NuvaRing

I've had this for 2 years and I haven't had any problems with it. All forms of BC will carry some sort of risk with their side effects, but it's a matter of talking to your doctor and figuring out what would work best for you. I know women who have had to try 3-4 different kinds of BC before finding something that actually works for them. I would hate to see people scared away from what I consider to be a very convenient, effective form of BC simply because of the horror stories some of you experienced. Not that I'm implying those aren't important factors to consider, but I would hardly say that it's a horrendous method of BC for many.

I think the issue is not that all birth control doesn't carry risks. But nuvaring does carry some increased risk, and you aren't always told those INCREASED risks. There are many forms of BC, and depending on your lifestyle and stage, some more informed discussion is needed.

Since dealing with the medical issues of my being placed on nuvaring I have had numerous medical personnel from RNs to Doctors who said nuvaring for me was a bad medical decision, and I should have been more informed. I used other forms including bc pills for years, nuvaring was an obvious bad fit for me. But when my doctor prescribed it for me I was never informed of the more increased risks and would have probably declined and requested a more traditional form of bc or one with less hormones.

I wish it were just horror stories, unfortunately it is my real life. As for those other women who experienced negative side effects, it is what they honestly went though as well. I feel stupid for not doing exactly what the poster here is doing and asking other women for their results. I may have dug deeper and saved myself pain and expense.

I am glad you had a positive outcome with your decision, and wish you the best in your future health.

Added for clarification, study result:
"In relevant part, this new FDA study found that the NuvaRing was associated with a significantly higher risk of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE) relative to standard low-dose estrogen birth control pills, with the estimate of relative risk for NuvaRing being 1.56 (95% CI 1.02 to 2.37).

One of the key points made in this October 2011 FDA study report is that continuous exposure combined hormonal contraceptives such as the NuvaRing "potentially result in higher sustained exposure to estrogen and hence, increased thromboembolic risk"."

I know this thread is rather old, but I wanted to share my two cents. I got a massive DVT in my whole left leg after being on nuvaring for three months (only 18 yrs old and fairly healthy). Turns out I had a blood clotting disorder (genetics) that was triggered by the hormones. Even without that I'm 100% certain it was the nuvaring that caused my blood clot as I've never had any other health problems before or after. It has a much higher risk than other forms of bc because it goes straight into your blood locally rather than getting digested and also uses a different hormone.

Of course everyone's bodies are different and lots of people enjoy it. My biggest caution would be to listen to your body. If you are having migraines talk to your doctor right away. Like clockwork I always got a horrible migraine, after starting it up again every month, that would last several hours. I also had symptoms which I now believe were an undiagnosed mini stroke during the first month. Again, not really typical, but if you do have any of the side effects, tell your doctor as they may be a sign of something more serious.

I'm getting rid of mine. I've been in the worst mood and my period hasn't stopped since I put it in. This is my first month with it and I know that there may be adjustment periods but these side effects are a killer. No wonder it's an effective bc. It kills your libido and makes TOM never go away. Yep definitely not gonna get pregnant this way....

I've been on it for a few years. Definitely no weight gain from it.

I am 41 years old and have used NuvaRing for 2 months. I didn't really notice until this month that I think the Ring is causing many side effects. I have always taken BC pills but the past 1.5 years I have been off completely using condoms which my husband hates but I have never felt better. Since the ring, I have had cystic acne breakouts and I have never had a problem with acne in my entire life. I eat very very healthy and I do extreme cardio workouts 6 days a week along with strength training. I cannot for the life of me drop a pound. I have been able to do this prior since I have lost 80lbs in the past 5 years. I gained 5lbs since taking the ring and cannot drop anything!! I have been moody and my vision seems to be worse. Not sure if that's just me getting older but its very funny how all of this has been happening just since the ring. I am not going to put one back in but I am very concerned because for the past couple days I cannot really find too many "good" posts about the ring. Some people say it doesn't effect them but the ones that do have the same side effects as I do, I cannot find anyone who says they are back to normal on the weight thing. I have come such a long way and really want to know...is there anyone out there who found the weight getting back to normal? If so -- how long?

i have been on the nuvaring for 3 years and i love it! no weight gain, no headaches, no mood swings, no pregnancies (hope i didn't just jinx myself!). just goes to show that everyone is different. if you don't like it, you definitely should discuss other options with your ob/gyn, but bc is not a one type fits all type of thing.

Same here (2 years). Everyone is different. Its what's best for your body that's important. I personally like that you don't have to remember to take it everyday and some of the pill-form birth controls really screwed with my emotions when I took them. As I said, talk to your doctor and think about what's right for you.