NuvaRing -- problems from rinsing it with warm water?

[humofyourvoice.livejournal.com]

I've been getting a lot of use out of this community lately... I have a quick (possibly silly) question about NuvaRing! I checked the memories for this, and I didn't see anything about the matter of RINSING the NuvaRing.

I know that the NuvaRing people say not to rinse it off in hot water, but to use lukewarm instead -- however, is it going to hinder the efficacy of my NuvaRing if I rinsed it off in slightly warm water in the shower the other day? It wasn't very hot, and it wasn't exposed for more than MAYBE 5 seconds.

Does the temperature have an effect on the release of the hormones? I know that it can't be stored higher than 86 degrees, but if it's 98.6 degrees and moist inside my body, it doesn't seem to me like heat/moisture would somehow render it ineffective.

Could it be that the warning about avoiding hot water is to avoid damage to the plastic material that NuvaRing is made from? That seemed like the most likely reason.

Thanks for responses. :)

(x-posted to Nuva_Ring)

edit: I can also see the idea that it has a temperature threshold at which it begins to release hormones. Since it was already in my vagina, and only removed for a matter of seconds, I don't think that activating the release of hormones would be problematic, since it was already in use..?

(I'm being really neurotic because this is my first month with NuvaRing and I had sex with my boyfriend over the weekend.)

Comments

[atalanta0jess.livejournal.com]

I don't know for sure, but this has always been my theory on the issue -

If you're doing extended cycles, so you're using the ring for 4 weeks in, 1 week out, than you might have an issue. Because in that case, you are using all of the hormones in the ring. But if you're doing the normal 3 in/1 out cycle, based on the fact that the ring has 4 weeks of hormones in it, you should be fine. Even if it released some into your shower water, there is probably more than enough hormones left to get you through your 3 weeks.

Like I said, I don't know. But this makes sense to me.

[humofyourvoice.livejournal.com]

That's what I'm planning to do. :) And I likely won't be having sex towards the last week of this cycle with my NuvaRing, as my boyfriend will be out of town until my ring-free week. I thought that this made sense also!

[starzysky.livejournal.com]

A agree with piglet.

[starzysky.livejournal.com]

Um, _I_ agree.

[ms-empathy.livejournal.com]

Rinsing it off for that short amount of time wouldn't be harmful to the ring.

[gameschanged.livejournal.com]

yea, i would say it would just keep releasing the hormones, and if you are on a 4 in 1 out, you may have an issue.