[Begonia]

Hi everyone,

I am planning on going on some form of hormonal birth control soon. I would love the convenience of the NuvaRing, but would be willing to go with pills if the side effects are worse on the ring, which is what I've been hearing. I have read many reviews on the NuvaRing, but figured that most people reviewing only do so because they had a terrible experience.

I'd like to get an overview of your experience and opinion on it. What side effects did you experience? How long were you on it? If you have also tried pills, what brand were you taking and was it an improvement on the side effects you experienced from the ring?

Thank you!

[rosekitten]

I'm currently on the NuvaRing. For the first 1-3 months (I've been on and off for various reasons), I do have mood swings. I used to deal with bi-polar, and before I learned to control my emotions being on the ring was for those around me the first couple months. Now that I've gotten control over my emotions (easy to do if one is willing to work out, same can be done with PMS for the most part. Being aware of odd or irrational emotions is the first step to countering them), it's not really all that bad to deal with. I do notice the emotional swings, but I've reigned them in. The pill always just made me lethargic for some reason. I much prefer the ring, and if a month or so of having to be hyper aware of my behavior is all it takes to adjust back to it, it's worth it to me. However, any hormonal birth control can cause mood swings, and everyone reacts differently.

[Begonia]

Thank you for your input. You have an interesting take on the emotional side effects of HBC. Most people assume there is nothing you can do about it, but it makes me a little more optimistic to know that this is not always the case. It's all about mind over matter after all. I'm mostly concerned about it worsening my anxiety, I'm not so sure if there's much I can do about that one. I can turn into a very introverted person under certain circumstances. I guess it's worth a shot. It's much better than getting pregnant or having to worry all the time when relying on condoms alone. If anyone else has anything to add, please do so. I'm trying to learn as much as I possibly can. (:

[rosekitten]

I've found that most people are quick to jump to "I can't help it because of PMS/birth control/etc" because it's easier than actually taking control. I realize, also (especially having dealt with being bipolar), that it isn't always possible to. Yoga and various forms of meditation have helped me quite a bit in taking control over my emotions, instead of my emotions taking control of me. As for anxiety, sometimes something as simple as a good relaxing tea can help. As far as anxiety and birth control, the ring made me feel much safer. I was always nervous with the pill, because for some women even missing it by a couple hours can lead to pregnancy, and I never wanted to really test that theory out to see just how far I could push it lol. The ring made my life so much easier, just mark the date you need to put it in, go out three weeks, mark it again, put one in the following week... wash, rinse, repeat. ^_^