I have found this forum to be really interesting. My husband actually found it for me. Anyway, I wanted to share my story.
I started taking birth control in high school because I was having too many periods- 7 days on 3 days off. My doctor prescribed Yasmin to regulate it so I would not run out of eggs! I never had any problems with it at all. The only thing was that I was using to regulate my cycle not as birth control. I was not sexually active so I was taking the pills losely-- I was doing good if I took one a day, but there were times when I had missed 3 or 4 and I was notorious for switching them all around so I could schedule my period when most convient. I should mention too that I have had severe ovarian cysts where the pain was so bad I ended up in the hospital and have perscription pain medication for it.
When I got engaged I decided that I had better practice taking the pills in a way that would actually be effective for brith control (we were both virgns until our wedding night) since I'd been so relaxed about it for 6 years! After a few months of my efforts to be disciplined faling I saw my gyno to talk options. We decided to go with the NuvaRing. I had loved Yasmin as far as being side effect free, just couldn't get the dosage down.
I have now been on NuvaRing for about 8 months. I haven't had a bad experience but there are some things I am thinking may be related to it that keep me from calling it a good experience too. First, what I love about it--- It is so easy! I have no trouble remembering the 2 times a month I have to bother with it. It is practically fool proof. Insertion and removal or so simple. Also my husband and I have had no issues of it coming out or feeling it during sex. Once or twice he has felt it, but he didn't mind! My periods have been fine as far as start time, length, and flow. I've recommeded it to many friends.
Lately though I am begining to think it is responsible for 3 things I hate! My face is breaking out all the time and now that I think back it started a few months into NuvaRing. It has never ever been this bad and nothing works nor do the outbreaks correlate to a certian time in the cycle it is just constant! Another thing is that I have had really severe itchiness on my labia on my period, almost as if there is a tiny knot beneath my skin. It is only on my period and only every other month or so. The last thing, which is the worst of all is my sex drive. It has nose dived. We are newlyweds without any previous experience so everything ought to still be new and exciting, but I seriously am struggling! There are weeks where I could care less about sex. I want to want it, but it just isn't there. I feel bad and we both want to figure it out. He hates that I have had to experience this! We think NuvaRing might be to blame because it sure wasn't an issue while we were waiting for sex before we got married when I was on Yasmin! Then it was a struggle to wait!
I guess I am going to have to think about going back to Yasmin and come up with a pill schedule because no passion is no good! But, then again neither is a baby when you aren't ready-- it's a toss up! If I weren't still working on school it'd be a no brainer but, I am worried about my lack of user compliance-- if you will. Still, it has become impossible to climax/orgasm! Any ideas???