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NuvaRing User Reviews & Ratings (Page 4)

NuvaRing has an average rating of 6.0 out of 10 from a total of 1,198 reviews on Drugs.com. 44% of reviewers reported a positive experience, while 29% reported a negative experience.

Reviews for NuvaRing

Commonly mentioned side effects
  • Eri...
  • Taken for 1 to 2 years
  • May 4, 2020

For Birth Control "I had a mostly positive experience with the NuvaRing, but ultimately discontinued use. Pros: I have a clinical diagnosis of endometriosis, and the ring made symptoms like cramping, heavy bleeding, nausea, and vomiting less frequent and more bearable. My skin was beautiful. My cystic acne disappeared, and I only got 1-2 small, almost undetectable pimples a month. I also loved how convenient the ring is. It’s so much easier to remember to change your ring every 3-4 weeks than to take a pill at the same exact time every single day. Cons: The first few months I had some mood swings and got frustrated and angry at little things. This did taper off. Noticeably lowered sex drive (but this might be more connected to endometriosis pain). Near constant spotting. I would spot 8 weeks on, 1-2 weeks off. Spotting was the only reason I discontinued use. I wish my body reacted better to these hormones because it really is a fantastic BC option. I would recommend it to a friend."

6 / 10
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  • Aa2...
  • Taken for 1 to 6 months
  • January 22, 2013

For Birth Control "At first, I had the Paragard for four months, and it was excruciatingly painful. Come to find out, I have endometriosis, and that's why I was in so much pain. My doctor prescribed me NuvaRing as treatment for my endometriosis and as birth control. So far, I love it. I keep it in continually, so I don't get periods. The only downside is it makes me very nauseous when I first put a new one in. Other than that, I love that I don't have to remember to take it every day, and my sex drive hasn't changed a bit."

9 / 10
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  • Tea...
  • August 2, 2019

For Birth Control "If you take this medicine, you might as well write your will right after. I'm sure most people will read and ignore the horrible stories like I did because I didn't think it could happen to me. I have always been on birth control since I was 17 years old and now I'm 37. I've never had any issues with them until I took the NuvaRing. My period was extremely heavy, changing pads several times an hour. Then things became worse when I started to have shortness of breath for no reason at all. It turns out I had a pulmonary embolism in both lungs. My lungs were filled with blood and I was near death. I was in the hospital for over a week trying to survive. A hematologist looked into why my blood was clotting and it was determined as a direct link to the NuvaRing. Now I can no longer use BC and I have to be on blood thinners for life. NuvaRing has ruined my life!"

1 / 10
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Frequently asked questions

  • Ser...
  • July 11, 2014

For Birth Control "Used the ring for 6 months. I gained 20 pounds. I went from 120 to 140. It's not very easy for me to gain weight. Had a lot of discharge that made it extremely uncomfortable. I never get yeast infections and got one on the ring. And my sex drive went way down on the ring. I am switching back to the pill because I've never had any problems with the pill, only minor, and I've used the pill for 3 years."

4 / 10
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  • Era...
  • Taken for 2 to 5 years
  • July 28, 2014

For Birth Control "I loved the NuvaRing! I switched to it after being on Yasmin and seeing all of the scary commercials about it (which I liked too, but I'm a hypochondriac). I liked the fact that I just put it in and didn't have to worry about it for 3 weeks, and I always started my period on the same day, which was very helpful! I think I gained about 10 lbs while taking it, but I don't think that was due to the birth control; my husband also never noticed it during sex, added bonus. I wish I could take it while breastfeeding, but my doctor doesn't recommend it. Overall, I loved it!"

10 / 10
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  • Toy...
  • Taken for 1 to 6 months
  • March 2, 2020

For Birth Control "I've been on NuvaRing for 2 and a half months, and I don't know how much longer I can tolerate its side effects, from the mood swings to feeling angry all the time, low to no libido at all, and feeling distant from my partner. I've been bleeding the entire time I've had it in. I'm hoping maybe in another month or two my body will adjust to the hormones, but we'll see if I even make it that far."

3 / 10
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  • Mar...
  • Taken for 2 to 5 years
  • September 28, 2016

For Birth Control "Best birth control I've tried. Super comfortable and easy to use. I've had zero side effects. No weight gain, and I have clear skin! No issues with sex either. I've been on it for 2 years, and there's been no changes in my sex drive. Give it a try! It changed my life for the better. Don't let the bad reviews scare you!"

10 / 10
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More FAQ

  • dtl...
  • Taken for 10 years or more
  • March 3, 2020

For Birth Control "If you want to fart and cry for a week every month, then NuvaRing is right for you. Aside from not wanting to get pregnant, I use this because I’m on a category X drug. I’m not allowed to take this medication unless I’m on birth control. I’m forgetful, so the pill was never my friend. Depo made me gain 20 lbs. I dismissed IUDs because of the risk of infection, but after 10 years of week-long mood swings, irritability, crying, and farting, I’m going to talk to my doctor about making the switch. It works, but at a cost."

