SyreniRing vs NuvaRing

Things started out really well. No side effects and I didn't take ring breaks so no periods. My skin got less greasy so I got fewer spots, and I had 3 months blissfully free of painful period diarrhoea. Sadly after 3 months I started to get breakthrough bleeding every day and minor versions of my old period symptoms like back pain, cramps, and digestive upsets started to flare up. I tried removing my ring but that just made it worse and within 4 hours I was having a bad time on the loo and put a new ring in just to make it stop. The new ring helped, but now I feel kind of trapped having a constant mini period all the time with no alternative since the only pill that worked for me in the past has been discontinued, and progesterone only contraceptives have never agreed with me, so nothing else seems as convenient as the ring. All in all, bit of a mixed bag.

Switched to the vaginal ring after using the pill. When first trying it I could feel some pressure in my lower abdomen but this feeling passed after 1 day and havent had it again since using it. The first 2 periods I had were shorter but heavier than usual but after each period (basically the break week) each period got lighter and my 3rd period was lighter than my usual. Apart from that no other side effects - the above ones I experienced I would say linked to my body adjusting to a new contraception (similar to the pill where they tell you the first 3 months you may experience some side effects). I dont feel as moody as when I was on the pill and the great thing is I dont need to remember to take something everyday so the peace of mind is an additional benefit.

My mood spiralled quite rapidly - by week three I was in what I would describe as a state of depression and had to remove it a few days early. I felt as though there was a grey cloud over my head constantly and I was randomly crying several times a day. It was actually interesting tracking my mood because it was a stark difference to how I was feeling prior to using the ring. It's a shame it didn't work out for me as it was quite convenient method of protection but I couldn't endure the feelings for more than one cycle.

I've been using the ring for almost a year now and so far it's been working rlly well for me. I pretty much forget it's there when it's in and its rlly easy to change. It's the first hormonal contraceptive I've used so I was extremely apprehensive about it but slowly I've got used to the idea and now it's just a normal part of my routine. The side effects I've experience are minimal and very manageable. A slight decrease in sex drive particularly a couple of months in, and a very slight increase in weight but both are managable and Ive gotten used to. My periods are really regular and I have very little period pain which is great. I would really recommend giving this method a go, overall I'm very glad I did.

I didn't have any bad experience with the nuvaring while using it but I stopped 6 years ago and i've had problems with my periods ever since... when I stopped, i was having spotting for 9-10 days before my period, my doctor told me everything would be back to normal after about 3 months, but it's been 6 years. It gradually got better, now i only have 1 to 3 days of spotting before my period. I don't know if the ring caused it but it's getting better and better since i stopped using hormones that's why i think it might be linked.

Unfortunately this contraception made me feel very sad! It led to a continuous low mood, of which I have experienced with the pill previously. I basically just cried a lot for two months and so decided to stop using it. I liked that this could be a short term solution (more short term than the coil) and it was easy to insert/remove. It was not uncomfortable.

Best contraceptive I’ve tried so far, and love that I only need to change every 3 weeks!! Unlike the pill, no mood disturbance, weight changes, skin changes! (had previously used the 3rd gen pills, which were much better than the others which made me hungry and depressed. I used gestodene, for 10 years, then switched to yaz for 5 - was better than gestodene - then a GP friend told me about the nuvaring)

I really love using the ring, I was hesitant at first because I thought I might be able to feel it when it’s in place, but I honestly forget it’s there, and don’t even notice it during sex. My periods have almost completely stopped, I just sometimes get a bit of spotting around the time I change the ring.

I've been using NuvaRing in the past and I was most content, so when getting a new long term partner now it was my first choice. I'm currently on my 4th ring. 1st month was messy due to prolonged bleeding, but now I'm not having any side effects except vaginal dryness, which became pretty prominent and has very negative impact on my sex life. Aside of that, I'm very happy with this method (cumulative 5 years of experience)

Great not having to remember each day. Has made my periods regular even though they are still heavy

I have been using the Nuvaring for just over a month now and so far have been very happy with it. It's really hard to tell if it has effected my mood at all but I haven't experienced any noticeable or extreme mood swings so far. I felt a little rough in the break week where I had my period (but I usually feel down around then) and have found it's eased my anxiety around unplanned pregnancy so in that way has effected my mood positively. I actually found it super easy to put in and I can't feel it at all once it's in there. I used the 4 day method, taking it out after 3 weeks. It took a couple days for my period to come and then it was lighter than usual, lasting a couple days and then with quite a bit of spotting the rest of the week. I have experience no noticeable physical symptoms at all such as headaches or nausea. My favourite thing about it is that it doesn't feel very medical. I was very anxious about taking a pill so having a totally different experience and using something that you can take out at any point gives me a feeling of control and autonomy. I would recommend giving it a go and seeing if it's right for you!

This is by far the best option for me, I don't have to remember to change it often, I can skip periods if I want to and I have no major side effexts. I will say that I went from someone who never cries to crying over the silliest things, but it isn't an overall mood change, more that I'm just a bit tearier when I am sad. I also find that I am more 'wet' with it than without, I did have really dry skin for the first couple months but then everything evened itself out.

a bit fiddly to insert and get in a comfortable position, didn't affect sex, stopped using it as it became inconvenient due to storing it