 3 months and was wondering if it was just me. Now I know it's just the nuvaring. I also experienced extreme extreme headaches. My head feels like it will explode, for hours on end. The only way to get rid of those headaches is to sleep. Also I have never been so chubby in my life, I've always had a nice stomach and now it's getting flabby.... like seriously.... this is not even worth it. I'm so glad that I read this website and that everyone is experiencing the same problems with this as I am. I think I'm going to just stick to condoms bcuz that's going to be so much healthier for me! Too bad if my hubby doesn't like it.... I just can't take all these crazy changes... or else I'm going to go crazy! I've also been kind of crazy like totally filled with anxiety or feelings or resentment. Sex kills with the nuvaring! It hurts so bad. I'm not sure why, but it burns like heck. I've also felt fluid retention, big time! And my legs are super achey. Does anyone else have achey legs? And oh my gosh, my boobs hurt so much from the hormones NR injects into me. I feel like their getting like too big. Also over the past three months I haven't had any appetite, which would make you think that you would loose weight... right? WRONG! I have actually been gaining weight! So dumb! Take my advice and don't go on the NuvaRing, it's a waste of your time... and your life. Your life will change when you go on it, and you won't recognize it at first... but believe me, it will. I've also experienced the brown discharge for the first month, and changes in my menstrual cycle. & on my honeymoon I got a yeast infection bcuz the NuvaRing!!!!!!!!! That was pretty much the worst!

I have been on the NuvaRing for over a year. I chose it because the medication I was taking for a neck problem was not safe for pregnancy, but I wanted to have the ability to get pregnant quickly once I was off the medication. I had no side effects or issues at all while using NuvaRing. Of course there was spotting and irregularity when I first went on it, but that is standard when there are hormone changes. Periods got lighter and shorter over time, and that is one of the stated side effects. My neck problem is resolved and now I am going off of that medication. So I did not re-insert a NuvaRing this month. Wow, what a change! I am having horrible hot flashes and night sweats. So two possibilities as I see it: 1) these perimenopause symptoms are with me for the next few years and the NuvaRing was holding them at bay, or 2) my body was expecting NR and its associated hormones but since it didn't get them, the resulting hormone changes are causing short-term hot flashes and night sweats. I sure hope it is the latter. But either way, I can't see where NR is at fault. I would recommend it.

I have been off of the NuvaRing for about 2 years now. It caused serious depression!! It was absolutely horrible. Now my husband and I have been trying to conceive for the last 2 years and have been unsuccessful. I recently heard that there is a lawsuit in place stating that the NuvaRing has caused infertility but i have not been able to locate any info. Does anyone know about this or have any info?

While in the 1st month on the NuvaRing, I experienced small bumps on my stomach area (bellow breast & above the belly button). I thought it was heat rash. However, while in the 2nd month on the NuvaRing, I experienced sunburn/welting hives (range from 1/2 to 4 inches) all over my body, swollen fingers/hands, swollen lips, swollen left side of my face (including eyes), heartburn feeling in my chest. This landed me in the ER because I had a hard time breathing. The ER doctor immediately administered Diphenhydramine (Benadryl) via an IV. I was also given Prednisone (steroids) Famotidine (Pepcid). The next day--I still have hives that pop up of I don't take the Diphenhydramine & Prednisone pills on schedule. The chemical/NuvaRing has to get out of my system!!! Beware Ladies!!!

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

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

i been using the ring since 6/09 and since then i had cramping as is i am having cyst bursting, headaches , and weight gain. i thought i was prego again and i keep testing and its neg . what do i do. take it out and call the doctor or what

I am 21 years old and I switched from Seasonal to the NuvaRing I have been on the ring since May 14 and have gained 10 pounds in two months. I went from 104 to 114 and I am 5.0'. I also have been walking 3 days a week for an hour or more. I also got married a month ago and have been snacking less than what I did when I lived at home so I know it's not my eating habits. I have never experienced this much weight gain with any birth control the most I have ever gained was 5 pounds. I am going off of it in a week and cannot wait!!