6 / 10
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  • Mea...
  • July 11, 2019

For Birth Control "I was on hormonal pills that caused anxiety and OCD tendencies. My now husband was a saint through that. After becoming pregnant due to a faulty IUD (arm did not fully deploy, and luckily I did not need a surgery), NuvaRing was recommended. I almost made it through my 2nd ring. Over the last few weeks, I noticed an increase in anxiety, being quick to anger, and intense depression. After having days of panic attacks (exacerbated by reviews and thinking I had blood clots) and feelings of complete misery, I decided I needed to remove it. It’s been over 12 hours, and overall I feel better, just exhausted. Everyone reacts to medications differently, and maybe I was more sensitive to it, but I thought it was important to share my experience because I wonder how many people feel that way and think it’s them when it’s not. Even this time, it took my husband to point out there was something altering my system and snap me out of it because I was convinced my feelings were all my fault."

3 / 10
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  • The...
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • July 25, 2014

For Birth Control "I was recently diagnosed with endometriosis, and my gynecologist initially recommended the Mirena to help manage it. The inserting process was impossible and so dismissed. Next up was the patch... worst decision of my life. Nausea, vomiting, extreme fatigue... that lasted me three days. Next up was the NuvaRing. I'm going into my third week, and so far it's doing better than anything else I've tried. My side effects are awful headaches and cramps here and there. Other than that, I feel perfectly fine. If the headache gets bad, I simply use a painkiller, and voila! I'll definitely recommend it to anyone that can't use a high-dose contraceptive like me. I think the low dose in the ring could make a huge difference. Can't knock it till you try it!"

8 / 10
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  • Swe...
  • Taken for 2 to 5 years
  • July 6, 2015

For Birth Control "I have been on NuvaRing for four years. I had major cysts on my ovaries when I was younger and was forced to change my birth control medications six times in three years. I was skeptical about taking the Depo shot and any IUD for fear that I would have cysts develop again. My doctor wanted to conduct an exploratory surgery. I had to try something immediately. I asked my doctor about the NuvaRing. If it didn't help, I would go through with the surgery. I was constantly in pain, and I was fed up with it. I read the information and started my dose. After 24 hours, I felt wonderful. In four years, I haven't had a cyst. Lighter, shorter periods, no weight gain, less acne, healthier skin and hair, and very little PMS. I highly recommend it."

10 / 10
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  • Anonymous
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • February 24, 2017

For Birth Control "Giving it two stars because it does serve its purpose-birth control. But it's so not worth the side effects I had for the first week after putting it in place. I had horrifying dreams on the third night and woke up in terror. I was mostly depressed and hated people around me. I was easily irritated by small things. I was negative and wanted to be alone. After noticing the change in my mood, I took it out five days later. Just in half a day, I have noticeable improvement in my mood. I wanted to be around my friends again. I'm happier. I wouldn't recommend this form of birth control to any of my friends."

2 / 10
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  • 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."

10 / 10
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  • Jes...
  • Taken for 2 to 5 years
  • June 6, 2016

For Birth Control "I've been on the NuvaRing for about 3 years now. I have had no problems except I literally have no sex drive anymore, which really sucks. I constantly feel bad for my boyfriend of 4 years because I just have no desire for it at all, which makes sex painful because I am not wet enough. This is unfortunate because I love everything about the NuvaRing besides that one issue. However, I am still probably going to switch to something else because that is a big factor for me."

9 / 10
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  • Mag...
  • Taken for 2 to 5 years
  • February 18, 2017

For Birth Control "I switched to NuvaRing 4 years ago from Ortho Tri-Cyclen. I've had absolutely no side effects, and it's the easiest form of birth control I've ever taken. My periods are lighter is the only thing I've noticed. It's unfortunate that I'm seeing so many bad experiences on here - I honestly recommend it to all my girlfriends."

10 / 10
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  • sar...
  • Taken for 5 to 10 years
  • August 25, 2015

For Birth Control "I was on the NuvaRing for 6 years or so, and I LOVED it while I was on it. I didn't have issues with feeling it, or it coming out during sex. Sometimes if I was having sex, we'd take it out just because it can get uncomfortable being (essentially pounded) in the same place. I went off of it about 4 months ago. I only went off it because the hormones started to mess with me. My libido dropped, I couldn't get wet, and freaked out emotionally before my period every month. I wish the hormones didn't affect my body like that, because I really liked this birth control."

9 / 10
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  • Kel...
  • June 23, 2014

For Birth Control "I have been using NuvaRing for a year now and have decided to take it out. In that year, I gained almost 30 pounds and have had insane mood swings. I kept it in so long because I thought other things were causing this until I talked to my doctor."

5 / 10
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  • Ama...
  • Taken for 5 to 10 years
  • May 1, 2013

For Birth Control "I have been on the NuvaRing for almost 6 years. I decided to try it due to the fact that I had a hard time remembering to take the pill every day. I absolutely love the ring and have recommended it to most of my friends. What was initially hard for me was remembering what day and how many weeks it was in. I found an app for my phone which helped tremendously. The pros are definitely that you don't have to take it every day, and it's comfortable, I sometimes forget that it is there. Cons would have to be the decrease in sex drive, but a little exercise helps with that. I've had no pregnancy scares or breakthrough bleeding. All in all, the ring beats the pill and the Depo shot."

