Ethinyl estradiol / etonogestrel and Acne: What Users Say (Page 2)

• M V...
• September 15, 2020

For Birth Control "I was switched from NuvaRing to Prasco's generic in March. I have gained 5 lbs a month (while eating like a diabetic) for a total of 25 lbs. All around my waist. My waist grew 8 inches. I have not had the headaches that most people report, but I have acne at 42 for the first time in my life. Insane nightmares. Not sure if they are related. Frequent insomnia. My bipolar has never been worse. I feel like I have been manic for months. Constantly irritable, starting fights with people, on the verge of ending relationships. I take lots of walks and often had to stop and sit because of unbearable cramps in one of my legs. I am thrilled to have figured this out today. I even had my thyroid and hormones (including cortisol) checked after 6 months of weight gain and hell. Nothing made any sense, and everyone blames everything on COVID. (Not everything is COVID.) NuvaRing was magical. Hopefully, this gets recalled, and there's a way to use it again. I would give it a zero, but I can't."

• Lov...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 29, 2015

Ethinyl estradiol / etonogestrel for Birth Control "General pros: Easy to use and low maintenance, no weight gain (but never had issues with this), doesn't affect my moods. Below is a timeline of my experiences. Age: 22 Note: I have had a lot of acne issues with birth control in the past. Feb 2015 (month 1) - Breasts are fuller. Cons: - More acne - Annoying and sometimes painful when it slides partially out. Mar-Apr 2015 - Breasts are still fuller. Cons: - Still lots of acne - Still slides partially out - No sex drive (sex hurts... no natural lubrication) - Excessive discharge - Considering changing birth control. May – Jul 2015 - OMG, I love my NuvaRing! - Acne is 99% gone! - No excessive discharge - I take NuvaRing out for sex, and sex is great! - Breasts back to regular. Cons: - falls partially out sometimes."

• led...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 16, 2020

Ethinyl estradiol / etonogestrel for Birth Control "I was on NuvaRing for years with no side effects. I was switched to EluRyng about five months ago - despite eating super healthy and working out hard, I have gained 10+ pounds, and my breasts are always super, super tender. I've also started breaking out. Just bad - I'm getting switched off as soon as possible. Don't believe anyone when they say generic is the same!"

• Abc...
• November 9, 2019

Ethinyl estradiol / etonogestrel for Birth Control "I have been on many different pills, two different IUDs, the Depo shot, and then the ring. The ring, by far, was the worst. I had side effects with all forms of birth control, usually to do with unusual bleeding or inconsistent periods. The NuvaRing was the only birth control I could find that controlled my periods. Unfortunately, it also caused acne, weight gain, despite feeling nauseous all the time and having no appetite. No sex drive, and I was so anxious and emotional that I thought I was going crazy. I was on the ring for almost two years, with all of these side effects, which I did not realize were being caused by it. When I finally realized this may be why this is happening, I took it out, and I feel so much better now."

• dsu...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 17, 2014

Ethinyl estradiol / etonogestrel for Birth Control "This is my first time ever being on birth control, and so far I'm loving this NuvaRing. I've lost 5 pounds in 3 weeks. No acne, the only side effect is that I can't keep anything down. All I want to eat is fruits and salads. My doctor said it was normal and that maybe this will help with the anxiety I had before. But everybody is different, let's keep that in mind."

• nuv...
• August 13, 2009

Ethinyl estradiol / etonogestrel for Birth Control "It seems that a lot of the people describing their experience with the NuvaRing are of the younger generation. I'm 31 and have been using the ring for the last 4 months after being on Ortho Tri-Cyclen for years. Within the first 2 weeks of inserting the ring, my body went through changes as if I were in puberty all over again. My breasts swelled and became annoyingly sensitive, my face broke out with acne, and I gained weight over two months' time. On top of all of this, I've been overly emotional and tired. The convenience of the ring is nice, but definitely not worth all the side effects for me."

• tha...
• February 19, 2016

Ethinyl estradiol / etonogestrel for Birth Control "This is my second month on it, and I love it so far. I read the side effects and was scared to be moody or have a low sex drive. I experienced none of that so far. I already get migraines and have acne, but I do notice I don't get migraines as often now. I did have some bleeding at the end of the third week that lasted about 5 days. I read the information pamphlet, and I guess that was normal. But there's no bleeding now that I'm on my second ring. It's not noticeable for my lover and me during sex, but you can take it out if it is and put it back after 3 hours. Read the pamphlet front to back before the first use until you're confident. Also, refer to it when you have any questions."

• BCa...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• March 2, 2014

Ethinyl estradiol / etonogestrel for Birth Control "Birth control pills make me extremely nauseous, and the shot made me gain a ton of weight and caused bad acne, so the only method I can use consistently is the NuvaRing. It keeps my skin clear, is easy to use, doesn't bother my husband during sex, and it grew my breasts a cup size. Unfortunately, NuvaRing makes me so tired that I gained weight due to inactivity since all I want to do is sleep. I suspect it has caused anxiety and depression (although I can't be sure), and it gives me a terrible headache and nausea the first three days I put a new ring in. It dulls my sex drive a bit, but nothing major. I will probably stick with this method for a while unless something better comes around."

