NuvaRing and Weight Gain: 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!"

• Per...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 4, 2019

For Birth Control "Personally, I have had extremely heavy and bad cramps on my period. I’ve been on birth control since I was 14. I started with the pill but forgot to take it all the time, then I went to the IUD but had extreme weight gain and headaches. My anxiety also worsened with the IUD. I switched to the NuvaRing around 5 months ago, and it has been the best decision I’ve made for my reproductive health. My periods are a light spotting, my cramps are tolerable, and I haven’t gained any weight. Plus, my boyfriend can’t feel it during sex. Don’t be afraid of the negative reviews, everyone’s body is different, and you just need to find what works for you!"

• Mis...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• December 26, 2014

For Birth Control "I absolutely loved this birth control. Was on it for 8 years and would still be on it now, except that when I switched jobs, my new insurance didn't cover it. No weight gain, super clear skin, no mood swings, light periods with no cramping and the convenience of not having to take a pill every day. Couldn't feel it inside me at all and it never bothered my husband or me during intercourse. Highly recommend."

• ADD...
• October 6, 2008

For Birth Control "I have used several pill-form birth controls, and the NuvaRing is my first non-pill method. I really like the fact that it is hassle-free. I always had a hard time remembering to take the pill. Also, unlike the patch, it is not visible. I am the type who likes to have a period each month as an additional reassurance that I am not pregnant, so it is a better option for me than the shot or other period-free methods. The side effects that I have experienced were mostly common-some water weight gain, shorter and lighter menstrual cycles, and some cramping during my cycle. Some new side effects that I do not enjoy are a regular (heavy) vaginal discharge, which is stated as common for the ring. Also, I have random abdominal cramping."

• Aub...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• October 18, 2020

For Birth Control "I mean, I didn’t get pregnant, so that’s cool and all, but I gained thirty pounds, was suddenly covered in stretch marks, couldn’t bear the idea of sex anymore, and when I did try to have sex, it was immensely painful. Mood swings like crazy; crying one second, laughing the next. Really bad fatigue and paranoia. Migraines 2-3 times a week, body pains, horrible cramps, and it put me on my period for over 6 months! I mean, but I didn’t get pregnant."

• 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."

• Fut...
• December 8, 2009

For Birth Control "I've been on the NuvaRing since 2005, and I love it. No pregnancies, my period shortened from about 7 days to 4 days. I also used to have bad cramps, but this helped a lot. I've tried Ortho Tri-Cyclen (hated it, gained a lot of weight that took many years to take off), Tri-Norinyl (liked this but still had to take a pill every day), Paraguard IUD (hurt for the 1st week then was fine, expelled it after 3 months though). My sex drive did not decrease on NuvaRing. My only complaint is my skin is a little worse, and every once in a while, I have to take it out during sex. Thumbs up from my boyfriend and myself."

• Anonymous
• June 15, 2008

For Birth Control "Absolutely LOVE IT! With every other birth control I've used, my periods were unpredictable, but they have been almost perfect since I started the NuvaRing. I have gained a few pounds, but that's no big deal, because it beats thinking I am pregnant every month or that I'm going to die from losing so much blood."

• 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."

• Que...
• August 6, 2014

For Birth Control "My doctor put me on NuvaRing just shy of 3 months ago as a temporary alternative to the Assure procedure due to needing to take birth control 3 months before the process. Previously, I had not taken any hormones in over 10 yrs. The first month was fine. No problems, and I had a lighter cycle than usual. The 2nd month, I started having crazy mood swings and bloating. At this stage, I just saw my OB/Gyn today because I have gained so much weight and bloat. I'm unable to wear my regular clothes. I work out 4 times a week, eat healthy (almost vegetarian), and my only caffeine is a daily cup of coffee. My doctor said I have gained 10 lbs and need to remove NuvaRing."

• 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."

• 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."

• 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!"

• 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!"

• 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."

• 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."

• 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."

• 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!"