10 / 10
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  • Yog...
  • September 25, 2019

For Birth Control "After reading all of these reviews, I feel like I was crazy for staying on the NuvaRing for so long (3 years), but for at least the past year, I have been wondering why I’m not myself. I started the NuvaRing when I was 18/19 and have gained an extra 15 pounds that I can’t seem to lose no matter how much I eat/exercise. I also have had LOTS of mood swings and went through a depression last year, I thought it was my schooling since I am an engineering major, but now I’m not so sure. And the worst was that I lost my sex drive. My boyfriend and I have been together for at least 2 years before I started the NuvaRing, but for the past year, he always wants to, and I just am not in the mood. I feel like these changes started slow but became more clear after the years went by. It wasn’t all bad though, I love its convenience and ease of use, but for what it did to my mental health and weight is frustrating. Thanks, girls, for all your input, I thought I was going crazy!"

4 / 10
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  • Lol...
  • September 27, 2016

For Birth Control "I used the NuvaRing for about 8 years as birth control after my first child. My periods were short and light (3 days), and it didn't affect my mood. I had always suffered from heavy periods, and the pills would make me irritable. There were times when my husband would feel it during intercourse, but that just meant it wasn't properly inserted. (Adjusted it and continued.) Though the package insert says you can have it off for 6 hours, I never dared to try. (Just in case.) I stopped the NuvaRing when I was ready for my second baby and got pregnant in 4 months and had a tubal ligation. I recommend the ring to all of my girlfriends!"

10 / 10
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  • Anonymous
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • June 14, 2014

For Birth Control "I started NuvaRing 3 weeks and 2 days ago. I loved it because I didn't have to remember to take a pill. That was the extent of my happiness. Within 1 week, I started to get complaints about my attitude, and people were genuinely concerned about what was wrong with me. Within 2 weeks, I had severe anxiety and depression with suicidal thoughts. I know people say it takes time to get used to, but I would've been dead by then. Prior to the 3-week mark, I had stabbing pain near/in my heart. That occurred for 2 days, on the second day, I said goodbye to my NuvaRing. I did research 2 days after I removed it and found out that it isn't recommended if you have ever had depression, and I had PPD very badly (psych ward for 3 days, yeah, bad)."

1 / 10
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  • Cat...
  • Taken for 2 to 5 years
  • December 29, 2020

For Birth Control "I used the ring for 4 years in total. It is funny how you forget all the side effects when you are used to it. I didn't get pregnant, so that's good, but I had a LOT of small side effects that I had to live with. My vaginal discharge was a lot, I had migraines, I was always bloated, and I had a lot of problems with my digestion. It's been 8 months since I stopped taking NuvaRing, and I feel much better. In a month, I could see the difference, it was insane. I do not recommend it if you don't want side effects."

3 / 10
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9 Report
  • Snd...
  • April 23, 2014

For Birth Control "I am super happy with this form of birth control. I was on the pill for years, and I would become crazy. The first month on the NuvaRing, I did bleed for almost 3 weeks. I freaked out a little, but when I changed it the next month, the bleeding stopped, and everything is great. I would totally recommend this to anyone! I never feel it, it doesn't affect my sex life or drive. My boyfriend doesn't feel it. I am 100% happy."

10 / 10
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  • Jac...
  • April 24, 2014

For Birth Control "My experience has been good so far. I've been on NuvaRing for three weeks now, and I'm about to have my first period. I have not gained weight, it has helped clear my acne, and I am not pregnant, so it works. The only downsides have been lots of breast tenderness, which has finally passed, and bad cramps, randomly. I've never had bad cramps, so that part does suck. I plan to continue using this form of birth control."

8 / 10
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  • Mom...
  • June 7, 2019

For Birth Control "So I’ve been using NuvaRing for about 2 months now after having my little girl in March. This birth control has given me so many symptoms, I’m going crazy! Nausea, increased appetite, cramps, headaches, and mood swings! I have to apologize to my husband when he gets home from work tonight because I’ve been so mean to him, and I know he’s wondering what the hell is going on! This is my first time being on birth control in 5 years, and I absolutely hate it. Even growing up, my body hated birth control, and I always advocated against it. I let my doctor talk me into not getting my tubes tied because I have 2 kids, and I’m only 27. But I know we don’t want more kids, I’m content with my 2, and we plan to adopt a child when they’re older. I’m scheduled for a consultation in 2 weeks for tubal ligation, and I’m going through with it. This experience with NuvaRing has been the worst! I’m not compromising my well-being for birth control when I know I’m physically done having babies."

1 / 10
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Reviews may be edited to correct grammar/spelling or remove inappropriate content. Reviews appearing to come from parties with a vested interest are not published. This information is not intended to endorse any medication and should not replace the expertise and judgment of healthcare professionals.