NuvaRing and slump

Wow. I seriously could have written a lot of these posts. I'm a 23 year old mother to an almost 3 year old and 16 month old and I get stressed and aggravated WAY more easily than I ever have in my life. It all started around the same time I started using the Ring about 7 months ago, but I thought it was probably the stress of having a new baby and a small toddler. Lately, I've been so depressed I barely care about anything. I just want to sleep and sit around and that's just not me. I don't look forward to anything like I used to, have no libido, and just cannot shake this terrible cloud of depression looming over me.

I made a conscious effort to lose weight for 6 weeks, I exercised 4 times a week and watched what I ate. I didn't lose a single pound. I have always lost weight with regular exercise and moderate diet. I was devastated and quit my routine and have been in a deeper depressive slump since then and because of not being able to lose any weight.

After reading all of these stories, I'm going to cancel my prescription for the coming months tomorrow and stop using the ring as next week. I just cannot live like this anymore and I miss the way I used to be! I think my husband misses the old me too. He is always telling me not to stress out as much as I do, but I cannot help it, and I now believe all of these things are related to the NR, because I was never like this before.

what a relief to read all your experiences! I too have been on the ring for about 5 months, while my sex drive was not totally shot - i too get these insane cramps in my calf muscles that wake me up at night on a regular predictable basis. to cure those i started taking vitamins and eating bananas more. weight-wise, i'm sure i gained ten pounds since i started but was too depressed to check so i waited until i knew i lost a few and now i'm 7 pounds heavier than when i started. of course I tell this all to my doctor and she's like "That's strange, it's such a low dose of hormones that shouldn't happen." FINALLY the worst of it is the first week I put it in I'm INSANELY emotional. crying hourly. today's been such a hard day - worsened by the fact that it was my birthday two days ago and one of the most pathetic birthday's of my life so i just keep thinking about it and crying. so i wonder if it's the ring thats exaggerating my emotions or if i'm really feeling depressed about having a lame birthday. does anyone else have this first-week slump? i hate it. i want to go off the ring now but i hate taking the pill and i feel like any BC has some hideous undesirable side effect. PLUS when having sex, it's popped out 3 times and i haven't been able to find it after!!! so annoying. what to do what to do...

I've been on NuvaRing for almost a year now and am I realizing my low sex drive and depression is the cause of the Ring.

Since starting the ring I've had the following symptoms:
- low sex drive
- leg cramp (restless leg)
- depression/moodiness
- lack of energy/sleepy
- breast/nipple tenderness

I also have a microscopic amount of blood in my urine and I'm being tested next week- but this could be unrelated.

The depression thing just hit me when I visited this site- for months I've been detached and in an emotional slump. I don't want to talk to anyone at work, and I'm dying to get home at the end of the day just to lock myself in my room and not answer the phone if anyone calls.

I also feel completely uninterested in my boyfriend of 8 years emotionally and sexually - this is unusual since our relationship has been getting better over time - because of the Ring I feel detached from him and sometimes feel like I could care less if I go weeks without seeing or talking to him which is very unusual for me.

I've also had about a 15 lb. weight gain in the past 5 years from using birth control- I'm nervous to stop NuvaRing because I've heard it actually helps with weightloss.