Is NuvaRing Dangerous?
The FDA says Schering-Plough's hip, new contraceptive is safe. More than 100 lawsuits say otherwise.
One minute, 32-year-old Jackie Bozicev was headed for the shower. The next, the New Jersey mother of two lay on her bathroom floor, gasping for help. It was a weekday morning in December 2007, and her husband, Rob, 35, was downstairs cooking breakfast. The couple's two-year-old son, who'd come up to complain that Dad would only dish him out one waffle, saw his mother fall to the floor and go into a seizure. Rushing upstairs, Rob found his wife turning blue.
He called 911 as his seven-month-old daughter cried in her crib nearby. Struggling for calm, he tried to coax his son into another room while fielding questions from the operator: "Does she have food allergies? Is she breathing? Do you know how to do cpr?" Rob pumped her chest. Her breathing resumed. When the emts arrived, they asked more questions, but no one seemed to know what ailed Jackie. Before the ambulance pulled away, Rob saw the medics intubating his wife, a bad sign. By the time he reached the hospital, she was dead.
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Cytotec: The Ulcer Drug Turned DIY Abortion Pill
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When an autopsy later revealed that Jackie had died of a blood clot that had migrated from her pelvic area to her lungs, Rob was bewildered. His wife was perfectly healthy. She didn't smoke, nor did she have any history of clots. The doctors had no answers, so Rob googled his way to what he now believes is the likely culprit: NuvaRing, a flexible plastic contraceptive device that, when inserted vaginally, releases hormones for about three weeks.
A mother dying in front of her toddler? That's hardly the message of NuvaRing's sassy marketing, which is all about liberation from the drudgery of daily birth control. Manufacturer Organon—bought in 2007 by Schering-Plough, which is now merging with Merck—promotes the first-of-its-kind contraceptive with magazine ads proclaiming, "Let Freedom Ring." Its ubiquitous TV spot, a play on Busby Berkeley musicals, features synchronized swimmers posing as birth control pills. "Maybe it's time to break free from the pack," the voice-over suggests as the women abandon their repetitive routine.
The company also relies on Facebook ads and a girlfriend-to-girlfriend approach to overcome squeamishness about inserting the ring. It has even bought product placements on Scrubs and other shows. More than a million American women have responded; Jackie started using the ring in May 2007, about a month after the birth of her second child, when her sister raved about its convenience.
Making birth control easier is, of course, a good thing. But for years there have been serious safety questions about the "third generation" hormones used in NuvaRing and several other contraceptives on the market—questions that NuvaRing's labeling sidesteps by saying that it is "unknown" how the device compares to other hormonal birth control. "Jackie had no indication that this was any more dangerous than any other contraceptive," says Carmen Scott, a lawyer representing the family in a civil suit against the drugmaker.
While all hormone-based contraceptives increase a woman's chance of developing blood clots (which also cause strokes), this effect is more common with some than with others. The riskiest ones employ third-generation hormones, like desogestrel. (The ring uses a related compound.) These pills (brands such as Desogen, Mircette, and Cyclessa) were developed in the 1980s to lessen the pill's minor side effects, like acne and facial hair. Although ineffective at this—a point the fda acknowledges—and no better as birth control, either, the pills remain on the market.
But since at least 1995, research has shown that these newer pills double the blood-clot risk of earlier, "second generation" pills, such as TriNessa and Estrostep. In 2007, the consumer group Public Citizen petitioned the fda to ban third-generation pills. (The feds have taken no action thus far.)
NuvaRing actually contains a lower hormone dose than most oral contraceptives, a fact its ads emphasize. But while birth control pills lose up to half their hormones in the digestive tract, the ring's dose is absorbed directly into the blood. Its package insert says there are no data on whether this route makes NuvaRing any riskier than taking pills. But that, say lawyers suing the company, is because Organon never studied the question before it marketed the ring. Nor did the fda demand it—the agency based its approval largely on studies involving pills.
Since 2001, when the fda green-lighted NuvaRing, the agency has received reports of at least 300 serious adverse events, including strokes, nonfatal blood clots, and fatalities, says Scott. (The company says it doesn't keep a tally, but forwards all such reports to the fda.) More than 100 pending lawsuits attribute injuries to the device.
