Ethinyl estradiol / etonogestrel and Depression: What Users Say

• spi...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 11, 2019

For Birth Control "I just recently switched from the pill (Sronyx) to the NuvaRing. Not going to lie, I got on this website the day I got prescribed the NuvaRing and I scared myself half to death...all of the reviews were so scary, and I was terrified. Needless to say, I still tried it. I've been on the NuvaRing for about a month already, and I absolutely love it. I've pretty much forgotten about it, my boyfriend can't feel it during sex, and neither can I. People complain about a low sex drive on the ring, but if anything, mine has gone up. Everything is more enjoyable now than ever because I don't have to remember to take a pill. When I got on the pill, I gained 15 lbs and was literally psychotic and depressed, but with the NuvaRing, I feel normal again!! Do NOT let these reviews scare you. People are more likely to leave a review if they have a bad experience, and if all is good, they forget about it, move on, and never return to the website to leave a positive review. Don't be scared, try it out!"

• Anonymous
• December 3, 2009

For Birth Control "For those of you experiencing negative side effects... I was on NuvaRing for 4 years. During that time, I became depressed, and cramps and back pain were unbearable. I have discontinued use of NuvaRing and feel better. All side effects are gone! When I discussed this with my doctor, she stated that some women naturally produce a normal level of hormones. When these women are on birth control, it can cause all of these side effects due to having an elevated level of hormones. The opposite effect happens to women that don't naturally produce a normal level of hormones, leading them to actually feel better and not have all of these side effects. This is why some women do well and feel great on birth control and others don't."

• Tha...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• January 4, 2021

For Birth Control "At first, NuvaRing was amazing. I’ve been on every kind of birth control imaginable (all with bad side effects), and this was by far the best... until it wasn’t. I had a major depressive episode and felt absolute despair for months without realizing it was caused by this medication. I was in the process of finding a counselor because I felt miserable and was making everyone around me miserable. I was so angry all the time and had no interest in doing anything, ever. I had chalked it up to stressors in my life until we decided to try for a baby. After about a week without it, all of a sudden, it was like the sun was shining and the birds were singing again."

• Tha...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• January 4, 2021

For Birth Control "At first, NuvaRing was amazing. I’ve been on every kind of birth control imaginable (all with bad side effects), and this was by far the best... until it wasn’t. I had a major depressive episode and felt absolute despair for months without realizing it was caused by this medication. I was in the process of finding a counselor because I felt miserable and was making everyone around me miserable. I was so angry all the time and had no interest in doing anything, ever. I had chalked it up to stressors in my life until we decided to try for a baby. After about a week without it, all of a sudden, it was like the sun was shining and the birds were singing again."

• Don...
• December 30, 2020

For Birth Control "I am 31 years old, and this was my first time using BC other than condoms. I do not recommend. I am naturally a very relaxed and happy person, and this ring made me extremely depressed and contemplating suicide. I was so angry after only about 3 weeks of use, and it scared both myself and my partner. The NuvaRing shook my relationship and caused my partner and me to fight so much because of my uncontrollable anger. The night I removed the ring (3 weeks in), I remember feeling suicidal. That’s terrifying! I hope no one ever feels this way—especially due to birth control. Stay safe out there and please do your research! This ring is way more harmful than I ever expected it to be. Now (1 week out), I can finally say I feel happy and so relaxed again. Never again will I use the NuvaRing."

• Cal...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• May 4, 2020

For Birth Control "I was on NuvaRing for 6+ years and had no issues. It was honestly the best birth control I had ever been on! Flash to now. I got switched to the generic version that just came out. I am incredibly moody, anxious, and getting depressed. I am continually gaining weight even though I exercise and eat well. My libido is GONE. Like 100% gone. This is horrible. There is something not right about this generic version. I have decided to just stop BC because of this and switch to condoms. It's not worth it anymore."

• A O...
• November 12, 2019

For Birth Control "I was recommended the NuvaRing by a friend, and I have been on it since the beginning of August (so 4 months). At first, it felt fine, no noticeable side effects. My skin looked really good, which was a huge plus for me. But then I started noticing a general malaise. A deep sadness and anxiety that would wake me up every single morning around 4/5 a.m., and a sadness that would linger throughout the day. I attributed this again to stress (job change, applying to grad school, long-distance relationship). But I felt really different. I started to feel like my personality was shifting, like all my happiness and joy completely disappeared and I was becoming a shell of a former self. I've been extremely stressed and depressed before, but this is a whole new level of feeling anxious. Crying at the smallest things, feeling so sensitive to anything. Of course, it could just be stress, but how can you differentiate between what is real and what is hormonal? You start to go crazy!"

• No...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 17, 2014

For Birth Control "2 months into using NuvaRing, I found myself never wanting to leave the house, everyone and everything annoyed and frustrated me. After a fight with my best friend, I had realized that I wasn't myself. NuvaRing was the only difference in my life, and I stopped using it that day. Within days, my mood adjusted back to normal. But I will never put up with that depression again, not saying that happens to everyone."

