NuvaRing and depression, please advise!

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-20-2004
NuvaRing and depression, please advise!
2
Mon, 06-28-2004 - 11:34pm
I need some advice, please!!!

I know a lot of the NuvaRing users on this board are happy with it and many have no side effects. What I am wondering is if there is anyone who had bad side effects with the patch, but not with the ring. I went to Planned Parenthood today and the receptionist said that if I have side effects with the patch, I would most likely have them with the ring, but I wanted to get input from women who have actually experienced what I am going though. Any advice would be appreciated!

Thanks much!

Katie

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-19-2003
Tue, 06-29-2004 - 8:02am
Hi Katie! That won't necessarily be the case--it seems like a lot of folks believe that all progestins are created equal (they're not) and that estrogen is estrogen regardless of the amount (it's not), which may be where that statement that it wouldn't be any different would come from.

For those of us who are sensitive to small changes in hormones, there can be a big difference between the ring and the patch. The patch is very close, hormonally, to Ortho Cyclen, but it has a lower estrogen content. The ring is closest to Desogen, but it also has a lower estrogen content. These two progestins may act differently in your body--I can't take the progestin in Ortho Cyclen because it aggravates/causes my dysesthetic vulvodynia, but have had no trouble with the ring. There is also 5mcg difference between the estrogen content of the two methods as well--either the estrogen or the progestin could make a difference where mood changes are concerned, it's not certain which is more responsible for each individual woman.

Personally, I'm more comfortable wearing the ring than I would be with the patch. I would worry about the adhesive (not that you need to, I'm just paranoid), I'd be checking it constantly, and it'd just be more hassle than I want. Just my own two cents. ;)

Does that help?

Judie
Co-cl for Birth Control
Judie Cl for Birth Control 
iVillage Member
Registered: 06-20-2004
Tue, 06-29-2004 - 9:00am
Thanks Judie! I just needed some reassurance that I wouldn't be wasting my time with the ring. I think I'll go ahead and try it if these side effects from the patch don't go away. Anyone else with similar thoughts or experiences?

Thanks much!

Katie