Hans Rekers, Schering-Plough's deputy chief medical officer for Europe, says the company did study thousands of women using the ring, complied with the fda's research requirements, and dutifully reported "thrombotic events" during clinical trials. That research, he says, showed "no indication that [NuvaRing] would be better, no indication that it would be worse," than pills now on the market.
fda officials did not respond to our repeated inquiries. But in a case involving a different product, the drugmaker Johnson & Johnson discovered that changing the manner of delivery can radically alter a hormone's effects. From 2002 through 2006, at least 40 women died using its weekly Ortho Evra patch, most from blood clots. In 2006, the fda ordered J&J to mark its packaging with a "black box" warning, which seriously hurt sales. The company had previously claimed, as Schering-Plough now does, that its product delivered a more constant, low dose of hormones, causing fewer side effects. But it turned out patch users were getting 60 percent more estrogen than women taking birth control pills.
Back to NuvaRing: While the company never studied its risks vis-à-vis other contraceptives, two research teams have done so in recent years, measuring blood factors linked to clot formation. A group from Oregon Health & Science University—funded in part by Organon—concluded that switching from the pill to the ring seems to reduce the likelihood of clotting. The other group, which included Frits Rosendaal, an epidemiologist at Leiden University in the Netherlands, tested women rotating between the ring, the patch, and second-generation pills, and reached the opposite conclusion: that NuvaRing appears to be riskier than second-generation pills.
Since Jackie's death, Rob Bozicev has been doing his best as a single father. His son, now three, attends weekly therapy. "He's having a hard time," Rob told me recently, near tears. "He's up and down." Whenever his two-year-old sees Jackie's photo on Rob's cell phone, she takes the phone and pretends to talk to her.
For his part, Rosendaal has signed Public Citizen's petition to ban the newer pills; in a January journal article, he and his colleagues also recommended that doctors stop prescribing NuvaRing as a first-choice contraceptive. While the risk of using the ring is low, he explains, "It is not irrelevant, for it is an unnecessary risk."
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Very interesting post. My
Very interesting post. My own daughters in a few years are going to need birth control. It seems strange or ironic that given the poor quality of testing and research that it seems safer to give them the "classic", "less sassy" pill, than the newer methods.
None will be perfectly safe, but possibly corrupted research of newer drugs maybe offset by the long term tracking of the older drugs.
Corollary: it's a damned shame that MoJo doesn't report on the non-existent long term safety testing of gardasil, which many progressives(?) want to make a mandatory vaccine. Weird how a group that normally doesn't trust Big Pharma is so willing to latch onto one vaccine. Oh, yeah, it's because we know that if you question Big Pharma wrt gardasil you must be a religious godbag that hates women.
They also make us and our
They also make us and our daughters more likely to contract STDs and consent to sex we do not fully desire. Natural fertility methods in combination with condoms and with plan B as emergency backup require effort, but they are as effective and much healthier than hormone-induced sterility over the course of years. They have the added benefit of making birth control BOTH partners' problem, which creates a space for sex that is quite different than our false "freedom" under the pill.
RE: they also make us and our daughters
How do you come to the conclusion that NuvaRing or the pill make a woman more likely to be forced into non-consensual sex? I see absolutely no correlation if you are referring to rape. Within a relationship, communication between partners is all it takes to ensure that both parties are willing. Additionally, PlanB has far more side effects than NuvaRing and is not intended for regular use. To suggest it as an alternative to NuvaRing or the pill seems rather irresponsible.
On the topic of making women
On the topic of making women more likely to consent to sex, that is COMPLETELY inaccurate. If brought up well, I am fully of the mindset, even at 17, that it's not an insurance policy. Just because you inform and try to protect teenagers doesn't mean that they are going to go out and get laid nightly! I don't know why people seem to think that keeping us ignorant and uniformed along with NOT giving us access to birth control of the likes is going to keep us from having sex. It's a ridiculous mindset.