• A B...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 24, 2020

For Birth Control "My month on EluRyng has been one of the worst of my life. Week 1: nausea/vomiting, fatigue, burning/irritation, and yeast infection. Week 2: severe anxiety and mood swings -- sobbing out of nowhere, massive unprompted panic attacks, and starting crazy fights with my partner. Week 3: severe, acute depression and constant really dark thoughts. Completely numb, crying 24/7, couldn't decide if life was worth living. Week 4: all of my other symptoms disappeared overnight as soon as the withdrawal/off week started. I started feeling back to normal within a day or two, so now I'm absolutely sure that my wild emotional symptoms were entirely caused by the ring. I would not recommend the generic to anyone. My mental health deteriorated shockingly fast and I've never feared for my safety the way I did during the third week. Given other people's similar experiences, I'm counting down the days until EluRyng is recalled so no one else has to go through this."

• she...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• October 1, 2014

For Birth Control "Pros: ease of use, decreased acne, reduced headaches, which was wonderful. Cons: 15 lbs weight gain in 6 months, unprecedented! Reduced sex drive and slight depression. Discharge and yeast infection for the first 2 months, terrible breakthrough bleeding."

• Anonymous
• February 7, 2009

For Birth Control "It's been one week, and I feel EXTREMELY tired and depressed. I really want this to work, so I'll give it a little more time. It's easy to put in, and I don't feel it at all. But I'm sleeping like 12 hours a day and feel like I'm swimming through mud. Also, I've been having random cramps or sharp pains in my abdomen."

• ups...
• January 23, 2010

For Birth Control "NuvaRing is effective in pregnancy prevention. However, the side effects were bad. The first month was fine, with only one bad side effect (diarrhea), and I wasn't too sure if it was even from my birth control that month. It was never listed as a side effect. When I got my period, it was light and lasted only about 2 1/2 days. After 2-3 months, side effects started to kick in: more abdominal cramps, normal discharge, extreme bloating very often, nausea, and headaches. Along with these, I became extremely irritable/very grumpy, had a major loss in appetite, and when I did eat, the diarrhea would hit (severely). Eventually, I had horrible back pain and became very depressed, which negatively impacted my life."

• Gra...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• September 6, 2020

For Birth Control "I had a horrible experience with NuvaRing. I’ll admit it was nice not having to worry about taking a pill every day, but I experienced awful side effects. It caused me to become extremely depressed and anxious and lowered my libido. My doctor told me I wouldn’t be able to feel it during intercourse, but I could, and it was so uncomfortable-sometimes even painful. If needed, you can take it out for up to 3 hours, but it’s inconvenient to have to do that. I also had severe period cramps while using this. I personally do not recommend NuvaRing."

• Che...
• May 15, 2020

For Birth Control "I was on the NuvaRing for 4 years, and I only experienced swollen breasts. It went away after 3 months. I had no problems. In March 2020, I was switched to the generic because of my insurance. Within 2 weeks, I was needing antidepressants because I didn’t feel right. I was having yeast infections like crazy, and the fluconazole was not working (this is noted as a side effect). By April, I was having outbursts of anger, feeling alone all the time, anxious, my blood pressure was out of control because of the anxiety, I was arguing with everyone, libido was gone, and I was just flat out upset about everything. Now it is May, I feel so depressed and question life every day. I’m not motivated to do anything. I’m not happy about anything. I will cry about everything. I feel so alone. Today, we figured out it was the generic causing this. I have all the side effects listed on their website. Affect liability is a serious side effect of this ring. My mental health and, quite frankly, life is on the line."

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

For Birth Control "I'm gonna keep it short and sweet; I've been on about a week, taking it to help with PMS. No initial symptoms other than a slight increase in random emotional upheaval. After about 3 days, exhaustion kicked in along with unnecessary bursts of anger, frustration, or sadness. 4-6 days, mass fatigue, appalling headaches (I promise you, I'm not exaggerating!), crazy outbreaks of spots, nausea, and lightheadedness. I'm going to stick it through for at least another week and will update. I would obviously prefer to follow through to see if it settles down, but I have rather a lot to do in the next few months and would rather not be impeded by my hormones. Good luck! It's worth a try - you can always take it out if it disagrees with you."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 18, 2020

For Birth Control "I have been on NuvaRing since 2007 and have never had any issues. I was given EluRyng in September of 2020. It has been a horrible experience! I have bled 14 days straight. I also experienced fatigue, headaches, and nausea. I’ve also experienced mental changes. I’ve been unhappy and depressed. I am usually the happiest person in the world. My NP suggested I stay on it for 3 weeks for my body to adjust. I told her that I would never use it again! Worst birth control ever!"

