NuvaRing and a missed period

[piprose]

i've recently started taking NuvaRing, recently being 2 months ago. one of the main reasons i started taking it is because ever since i started menstruating (age 11 or so) my periods have never been regular. i'm 18 now, and a "normal" period is where i bleed for 5 days, get my next period 2 months later, bleed for one day, stop, have spotting a week later, then don't bleed again for another 2 months. i've grown used to this, after being told repeatedly that my body would eventually regulate. it's been 7 years, and i'm so far from regular.

i started taking NuvaRing with hopes that it would change - 3 weeks in, 1 week out, and during that 1 week, you have your period. sounded like a good deal to me.

the other reason i started using NuvaRing is that my boyfriend and i became sexually active. he being my first sexual partner and i his, we wanted to make sure we were smart about it. i want my PhD before my kids, so we're playing it safe.

the first month of NuvaRing went flawlessly. 3 weeks in, 1 week out, and a perfect week of menstruating. this time was different tho. the way i've got it set up is that thursdays are my in/out days. i removed my NuvaRing after exactly 3 weeks on thursday (august 9th). no period. you're supposed to insert your new NuvaRing no later than 5 days after your period starts, and tomorrow (august 14th) marks the "no insertion after this day of your period" day.

part of me wants to be freaked out because, maybe i could be pregnant. but i don't know how much i can allow myself to be freaked out because i know my body. i know i skip periods, often. part of me thinks that maybe the hormones in NuvaRing aren't able to control the weird hormones i already have in my body, so maybe they aren't working properly.

anyone else hear of this sort of thing? anyone else experience this? should i freak out at all, or just relax? i'm calling my doctor tomorrow, but i'm still curious as to if there are any women out there.

also, on a side note... when birth control says it's 99.9% effective, what kind of couples is that based on? ones who have sex once a weekend and only come in their partners once? my boyfriend and i are very active... 2 weekends before this one we had sex about 3 times a day, with him coming in me almost every time. does that leave me with more like 5% chance that the birth control won't work?

[peekawho]

Insert it at the proper time anyway.  You might just be having an irregular cycle again.  Take a pregnancy test, and if it is negative, take another one a week later just to be sure.  

I think they base the stats on couples having regular intercourse 2-3 times a week for a year.  But don't quote me on that.  

[newbie2b]

Hi. I just wanted to tell you that I tried the nuva ring and really didnt like it. But I did so the research before using it and was even told by my dr that it's only the first week of the first time you use the product that you should use a 2nd form of bc. After that, we should be fine.  So I bet since you've been using it for a while, it's just your cycle. You might have some break through bleeding during the month. The patch is the same sorta thing. Except you change it every week, for three weeks and then one week without. So my week without, it would day like 4-5 days for my period to come. So I agree with the other poster, instert it on your in day and you should be ok.  Also, fyi, my dr had mentioned to me that if I was pregnant again(we had unprotected sex), it wouldnt hurt the baby.

[ConcernedFiencee]

I'm on the NUVA Ring also. I take mine out on a monday and my period does not start until saturday, before i started the rind i was on the patch and i didnt like it cause it gave me rashes, my period on the patch was how it was before i started bc, on the nuva ring my period is very light and lasts untilo about sunday night, it has freaked me out a few times but now im used to it. So it may just be  the way the nuva ring is affeting your body.Im not a Dr. so i dont know, when i was on the shot my period like completely stopped so maybe thats what the nuva ring is doing to you. Good Luck
Keisha

[hezzer]

I stopped using the nuvaring 5 almost 6 weeks ago and haven't gotten my period since.  Has anyone experienced this when they have stopped using this product?  I took a pregnancy test because I am a week late from my normal cycle of 32 days.  It says negative.  Should I be worried? Thanks for the help.
Heather

[Becky146]

Actually I am using the NuvaRing right now.  This is the first time, this last week since I have been on the ring.  I have been on this ring for 3 years.  Always have a regular period.  This week I have missed a period.  I follow all of the instruction for the ring.  My week off if I have sex then I even take the Plan b pill just in case.  Well this last week I have missed a period.  I have taken 2 tests so far to check If i am pregnant.  They both came out negative.  I bought the 4 pack and am taking another tomorrow morning.  I don't understand.  It is kind of scary...I keep thinking...did I di anything wrong this time?  I don't know.  I put the ring back in on thursday...today and still no period.  I don't know.  I want to call the doctor but then I want to wait and see if it magically appears.  