Just a thought
Has anyone ever seen Brain Candy by the Kids in the Hall? I'm reminded of the awesome movie by reading this article. It's too bad that money seems to be more important than the health that is being advertised. I wonder if it's some ploy to create a dangerous situation for women who choose birth control over abstinence in this fear mongering, puritanical society. I doubt it, but I wonder too.
If we banned each problematic drug there would be no drugs....
[It's too bad that money seems to be more important than the health
-snip-
create a dangerous situation for women who choose birth control over abstinence in this fear mongering, puritanical society.]
Most drug(s), route of administration or combination can cause adverse side effects in some percentage of people, such problems are not new or a real surprise.
For all I know there may be an unacceptable risk with NuvaRing.
We go with the percentage, earlier someone stated 40 women had similar clots. OK 40 women out of how many 40 or 4,000,000, were they using NuvaRing, do blood clots run in the family, were there other drugs in use with NuvaRing, trauma, was the clot a direct result of NuvaRing? Who produced the article; the manufacturer Organon, lawyers suing the company or Fear mongering puritanical interests? Many questions come to mind.
The puritanical control freaks are the most dangerous if they prevail there is no positive outcome. They kept plan-B on ice for years, are able to justify not using condoms (birth control) and now seem to be raising questions over cervical cancer vaccine.
If we banned every drug that caused some problems there would be few if any drugs. People die from aspirin, penicillin, me I am allergic to over-the-counter naproxen sodium (Aleve).
Much is open to speculation there are many interests competing to influence the customer to various ends.
Confutatis maledictis, flammis acribus addictis
"Since 2001, when the fda green-lighted NuvaRing, the agency has received reports of at least 300 serious adverse events, including strokes, nonfatal blood clots, and fatalities, says Scott. (The company says it doesn't keep a tally, but forwards all such reports to the fda.) More than 100 pending lawsuits attribute injuries to the device."
There are serious adverse reactions and the company doesn't keep a tally??? That alone should be enough of a warning for consumers, not to mention the FDA!
"Confutatis maledictis, flammis acribus addictis" ~My Rough Translation: "The damned and accursed are convicted to the flames of Hell."
Gardisil IS dangerous, Nuva Ring should be considered dangerous
I agree with the comment about Gardasil. How can such a new drug, so untested that has had SO MANY side effects, some fatal, be suddenly "required" by the feds/states for children who ought to be getting taught to wait and/or practice safe sex? Birth control is NOT safe sex, it's just an out for people who want to be more promiscuous at a young age. Requiring it for school age girls is crazy!
There are so many bad things that come from these pills/rings. People should (if they are going to use them) stick with the tried and true, and not rush to use the newer, "sassier" (whatever that really means), more "convenient" method. Birth control isn't supposed to be convenient. It's supposed to be a constant reminder to be careful and take responsibility for your actions!
I really hope they reverse these new laws about Gardasil, and that they do enforce really strict warnings and research on the Nuva Ring. I also agree that not taking a tally sounds like IRRESPONSIBILITY BORDERING ON THE ABSURD AND INSANE! How can they market a product they don't keep accountability for? If they're really so concerned with their profits and not with people's health, I hope people will have the good sense to look elsewhere for their birth control measures.
WOW, I disagree: "It's
WOW, I disagree:
"It's supposed to be a constant reminder to be careful and take responsibility for your actions!"
No, it's supposed to keep women from getting preggers. That's it.
Or perhaps you think we should administer swift kicks to the nuts for all males of reproductive age, every morning - as a reminder to be careful and take responsibility for their actions?
You cannot be serious
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I'm sorry but that it absolutely moronic!!! Gardasil is NOT a form of birth control, and quite frankly, best of luck to you and your future babies if you think it is. It is a vaccine that can help to prevent cervical cancer. It is given to teenage girls as a way to help as many as possible BEFORE they become sexually active, just in case. If 1 girl out of 10 was going to become sexually active as a young age, would you take it away from all 10 JUST TO TEACH THEM A LESSON??!!
If young girls suddenly decide to become sexually active purely because of Gardasil (as so many simpletons seem to think), then shame on the parents for raising such stupid children.
This article convinced me to
This article convinced me to go off the ring. I had already had my doubts. I also always felt concentrated discomfort in the lower abdomen upon inserting a new ring every month.
