Joined: 11 Apr 2007 Posts: 5557 Location: Along the Mississippi, USA
Thanks: 90
Thanked:32
Posted: 11-05-07 18:02pm
Don't freak out because of what you read
on here. Honestly, people come to online
birth control forums because something's
wrong, so you'll find lots of people on
here that are on something that isn't
working for them.
Anyway, you are likely to have the same
side effects on the pill as the ring,
because they contain the same hormones.
And the warning signs I listed above are
for all types of hormonal birth control,
not the ring. And actually, the ring has
lower levels of hormones than most pills
because it stays local instead of
traveling through the whole body. So most
women have fewer side effects, not to
mention it's much easier.
But anyway, it's always your choice. If you wanted, you
could finish this month and switch to the
pill right after the ring-free week. I
think you would be protected the whole
time, but you'd have to ask your doctor to
be sure.
PS most pills have a week long waiting
period before sex just like the ring, but
of course it only counts for the first
pack.
|
BabyEyez47
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 06 Nov 2007 Posts: 1
the Nuva Ring Isnt All Its Cracked Up to Be... Posted: 11-06-07 14:27pm
I went on the Nuva Ring in December of
2006 and thought it was the greatest thing
in the world but now...I hate it. I was
on the pill previously and thought the
nuva was better because I didnt have to
remember a pill everyday...
In January of 07, I woke up one morning
and could not fit into the jeans I wore a
week before. My stomach, which was tone
and flat is now flabby and gross. I
thought I was just eating more, which I
guess I was because of the NUVA. My ex
and I got back together around then so I
just thought I was gaining weight bc I was
happy and comfortable. At least that is
what all my friends tried to tell me. I
was on the pill before the Nuva and I was
in a 5/6 or 7/8 pant...now I am in a
11/12...I have gained almost 20lbs. I
hate the way I look right now....
Mood swings, anxiety and depression took
over my life also. I use to go out with
friends and hated to be home...now I want
to stay home, cry and constently feel
sorry for myself. I am picking fights
with my boyfriend for no reason and even
my friends have seen a major change in me.
I go from sweet to horribly mean it about
30 seconds. I am a full time graduate
student but getting up and going to school
makes me want to cry. I have day when I
just dont go. I just want to cry, and
stay home. I hate being around ppl.
Also, I am not sure if anyone else have
delt with this...but my cramps have been
HORRIBLE. They are so painful and I never
had cramps until the nuva ring was
introduced to me.
I have a ZERO sex drive and that cause
MAJOR problems with my boyfriend and I. I
want to have sex but my body doesnt.
I had a feeling that the nuva ring was
causing some of these things, but i let it
go. I went to the DR for a stomach virus
yesterday and decided to chat with her
about how I have been feeling and she
said....NO MORE NUVA! I was not surprised
when she said that. I took it out as soon
as I got home and now I am beginning a
month without any hormone drugs.
I will keep everyone posted on how I am
feeling!
|
Tylanas
Especially EHEALTHy
Joined: 13 Jul 2005 Posts: 12985
Thanks: 3
Thanked:0
Posted: 11-06-07 14:47pm
I am sorry these side effects happened to
you! It is important to remember that not
everyone experiences this
however, because if the majority of women
did, the nuvaring wouldn't be legal!
|
ProudUSCGWife
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 06 Dec 2007 Posts: 1
Re: Nuvaring Danger Posted: 12-06-07 07:33am
peachmomma
wrote:
I was on the Nuva ring from
April 7th till July 1st this year. Around
June 21st I began to have pain in my side
behind my left breast. I had a cough with
the first onset of pain, but I chalked it
up to my history of asthma, thinking maybe
bronchitis was setting in. Then a week
later, I woke up with the worst pain I
could imagine in my chest and I couldn't
catch my breath. Asthma meds weren't
helping. My husband watched me go through
this for about 4 hours trying to convince
me to go to the ER. I refused. Around 6
that evening I was sitting on my porch and
I started to cough and blood came up. So
away to the ER we went. To make a long
story short, I was diagnosed with
bilateral pulmonary embolism, pulmonary
infarction and deep vein thrombosis which
were all complications from too much
estrogen in my system. To make matters
worse, a gynecologist told me to have
another child would cause me serious
complications or even death. She said that
the Nuva Ring was directly related to this
illness. For those who don't know what
pulmonary embolisms are, they are blood
clots in the arteries in the lungs. So be
aware ladies, if you smoke, even lightly,
or are overweight, have had a child within
the last 4 months, or have hereditary
factors that contribute to blood clotting
disorders please don't do the ring. I will
be strugging with the clots that are
already there for years, and will be on
blood thinners for the rest of my life to
prevent new ones from forming. Am I am
only 27 years old. Good luck to you ladies
who are on it, get tested if you can for
DVT it can save your
life.
