17th day of bleeding on Nuva Ring!!!!

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-20-2006
17th day of bleeding on Nuva Ring!!!!
4
Tue, 03-21-2006 - 2:55pm

I'm getting so frustrated! I've been spotting for 17 days, and this past week it seems to have gotten heavier into a regular period.

Some background: I switched from the Patch to Nuva Ring at the beginning of January. I was told by my dr. that I can still skip my periods with this method as well by putting in a new ring after the 3rd week. So I skipped my period after the first month, with no breakthrough bleeding or problems. Then I skipped it the month after that, and I started spotting on March 4th, and have been ever since.

Has anyone else experienced this and what was the outcome, how long did you bleed before it stopped, does it stop after a few months, etc.? I know I can't bleed forever, but I'm very annoyed and it'd make me feel better if anyone could relate and tell me it gets better. I'm not sure if it's because I skipped two months in a row and my body can't take it, or if it's my body adjusting to a new birth control, or a mixture of both.

Either way, it's been quite the bummer on the sex life and I'm not too happy about it.

Aside from this, I'm a huge fan of this particular method.

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-30-2003
Tue, 03-21-2006 - 3:23pm

Hi jamie3a, welcome!

>>I switched from the Patch to Nuva Ring at the beginning of January. I was told by my dr. that I can still skip my periods with this method as well by putting in a new ring after the 3rd week. So I skipped my period after the first month, with no breakthrough bleeding or problems. Then I skipped it the month after that, and I started spotting on March 4th, and have been ever since.<<

Under the circumstances that sounds pretty normal to me. Perhaps your doctor didn't tell you that to stand the best chance of skipping you should let your body adjust to the new hormones for three cycles or so before attempting to skip. Another thing with NuvaRing is that since the levels of hormones are so low it may be more difficult for some women to successfully skip more than one or two cycles. Once you begin irregular bleeding it will probably continue until after you take your hormone free week.

Since you have been using the ring continuously for more than three weeks in a row you could stop now for your hormone free week. At the end of no more than seven 24-hour hormone free days insert a new ring and that should reset your cycle.

Thanks for posting. If you have more questions, please ask. Let us know how you're doing, ok?

Good luck,

      Jill

    

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-20-2006
Tue, 03-21-2006 - 3:32pm

>>Once you begin irregular bleeding it will probably continue until after you take your hormone free week.

That makes me feel a little better - I started my ring-free week Sunday so here's hoping this crap stops in the next week or two.

Thanks a bunch!!
Jamie

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-19-2003
Wed, 03-22-2006 - 6:36am

It ought to stop soon.

Judie Cl for Birth Control 
iVillage Member
Registered: 01-20-2006
Wed, 03-22-2006 - 7:24am

Hey Judie. Thanks for explaining what's happening. Like I said before, I know I can't bleed forever, but was just getting fed up. I'm looking forward to next week, that's for sure.

Jamie