Also, each ring contains enough hormones so you can wear it for a full four weeks, effectively skipping your period. Have any additional complications/clots been reported in women who wear the ring for the full four weeks?
I have been on the NuvaRing
I have been on the NuvaRing for over 2 years and have had no problem with my period like I had on the pill. I get it regularly and have no problems. guess it's defferent for everyone.
All I will say is give it a
All I will say is give it a chance. For the first three years I used the Nuva Ring I was an eager evangelist. When my friends would finally try it and report suffering from extreme PMS, headaches, nausea and constant colds and coughs I thought they were nuts. It wasn't until my 4th year using the ring that I began to experience the same symptoms magnified by 100. By the time I knew for certain the ring was the culprit, I had an average of 3 bad respiratory infections per year, anxiety attacks during PMS, excruciating lower back pain and cramping and a general feeling of "toxicity" -- as though my body was poisoned. Not to mention the leg pains. Until the leg pains began I hadn't bothered to Google the Nuva Ring. When I did it all made sense --- I was a candidate for either DVT, Pulmonary Embolism, Stroke or maybe death.
Doctors who prescribe these combination hormone contraceptives should have their licenses revoked. Women who take them are crazy.
There are other safer and reliable methods for contraception available. It is your health. Think about it!
Well...
I, however, have had my PMS eliminated. My periods aren't as light as they were with Norimin (designed to make it lighter), but it's a small price to pay for the lack of mood swings and breast tenderness.
Having an irritable bowel also makes this an excellent alternative as I frequently have upset stomachs. I'm not keen on having to take the morning-after pill several times a year just because I had some bowel trouble.
Be careful on Nuvaring
I had blood clots move from my pelvic area to my lungs...I was lucky enough to catch it in time. I'm now on blood thinners and don't know when I can get off them. Maybe the rest of my life because I choose the Nuvaring. Please please women be careful. I was hospitalized for 4 days. I'm also only 24 with no history of clots...I have been on the patch and pills and never had a problem til that stupid ring.
well said texasgirl, though
well said texasgirl, though I think the comment was not meant to offend. Yikes! Look, anyone I know who's put up with the inadvertent diaphragm frisbie-ing acroos the room at unopportune times (but leaving us with verrry funny stories and a true test of our men) would be tempted by such, but there are other better ways out there, condoms aren't the worst, if careful, the cap is still a safe bet if with contraceptive gook after even better.. Nothing is worth killing women in their joy. That IS clear. Thanks for the article. Sido
So if condom's were killing men...
...how long would it take to yank them off the market? Maybe a New York second?
Hm.
Hm. On the whole I thought this a well-researched article and well-written, and the lead-in is of course compelling. However the primary interest I have is in *relative* safety of one contraceptive over another, which is mentioned only in passing as "twice" the frequency of blood clots (other dangerous side-effects go unmentioned). I guess that means I have to leave this in the "ask your doctor" category, rather than feeling like I really know more than to be extra careful when making this decision--and maybe that's best--but I guess the more careful side-by-side comparison available, the better I'd like the article.
Nuvaring
I love my nuvaring. I am single, 44 yo, have no intention of having a child and have been on nuvaring since it came out. It regulates my period, lessens PMS symptoms, and is HUGELY convenient.
I'm not giving it up. It seems to me every form of contraception has its risks and the best route is to consult with your doctor and have routine exams.
Does it not seem like the
Does it not seem like the above comment with the subject Nuvaring is an automated or at least pre-written comment created by Nuvaring´s marketing team? It sounds a bit suspicious, the last part looks like what would be in little white letters during the commercial...
I would also be interested
I would also be interested in finding out the true rates of pregnancy on nuvaring. I was on it for a while, and knew 2 women that got pregnant though they were using it correctly. I switched to an IUD and could not be happier, I was just too nervous with the ring. MY GP at the time claimed she had seen a large number of unintended pregnancies with it (or, larger than expected).
RE: diaphragm frisbees - funny story I do have from the ring is from when I had just started dating my bf, and one morning upon waking he walked on something on the floor, picked it up, squinted and said "uh, is this your thing?"... yup, my nuvaring had somehow ended up in the middle of the floor during the night. woops!! (sure glad he found it though, it might have been a while before I noticed).