Wow... When I read this a chill went up my
spine... for almost a year now I've gone
to the ER more times than ANYONE I know...
Like you, I have HORRIBLE spells... but it
will start in the middle and behind the
left breast, then it moves up and over
into my back and down my back to my hips.
By the time the pain progresses to my
chest, I can't breathe. I used to pass out
from the pain.. it's like having spasms..
I can't move, I end up on the floor
sweating buckets... however I dont have
the urge to cough, nor have I coughed up
anything during these spasms.. my husband
too urges me to go to the ER each time and
the mule that I am just refuses because
that's ALL my life has been for the past
year. They took out my gallbladder and now
I don't pass out from the spasms, but I
still have them... I'm due for an
endoscopy this Friday to check for acid
reflux disease... basically, EVERY doctor
in 4 different cities have been stumped...
nobody knows what it is.. but now, I'm
DEFINITLEY bringing this to attention to
my doctors. I started the Nuva Ring in
Feb. of this year... right around the time
I was having those pains... never did I
even think to connect the two factors till
just now... and the worst part is, my
husband and I decided to get pregnant
again... I don't think I am right now..
but there IS a possibility.. I just have
to wait till next month to see.
I liked the Nuva Ring for the most
part... I didn't get cramps, very light
menstral, MILD weight gain... mostly my
fault on that branch because I've been
baking holiday cakes and cookies like no
one's business. lol. However, ever since
my husband has been back from Isolated
Duty, and even during his midtour, ( I got
the ring a few months before he came home
for midtour) we noticed our sex was...
well.. kinda lame.. I didn't lack a drive,
it was just different... we recently had a
long talk about it, and we realized that
it was my Nuva Ring... because when you
have ANY foreign vaginal insert,
especially that stays in there, your
vagina naturally makes extra mucus or
'lube'... too much in our case. I've had
it out for two weeks now... and it's been
ALOT better... I also dont have to worry
about freaking out every time a cast of
the ring is discharged during my menstral
and I feel like I just gave birth to an
alien...
I however have a hard time with any birth
controls... they all effect my moods
HEAVILY... my OB/GYN diagnosed me recently
(she's crazy, mind you) with PMDD, and now
I have to take Zoloft 100 mg during PMS
week... which I haven't.. because if I
take any more meds, I'm going to scream.
I've been better mood-wise I guess.. I
dont know.. I've been on so many pain
killers lately for my pain that I just..
zone. lol. Really couldn't tell you how
the 'normal' me is effected without the
Nuva Ring.
However mild my menstral has been while on
this, it's not worth all this other crap,
in my opinion.
|
cchestler
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 25 Dec 2007 Posts: 1
Hairloss And Nuvaring Posted: 12-25-07 10:14am
I have been on the ring for atleast 2
years and it helped me greatly. I was
having major yeast and bacterial
infections that I couldn't get rid of for
6 months. Went on the ring and all was
good.
I haven't even thought that my hairloss
could be from the ring!!
Wow!! I am going to the gyno next week
and want to hear her thoughts
I have been going crazy with the thinning
hair. I thought that this was just age
|
karen_r
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 06 Jan 2008 Posts: 24
Hair Loss Posted: 01-07-08 21:51pm
i have been on nuva ring for 3 years
almost and i have suffered greatly from
hairloss...i cant even put my hair in a
ponytail anymore because it falls out,
there isnt enough hair to stay in. i am
only 25...there is no history of female
baldness/hairloss in my family. Any new
additions to this post about hairloss?
Oh and I had major yeast and bacterial
infections CONSTANTLY from being on the
nuvaring. My doctor said it was because of
the discharge and my body couldnt keep a
correct Ph balance. I wont go back on it.
Does anyone know how long it takes for
your body to return to normal after being
on any pill? ive heard one week to six
months and any variation inbetween. Ive
been off it for a month, and ive lost 12
pounds and two pants sizes (YAY!) but am
still PMS-y.
K
|
Tylanas
Especially EHEALTHy
Joined: 13 Jul 2005 Posts: 12985
Thanks: 3
Thanked:0
Posted: 01-07-08 22:00pm
Hormonal birth control isn't for everyone.
