skipping w/ nuvaring

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-03-2006
skipping w/ nuvaring
3
Sun, 03-26-2006 - 2:25pm

Hi!

Well I have just completed my first cycle with Nuvaring, I put in a new ring tomorrow. The first cycle went wonderfully, I got my period one day after removal and last for 5 days, pretty light which is great. Well the problem is, my next ring-free week will happen in 3 weeks, which just so happens to be the week I am going on vacation with my family and friends. I was wondering, since this will be only my second cycle, could I try to skip my period? Or should I just leave things alone and deal with my period on vacation? I really don't want to mess things up, but I figure if I try to skip and it doesn't work, oh well because I was planning on having my period anyway. Is skipping before I have been on it for 3 cycles harmful? And if I were to try to skip my period, which is the most effective way? Could I take the ring out after only 2 weeks of having it in and get my period a week early? Or should I leave the ring in for 4 weeks instead of 3 to make my period a week later? Or should I put a new ring in immediately after I take one out to completely skip it? Are any one of these methods better, more effective than the other? Also would skipping affect my pregnancy protection? Thanks for all your help this board has really helped me alot!!

Erin

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Mon, 03-27-2006 - 5:55am

I am only on my first cycle with Nuvaring, but am in a similar situation. I will be leaving for vacation the week of my period and I asked my gyn if I could try and skip it and put another right in. He said sure but from what I have read here from other posters, although it might buy you that 1 week you could end up with prolonged spotting in future weeks. I plan to just have my period, hoping it is light and I should be fine with tampons.


Good luck!

Image hosting by Photobucket
 Jenn 

Mommy to Megan 1/20/01 & Sean 11/11/03

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-04-2003
Mon, 03-27-2006 - 1:20pm

Hi Erin,
You can do several of the things you suggested.. :)
My doctor told me to do 2 rings back to back from day one, and leaving each one in for 4 weeks at a time.

The first time I did this, I started spotting at 6.5 weeks. I took my ring out at 7 weeks, had what was left of a period, put a new one in and was able to go 8weeks and 30min before my very light period started!! LOL

So, I would say you could try doing this ring for 4 weeks and then have your period..
Or you could also do 3 (or 4) weeks, insert a new ring and try to go the whole next cycle..but you might have break through bleeding..but there is a good chace that you won't get it until after your week of holiday. (Your holiday is a week long right?)

The main thing is to not be without a ring inserted for more then 7days.

Good luck and let us know what you decide and how it works!


iVillage Member
Registered: 03-19-2003
Tue, 03-28-2006 - 6:20am

I was in the same situation three years ago--we always tell women that it's better to wait until they've fully adjusted to the ring (or that particular pill or the patch), but I did it at two months anyway, and I'd even had breakthrough bleeding in my first cycle!


What might be the easiest thing to do, if you only need to move your period by one week, is to just leave your current ring in for a fourth week.

Judie Cl for Birth Control