More please!
Compelling story. But it leaves me with so many questions! Could we get links to the studies mentioned and expert opinions? How many lawsuits are pending over other birth control methods? How many "serious adverse events" have been linked to pills, etc? More information and context please!
I took Nuvaring for 10
I took Nuvaring for 10 months and was happy with it - I found it very convenient and felt protected. However, I was just recently hospitalized with a DVT(blood clot) in my leg, and a pulmonary embolism (blood clot in lung). I'm 24, do not smoke and have no other risk factors for blood clots besides the NuvaRing - my pcp has also told me she's had 4 girls around my age with the same situation in the last year, and that it seems significantly higher with NuvaRing patients than with those that take a pill. I'm now on blood thinners, have to wear compression stockings, can never be on any type of birth control again, and may have high-risk pregnancies. Be careful.
It is tragic what happened
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It is tragic what happened to Bozicev but I've used NuvaRing for four years now and I have not had any problems.
Is this article fear-mongering?
While I appreciate the info about NuvaRing and its possible dangers, like several other people I am also concerned about the lack of actual statistics and comparisons in this article. Many women die from complications of pregnancy and birth every year; is this more or less than the number who die from blot clots linked to NuvaRing? I've had several friends who were so affected from the hormones in the pills they were taking that they became suicidal, and many more who were "just" angry and moody and unhappy all the time; are these costs worth more or less than the risk of NuvaRing?
My point is that birth control has to be an individual choice, made based on individual circumstances, and no that does not make me a corporate spokesperson, it makes me someone who values individuals thinking for themselves.
I would love to see more studies done on the NuvaRing and other "third-generation" hormone products. I currently use another Organon product made with the same synthetic hormone, etonogestrel (which wasn't mentioned by name anywhere in this article--why not?), and I hope this article spurs more investigation into it. But I chose this particular product based on evidence-based scientific studies, and I'm not going to change my choice based on a couple annecdotes.
I've been on the ring for
I've been on the ring for five years. It ended my yeast and bacterial infections, regularized my period, cleared up my acne and has consistently kept me from getting pregnant! My insurance requires a higher co-payment because there's no generic yet, but that's been the only drawback for me. I think it's good to know that some people deal with complications, but it's been a godsend for me.
I am continually amazed at
I am continually amazed at drug companies' stunning success duping us into believing that hormonal contraceptives are not only safe, but good for us. The risks include blood clots—in the legs (deep vein thrombosis), lungs (pulmonary embolism), or brain (stroke)—some cancers, diabetes, asthma, vaginal dryness and infections, loss of sexual desire, and heart disease. They also make us and our daughters more likely to contract STDs and consent to sex we do not fully desire. Natural fertility methods in combination with condoms and with plan B as emergency backup require effort, but they are as effective and much healthier than hormone-induced sterility over the course of years. They have the added benefit of making birth control BOTH partners' problem, which creates a space for sex that is quite different than our false "freedom" under the pill.
Nuvaring Adventures
I had NuvaRing for 3 years, and those years were pretty awesome. It regulated my migraines (reason for getting on it) and didn't really change my periods, skin, weight, mood, etc.
The reason I left the fellowship of the ring is because a) it's so darn expensive and b) it DID dry out my eyes horribly. Toward the end, my eyes were constantly red and glazed. People thought I was a stoner!
Correction: Nuvaring Adventures
Okay, I now need to revise my post:
BUT the day I switched out the Nuvaring for an IUD, I had a pap smear, the results of which were ASCUS (I just found out a few minutes ago).
I have only had any even remotely sexual contact with one person, and the same goes for him, so HPV is pretty much ruled out. After googling ASCUS, I'm finding that estrogen-containing birth control can cause abnormal pap results.
So I guess the Ring is less awesome than I had thought!
