Nuvaring question

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-02-2004
Nuvaring question
5
Sun, 07-23-2006 - 10:35am
I started on Nuvaring a few weeks ago. I keep it in for what it says, 3 weeks (21 days), then take it out for 7 days to have a period. But before I started the ring, my period always came every 24-26 days, not every 21. So I took the ring out on this past Thursday when it was 21 days. It's now Sunday and I'm still waiting for a period. Would it hurt to keep the ring in longer than 21 days until I know I may get a period? Or should I keep it out longer than 7 days. If it's out longer than 7 days wouldn't that ruin the hormones and not protect against pregnancy as well? I hope someone knows!
iVillage Member
Registered: 01-08-2006
Sun, 07-23-2006 - 11:11am

My doctor just prescribed me to nuvaring the other day, but I can't start it until I get my period next month.

Here's how she explained it to me: Say you get your period on a Wednesday. You put the ring in on Sunday and after 3 weeks take it out and expect a period that week. So it comes out to 28 days. If you want it to be longer, she said you can leave it in for 4 weeks and then take it out, so it would really be like 35 days long (which for me is normal so I may just do that). Or you can leave it in for 4 weeks, take it out and put a new one in immediately and don't have a period until a few months when you get breakthrough bleeding and then you take it out to have a period.
She said its really flexible and you can pretty much customize it to yourself. The important thing is to change it after 31 days, because after that it won't be effective. I suppose if you take the ring out on a Sunday to get your period, you have to put a new one in the following Sunday regardless if you get a period or not, but this is just my guess.

Hope that helps!!

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-30-2003
Sun, 07-23-2006 - 11:47am

Hi pretty2196, welcome!


      Jill

    

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-02-2004
Sun, 07-23-2006 - 3:31pm
Oh wow I didn't even know you could keep it in for 4 weeks and "customize" it if you will. Thanks!
iVillage Member
Registered: 11-02-2004
Sun, 07-23-2006 - 3:33pm
Thank you so much. Your post has been very informative and if I have any other quiestions I'll definitely be back. Thanks again! :-)
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-19-2003
Mon, 07-24-2006 - 7:37am

You can customize it further if you need to--for example, I normally remove my ring on Friday evening and start my period Monday morning.

Judie Cl for Birth Control