Expert: Diane Cheryl - 7/30/2007

Question
I've been on the nuvaring since October of last year and this month I didnt have time to get the ring and decided to skip a month and start over after my next period.  I've been having abdominal pain and breast tenderness since two weeks after.  I've also been having food aversions too.  I was wondering if some of what I'm feeling could be my body not used to not having birth control (I've had various forms since about two years ago) but I've never had absence effects like this when stopping Depo Prevara and a low hormone birth control pill.  I'm going to get a pregnancy test in the upcoming week as to make sure I'm fine before I try to start the Nuvaring again but I was wondering if you had any input on this.  Thank you for reading this hopefully paranoid drivel.

Answer
Hi Lynn,
Thanks for your question. I'm not a medical professional so I always recommend checking with your personal physician.
However, I have had several years of research on various birth control methods and I don't recommend Nuvaring.
I'm including a partial list of side effects below. Please feel free to email me at DCHERYL51@yahoo.com if you want to ask a followup question or talk. And yes, I do recommend a pregnancy test. You can find a free local center at http://www.optionline.org

Here is some of the information right from the Nuvaring site.
"IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
NuvaRing® does not protect against HIV infection and other sexually transmitted diseases. The use of combination oral contraceptives is associated with increased risks of several serious side effects, including blood clots, which may lead to stroke or heart attack. The risk of getting blood clots may be greater with the type of progestin in NuvaRing® than with some other progestins in certain low-dose birth control pills. It is unknown if the risk of blood clots is different with NuvaRing® use than with the use of certain birth control pills. Cigarette smoking increases the risk of serious cardiovascular side effects; women who use combination hormonal contraceptives are strongly advised not to smoke."

Here is a list of side effects from a site called Health Square:
"Abdominal cramps, allergic rash, bloating, blood clots, breakthrough bleeding and spotting, breast secretions, change in menstrual flow, changes in the breast such as tenderness or enlargement, dark pigmentation of the skin, decreased milk production in nursing mothers, depression, emotional instability, gallbladder disease, headaches, heart attack, high blood pressure, intolerance to contact lenses, liver disease, liver tumors, migraine headaches, missed periods, nausea, problems with the ring, sinus inflammation, stroke, swelling, temporary infertility after discontinuing NuvaRing, upper respiratory tract infections, vaginal inflammation or discharge, vision problems, vomiting, weight gain or loss, yeast infections, yellow tint to the skin."