Fun with NR
Jess,
I am so glad you posted this comment. I was on Ortho Evra for quite some time and pretty suddenly started having problems with it. I wound up having a 5 week long period that required me taking 2 birth control pills A DAY to stop. My gyn later told me that she had had 3 patients get pregnant while on it. She told me about this new birth control that had just come on the marked called Nuva Ring. She said she thought it would be great for me. I wouldn't have to think about taking a pill every day. Fast forward 5 years. I adored the Nuva Ring. The one guy that I have been with while on it (wow, that makes me sound slutty...I've been with 2 guys and was on the pill with the first one) didn't even know it was in and couldn't feel it. I didn't have to think about it, it was perfect. 2 years ago I went in for my yearly with my gyn, I got a call from the nurse a week later saying my pap smear came back abnormal and I needed to come in and have another one. 2nd pap came back abnormal. They went in and clipped some tissue from me to test. It was abnormal. My last yearly pap was abnormal. After that I went off NuvaRing because I was not with anyone and I could not afford it any longer. 6 months later, I go in for another pap and it comes back normal!
I find it too much of a coincidence that I had all these abnormal paps while on NuvaRing and after I stopped using it I finally had a normal one. I haven't spoken to my gyn about it yet but she will definitely be hearing about it when I see her next time.
abnormal pap
Hopefully by now you realize the reason a pap comes back abnormal is because you probably have HPV, a form of gential warts. I can't believe your OBGYN didn't talk to you about this when you got the abnormal results. At first, I was distraught when I found this out for myself. But, after researching HPV it is frighteningly scary how many people have it. It's terribly sad that doctors treat it as no big deal because it is so common.
abnormal pap
Hopefully by now you realize the reason a pap comes back abnormal is because you probably have HPV, a form of gential warts. I can't believe your OBGYN didn't talk to you about this when you got the abnormal results. At first, I was distraught when I found this out for myself. But, after researching HPV it is frighteningly scary how many people have it. It's terribly sad that doctors treat it as no big deal because it is so common.
To use contraception always
To use contraception always having a risk, my mother had had bad experience about this.
Beware of this kind of
Beware of this kind of journalism. This article is less about the safety of NuvaRing and more about Ms. Mencimer's individual qualms with personal injury lawsuits.
Readers shouldn't have to feel their lives are in danger just because of one account of death, glamorized in this article. It seems the approach here is, "look how tragic this woman's death was; this could happen to you and your family too."
It should be obvious that all medications work differently for different people, and patients should assess their own personal risk accordingly.
Investigative journalism propaganda needs to be taken with a grain of salt. Please put more trust your doctor's medical opinion than in the media's.
NuvaRing
I've been on NuvaRing since the birth of my 1st son (less 13 months for the 2nd child). I cannot take Pills as they cause me to get my 'period' every 2 weeks. I tried Depo and it threw me into a manic depression. The patch does not stay on my skin any longer than a day or 2 tops! NuvaRing is the only form of BC (other than Condoms) that has worked for me. ALL BC comes with risk of clotting/stroke etc. Before ANY woman starts ANY BC they should be informed. Some doctors will push whatever they will get the most kickback out of from the pharm companies, but my doctor actually listened to my concerns and addressed them one by one. If you don't have that kind of communication with your own doctor, then you should find one that will listen to you and your concerns then make suggestions based on their knowlege. To each their own, but an informed choice is always the best!
As long as big pharm is male
As long as big pharm is male dominated, the research will be male dominated, funding will be male dominated, and FDA concerns/retractions will be male dominated.
Women have many safe options which require work - it seems anything 'easy' has great risks.
After visiting with women I know (professionally and personally) in their 60's/50's who came of age when the pill was available to single women many have found that conceiving was difficult and those of us who had this difficulty had only one thing in common: pill usage consistently in excess of a year.
Men can never understand the personal consequences of unintended/unwanted pregnancies but until women hold men accountable -- question anything they give us that makes sexual activity easy for them.