• Liz...
• August 19, 2016

For Birth Control "I had NuvaRing for about 4 months, and I just took it out and will be getting back on my previous pill. I had been on the pill for like 6 years with no problem, except I was just tired of having to remember it. My doctor recommended NuvaRing, so I tried it. Totally effective when it comes to preventing pregnancy, and you can't beat the convenience. BUT I feel like I have a UTI all the time, my skin has gotten worse, and I've gained 10 lbs even while eating healthy and cutting out processed foods and dairy (I'm 5'1", so 10 lbs feels like 20 lbs). Just my two cents, but all birth control affects people differently."

• Anonymous
• December 27, 2009

For Birth Control "I have been on and off NuvaRing for the past...oh, maybe five years. Before that, I did the pill and HATED IT. I was always forgetting to take it and would count the pack at the end of the month and freak out. With the NuvaRing, I never had that problem, just stuck it in and was good to go. Occasionally, the weeks would slip by and I'd forget when I put it in, but overall it wasn't too bad. I wanted to write a good review about NuvaRing because it is a wonderful product. In all the years I had it, I didn't really gain weight or see a big change in my skin or experience major mood swings. Just try it and see if it works for you."

• Yel...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• June 24, 2013

For Birth Control "I have been on NuvaRing for 3.5 years. I almost immediately experienced major mood swings, crying, getting offended by things that normally don't bother me. However, the convenience and the fact that my severe cramps and heavy flow greatly diminished made it worth it to me. But as time went on, after the first year or so, I began to notice my sex drive wasn't as strong. Two years in, I had zero sex drive whatsoever, and three years in I experienced many more side effects. These include severe cystic acne, 12 lb weight gain, headaches, nausea, and my mood swings have worsened. I feel anxious all the time. So, tonight I took it out and don't plan to put one back in again. I did go off the ring once before for a month and felt normal again."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• July 3, 2013

For Birth Control "I started using this product when I became serious with my boyfriend. I'm very scatterbrained, so using it has been amazing in regards to never worrying about missing a pill. I can just leave it in and not worry. After being on it for only 3 months, I noticed an extreme weight gain, loss of sex drive, virtually no vaginal fluid, breast tenderness, anxiety, and severe mood swings. But I stayed on it, hoping it would pass. It hasn't. 2 years later, I'm only on it for convenience. I'm switching this week."

• Kyl...
• June 26, 2016

For Birth Control "I have been on the NuvaRing for nearly seven months now, and I love it. I am a busy college student, and I was terrible about remembering to take the pill. I couldn't take it at a consistent time each day because I was never always home at a certain time. This led to a lot of scares. Since I've been on the ring, I have not had any adverse side effects. No weight gain, no mood disturbances, no pain, etc. It has been wonderful for me, and I don't think I'd ever consider another form of birth control at this point in my life."

• Al ...
• August 28, 2016

For Birth Control "I LOVE THE RING!!! Ladies, I seriously recommend the ring to anyone and everyone. The ring has given so much freedom in college, and it's amazing. I've been on it for a year and have had zero side effects. ZERO weight gain, no acne (in fact, my skin is clearer than it was before being on the NuvaRing), no mood swings, no decrease in sex drive, etc. Five of my friends have tried the ring as well, and they love it too!! You can't feel it once inserted, and it stays in place during sex and won't move until you take it out. It's super easy to put in as well! It has helped make my period super manageable, and I have no PMS. I used to suffer from painful periods, and now I don't have to worry about any of that. It's great! Give it a try!"

• CLB...
• June 27, 2013

For Birth Control "I have been on the NuvaRing (NR) for about 6 months. Although it is extremely convenient, I have had the worst mood swings EVER. The mood swings overpower the convenience of the NR for me. I have also gained about 10-15 pounds, which is not normal for me at all (20 years old), low to really no sex drive, headaches, nausea. I know side effects are different for everyone, but I wanted to let someone else know my problems before they have to deal with them."