NuvaRing and Moody: What Users Say

• Cal...
• May 29, 2009

For Birth Control "I have been using the NuvaRing for a bit over 2 weeks now. I love it. I was a bit cautious about having sex with it, and worried that my boyfriend would feel it inside my vagina. He can't feel it and I have never experienced a 'slipping out' or was afraid that I was going to lose it during sex. I know everyone's body is different. For me, I'm small 100 lbs, 5 feet. The other two oral birth control pills I've tried, Ortho-Tricyclen and Aviane, both made me horribly moody, and I had non-stop breakthrough bleeding on Aviane. Overall, I say NuvaRing is the best birth control yet. My sex drive is boosted, I can forget I'm even using birth control for three weeks, and I am not moody at all. I feel like a teenager again."

• Anonymous
• December 21, 2009

For Birth Control "Just so everyone on here knows, it is not just NuvaRing that kills your sex drive, all hormonal contraceptives do it. As far as the people gaining weight, my doctor said he's never heard of it with NuvaRing, and if you do gain weight, it's just water weight. NuvaRing is a great birth control, I have tried Yaz and Yasmin and had severe mood issues. If you have that with NuvaRing, you just have to try something else because it does not work for you. Not all birth controls work for everyone!"

• Nyl...
• September 23, 2014

For Birth Control "I have never had a great experience with birth control in the 10 or so years I've been using it. I seem especially sensitive to hormones, though some affect me more severely than others. I love the ease of NuvaRing. I often forgot to take my pills, and this completely solved that problem. I am on my third month of using NuvaRing, and here are the side effects that are causing me to consider not using it anymore: moodiness, agitation, strong food cravings, really painful gas, abdominal pain, irritation during sex, fatigue. It feels like month-long PMS. I snap at people, eat Cheetos and fries several times a day (before NuvaRing I never ate chips or fast food), and have constant pain and pressure from gas. I can't take it anymore!"

• Anonymous
• June 29, 2009

For Birth Control "I have been using the NuvaRing for about 5 years. I used the NuvaRing because I would forget to take the pill. At first, things were awesome because I would insert it in and leave it in for 3 weeks. Well, over time my moods got weirder and weirder. I'm starting new birth control next month. I'm tired of having bad moods and being sick all the time. I'm not saying I don't recommend it, but I know it's not for me anymore."

• Anonymous
• July 26, 2010

For Birth Control "I love, love, love NuvaRing! I have been on hormone-based birth control for 6 years now. I have been on NuvaRing for 1 year. So far, this is the best one I've used, and I have tried several. With other pills, I have had weight gain (not in my breasts, unfortunately), acne, moodiness, lack of sex drive, spotting, periods that lasted forever, etc. With the NuvaRing, nothing. My skin is clearer than it has ever been (not perfect, but I'll take what I can get), I haven't gained any more weight, I only worry about it once a month. I think it's perfect. The thing people have to remember is everyone's going to be different. It's not the product, it's the person. Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo didn't work for me. Neither did Lo Ovral. And they're rather popular."

• Ash...
• March 1, 2021

For Birth Control "It's important to note that I'm not actually sexually active with a male at this time, I use NuvaRing to stop painful menses, so I can't actually rate on its anti-pregnancy effectiveness. So far, I'm very happy with it. It hasn't lowered my mood or made me irritable at all, I think the extra dose of hormones has actually put more of a pep in my step. It's super easy to use, you just put it 'up there' and can forget about it for 3 weeks. You can leave it out for the fourth week to get your period and put another ring in to skip it. It's nice to be the one in control and be able to switch it up at ease. The fact that a single ring lasts so long is very convenient because you don't have to keep returning to the pharmacy all the time, a couple of packs feel like they last you forever. The packets also come with calendar stickers to help you remember when to change the rings. I would 11/10 recommend trying it."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• July 20, 2017

For Birth Control "I have been on NuvaRing for about 6 years. PROS: I've never gotten pregnant. My boobs went up 2 cup sizes. It's not uncomfortable at all. It regulated my period. Much easier than the pill, you put it in, then you can forget about it for 3 weeks. But the BEST THING for me was that it cleared my acne. CONS: I am moody, more depressed, will cry for any little thing. I have always been 110 pounds my whole life with tiny fluctuations, now I'm heading towards 125 pounds! No sex drive at all. Broke up with my boyfriend of 5 years because we never had sex. It gives me constant BV and daily vaginal discharge, which is the worst side effect to me. I have decided to stop it. I'm sick of having BV, and I don't want to gain any more weight."