Never Been Happier, No more mood swings
I have been on the NuvaRing for almost a year, I have never felt better. I use to struggle with depression, suicidal thoughts and massive mood swings, I have been on the pill off and on for about 7yrs before I tried the NuvaRing. Once on the Ring it was like I did a 180, I was actually happy and felt "normal." With that being said, I have had the right side of my face break out a lot every sense I have been on the ring. But in my eyes it's worth it because I am finaly happy and no other pill or form of birth control has worked for me... I usually end up having worse hormonal issues with them. Yet, I do understand the risks with the ring and any birth control- I suppose if the NuvaRing kills me I will at least die happy :)
Other than the increase in acne, the NuvaRing has changed my life for the better
People still smoke even though the risks of cancer is high- perhaps if the ring can change somebody's life the way it has mine in such a positve manner it isn't so bad. I do agree that people should be informed of all risks (like the labels on a pack of smokes), but I think in the end it should be the consumers choice on what the risk is worth to them. Personally the NuvaRing is worth the risk to me. I am happy, I will stay on the ring.
Just a thought....
-aumie
5 Years and Few Complaints!
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I have been on Nuvaring for five years and wouldn't consider any other method! I'm not on it for the birth control, but for the way it regulates my period. I don't experience heavy cramps or bloating anymore, and my periods are short (3 days) and super light (often not heavy enough for a tampon). I don't always have regular or easy access to a restroom with my job, so being on the ring has been worth it just for these great side effects!
Over the past few weeks, I have considered going off the ring for a few reasons:
1. My boyfriend informed me that my pre-period mood swings have been intolerable over the last few months.
2. TWO twenty-something women have died of brain aneurysms in my community over the past month. Both died less than a week after their weddings. Kinda freaks me out.
3. My migraines started 8 months after I began using the ring, and I'm curious whether they'd stop if I stopped using it.
4. I've gained fifty pounds in the five years that I've been on the ring. It just seems fitting to begin my weight-loss regimen free of anything that may hinder the results!
I haven't decided yet if I'm going to stop using the ring or not... the benefits make life so much easier. The scientist within me wants to test the migraines/mood swings/weight loss theories though! I'll keep you posted.
Side effect from NuvaRing
Less than 24 hrs after removing the first NuvaRing my daughter (age 25) ever used, she developed severe pain over her left eye, numbness on the left side of her face, and nausea/vomiting. She was treated in the ER for migraine headache and sent home w/ pain medication. Two days later an MRI showed that she had had 2 strokes. She had been on oral contraceptive pills for several years and never experienced this type of side effect during the week she was off the pill. We believe that her issues are directly related to the use of the NuvaRing and will be pursuing it as such.
Side effects of the Nuvaring.
i started using nuvaring 2 days ago and the day i put it in i felt completely fine. i didnt even know it was there. then that night i went to bed and got up the next morning with severe cramps in my abdominal area and an ache in my lower back. im only 17 so i told my mom and with in ten minutes of the pain starting i was doubled over on the floor crying from the pain. mom made me take it out and took me to the ER. when i got into my room i had to get a pelvic exam. and i still hurt. my doctor said that the ring had caused me to develope cervictis. and took me off of it. my mom says that we will never use that or the depo shot ever again because of the complications i've had with both. the pill is the best route so far. its old fashioned but its better than being in the ER, i think.
I was on NuvaRing about 2
I was on NuvaRing about 2 years ago for a year. My periods were light, and no longer horribly painful like they normally are. The reason I got off of it was for the mood swings. I have dealt with depression for almost a year, and it threw me into a bad episode. I wasn't on any anti-depressants at this time. I stopped taking it. I recently was just in the ER for a hemorrhagic (blood-filled) ovarian cyst that had ruptured and bled into my abdominal cavity. I was in extreme pain for days.
Today is the day I start the ring again. Stopping my ovulation is the only way to prevent more cysts from forming and I'd rather be moody once in a while than in extreme pain every month. Oh, and this time I've been on Wellbutrin XL for over a year.
There are risks with every medication out there. You could also step outside of your house and get hit by a bus. That's life. I'm sorry for those of you who have had bad experiences with NuvaRing, but you are in the minority.
Also, the risk of infection is with anything you are sticking inside the vagina. It's a foreign object obviously, and some women have adverse reactions to it. Some women can't use tampons or even diaphragms for this reason.
For those of you with that problem, try removing the ring while in the shower and rinsing it off every day. DON'T USE SOAP. Or if you do, use very little and make sure the ring is thoroughly rinsed.
Remember that we all react to things differently.