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

Ethinyl estradiol / etonogestrel 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!"

• ATW...
• December 8, 2013

Ethinyl estradiol / etonogestrel for Birth Control "My experience on NuvaRing was a mixed bag. My first time on it was wonderful - I was CRAZY the first month on, after that, it was smooth sailing. Absolutely no bad side effects. I had to discontinue due to no insurance, but when I went on it again years later, I had a multitude of problems. BAD bloating around the midsection (I am otherwise a slender woman, and the bloat didn't look right on me), thinning hair, dark spotting of the skin on my back and stomach, borderline severe depression and anxiety. I lost all the bloat as well as the depression and anxiety when I came off it. Unfortunately, my acne came back (much to my dismay) when I stopped using it, but for me, the NuvaRing was still not worth the side effects."

• Run...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 31, 2015

Ethinyl estradiol / etonogestrel for Birth Control "This is my third month using NuvaRing. I'm on the three-week cycle. It's very convenient, I don't have a consistent work schedule, so I never have to worry about missing the pill. HOWEVER, this thing makes me sweat SO bad at night. I keep my bedroom in the mid-60s while my side of the bed is closest to the vent, and I sleep nude. I will shower the night before and wake up covered in sweat and smell terrible! And that has NEVER been the case. I've been a very competitive athlete all my life, and even in my sweatiest games, I never had BO. I've also noticed extreme mood swings that third week it's in, intense vaginal irritation to say the very least, and no change to my acne, it's been bad for as long as I can remember."

• Anonymous
• June 10, 2022

Ethinyl estradiol / etonogestrel for Birth Control "I've been on EluRyng for about a month now. So far, it's been the best birth control I've tried. My period was lighter and came on time, I had little to no cramping, no nausea, appetite is the same, stable mood, and I'm feeling a lot better overall. The only thing I've noticed is a little bit more acne, but I don't mind. I've tried 10 different birth control pills to help with my ovarian cysts and endo, and each one was a horrible experience. Don't let reviews scare you, everyone is different, this has worked great for me so far!"

• Car...
• November 22, 2016

Ethinyl estradiol / etonogestrel for Birth Control "I started NuvaRing at 13 to regulate my heavy periods. I'm 23 now, still on it and love it. Here's the basics: -Never falls out, can't feel it at all (unless it's not put in right or if you have a wider/tilted uterus) -Husband is large and can't stand it, so I put it back in after intimacy. -If I forget/lose it, I just put a new one in for 3 more weeks (skip a period, whoop!) -I have never refrigerated mine, the teens don't need to see that in there lol -no cramps, bloating, acne, weight gain, etc. (I eat a lot so I'm not gonna blame my anti-baby meds for my own bad habits) -no mood swings, sex drive hasn't changed, periods are lighter/are over quicker than before. -no insurance? Forget it. These freaking things are $150 a pop."

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

Ethinyl estradiol / etonogestrel 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!"

• Anonymous
• October 22, 2012

Ethinyl estradiol / etonogestrel 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."

• Giv...
• October 6, 2015

Ethinyl estradiol / etonogestrel for Birth Control "I was on the pill for about 2 years, and it became so hard keeping track if I had taken it or not. I had always heard great things about the NuvaRing, so I decided to try it. My favorite thing is knowing that it's just there and I don't have to take it every day. On the other hand, I have broken out what feels like everywhere, I've never had a problem with acne before. Also, the day after I put it in, I started getting really bad headaches, and I felt upset. I thought I was just stressed, so I kept the ring in. It continued to get worse, and it got to the point that if someone even walked by me, I would get angry. Yes, birth control is different for everyone, but I took it out two days ago, and I already feel so much better!"

• Moo...
• October 16, 2015

Ethinyl estradiol / etonogestrel for Birth Control "I have been on the NuvaRing for 2 years, and I absolutely love it. I have no worries about pregnancy, it controlled my severe acne, but my attitude changed a bit (controllable). With intercourse, I find myself dry as well as painful at the beginning, but my partner doesn't notice it. I do notice it slips down when I'm doing activities, which can be annoying, but overall, it's the best form of birth control that fits my life."

• Lei...
• November 5, 2019

Ethinyl estradiol / etonogestrel for Birth Control "I have been on the NuvaRing for about 2.5 months at this point. The first month was fine, but my boyfriend and I couldn't have sex because I was in so much pain, even a slight touch to my vagina set me into shooting pain. Once I hit the 2-month mark, the pain started to subside, and we are able to have sex again, but not often because if there is too much irritation to the area, I will be in pain again. The side effects I have noticed are lack of sleep and overall exhaustion, decreased hunger, constant nausea, cramping most of the month, acne, weight gain, bloating, and mood swings. I have also noticed that my discharge has become three times more prominent and that it has a different odor from anything I have ever smelled before (gross). I have been very sad the last month, and I am keeping track of all these side effects. However, if they do not subside or stop within another 2 months, I will be going off of it."