[kdlp]

Hello Becky.  i have the EXACT SAME STORY AS YOU... I am wondering if you ever got your period?? Or were you pregnant?  Last month I took out my ring and never got my period...  i will be exactly two months late this weekend... Lots of pregnancy symptoms.. including leaking breasts!!!.... Let me know what happened to you :)

[Autumnjaz]

I missed my period last week. I have been on the ring for 8 years now. This is the second time, the first time I was pregnant and miscarried, because I didn't get my period I left my ring out a couple extra days. I am going to wait a week and see, with the new ring in. A lot of cramping though. Hope all goes well 4 U.

[schappell16]

The exact same thing is happening to me. Between  feburary and april i've had 3 periods! Now its may i have been off the ring 2 days sill no period! I'm super freaked because i've already had two miscarriges

[cherri87]

i was supostto take my ring out on may 26th but i started bleeding on the 25th so i took teh ring out a day early, i bleed for about 8 day which was a little longer then normal, now im 39 days since i started bleeding on teh 25th of may and its july 1 almost the 2nd and still no period lots of pregnacny signs sore brest cramping  nausea, viloent nausea. like make me cry im need to puke so bad (sorry but true) , always hungry, had diahrrea then i couldn'y go at all, now i can but have trouble sometimes, emotional alot, thick dischage alot. help please took one test almost a week ago it was neg. but the line was very faint it was   +/- test the - was very light hardly saw it  but it was neg. no vertical line at all control lien was very bright im going to test again soon but i'm freaking out here any one had this happen to them

[Kerry0806]

I started NuvaRing on May 17th, the first 3 weeks went by ok, I started bleeding a day before I was suppose to take it out, but left it in anyways. I took it out on June 7th and had a period which lasted about 5 or so days ( dont remember exactly how long ). Then a week after taking it out, June 14th I put my new one in, I took it out on the 5th and I still haven't had a period... I get pregant VERY easy, I am starting to freak..anyone else had anything like this happen?

[flower50]

I'm so concerned because I have two young children, ages 3 and 16 months and I've been on Nuvaring for a year now. I just went off last month because of high blood pressure but I'm a week late and no period. I have all the same symptoms I had before of pregnancy and feel exactly like I did both times before when pregnant. But I've taken two test and they both came back negative. I'm not sure what's going on. Is there anyone who can add some advice?

[caramlized00]

I also did not get my period after taking out nuvaring. Its been like 2 weeks. I'm glad im not the only one. I'm not going to put another one in until I get my period. Hopefully soon, I havent had sex so I cant be preg.

[furgence]

I've noticed that a lot of people have mentioned taking it out a day early and not inserting the ring until they get their period or contemplating on waiting. If you're having sex, you have to take it out and put it in on schedule. Any form of contraceptive is only as effective as the person using it. I've been using the ring for about four almost five years now and I actually started out with irregular periods. I'd skip months, be late others and I always have my period for three days. Since I started using the ring however I got my period every month, almost always on the third or fourth day after taking it out. From time to time thought it would happen that my period wouldn't come.

The first time you use it you should use a second form of birth control (most likelycondoms) and whether you start having your period a day before you insert the ring in or a day before you take it out, use it as normal. take it out on it's proper day and put it back in on it's proper day even if you're still bleeding. If you're not having sex then I suppose it doesn't matter, but if you're ever late in inserting the ring again, it takes one (1) full week for it to be effective. Essentially it's like starting the nuvaring all over again. If you don't use a back up you're putting yourself at risk of getting pregnant.

It should be kept in mind though, that not all forms of birth control are the same, the hormones can be different and the hormone  levels can vary as well. The nuvaring has the lowest dose (while still being effective of course) of hormones and should have the least side-effects. The nuvaring is not for everyone so if you're having issues with it, it might just be a matter of trial and error with other methods before you find the right one. I am terrible with pills and wouldn't remember to take the pill every single day at the exact same time, so the ring is perfect for me on that aspect, also the ring has worked well with my body. If you feel it's not working for you then you may just want to consult your doctor instead of putting yourself at risk of getting pregnant, you may even find a method that works better for you.

Also for those that may not want to have their period, some doctors have mentioned that you can leave it in a full four weeks and skip your period and insert a new ring at the end of the fourth week (your scheduled day to put the ring back in), but I would consult with my doctor first before doing something like that.

[becky_xo]

I've been using NuvaRing for about 5-6 months. My in/out day is sunday. Since i've been on it, my periods have come like clockwork on the 2nd day after taking it out (Tuesday), except this week. We're now on to Thursday and still nothing. Has this happened to anyone else? Im always on schedule as far as when to put it in and take it out. What could cause it to be late? My boyfriend and I are kind of shaken up, but I don't want to jump to conclusions right away. I'm kind of hoping that it'll come today or tomorrow. If anyone has any idea as to why this happens, please share!!