22 year old female.
I meant to say I have dealt
I meant to say I have dealt with depression for almost 10 years. My bad.
Took myself off of nuvaring last week!
I started the Nuva Ring 3 years ago, I was 19. At the time the only issue i had with nuva ring was that I had really bad acne for about a year. It went away, and I thought it was just a simple side effect of birth control. I had stopped cramping alot, had short periods, and loved not having to remeber to administer a pill everyday..
However, about 9 moths ago, I started having heart palpitations, headaches, nausea and very extreme mood swings. I didnt feel normal, i barley felt just okay somedays. My mom wanted me off of the nuva ring but i loved the convience. When I found out about the lawsuits, i immediately stopped nuva ring because of these sudden occurances of symptoms. I am very healthy, a athlete and a nutrition major, the only thing i could think to contribute to my issues were the nuva ring...
Took myself off of nuvaring last week!
I started the Nuva Ring 3 years ago, I was 19. At the time the only issue i had with nuva ring was that I had really bad acne for about a year. It went away, and I thought it was just a simple side effect of birth control. I had stopped cramping alot, had short periods, and loved not having to remeber to administer a pill everyday..
However, about 9 moths ago, I started having heart palpitations, headaches, nausea and very extreme mood swings. I didnt feel normal, i barley felt just okay somedays. My mom wanted me off of the nuva ring but i loved the convience. When I found out about the lawsuits, i immediately stopped nuva ring because of these sudden occurances of symptoms. I am very healthy, a athlete and a nutrition major, the only thing i could think to contribute to my issues were the nuva ring...
Loved the idea of the
Loved the idea of the NuvaRing. Three months after starting on it however, I was hospitalized with Bilateral Pulmonary Embolisms. Blood clots in both of my lungs. Potentially life threatening.
PLEASE BE CAREFUL!
have never thought about it
have never thought about it like that before. Thanks so much for the depth and understanding at which you covered the topic. it's a useful piece of information not only for me but for many others. have read a lot on the topic at different blogs and books (download mainly from http://www.picktorrent.com but this piece really gives food for thought. just thought to rty it myself for a change, but now...doubt I will.
Affordable Nuvaring Birth control
The only place I found on the internet for affordable or discount nuvaring birth control is: http://www.MyCycleDirect.com. The MyCycle company is the Leading online Birth Control Pharmacy. Also, they give out free birth control samples.
It can happen to anyone
I was recommended to use NuvaRing by my doctor when I was twenty years old. Never smoked and was having trouble remembering to take the pill everyday. I thought this form of birth control sounded great for me. Little did I know my life would drastically change only a month and a half later. It started with a migraine...or so I thought. It became so painful I couldn't leave my bed at all. I stayed in bed all day....leaving my college courses behind and all social interactions with loved ones. I stayed in bed two weeks straight. I finally got up the courage to deal with the pain to go to the emergency room because I was starting to realize it was more than migraines. I had to force my doctors to give my a MRI. Come to find out I had eight blood clots in my brain, was on the verge of a stroke, and my short term memory was affected causing me to forget about my daily life. My life has changed so much, I have been on blood thinners years and I am only 23 years old, never smoked a day in my life. I still get headaches but seven clots have resolved and there is a spot still left in my brain. The doctors are unsure if it is damage or a clot. I will never be able to be on any form of birth control again in my life, I think about this everyday. I am blessed that I did not have a stroke and strongly recommend everyone to think about the risks before jumping into any form of birth control and PLEASE do not think that it can not happen to you.
Nuvaring
Two years ago at the age of 28 I was perscribed the Nuvaring. One month later I was hospitalized with pulmonary Embolisms that had showed my lungs. A lot of testing was conducted on to r/o any blood disorders. The Cause of this was the Nuvaring. I was hosptalized for three days, and was on medictaions for the following 6 months. I was one of the lucky ones, I lived through this horrible ordeal. Others have not been so lucky. I am now 30 and I am not alllowed to take any hormones for the rest of my life. Is somone you know is on this please warn then of the very seriuose side effects. There are class-action lawsuits with many people involved, including myself. If this has happened to you please contact a lawyer!!