Some women just don't react well on it.
|
karen_r
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 06 Jan 2008 Posts: 24
Posted: 01-07-08 22:37pm
hahaha well my body doesnt react to
anything ...ive been diagnosed with PMDD
from one doctor, to PCOS with another and
something else that starts with some
letters...everyone one of them says
something different and gives me a new
pill/method. im just going celibate (sp?).
|
diet_icicles
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 10 Jan 2008 Posts: 1
Re: Hair Loss Posted: 01-10-08 10:43am
karen_r
wrote:
i have been on nuva ring for
3 years almost and i have suffered greatly
from hairloss...i cant even put my hair in
a ponytail anymore because it falls out,
there isnt enough hair to stay in. i am
only 25...there is no history of female
baldness/hairloss in my family. Any new
additions to this post about hairloss?
Oh and I had major yeast and bacterial
infections CONSTANTLY from being on the
nuvaring. My doctor said it was because of
the discharge and my body couldnt keep a
correct Ph balance. I wont go back on it.
Does anyone know how long it takes for
your body to return to normal after being
on any pill? ive heard one week to six
months and any variation inbetween. Ive
been off it for a month, and ive lost 12
pounds and two pants sizes (YAY!) but am
still PMS-y.
K
I'm new to the forum, but I figured I'd
respond to this.
I was on Nuvaring for a little over a
year. I stopped using it because I was
experiencing a whole host of symptoms that
I had never experience during the previous
2 years I was using the Patch. For
starters, I had considerable hair loss,
which I noticed within months of beginning
Nuvaring. I had no idea that this could
happen and did not make the connection
between Nuvaring and hair loss until
months later, when I started doing some
research. I also gained 10 lbs., had
absolutely NO sex drive whatsoever, had
gross discharge, and felt like an
emotional train wreck all the time. I
generally felt like a different person. I
stopped using Nuvaring last May and I
noticed an immediate difference in my
mood. I also almost immediately dropped
the 10 lbs. I gained.
Growing hair back is another story. I
don't mean to freak you out, but many
women experience what is called a "dread
shed" 3 to 6 months after quitting
hormonal birth control. This is similar
to the shed that many women experience
after giving birth. I definitely
experienced this, though it's hard to
pinpoint if and when it slows down. It's
amazing how much hair you can lose without
going totally bald.
I'm only 28 and there is absolutely no
history of female baldness in my family,
so I know how frustrating all of this can
be. But, it definitely takes your body
far more than 1 to 6 weeks to get your
hormonal balance back. I think it's
absolutely worth the wait, though. Your
hormones are such a delicate matter; I
will never go back to using hormonal birth
control, as I just don't think it's worth
it to throw my body so out of whack. I do
know that milk thistle can help cleanse
the liver of the remaining synthetic
hormones and that evening primrose oil is
good for hormone balance. Good nutrition
is, of course, critically important to
healing your body.
It's easy to freak out about all of this,
but it seems as though this is all a
matter of time and patience. I'm trying
to be patient and not obsess over it,
though. I see a whole lot of little hairs
growing all over my head, so who knows?
|
abbyh
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 19 Jan 2008 Posts: 1
nuvaring and vomitting Posted: 01-19-08 18:06pm
I tried nuvaring and within 9 hours I had
intense pain in my lower abdomen and
pelvic area. I also started vomitting.
I've used oral birthcontrol and have never
had problems before. Did anyone else
vomit or have cramps?
|
Georgia59
Supporter
Joined: 11 Apr 2007 Posts: 5557 Location: Along the Mississippi, USA
Thanks: 90
Thanked:32
Posted: 01-21-08 11:21am
No! That doesn't sound normal at all- I
would guess either you had a very
extreme/rare reaction to it, or you had a
stomach flu or something!! That's not
fun.
Did you leave it in or try put it in again
later? What happened?
|
EILANNOR
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 23 Jan 2008 Posts: 1
eilannor Posted: 01-23-08 11:53am
I am so happy to have found these
postings. For the longest time now I
thought I was losing my mind. I have
experienced all of the symptoms stated;
hair loss, mood swings and especially the
painful sex. I was even experiencing
bleeding during intercourse. I was on
nuva ring for almost 1 year, off an on.
Now that Im totally off, all of my
symptoms have subsided
|
Georgia59
Supporter
Joined: 11 Apr 2007 Posts: 5557 Location: Along the Mississippi, USA
Thanks: 90
Thanked:32
Posted: 01-23-08 17:14pm
Yeah, the painful sex was the only side
effect I experienced and I was on it for a
year. However, I didn't really experience
it until the end of that year, and I
thought I was going crazy too because no
one else seemed to have experienced that!