• Fol...
• July 19, 2016

For Birth Control "I absolutely love the NuvaRing and have been using it for one year. I did notice slight mood changes at first, but my moodiness eventually went away. My doctor taught me a great tip for inserting it. If you use a tampon applicator (minus the tampon and replace with the ring) to insert, it works great! It has never fallen out during sex. However, it has to be the plastic kind. Definitely noticed an improvement in my skin as well!"

• gra...
• June 27, 2014

For Birth Control "So I just switched from the Pill to the ring (I was on the Pill for three years and needed something more convenient. At first, I loved it because all I had to do was slip it in and forget for three weeks. Two weeks into it, however, I have begun breaking out all over my body (I NEVER break out, EVER), and my forehead is littered with pimples. I've gotten moody, sore, and I'm nauseous beyond belief. After reading about others' experiences, I'm starting to get that it's a common thing. I'm switching back to the Pill. This isn't worth the convenience. Plus, it's two times the cost of what I was paying for the Pill."

• Ell...
• September 3, 2019

For Birth Control "I LOVE the NuvaRing birth control! I tried the pill and the depo shot. This was my second to last option. A bit of background: I’ve always had incredibly painful, long, and heavy periods due to endometriosis. It was awful. Since being on NuvaRing, my periods are kind of heavy the first 2 days, nowhere near like before, but then it lightens up and only lasts at most 5 days instead of 8-10 like before. I can actually function with the cramps I get instead of being bedridden for 4 days. The first week on the ring, I was moody and hormonal. That went away after maybe 4 days at most. That also happened when I missed a ring. The only other con I can think of is that it slips down, but the pro with that is that I can actually feel it out of place, so I just quickly push it back up, and I’m good to go. There is more discharge than normal, but that’s normal with the ring. All in all, the pros absolutely outweigh the cons for me. I’m so happy I found this birth control."

• tma...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• March 19, 2019

For Birth Control "I loved NuvaRing as birth control at first, far easier to remember than the pill and super effective. HOWEVER, it made me depressed, lazy, gave me a foggy brain, moody, and this caused many hardships in my personal relationships. I closed myself off from the world and thought I might be suffering from depression. Once I had enough, I decided to see if it was my NuvaRing, so I took it out and switched to an IUD. Within weeks, I feel like myself again! I am happy, super productive, love socializing again, and no longer moody. Would not recommend the NuvaRing to anyone. I suffered with the mood side effects and used NuvaRing for two years, and yet no doctor ever told me that it was even a possibility that's why I was feeling so horrible. I'd also like to add it also caused a lot of inflammation and made sex very uncomfortable for me to the point I'd be crying."

• Yup...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• May 22, 2017

For Birth Control "I was on the pill before NuvaRing, and the pill made me moody and cry a lot. I'm definitely not one to be emotional. So I tried NuvaRing, now, 8 months later, I still love it. I really like that I can put it in and forget it for a month. I can skip periods if I want. Although I've found I can go 2 months without a period, but then I have to do the period thing so I don't get breakthrough bleeding. I'm also very much in control, if I decided one day I didn't want it anymore, I'd just take it out. I haven't had any weight gain. When I do get my period, it's short and light. The only con I had was I lost sex drive for about 5 months. It's returned though, so I'm happy. Everyone is different, but I'd highly suggest giving NuvaRing a try!"