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 18, 2020

For Birth Control "I have been on NuvaRing since 2007 and have never had any issues. I was given EluRyng in September of 2020. It has been a horrible experience! I have bled 14 days straight. I also experienced fatigue, headaches, and nausea. I’ve also experienced mental changes. I’ve been unhappy and depressed. I am usually the happiest person in the world. My NP suggested I stay on it for 3 weeks for my body to adjust. I told her that I would never use it again! Worst birth control ever!"

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 18, 2020

For Birth Control "I have been on NuvaRing since 2007 and have never had any issues. I was given EluRyng in September of 2020. It has been a horrible experience! I have bled 14 days straight. I also experienced fatigue, headaches, and nausea. I’ve also experienced mental changes. I’ve been unhappy and depressed. I am usually the happiest person in the world. My NP suggested I stay on it for 3 weeks for my body to adjust. I told her that I would never use it again! Worst birth control ever!"

• Sin...
• March 15, 2014

For Birth Control "My partner and I finally decided to try some alternate methods of birth control. NuvaRing was my first choice because I'm too forgetful to try pills, and I must say I've had a mixed experience. I love the fact that I can insert it and forget about it. I don't feel it during sex, and it doesn't slip out. It got rid of my recurring yeast infections, I even grew a cup size. However, I can't help but notice that I've gained weight, especially around my waistline, which almost never happens, and my sex drive has decreased. I exercise regularly, so I know it had to be the hormones. I experience extreme mood swings, I'm a lot more angry, I find myself depressed, have random urges to cry, and my periods are just as painful as before. I just may switch soon."

• Sop...
• June 8, 2019

For Birth Control "NuvaRing caused anxiety and depression for me. After 3 years of the ring, I was experiencing severe anxiety and feelings of loneliness, restlessness, irritability, fatigue, sadness, and I could not understand where it was coming from. After putting two and two together, I removed the ring and within 24 hours that awful fog lifted, and I'm back to myself again. I think NuvaRing is a super alternative to the conventional pill, but please watch out for signs of anxiety and/or depression. The difference after I took it out was shocking, and I really wish that I had been told this could happen. I hate to think how many women are suffering from this debilitating mental health issue without realizing that it is their contraception. In terms of application, wear, and comfort, the NuvaRing is easy, convenient, and overall great. It is easy to apply and causes no problems whatsoever, it has never dislodged or caused discomfort."

• Sad...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 15, 2019

For Birth Control "I had used the ring for years and years ago and don't recall it impacting me the way it did this time. I have it in for almost a week, and yesterday I was so full of self-hate. It was awful! I have never felt so depressed, and I know myself - this is not me! I couldn't stop crying. I just wanted to be in bed. I was beating myself up so badly. Leading up to yesterday, I definitely noticed a sharp decline in my mood within a day of putting in the ring. It came out today. No thank you!"

• jjj...
• May 25, 2015

For Birth Control "First and foremost, before I went on the NuvaRing, I was a complete skeptic. I did almost 2 months of research and read almost every review on Drugs.com. My current boyfriend (who is a pharmacist) suggested and educated me on this BC. I have not been on BC for almost 3 years prior to starting NuvaRing. I've tried everything, from Depo, every pill-formed BC, and nothing has worked for me. NuvaRing is by far the only thing that's worked, from the first 3 months, when your body starts adjusting, everything was fine! No weight gain (lost 10 lbs), no depression, increased sex drive. There are definitely more pros than cons. Highly suggested! Good for those who have a hard time remembering to take daily pills."

• Sal...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 21, 2019

For Birth Control "I am an 18-year-old who was relatively healthy before starting the NuvaRing. (I had the Nexplanon before I started the ring.) I kept the ring in literally for 2 weeks, and I will have to say that this experience has changed my whole view of birth control. I immediately experienced depression and anxiety, both of which I’ve never had a history with. My legs would swell up, I felt dizzy, and I had pains in my chest. I had been to the doctors three times in the past two weeks because of these things, and I could quite put my finger on why it was happening until recently. I also never thought that vaginal dryness would ever be an issue with me, but it was. My sex drive completely disappeared. My body immediately hated this birth control, and I am still suffering from the effects of it a week later. Please look at all possible risks and side effects for this birth control before taking it, because if I had known, I would have steered clear of it."

• Kay...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 9, 2020

For Birth Control "The absolute worst. I was unknowingly switched to the NuvaRing, to the generic by my insurance company in Feb. 2020. I bled the entire 4 months I was on the generic ring and was extremely depressed and very upset all the time. I had no idea why until one day I happened to realize this was not the same ring. It was the absolute worst experience, and my doctor tried to convince me that they were the exact same product and therefore it wasn't my birth control causing this, but the moment I got switched back to the NuvaRing, my period went away. I felt 100 times better. Please don't switch!!"

• 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."