I was on the nuvaring for about 3 or 4 months. My best friend decided to try it too since I started it. On top of that we both made drastic changes in our love life, hers an engagement, mine a new beau :). I started the ring about two weeks of dating him, and then realized I could not stand him, for him to touch me made my skin crawl, but I knew that I really like him and wanted the relationship to work (yeah, crazy I know). I would yell and scream, I did not want to be intimate in any shape or form. It was very hard for this new relationship to grow, and I was thinking it was him. My girlfriend was going nuts with her fiance, everything he did or did not do set her off. We thought it was the "bridezilla" in her coming out. We went on a few months thinking the changes was due to our new stuatus. I asked a friend from school if she ever tried nuva ring, and she said "yes that thing made me crazy, my boyfriend almost left me twice." Well two days later I took out my ring to see if it would make a difference, and within 24 hours things were better (sun was shining, birds were singing), I told my girlfriend about it and she tried taking hers out to see if it changed within 2 days she was a brand new girl on her way to a being a blissful bride to be.

All of this to say, if you are not sure if it is the ring try abstaining for a month, take the ring out, and see if you see a difference, for those of you that can't abstain, make sure to take other precautions like condoms or plan b.

P.S. my friend and I kid around about how there is going to be an episode of SNAPPED, based off a woman on the ring.

I have been on ortho tricyclin lo, and then tried Yaz, and now i have been on nuvaring for three months. The only weird thing that I have noticed is that there are times when I feel my mood completely change. My boyfriend even notices, asks me about it, and then I have sudden urges to cry. I am a nurse, and even cried on my way into work today. Not sure if this is because of the nuvaring. As for those that have no sex drive, I have one, and on the other pills was so dry. But with this, I actually noticed that it helped with the dryness. Anyone cry all the time like i do?

Hello... and I want to thank everyone for thier comments. I am 23 and have been on the nuvaring since my son was born two years ago. Since I have been on it I am tired, irritable, and had no sex drive. Every doctor I went to said that the s/s were from being a busy mom. Over time things have gotten worse I never think about sex EVER (my poor husband). I have been gaining weight in my stomach, butt, and thighs for no reason. For the past 2 months my vagina is completely dry and it was always the opposite. I barely have a period. I freak out on anyone for no given reason, even to hear someone speak. I sleep 24/7 and it is not enough. I am nauseated 24/7 to a point I feel like I am going to vomit. The only plus is I use to be a large A cup and in 2 months am a large C cup. And I am not pregnant.
Sooo...I asked my MD to check my hormones. To find out my Estrogen level is 40. With low estrogen this causes all of these s/s I have been having. Did the nuvaring cause this? Am I going to be able to have anymore children? I am taking this nuvaring out and I never want to see one again!

I'va been on the nuvaring for 2 weeks now and wasn't on any birth control prior to the NR. I have been so tired, feeling sick, and very depressed the past couple of days. Not to mention extreme cramping and sex just isn't working with this. I thought maybe I was already pregnant or just so depressed I just want to sleep and eat the way I'm feeling until I read these issues other women are having. I am taking it out now.

i've been on and off the nuvaring for a little less than a year. my boyfriend and i were in a long distance relationship, so i'd make sure it was active the few times we saw each other, and then i'd generally stay off it the few months in between - probably not the best for my body, but the ring was rather expensive and it seemed a waste to buy them for all that wasted time.

anyway, i just moved to his area about three weeks ago, and in the weeks since i've arrived i've noticed my sex drive has essentially disappeared - which is the OPPOSITE of how i'd think it should be. i first started thinking about the nuvaring causing a problem when i noticed i was much drier than i generally am, having a hard time getting aroused, etc. it's now to the point where i am frustrated when he wants to make love because the desire for me is *so* nonexistent - someone else posted that it seems like a "task", and that's exactly how i'm feeling. this seems unfair to him and is troubling to me, as i've always had a perfectly healthy libido, and was beginning to worry that something was wrong with me.

i've also had the beginnings of what seems to be a mild yeast infection, but i have always been prone to those, so it could be unrelated. i also experienced ridiculous burning after sex one night, as others have mentioned, although it has only happened the once. last week i had a headache for three days (which has never happened before) and the mood swings have been huge - one tiny thing sets me off into either tears or ridiculous anger. my poor boyfriend.. ):

i was going to wait it out and see if things balanced in a month or two, but after reading some long-term effects here, i think i'll find an alternate method. it's just not worth hurting my boyfriend/relationship/body for this. thanks to everyone who has posted before me, this site was a huge help in making my decision.

