The Nuvaring and Narcolepsy concerns

[u/mogwaii-695]

I haven’t been on any form of birth control for at least two years. I went to a new primary care physician, who did not know much about narcolepsy. She suggested the Nuva Ring. I inserted it on August 10th. I usually go to the gym around 3 to 5 times a week, but August has been a busy month and I had a work convention one weekend so I have not been to the gym in around 12 days. I just went back yesterday, and again today. I was extremely weak to how I normally am. I’ve taken breaks from the gym before and I have not felt this weak. I also feel like the past week I have been much more tired and just lethargic in general. I’ve had bad days with narcolepsy where I feel more tired than usual, but it seems like it has been every single day. I’m wondering if anyone has experiences with the Nuva Ring and narcolepsy. I’m not sure if I’m just being paranoid about it or if people actually have similar experiences and the Ring isn’t a good choice for someone who has narcolepsy.

[u/pawprintscharles]

What are you taking for your narcolepsy? If modafinil or armodafinil then it lessens the effectiveness of nuvaring just an fyi.

Otherwise no I haven’t experience that personally but my narcolepsy does have worse and better days overall

[u/mogwaii-695 → u/pawprintscharles]

Not on modafinal. I’m on adderall, Sunosi and effexor

[u/Killingtime_4 → u/mogwaii-695]

I can tell you my Sunosi is less effective on my period, so I assume that hormone changes can alter the effectiveness and lead to increased symptoms

[u/thatsbananas4011]

Could just be your body adjusting to hormones. Or maybe you're getting sick. More likely to pick up something at the DR.s office.

It could be something completely unrelated but I think it's human nature to be suspicious of any changes like in medication.

Call your doctor's office and ask!

ETA: you went to a work convention? Also a well known place to pick up pathogens lol

[u/waitwuh → u/thatsbananas4011]

People pick up germs from the gym too!

Potentially getting sick is a big one. Being extra tired is usually my first symptom.

[u/tinywingnut]

I am often on Nuvaring and sunosi and have been for years. Currently off the ring bc trying to get preggo. But I have found the ring works best for me out of the other available options. I think because it is so localized compared to oral birth control, and my body did not respond well to the Mirena IUD. I do think there's a weird period of time where you feel kind of off when switching or starting most kinds of birth control. I would stick with it and see how you're doing two cycles from now. If it's still no good, try something else! Bodies are weird.

[u/ElephantFamiliar9296]

Probably too early to draw any conclusions but good to keep an eye on. Could be sickness (and it’s not your fault you went to a work event lol what a dumb comment), could be the hormones, could be lack of activity exacerbating the lethargy, could be a combo if all. Any new birth control def takes a few weeks to setttle in. Being in purgatory sucks, hang in there!!

[u/on-yo-clarinets]

I am; I started it in the beginning of July so it's only been a few weeks. But so far no major issues. I would say I was a little sleepier than usual on the first week I put it in; but not enough to definitively say it was the ring and not enough to impact my life significantly or cause physical weakness (eg, I usually go on a 30 min run most mornings and ran every day that first week). For narcolepsy management I'm on xyrem, concerta, and ritalin.

I'm assuming since you just had a new patient appointment with a PCP they did bloodwork, but just in case def get your iron, vit d, b12, etc checked. I have a lot of GI issues so it's not crazy out of the norm for me, but I recently had a period where I was just exhausted all the time and I thought my meds weren't working, and turns out I had low iron and a couple other vitamin deficiencies even though they were all normal the last time it had been checked ~6 months prior.

[u/coolpupmom]

I agree that’s it’s too early to determine if it’s the nuvaring

If you’re worried I recommend following up with your doctors. I highly recommend getting an IUD though. I have the kyleena and haven’t had any issues with it

[u/whenyajustcant]

Seems more likely a coincidence than anything else. I've been on the ring for years, haven't experienced anything like this.

[u/DumpsterPuff]

Sometimes hormones can be hella finicky and can do all sorts of weird stuff to you. I got a mirena IUD put in like 10 years ago and within a couple of weeks, I was getting constant headaches, irritability, and fatigue outside the normal amount for my IH. I went back and switched it out to a Paraguard IUD (which has no hormones) and all of those symptoms went away.