• kc1...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 25, 2014

For Birth Control "My whole reasoning to get on birth control was to help my miserable cramps and periods. Saying that it was my first time on birth control, my midwife and I decided that the NuvaRing was the best route to go. I put it in the first day of my cycle, and I bled for three days (I have a five-day cycle). I was so excited to have no cramps and a short period. Then, about a week later, I started getting horrendous cramps, even worse than my period cramps. The cramping wouldn't go away, along with the cramping - my skin changed from silky soft to desert dry, and I was extremely itchy all over my body. Come to find out, I was actually allergic to the NuvaRing. Some other symptoms that I got with the NuvaRing were zits, hunger, and moody!"

• Kas...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 14, 2015

For Birth Control "The ease of use is great... Unfortunately, I have to give it up... I get the worst of the side effects: severe moodiness, depression, roid rage, bitchiness. I'm always angry and depressed at the same time. My sex drive is gone... And my face is broken out to the point where I get new blemishes daily. After reading reviews from people who suffered for months, there's no way I can handle another day, let alone week."

• Mel...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 25, 2016

For Birth Control "I've never written a review about BC. I've been using NuvaRing for 2 months now, and I'm enjoying it. I think I've found the right method that works for me and my body. I was nervous about it because I still have not found anything wrong. This might just be the one! I was on the pill before, and I definitely felt the side effects... I was hungry all the time, breakouts, moodiness, and depression... and weight gain. With the NuvaRing, my weight has been stable (I did start a workout/diet plan, so this may be the reason why I haven't gained any weight). No moodiness, no nausea, no headaches. I don't feel it during sex, neither does my partner. Very easy process. The only thing I've noticed is that my libido has decreased significantly!"

• Nor...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• July 19, 2013

For Birth Control "Overall, it works great. I have used the NuvaRing for the past 7 months. I like the NuvaRing, even though I hate birth controls in general (because I promise you, they all make you more moody than you would be without them). My only problem with NuvaRing is that I cry over nothing sometimes, but that has happened with every birth control that I have ever been on. The ring is way easier than remembering to fool around taking a pill every day and having to worry about it."

• ban...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• November 23, 2019

For Birth Control "(21 yr old) I've had the NuvaRing in for almost a year now, and I'm taking it out. The first few months I loved it because I had minimal side effects, so I thought my body needed some time to adjust, but it's gotten worse. I'm moodier, have low motivation, ZERO sex drive (I used to have such a high sex drive, now sex is repulsive). Constant debilitating cramps and bloating, headaches, chest pain, depression, and anxiety. I've also gained about 10 lbs recently, despite eating the same. The heavy discharge I can handle with some pantiliners, but sometimes there's a strong, horrible scent. I've always had heavy periods and cramping (lasting 7-8 days), but now it lasts about 14 days. I've never been able to skip my period on this because I bleed when the ring is still in, it just gets heavier on the day I'm supposed to take it out. I liked the ease, but it's taken a toll on my body, mental health, and life. I wish I had taken it out sooner."

• 38...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• February 15, 2020

For Birth Control "NuvaRing for 10+ years until 2014. 2 kids later back on 2017. I had shorter, lighter periods and even skipped my period every other month by keeping the ring in and swapping them out. That was nice. I had usual moodiness a week before the ring was due to be out. I have noticed unsuccessful weight loss since children but chalked it up to my age (late 30s). I started EluRing, generic to NuvaRing, this month. It has been a nightmare. During the first week on, I was spotting after exercise. It would last a day. The second week I started a period. I removed the ring after 2 1/2 weeks. I felt this ring unlike NuvaRing and also felt a burn. I have been bleeding very heavily this third week. Heavy. I am hoping this is penance for all the missed periods over the years. After having the ring out, I now notice I am nicer and feel more attracted to my spouse. I really hope my 'normal' cycle is not what I have been experiencing or I will have to find an alternative birth control."