Hmm, after reading all of this ive decided that my decision after medicaid declined my ring for 3 more days to finally get off of it was right. Ive noticed that within the past 2 weeks ive had more energy, my headaches are not as bad, and ive not been having the crippling stomach pain i have after i eat some foods. Ive been on it for about a year and a half, i tried depo but i gained 40pds while on it, so i moved to the nuvaring, as i had it 3 years ago right after i had my daughter. While on it and it still hasn't went away, i have pain during sex, burning after sex, stomach cramps, lower stomach cramps, headaches, Ive had 2 bouts of chest pain that made me freak out because i about went to the hospital, I am overweight, i was only 215 when i had my daughter, and was healthy and played basket ball, and now im 265. The doctors complain at me, but i did remodel for 2 months and lost ONE pound. All while taking care of a two year old. I got two yeast infections within 6 months and id never had one ever before (im 22 this month)All these problems combined with my back pain from my accident, Ive decided, im going to use other methods like condoms and spermicide. i cant take the hormonal crap.

I started on the NuvaRing in April of this year, so this is my 4th month on it. The first month was great! I loved that I didn't have to think about it daily and my libido was through the roof! The only side effects: I noticed immediately that it increased my discharge, which was a little uncomfortable on a day-to-day basis but was very nice for making love. The discharge was also a whitish color, which threw me off because I'm used to it being clear but my doctor assured me that all was normal. Also, it would occasionally fall out during more passionate sex, which wasn't a big deal. I just washed it off with cold water and reinserted it. The second month, things seemed great until the last half of the month. I noticed that there wasn't as much discharge and I would get a slight burning sensation after sex. About a week later, I came down with a full blown yeast infection. I hadn't had a yeast infection in 10 years! I treated it with an OTC 3 day suppository, which seemed to help it a little. I removed the NuvaRing like normal and a few days later I started my period. Things seemed to go back to normal and a week went by without much problem. The middle of the 3rd month I was slammed full force with yet another (or the same) yeast infection, plus bacterial vaginosis as well. I asked the doctor about the NuvaRing and it possibly causing/aiding yeast infections. She assured me that it wasn't possible for the ring to cause infection. She gave me instructions on how to properly rinse it off in case it ever fell out again. She prescribed me 2 doses of Diflucan for the yeast and an antibiotic for the BV. I took both and afterward things seemed fine for another 2 weeks. This week, I noticed that I had a weird itchy feeling down there before bed and sure enough when I woke up in the morning it appeared I had another yeast infection. I called to make an appointment but the nurse just called back and prescribed me 2 more Diflucan pills and told me to give one to my partner. I asked again about the NuvaRing perhaps being an aid in the appearance of these infections and again she told me that it wasn't possible. At this point I am really confused. I don't know if I have a really bad yeast infection due to the ring or if my boyfriend and I are simply reinfecting each other. I also asked about whether I should discard this NuvaRing and start a new one after the infection clears up and got a very vague response of "it's your call". I really don't know whether to can the NuvaRing or keep going a little longer to see if this is all a big coincidence. I just think there isn't enough known about the NuvaRing...by my physician anyway. More side effects to note in the fourth month: weight gain, loss of sexual desire, vaginal dryness (the discharge was short-lived), irritability, crying fits. I'm just at a loss...I really wanted this to work for me...

i'm thankful to find this site as well. I was on the nuva-ring before (a couple years ago) and didn't notice the side effects. I've recently tried it again. I've had the the NR in for less than a week and already notice side effects.

