Breakthrough bleeding?

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-12-2003
Breakthrough bleeding?
6
Mon, 06-07-2004 - 7:12pm
Hello all. I have been on the Nuvaring for 3-4 months now. I will be visiting my boyfriend in a few weeks and to make sure I would not get my period on the week I will be going there, I have decided to leave the ring in for an extra week (total of 4 weeks). I would have taken it out yesterday like usual (3 weeks), but I have heard from several people that it is ok to leave the ring an extra week to delay the period. So, I'm just starting my 4th week of leaving it in, but today I noticed spotting or breakthrough bleeding? I am concerned because it just started today and the ring has to be in for another 6 days! Will I still get my period after I take it out in 6 days? Did my plan fail? Any help is appreciated.
iVillage Member
Registered: 12-30-2003
Mon, 06-07-2004 - 9:21pm
Hi coolrockgirl25, welcome!

The hormones in your ring will still protect you during the 4th week but as you have seen you may have irregular bleeding. If you can tolerate the spotting and leave the ring in for the remainder of the 4th week then you should get your period after you remove it at week 5.

Good luck,

      Jill

    

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-12-2003
Mon, 06-07-2004 - 9:26pm
Jill,

Thanks for responding. I believe I will wait it out and leave the ring in the rest of the week...it's wierd because I'm starting to feel heavy cramps like it's my period, but it is light spotting.

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-19-2003
Tue, 06-08-2004 - 8:30am
This is just like trying to skip or delay a period with the pill--sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't! I can usually get away with a fourth week, but I'll start bleeding in the fifth (with a ring change at the end of week 3), I can only go so long before I don't have enough progestin to hold things together.

If you find out that you're going to have your period anyway (and you might), you can always remove the ring and reinsert a new one on your regular start day so that you get it over with and keep your regular schedule. You might only have 3-4 days without a ring, but that's okay. I love the flexibility of the ring as far as moving periods a few days here and there!

If you have any questions, holler!

Judie
Co-cl for Birth Control
Judie Cl for Birth Control 
iVillage Member
Registered: 07-12-2003
Wed, 06-09-2004 - 5:56pm
Judie,

Well, I think I'm in trouble. As you know, I decided to leave the ring in for a 4th week to try to delay my period so I wouldn't get it when I visit my boyfriend in a month. I am in the 4th week now and will be taking it out on Sunday. However, I have been having cramps like I would on my period and have been having to wear pads because of heavy spotting. This has been going on since Monday. I'm afraid at the rate I'm going, I probably won't get my period next week after I have taken the ring out...due to the heavy spotting I'm having this week. I know it's not a full-blown period because I would have to be wearing tampons. But, if I have spotting like this until I'm scheduled to take it out Sunday, all this spotting from this week could count as a period I guess? I'm afraid this probably didn't work and do you think I'll end up getting my period on the week I visit my boyfriend? I was hoping that leaving the ring in a 4th week would solve this dilemma. What else can I do? I'm quite frustrated right now. Should I just continue leaving it in until Sunday, wait a week (even if I don't get my period next week), and then put another in? Please help! Thanks!

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-19-2003
Thu, 06-10-2004 - 8:25am
My guess is that you're still going to have bleeding after you take the ring out, the most conservative assumption would be that you'd still have a period anyway--as the ring stays in, it's providing estrogen to your uterus and making the endometrium grow, and until you remove the estrogen and allow for the whole thing to shed, the bleeding will probably continue. It may be that the longer you wait the longer you'll bleed.

As far as the scheduling, if your visit is still several weeks away (good planning!), you can leave the ring in until Sunday, take a week off, and insert a new ring with your ring-free week shifted one week later than it was before. That part will still work! But the next week and a half could be icky (just bleeding-wise, not contraceptive-wise).

Better? ;) Whenever I need to reschedule, I try to do it ahead of time too to try to avoid the possibility of bleeding issues at the time I don't want to be bleeding!

Judie
Co-cl for Birth Control
Judie Cl for Birth Control 
iVillage Member
Registered: 07-12-2003
Thu, 06-10-2004 - 8:26pm
Thankyou! I have a much better understanding of this now. Honestly, I'd rather go through a week and a half of bleeding hell than have my period when I visit my boyfriend. Delaying my period has made me very moody and uncomfortable so far, but that's the price I'm willing to pay now to make sure I don't suffer on my vacation. Thanks again, Judie!