I took my time trying to decide what method of contraception I would use. I was finally in a serious relationship and was ready to take my health into my own hands.

My doctor presented me with a list of contraceptives I could use, and after a bit of research, I chose the NuvaRing, a clear, plastic ring that would release hormones into my body after being inserted inside of me.

The first month was the adjustment period. I was moody, emotional, and my appetite changed. Nothing out of the ordinary, I thought.

Everything was going great until I woke up one morning after having been on my birth control for a few months. I had a sharp pain in my left ribs and in my left shoulder. When I took a breath, it hurt like I was having my side squeezed in a vice. I didn't think too much as I went on with my day, until later that night, when every breath hurt more and more, and I couldn't handle the pain.

My first mistake was checking WebMD, which told me that I had an enlarged spleen or had ruptured it. My next thought was that my appendix had ruptured. My boyfriend thought that I had pulled a muscle or slept wrong, but it still didn't explain the excruciating pain.

At the urgent care, the doctor said I could have pleurisy, a condition where the mucus lining of the lungs dries out because of an infection, and the lungs rub against the ribs and cause discomfort and pain.

I went home after a chest X-ray, a shot in my butt, and a prescription for ibuprofen.

The next day, the anti-inflammatory shot from the night before had helped so I went on with my day without much pain or discomfort. Around 8 o'clock that night, I could feel the pain under my ribs start again. I was having shortness of breath and every yawn or hiccup or even too quick of a movement had me yelping in pain.

I took two of the ibuprofen to see if I could get any relief. I did my best to prop myself up in bed and after a few hours of trying to fall asleep, I was finally still enough and had slowed my breathing down enough to be able to fall in and out of sleep.

I was counting down the hours until I could get up and drive myself to the Emergency Room. Finally, I went to the ER, explained my situation, and waited. They had me in my own little room with an uncomfortable chair and had me hooked up to an IV. Tramadol was being administered to me through the IV, for the pain, but it made me groggy and my head felt cloudy.

It wasn't until the second set of X-rays and a CT of my chest that I realized it was far worse than a pulled muscle. They performed a Contrast CT Scan, where the IV has a dye in it so the doctors can see different parts of my insides. It burned once it was pumped into me, I could taste sulfur in my mouth and smell it in my nose, and there was a warmth between my legs that felt like I had peed myself. I cried from the discomfort and wanted all of it to be over soon.

Within the hour, while on FaceTime with my dad, the ER doctor came to my room to tell me the news; I had bilateral pulmonary embolisms. At age 20, I had blood clots in my lungs.

I nearly collapsed. I cried hysterically and couldn't control myself. The pain intensified and my dad hung up so he could give the news to my mom. I thought my world was over.

I was admitted to the hospital the same night. I was on an EKG, hooked up to my chest and under my breasts. I had an IV pumping blood thinners into my system, along with more tramadol for the pain.

My mom was driving up to see me the same day and my dad was coming up the following day. I felt like I was in a trance, probably from all of the painkillers. I didn't think much of anything when I placed my dinner and breakfast order with the hospital's dietician. I didn't flinch when the nurses kept coming in to draw blood, soon running out of veins to draw from.

I was released after a day, given the instructions to not participate in any crazy activities that might cause trauma. I was told I'd be on blood thinners for six months. I'd bruise more easily, I'd bleed more from a small cut, and I would have to be cautious when traveling to avoid any more clots.

The main cause of all of this, they believed, was my birth control. I was the one-in-a-million that got blood clots from my contraception. Had I waited any longer to seek treatment, I could have been in even worse condition, or dead. I wanted to prevent pregnancy and regulate my period, but instead, I landed myself in the hospital with blood clots.

Now, as I'm on the long road to recovery, I'm still in awe that this is all because of my birth control. I take Xarelto and watch the paid commercials for it, watching the older people engage in their day to day activities and think, "maybe I should be the new face of this blood thinner."

I bet they never thought a person under 40 would use their product.

And I wish that was the case.