I've been in such a terrible mood for the past 3 days (including crying fits) and couldn't identify the problem. My boyfriend is even being affected from it (as i am not the happy-go-lucky gal he is used to). I got to thinking that it may be due to a a hormone increase via the NuvaRing.

And here I am... with just a simple google search.. I realize i'm not alone. I can't wait to tell my boyfriend so that i have something to blame this on

I am 22, and a newly wed. I have been using NR since i was 18. I have been pretty happy with it until this last couple months when i have started to have some severe side effects. I actually ended up in the ER the 29th of may. i had some weight gain at the beginning but i figured that it was normal and didn't think too much of it. When i went to the ER it was because of how much pain i was in with my lower abdomen. They said they THOUGHT it MIGHT be a ruptured cyst. I went to the doctor the next day and she said that it wasn't. Since then i have noticed that my hair has been falling out, im a very thick haired blond. (not fair!!) the pain in my uterine area has been crippling. I ended up quitting my job due to nervous break down because of the pain and the not knowing why. I have abnormal pap smears the months that i used the nuvaring. Body aches, massive head aches, depression, moodiness, heavy excruciating periods, back aches, nausea, breast tenderness, and more and more weight gain. I have gained about 50 lbs since starting NR. I used it because i am AWFUL with pills. So that leaves me with nothing other than condoms, and they hurt me. When my husband and i have sex, WHEN we have sex, it hurts before, during and after. To the tune that my husband is afraid to have sex with me, for fear of causing me pain. So what to do?

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

Hi everyone. I posted on here in Jan. 09 about how NR ruined me. After two months of a-okay, I developed terrible yeast infections, constant bleeding, and a complete inability to orgasm- under my own ministrations or otherwise. I went off NR after the third month and left my system clear for 1 month. Then I got back on my previous method of BC: orthotricyclin pills. I am happy to report that after 7 months, I am finally able to orgasm again, nearly as often as before the whole ordeal. I was terrified that that joyous experience would be lost forever. IT'S GOING TO BE OKAY! Wait it out. Stupid evil nuvaring.

I was on Nuvaring for about 3 yrs, i liked the fact that my periods were regulated now and they only lasted for 2-3 days, not mention they were light. When i started NuvaRing i was about 199 to 200 lbs... I was cute at this weight because i like thick thighs. But now i am 215 and i couldn't understand how i gained weight like that especially since nothing changed in my life except me going to school, which added more activity to my life. I have been off NuvaRing for 1 month now, i got off because my boyfriend and i want to have a baby, I was gonna put the ring back in this Sunday, but not anymore after reading this... I am gonna hit the gym hard and hopefully my hair will stop falling out. My bathroom, bed, brush, comb, and car is covered daily with hair... Im tired of cleaning it up that much. NO MORE NUVARING FOR ME

I used the nuvaring for 2 months stopped and started again three months ago. The first time I used it I had no side effects this time is TOTALLY DIFFERENT! I thought it would be convenient since u only have to worry about it every three weeks unlike remembering to take the pill everyday at the same time, but all the side effects make it not so worthwhile. I have
nausea, headaches, dizzy spells, mood swings (I literally can cry at the drop of a dime), stomach cramps on and off my cycle (I can't get out of bed sometimes), and recently i've had diarrhea but i'm not sure if its caused by the nv. I'm not recommending it to ANYONE. I think i'm about fed up anyone have any suggestions for a better BC?

I am 54 and perimenopausal. I was having a very hard time sleeping at night, night sweats and a weird tingling feeling that would cover my whole body. My doctor prescribed the nuvaring. She said she used it too for her symptoms. I thought it was incredible. I started sleeping through the night and no more tingling. My mood was great. I just felt better but a couple of months later I was a wreck. Moody, depressed, spotting and my hair was falling out and I mean it was all over the shower, the floor, my brush. Visited my doctor and she said I got a bad ring! What's with that? Well she gave me a new one I felt much but my hair is still falling out. I took the ring out and it's been a month and it's a bit better but not good. Luckily I have very thick hair but it's gotten so much thinner and the texture is different. Hope this stops soon or I'll be bald soon.

