Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with nuvaring

How much does NuvaRing cost?

amandarose — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 23:16:20 -0800

How much does the NuvaRing cost without insurance? I'm considering whether or not to pay for COBRA. The only real medical expense I have regularly is for my NuvaRing. Does anyone know how much it costs without insurance, so I can decide if it's worth paying for COBRA until I find a new job? With my prescription coverage, it's only been $20.

Birth Control/NuvaRing filter: I've had the ring in for 4 weeks and 12 hours. Should I worry?

dahliachewswell — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 09:49:04 -0800

Birth Control/NuvaRing filter: I've had the ring in for 4 weeks and 12 hours. Should I worry? When I started the Ring my doctor actually advised me to just keep it in for four weeks if I wanted to miss a period, just trade old and new rings at the four week mark. But, I'm a day late putting the new Ring in this week.

All the NuvaRing documentation I can find says this:

"If NuvaRing® has been left in for more than 3 weeks (but less than 4 weeks), remove it immediately and insert a new ring after a 1-week ring-free break.

If NuvaRing® has been left in place for more than 4 weeks, you may not be adequately protected from pregnancy.... etc."

Doing the math, isn't putting a new ring in today with no break just the same as realizing I was "over 3 but under 4 weeks" a couple days ago therefore being on my recommended week-long break anyway?

Nuvaring and oral sex

slow graffiti — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 16:29:05 -0800

Is my partner ingesting any amount of estrogen from my Nuvaring? Common sense says it's safe for a guy to give oral sex to a girl using Nuvaring, but I wonder...if one were using this method of birth control for years, and had the same partner and regular oral sex, would the partner end up ingesting just a bit more estrogen compared to pills or other methods? Is the hormone not very concentrated in vaginal secretions, meaning it's basically impossible to transmit via oral sex?

My paranoid thinking goes like this: they tell you not to dispose of the ring except in its foil pouch, because they don't want estrogen leaking into ground water, right? Then how is it safe to have oral contact across mucus membranes with it? Obviously it must be safe, but why?

It's a ring thing

chickaboo — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 19:02:37 -0800

I think my nuvaring is improving my complexion. true? I have not had any success with hormonal birth control clearing up acne in the past, but I've just realized that my skin is much much better, even in the humid summer months, and I'm wondering if I can credit the nuvaring?
Has anyone else had the same experience?

Are the side effects of birth control reversible?

Anonymous — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 06:30:29 -0800

I want to start taking birth control, but I'm afraid of potential side effects. I really do not want mood swings, weight gain and I especially do not want bigger boobs. What if I start on the Nuvaring and my boobs go up a cup size, if I stop taking it, will they go back to their normal size? Also, how long does it take for any of the side effects to develop, and how long would it take to go away? If I stop taking it for a while, and then go back on, will the same side effects return? I'm 31, fairly petite and slim, and in a long term relationship. Might have kids in the next 5 years, so getting an IUD is out of the question. Also, am completely absentminded, so taking the pill is not an option I want either.

How can we either get around the side effects of my birth control OR get past the trials and tribulations of condoms?

Anonymous — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 17:43:52 -0800

Two-parter question about birth control. We need to either figure out how to make my hormonal BC more comfortable OR improve our condom experience. More details within. I'm about to give up on hormonal birth control entirely. I can deal with most of the side effects, but the dryness is becoming increasingly unbearable. Sex is starting to hurt more than it's fun. But! I'm giving myself the rest of this month's prescription (I'm on the NuvaRing at present but have tried other methods before) to figure out how to make this more bearable because we'd rather not go back to condoms. No amount or variety of lube seems to be helping with the hormonal BC. So, question part 1: Are there any other ways of decreasing the dryness? Anything you've tried besides lube that helped you personally?

If we can't make this work, we're going back to condoms, which brings me to part two of my question. I know there are quite a few posts on here about condoms, but I'd specifically like a suggestion for effective condoms that are *easy to put on* for larger-than-average guys. I've read that Hot Rod condoms, for instance, have applicator strips, but I don't know anything else about Hot Rod condoms, frankly. They seem like a bit of a novelty act. It's just that when we used condoms regularly, we'd sometimes go through two or three of them before he'd get one to stay on comfortably, and the whole process frustrates him. Any suggestions?

Migraine with aura + birth control = stroke??