• Tif...
• May 28, 2019

Ethinyl estradiol / etonogestrel for Birth Control "I was on the NuvaRing for four years and six months. No periods after two years of being on it. No breakouts. No nothing. After the fourth year, I noticed my face was becoming extremely broken out. My blood pressure was getting worse, I am still on medication. I did not have blood pressure issues before the NuvaRing. My blood pressure issues started during my fourth year of using it. I gained weight like crazy. My depression was horrible. I had awful nightmares. I could never sleep peacefully at night. My body always ached. Keep in mind, I never had bad migraines or headaches until being on the NuvaRing for so long. They would be so bad, I would vomit profusely. I would stay so tired. My body was literally attacking itself and the NuvaRing. My appetite was like a man's appetite. I could never stop eating. Let's talk about the sex. I never had sex. I hated looking at a man or even thought of sex. My libido was gone. So my OBGYN finally said enough is enough."

• Vic...
• February 25, 2019

Ethinyl estradiol / etonogestrel for Birth Control "As a 37-year-old woman getting back on BC for the first time in 10 years, I was suggested NuvaRing. I explained to my doctor that I am easily affected by hormones and I had already tried every type of BC out there. Still, I was told NuvaRing was the answer. Wrong! I've never had acne in my life-not through puberty, not through any of my pregnancies, etc. After 4 months of NuvaRing, I have acne like a 15-year-old just starting puberty, I've gained about 15-20 lbs in 4 months, and my appetite is off the charts. Ever since starting NuvaRing, I'm hungry all day, every day. Sometimes at 3 a.m. I'll be awake (insomnia is another side effect for me), and I'll just want to eat-completely uncharacteristic for me. Irritability and motivation decrease are also present. I just took it out for the last time yesterday, and I'm praying this gets out of my system very quickly. I feel fat and gross and unmotivated. I need my old self back with a quickness!"

• Nin...
• November 13, 2014

Ethinyl estradiol / etonogestrel for Birth Control "This will be my third month on NuvaRing, and I am having really bad headaches and acne problems. I haven't gained any weight from the pill, but my acne issue has been worse since I have used the ring. But the ring is comfortable and very convenient, but I think the hormones are too much for my body."

• Ajn...
• June 5, 2015

Ethinyl estradiol / etonogestrel for Birth Control "NuvaRing has worked just fine for me. I stayed the same weight, but I will say it caused me to have a major breakout, which is abnormal for me. That was setback #1. The second was, my period is 2x more painful than it normally is. I will say I struggle with painful clotting periods when I'm not on birth control. I plan to start using the ring back to back and simply eliminate my period altogether. I was afraid to use this method, but it ended up being great."

• Vel...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• May 6, 2013

Ethinyl estradiol / etonogestrel for Birth Control "I've been on the ring for almost two years, and I am ready to switch! It works great for the whole 'not getting pregnant' thing, but my acne is the worst it's ever been, and my migraines are hell. They're predictable at least. I've been getting them due to estrogen withdrawal, so they occur within days (recently only 1 day) after I take the ring out and last 3 days, but they've been getting worse and worse every single month. I can't do this anymore. Anything is better than waking up hourly to dry heave while in severe pain (my most recent and worst episode to date). I do recommend it, but not for longer than a year."

• Sun...
• June 7, 2018

Ethinyl estradiol / etonogestrel for Birth Control "This ring was hell for me. Week 1: Excited to try a convenient form of birth control. For the first two weeks, I experienced mood swings but thought this would stabilize. I also had a surge of acne, which I normally do not have. Week 3-4: Acne went away, but mood swings continued. Week 5: same. Week 6, 7, and 8: horrible. I started bleeding heavily every day, heavier than a period, for three straight weeks. This was accompanied by cramping and an upset digestive system. Week 4: I passed a blot clot vaginally, which hasn’t happened since I had my daughter 3 years ago. By the end of the second month, I was physically exhausted from the blood loss and pain and an emotional mess from being unstable for 2 months straight. I took it out...and it’s like the sky became blue again, slowly I returned to my normal self. No birth control method is worth this type of hell. Done and done. Back to the pill."

• Hay...
• August 16, 2016

Ethinyl estradiol / etonogestrel for Birth Control "I switched to the NuvaRing from the pill several months ago. The plus side is no more having to remember to take the pill every day. The pill gave me bad body acne and cystic acne, which the NuvaRing cleared up. However, the NuvaRing gives me crazy mood swings every month like clockwork. My poor boyfriend will do something, and I snap and can't control my anger. I feel like it's the end of the world and cry excessively. I think this is the end of hormonal birth control for me. Would not recommend if the pill or another hormonal BC did not work with your hormones. Also, the pill and the NuvaRing give me horrible canker sores that I have to take prescription medicine for. Going to try the copper IUD next. Hope this helps anyone in their BC quest :)"