I hope you all find something that works
for you.
|
Tylanas
Especially EHEALTHy
Joined: 13 Jul 2005 Posts: 12985
Thanks: 3
Thanked:0
Posted: 01-26-08 21:27pm
Please do not post in all caps. It is
extremely annoying.
|
Georgia59
Supporter
Joined: 11 Apr 2007 Posts: 5557 Location: Along the Mississippi, USA
Thanks: 90
Thanked:32
Posted: 01-27-08 11:12am
If a birth control gives you bad
migraines, you really need to tell your
doc asap. That's not good. I answered how
to get it out on your other thread.
|
Tylanas
Especially EHEALTHy
Joined: 13 Jul 2005 Posts: 12985
Thanks: 3
Thanked:0
Posted: 01-27-08 11:20am
Yes, constant REAL migraines are a sign of
a possible impending stroke, so please
take out the ring any way you can and try
a different kind of birth control.
|
sailorv
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 29 Jan 2008 Posts: 1
Posted: 01-29-08 18:21pm
I have been on Nuvaring since December of
2004. The longer I have been on it, the
more I hate it. It is convenient, but the
side effects are not worth it. I have a
hard time falling asleep and ridiculous
mood swings. I have lost interest in most
everything and only do work I am required
to do. I do not have a desire to do
anything. No passion. The smallest thing
will make me cry uncontrollably. The mood
swings were minimal when I first started
and now I can't stand them. My gyno
suggested taking a B-complex vitamin daily
for at least a month. I have been doing
that for about a week, but I don't know if
I can do that anymore. The mere thought of
having to hold back tears because I am
being completely irrational makes me want
to cry!! It is utterly ridiculous. I am a
logical person and the complete lack of
logic behind my emotions is driving me
insane.
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Tylanas
Especially EHEALTHy
Joined: 13 Jul 2005 Posts: 12985
Thanks: 3
Thanked:0
Posted: 01-29-08 18:31pm
As I always say: If the side effects out
weigh the benefits, then GET OFF IT!
I was on two kinds of penicillin as a
kid/teen for acne. One made me lactose
intolerant, and the other made me
extremely nauseous. I would throw the
pills away behind my mom's back in the
morning instead of taking them because I
hated it so much. Oh yes, both of the
pills worked extremely well when taken
correctly; I was as clear as the sky! But
the side effects were NOT worth it. That's
also why I decided not to get on acutaine
- another acne drug. Instead, I'm
following a stringent daily washing
routine. If I stick to it, it works and
woo! - no nausea, I can drink milk, no
drymouth, etc.
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milia19
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 30 Jan 2008 Posts: 1
NUVA RING Posted: 01-30-08 16:31pm
I just found this website and thank God I
did! I have been on the ring for about
2.5-3 yrs and sicne then I have been
experiencing depression, anxiety attacks,
and mood swings. All of the aforementioned
had never effected my life prior to me
being on the ring. I didnt think anything
of the hair loss that I started to
experience about 5 months ago because it
wasnt a HUGE issue (I have extremely thick
hair), but I can see my hair line receding
when I put it in a pony tail. Now that I
read all of these posts I undeniably
attribute all of these symptoms to the
ring. I am a healthy 24 year old woman and
my depression and crying all the time has
gotta give! I literally took out the ring
20 minutes ago.
Oh and the reason I was researching the
ring is because I do the method of using
it back to back for three months and then
after my physical this month I realized I
couldnt think back to when I had a period.
So...I took a pregnancy test (negative!)
and then took it out for over a week
because I was suppose to for one week, but
I forgot to insert the new one timely
(oops) I am currently feeling the worst
period cramp pain, yet the period hasnt
come. Maybe now that I have taken it out
it will come. In any event, at least maybe
my moods and thick hair will return to
normal.
BTW I dont know what method I will use
now, but I will assure you anything is
better than being an emotional wreck and
crying unexplainably all the time!
THANKS so much for this blog!!!!!
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loizlipsvc
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 11 Feb 2008 Posts: 1
Major Hair Loss Posted: 02-11-08 19:30pm
I was on the Nuva Ring for five months. I
decided to try it because it has a lower
dose of hormones than birth control pills
or the shot. I recently experienced hair
loss with birth control pills as well. I
have always been prone to some hair loss
but this is ridiculous. About a month and
a half ago my hair started to come out in
exorbitant amounts. I have also become
very anxious and short tempered. I am to
the point where I have to take two Xanax
when I wash my hair so I don't want to
kill myself because of the hair loss. I
took the ring out and I'm getting an IUD.
I'm done with the hormones.
If you wanted, you
could finish this month and switch to the
pill right after the ring-free week. I
think you would be protected the whole
time, but you'd have to ask your doctor to
be sure.