I am so happy I found this site. I have been on the NR for about six months and I have noticed significant weight gain. At first I just thought it was that my metabolism had slowed down. I noticed that my stomach looks really big and swollen. So tonight I googled weight gain with the NR and I found this site. I am so happy that now I know whats wrong with me. After reading 6 posts I immediately went in the bathroom removed this thing from my body!!! Now hopefully my weight and my life can go back down to normal!!!!!

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

I started taking the Nuvaring 2 months ago; I took the ring out and was suppose to start my period and it didn't come for almost 2 month. For the last three weeks sex has not interested me at all and I began to think if it was because I wasn't feeling my boyfriend for three years anymore. Everything is great in our relationship, but I just haven't been turned on. After reading everyone's testimonies on this site, I know it's because of the ring; looks like it's back to condom; not to mention I have been very tiered and sick,the Nuvaring sucks!

I just started the NuvaRing, and Everything seems to be going okay with an exception for the extreme breast tenderness. I put it in the day I started my period and, like clockwork, my period was gone, but still with some of the period pain such as ovary pain and breast swelling. I asked to be put on the ring because of my extremely painful periods and cramping and plus obviously I don't want to get pregnant. After being on it for something like..a week and a half, I've only noticed mood swings once, and that was last week during what should have been my period, and I think it's because my body is still working out the period symptoms that I should have been experiencing. I'm really worried about weight gain though. I'm not really that hungry unusually or anything.. just kind of normal but I've only been on this for a short time so I am fearful of increase in appetite and weight gain in the near future.. Has anyone had weight gain issues??

i had started the nuvaring at the end of march, and i every time i had sex with my boyfriend. then i took it out(may 8th) and lost it one night and had it out since then, and still haven't had my period and, last night (July 4th) i took a pg test and it was negative! whats going on?

I have stopped using the NuvaRing due to my horrible mood, and breast tenderness...it has been two weeks now since I have been off of it, and the moods swings have vanished, but my breast are still so very tender. Has anyone experienced this after taking it out? or should I go by a pregnancy test?

Does anyone have any thoughts on after stopping the nuvaring. I was only on it for 2 months but the extreme moods and depression made me stop and never look back. Its been 6 months since I stopped, I have not used any birth control since. My hair started falling out when I was on it, but it never stopped and is now getting worse. I am not feeling well and seem to have all the symptoms of hypothyroidism, I just had a blood test today and am waiting on the results. I am 25 yrs old and otherwise healthy besides this. I feel like all my symptoms, physical and emotional started with the nuvaring, I am wondering if anyone else has developed hypothyroidism after being on and stopping the nuvaring???

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

I believe that my friable cervix is from the hormones so close to my cervix that are constantly being released from my NuvaRing. All tests for STDs and abnormalities came back clear. Other than that, I do not have any noticeable side effects.

I just spent 8 days in the hospital (2 days in ICU) with multiple PEs (blood clots in my lungs) thanks to the NuvaRing. I had used it for 11 weeks and had symptoms of the blood clots for 6 weeks. My doctor was originally treating me for asthma because of my chest tightness and extreme shortness of breath. I do not smoke and am in great health otherwise. The ER physician instructed me to take the ring out immediately as I was being transported to ICU. Every MD that I saw at the hospital pointed to the Nuva Ring as the culprit. This thing is dangerous...don't ignore the symptoms!!!

I mentioned to my boyfriend the other day that I haven't been turned on at all in a over a month and how strange that is and he said NuvaRing. I hadn't even thought of that but it made so much sense because I have just put it in last week for the second time. So I decided to search the wonderful web and see if this was something other people experienced from the NuvaRing. Not only have I seen from this site that many people have the same symptom but also many more that I never thought would have been caused by the ring. I saw someone else mention IBS, I never had problems in that area before but in the last month and a half I have thought maybe I had IBS because I have been so sick. I originally thought it was my eating habits so I started eating much better and that also didn't help. Not too many days have gone by in which I haven't experienced intense stomach pain and diarrhea. I have been unbelievably tired lately and after sex I have had a throbbing pain that can only be understood by other women up inside my pelvis. I am taking the ring out today and going back to the pill. I am upset because I was really excited about the ring, it seemed so easy.. too good to be true I guess.

