Nuvaring

[lilly4supper.livejournal.com]

I will be starting Nuvaring soon. I have been off hormonal birth control for about two and a half years now. The package says I should wait to start the ring until the first day of my period. I would like to start it before that because I will be using the ring to possibly skip my period. I am on day 25 of my cycle right now and I normally get my period on day 32. Which would be exactly one week from today. Do you think it would be ok for me to put the nuvaring in now? Or should I follow the directions on the package and wait till my period starts? For you information... I am not having sex right now so it is not possible for me to be pregnant. I will be having sex in the very near future which is why I would like to start the nuvaring sooner rather then later. Thank you in advance for any advice you can give me.

Comments

[knittinggoddess.livejournal.com]

You can start whenever you want, just know that you won't be considered protected against pregnancy for a full week. The "first day of your period" start is suggested so that the user is basically protected from the get go: really it's just that the "one week" time overlaps with the week during which you are least likely to ovulate anyway.

If you've already ovulated, you probably won't be able to skip your period. Plus, you may experience adjustment effects like spotting or PMS. They go away eventually, and not everyone gets those effects. But if you start right before your period, you're probably going to confuse your body and raise your chances of getting those effects.

[washable.livejournal.com]

All of this. ^

Did they change when you put it in? When I first went on NR, I was told to put it in 3 days after my period started.

[knittinggoddess.livejournal.com]

From the NuvaRing website:
Insert NuvaRing on the first day of your cycle, (i.e., the first day of menstrual bleeding). NuvaRing will work immediately, it is not necessary to use an additional contraceptive method. You may also start on Day 2 to 5 of your cycle, but in this case make sure you use an extra method of birth control (barrier method), such as male condoms or spermicide for the first seven days of NuvaRing use in the first cycle.

The third day? That's an odd choice on the part of your doc. Were you told that you would be protected right away?

[washable.livejournal.com]

No, she said to use a condom during the first month.

I did use a condom during the first week I put it back in. I'm a dork and paranoid.

[misspaigeb.livejournal.com]

Really you can start it whenever, those are just recommendations to avoid breakthrough bleeding and the like.

OP - you can start whenever but you may have breakthrough bleeding when your period was supposed to come. It's normal and should get better after a couple months.

[lilly4supper.livejournal.com]

Thank you for your advice. I didn't even think about the fact taht I would have ovulated already. I will keep that in mind if I put it in now. :)