NuvaRing and severe pain

I havent tried Nuvaring yet.... I just got back from the doctor with some free samples. I'm on the Ortho Evra patch currently and I have side effects that made me concerned enough to try something different. I was on the Depo shot for 4 years. I decided to get off of it after I had cycts removed from my ovaries and had pre cancerous cells removed. Which the doctors said would lower my chances of having children. I decided to take a whole year off of birth control. To give my body a chance to "recover". The only problem I had was my periods kept getting longer and longer and more frequent. Next thing I know the doctors tell me I have Polycystic Ovarian Disease. Which also lowers the chance of having children because of the irregular bleeding. The pill makes me so nautious I couldn't stand it so I thought I'd try the patch. Now I have menstrual cramps when I'm not ovulating, I'm so moody its not even funny, I'm eating all the time and tired 24/7. The only thing it did do was regulate my period. Which is what I wanted... But I've only been on it for two months. My doctor told me you cant even feel the Nuvaring and it has a low dose of estrogen so I wont be moody. But reading all of the comments and stories.... I think I'm just going to not be on any birth control and see if my body naturally regulates itself. If I was using the birth control just to avoid pregnancy it would be different, I would want to be on at least something. But I'm glad to know I'm not the only one that thinks birth control is evil and causes alot more problems than doctors tell you. So I think I'm just gonna toss my free samples of Nuvaring, get off the patch and see what my body does naturally.

My 20 year-old daughter was hospitalized for 6 days for Pulminary Embolisms as a result of being put on NUVARING 7 weeks after having a C-section. Her OB/GYN knew she was a smoker and prone to depression, but prescribed it anyway. The hospital staff didn't know if she'd survive long enough to thin her blood enough to prevent a heart attack or stroke. Thankfully she did, but she was in severe pain and had to quit nursing her newborn due to medications. She has been told she can no longer use any prescription birth control due to the possibility of recurrence. She also STILL has to take blood thinners, 2 years later. She was originally told it should only be necessary for 6 months.

This site is like a moth to a flame for me.

I took my damned ring out a week & a half ago after finding this site & reading so many testimonies & side effects I could have written myself that it wasn't even funny. This makes me so mad that a freaking pharmaceutical product could make so many women this sick without being recalled. And what the heck is wrong with all the doctors not being able to tell any of us what was causing all these problems?

In the fifteen months I was on NuvaRing I have seen every type of doctor you can imagine. Including TWO neurosurgeons who wanted to do TWO different types of surgery on me. BOTH docs sent me for MRI's of my pelvic region/lower back & KNEW I was on NuvaRing. I mean, I know it was CLEARLY right there in the middle of both the results of those MRI's!

So why did it take me finally figuring it out by using GOOGLE?

I've had chronic lower back pain (diagnosed degenerative disc disease in JUNE), severe pelvic pain & cramping (diagnosed pelvic inflammatory in JANUARY), UTI's turning into kidney infections that were so bad I went to the emergency room in APRIL, another UTI & kidney infection in JANUARY, not being able to sit or stand for more than a few minutes without severe pain, leg pains & weakness that two neurosurgeons couldn't figure out WHY they were happening, anxiety, depression, terrible temper, severe fatigue, headaches, stinging painful feeling in my vagina, high blood pressure (that has to be treated with expensive blood pressure meds now) etc etc etc.

I can't believe my husband has stuck around through all of this. When they say the first year of marriage is tough, they weren't joking around huh? The person that said that must have used the NuvaRing their first year of marriage too.

Please, if you are thinking of using this product or are leery to stop it - JUST TAKE THE THING OUT! and DON'T USE THIS PRODUCT! It's just not worth it to feel this bad for convenience sake. Not even slightly.

PS - For those of you who want to say something like "Oh it works for me. You just had a bad reaction."...

That's like saying just because some people don't get cancer from cigarettes that they are still a good product.

Side Effects of This Medicine

The risk of serious adverse effects is unlikely for most women using the etonogestrel and ethinyl estradiol vaginal ring.. However, oral combination hormonal contraceptives have been associated with unwanted effects which may need medical attention.

Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur:

Incidence not determined

abdominal fullness; abdominal pain or tenderness usually after eating a meal; blurred vision; changes in skin color; chest pain or discomfort; confusion; constipation; diarrhea; dizziness; gaseous abdominal pain; headache; inability to speak; nausea; nervousness; numbness of hands; pain or discomfort in arms, jaw, back or neck; pain; pains in chest, groin, or legs, especially calves of legs; pounding in the ears; prominent superficial veins over affected area with tenderness and warmth; recurrent fever; seizures; severe headaches of sudden onset; shortness of breath; slow or fast heartbeat; sudden loss of coordination; sudden onset of slurred speech; sudden vision changes; sudden and severe weakness in arm and/or leg on one side ; sweating; swelling; swelling of foot or leg on one side of the body; temporary blindness; vomiting or vomiting of blood; yellow eyes or skin

Symptoms of Overdose

Get emergency help immediately if any of the following symptoms of overdose occur

Menstrual changes; nausea; vaginal bleeding; vomiting

Other side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. However, check with your doctor if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome.

More Common

Cough; fever; headache; itching of the vagina or genital area; pain during sexual intercourse; pain or tenderness around eyes and cheekbones; sore throat; stuffy or runny nose; thick, white vaginal discharge with no odor or with a mild odor; tightness of chest or wheezing; weight gain

Less common

Crying; depersonalization; false or unusual sense of well-being; hoarseness; mental depression; paranoia; quick to react or overreact emotionally; rapidly changing moods, mild feeling of sadness or discouragement that come and go

Incidence not determined

absent, missed, or irregular menstrual periods; bloody vaginal discharge; brown, blotchy spots on exposed skin; chills; clay-colored stools; contact lenses intolerance; dark urine; decreased amount or quality of milk; dry mouth; dry skin; fatigue; flushed; fruit-like or unpleasant breath odor; increased hunger; increased thirst; increased urination; loss of appetite; medium to heavy, irregular vaginal bleeding between regular monthly periods, which may require the use of a pad or a tampon; rash; soreness, swelling, or discharge from the breast or breasts; trouble getting pregnant; unexplained weight loss; unusual tiredness or weakness

Other side effects not listed above may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your doctor.

I have found that I get really emotional, moody, and I get a sharp pain around where my ovaries are occaisionally. I also get a severe pain during the week it is out - near my tailbone. I have found taking a daily multi-vitamin helps with the emotions, but I am still sleepy all the time, and I only want sex about once or twice a month - for a newly wed, this is ridiculous! I am bad about taking pills, so I thought this would be a great solution, but the side effects aren't worth it I think. I am talking to my doctor tomorrow.