I have been on the NuvaRing just over a year and didn't realize it was causing a lot of problems for me. I just went to see an new GYN after watching a Doctor Phil episode on hormones, and he's going to test me for imbalances. However, he did tell me that the NuvaRing is an estrogen based birth control, so for many women, it's too much estrogen. He said NuvaRing is a good birth control and that he likes it, but some woman's bodies just don't deal well with the extra estrogen. I had made my appointment with him because after watching the episode where Robin talks about hormones, I thought I might have an estrogen imbalance. After he told me NuvaRing was estrogen based, I thought about the timing of my problems, and they all fit perfectly around the start of NuvaRing. I started on it last March, and by July I was on Lexapro for depression. I've been gaining weight, getting headaches (which I never ever got before), been incredibly moody and forgetful, and had no sex drive. If you research estrogen dominance, you'll find those exact symptoms. So for those of you who haven't tried it, it's not that it is a horrible medication. It's just that some women may already have a little higher level of estrogen to begin with, and using the NuvaRing tips the scales too much and causes these problems.

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

Hi everyone. I am a medical professional and former user of the nuvaring. It is true, birth control as well as most medicines does affect everyone differently. However, I was an absolute emotional disaster (frequently contemplating self-harm) while I was on this medication. I initially attributed the mood swings to my then current stressful situation. When I finally graduated from NP school and my stressors were alleviated, my depression persisted. Within a week of stopping the NuvaRing, I was back to my old self and have not had any of those symptoms since. It is a rather large dose of hormones so if you're feeling these symptoms as well, perhaps you should contact your provider about a more appropriate method of bc.

I cant believe I stayed on this torture device for so long! I was on the NR for about 3 years. I started getting migraines shortly after starting it, but liked the idea of being on a BC that was easy to maintain. The migraines kept getting more severe, more frequent, and lasting longer (4 days). I would vomit, have diarrhea, miss work, and social opportunities and waste my life away lying in bed in dire pain, sometimes to the point I wanted to shoot myself in the head to ease the pain.

Finally, last month, I took the NR out for good! I did have a very small migraine last month, but it was nothing compared to what I have had, and this month, I have not had a single one!

So long NuvaRing.

If somebody's just getting the info online about the nuvaring thinking about switching to it, I would not recommend to do so!
I started using the nuvaring 1 1/2 month ago after 2,5 years of being BC free thinking it has less hormones; and I'm totally disappointed in the nuvaring and the health care provider who recommended it to me. Well the first month of use I experienced the worst yeast infection ever with burning and itching and abundant discharge.
It seemed to go away by the next cycle, but my sex drive was almost completely gone (which is not like me at all) accompanied with the dryness and dull pain after intercourse, i gained weight and started feeling like blah. I wear contacts and i started experiencing dryness and blurred vision prob. I still decided to leave it till the next period cycle. But then my husband and I came across a different problem, this time with him. He got a cluster of achy pimples at the base of his penis- that made the decision clear for us. I took it out the same day and tried to find out what exactly was wrong with him, my result for yeast inf. was negative and we are 100%negative for other STI's.
My health care provider could not help me at all, just suggested switching to a pill. BTW i couldn't find any info on side effects in men, but did come across some other comments on other sites left by men with the same prob.
I'm only 25, in a good shape (or at least was before the gain and stopping going to the gym, coz it didn't feel like that any more) and without bad habits, no allergies either; so the side effects have nothing to do with the age, your health condition or the lifestyle.
Well, now I don't see why even try the nuvaring? I see it as a costly damage of your body and letting you man suffer with you.
We usually slip the side effect part thinking it's not gonna happen to us, but i learned my lesson and I really don't know what else to try now.