• Mrs...
• July 30, 2015

For Birth Control "I choose NuvaRing because if I went on the pill I would never take it because I am very forgetful, plus I've heard horror stories about other birth control. Anyway, I've been on the NuvaRing for about 4 months now, and I do the 4-week cycle, so I don't get periods. I noticed I have a little spotting around the 3rd week of having it in. I'm very moody with this birth control, and my libido is ALL THE WAY DOWN. I also get headaches here and there, those have to be my only side effect with it. My husband isn't a fan of it because he says he can feel it during intercourse. It has taken a toll on our marriage due to my low sex drive. Not sure if it's related to the product, but after reading a few reviews, I'm guessing it is. Considering changing."

• Anonymous
• October 22, 2012

For Birth Control "I had been using NuvaRing for just about a year when I decided to call it quits. The first few months were great. I loved the convenience of it, and my boyfriend could not feel it. I also never had a problem with it slipping out. After 3-4 months, I started getting intense cramps, bloating, and breast sensitivity for about a week before my period that lasted until I popped the next one back in. Meanwhile, I was getting crankier and moodier, and the smallest things would make me cry. I started breaking out on my face (which NEVER happened before), and I gained about 10-15 lbs (not that I was doing anything differently that would cause this). After about 6 months, I started losing my sex drive, and when I did have sex, it would be painful."

• Cat...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• July 5, 2016

For Birth Control "Yesterday, I stopped using NuvaRing for the 2nd time. The first time I quit, I wasn't sure if it was the ring causing my depression or just the things going on in my life at the time. A year later, I went back on it because I became more sexually active, and I loved not having periods and the clear skin it gave me. The first 2 months, it gave me horribly sore boobs, I also noticed I was a little moody but thought it would go away once I regulated after 3 months. 7 months in, and I'm a full-blown basket case with life-ruining depression and anxiety. I'm mad I was in denial that NuvaRing was causing it for so long. Do your relationship/mental health a favor, do not use NuvaRing. I feel so bad for my boyfriend for putting up with me for so long."

• Cic...
• June 13, 2015

For Birth Control "I've been on NuvaRing for 6 months, and just recently, I've been feeling really depressed, crying for no reason, and accusing my boyfriend of cheating. I've just been really moody and not really wanting to do anything. Could it be a mood reaction from it? I need help so I could switch to a new birth control. It only happens 1 week before I have to take out the NuvaRing, and when it's out, that whole week I just become a disaster."

• Che...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 2, 2013

For Birth Control "I have only been on the NuvaRing for about 2 months now. This was very effective for the first month, about. After I inserted my next ring, I have not stopped bleeding and it's not just light spotting, it's heavy bleeding most of the time. Like, it'll seem like it went away, but then it'll either come back on its own or really bad when I have sex. Also, it is giving me a lack of lubrication in my vagina. When I have had sex, there have been a few times that it hurt really bad. I have been very moody lately and will cry for basically no reason, and my sex drive is definitely lower. I may continue on with my 3rd ring, but if the bleeding doesn't stop, I will definitely be switching."

• Nad...
• March 2, 2013

For Birth Control "I've been on the ring for 3 months. My favorite part is how low maintenance it is. I was worried that I would feel it, or I wouldn't know the proper way to insert it, but I can't feel it once I pop it in, and my doctor said that as long as it's in, then you're doing it right. My sex drive is still the same. I just don't get wet if I don't drink a lot of water. I think I get dehydrated easily on the ring. My boyfriend can feel it during sex, and it hurts him, but I take it out. The only downside is my period. I get really moody and a heavier flow."

• TxG...
• August 10, 2011

For Birth Control "I'm a 21-year-old female, and I recently stopped using NuvaRing. I must say that I have been feeling so much better since I've been off. While on NuvaRing, I experienced many negative side effects. I was EXTREMELY moody every month for 2 weeks out of the month (more so than usual PMS). My body also felt very tired, and I had little energy. I gained about 20 lbs while on it for 6 months. My libido was very low, putting quite a strain on my relationship with my boyfriend. Since being off of NuvaRing, I am back to my normal self. I know that it will affect people differently, but I would suggest if you begin to feel any of these similar side effects on NuvaRing, stop using it. The side effects do not get better over time."