Mr Bunnsy — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 13:32:58 -0800

What's the real deal with hormonal birth control and migraines? Internet says there are stroke risks, my doctor(s) say not to worry. Asking for general info from anyone who'd done research on this, not specific medical advice. I've had occasional migraines since around puberty. They'd go something like this: trouble focusing my eyes, severe headache and vomiting starting about an hour later and lasting for up to 12 hours. In college they got more frequent, I'd have one every few weeks.

After I went on birth control pills, the frequency decreased but the migraines changed. I would only get about one or two a year, presenting like this: glimmers in my vision for 30-45 minutes, then difficulty talking/reading (like aphasia) for another 30-45 accompanied by medium headache, then general weakness, trouble concentrating and feeling like crap for the rest of the day. No nausea, and if I took Imitrex while still in the visual aura stage, I'd go directly to the generally feeling crappy stage with no other symptoms.

I would also get mild migraines (slight headache & brain fog, especially while looking at a screen) around my period.

A doctor at the university health center mentioned that migraine with aura puts me at increased risk of stroke, but my regular gynecologist told me the risks were negligible. My gynecologist after college said the same thing, and when I mentioned the mild menstrual migraines, encouraged me to take low-dose BCPs continuously with no periods. He also suggested I visit a neurologist to check up on the migraines w/aura.

I saw a neurologist with a very good reputation as a migraine specialist. He did the usual exam, and when asked about BCP, said the studies are old and with the new pills the risks are negligible unless there are other risk factors or a malformation in the blood vessels in the brain. He sent me for an MRI just to be sure, and said my MRI looked great. (I was not on the pill at the time of MRI due to an insurance screw-up, I went off for about three months.)

Back at the gyno, I inquired about a longer-term method such as IUD due to some lifestyle changes in the future, and my concern about the risks of hormonal birth control. He again dismissed any risks, and advised against IUDs because of my (young) age. He suggested I try the Nuvaring, which I am on right now.

All is well so far, but is my brain going to be turned to mush by a stroke at some point? I love the pill and ring otherwise - no periods, no mild migraines and very infrequent severe migraines controllable by Imitrex, no acne... But obviously I don't want to risk a stroke.

Is it me or the contacts?

sian — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 09:21:07 -0800

I bought B&L Soflens 59 contact lenses online and they don't seem to hold moisture. Is it me or the contacts? I bought them from justlenses.com. My eye guy tried to prescribe me Shopko brand lenses and wouldn't budge (and also tried to keep my prescription from me) so I opted to buy on the internet. He did give me a sample pair which I wore for about a month with no problems at all except a little dryness during extended lengths at the computer.

I opened the new box, put them in, and they immediately stuck to my eye. I put them in some solution for a week and tried again--again, they stick to my eye without floating on a layer of moisture like I'm used to. Eye drops don't seem to make any difference. My sample pair don't have this problem. Are these contacts shot or are they supposed to be like that?

Also, I wear NuvaRing, which apparently can cause intolerance to contact lenses. Why is this? Does anyone have any experience with this?

Will my Prince Albert mess with her Nuvaring?

Anonymous — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 18:23:35 -0800

My wife just got a prescription to switch to Nuvaring (aka "The Ring") for birth control. While she was at the appointment she forgot to ask if my Prince Albert would cause any interference or problems- specifically if it would dislodge The Ring. Any advice? We have some time before she makes the switch, but any advice (anecdotal or not) would be greatly appreciated. My PA is a 10 gauge, so the ring isn't huge, but we're worried that it will accidentally pull The Ring out during intercourse. She just got off the phone with the doctor and she said that she wasn't familiar with the situation but suspected it was unlikely to cause problems...any insight, MeFites?

Anonymous replies can be made to ringonringaction@gmail.com.

Let's hope this doesn't jinx it.

crinklebat — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 19:03:03 -0800

Why would using a menstrual cup make periods shorter? To the squeamish: this question, shockingly, contains details about menstruation. I have lost about a day off the end of my period since starting to use the Divacup six months ago. I'd say this was something I was making up, but other people on the web have observed it too. I'm not complaining, but why would this be the case?

For background, I started using Nuvaring in January which took me from about a week to about five days of bleeding almost immediately. Then I started using Divacup around May (at which point my boyfriend remarked that I had delegated all my girly tasks to my vagina) and it seems like every period has been slightly shorter than the last. At this point I can take out my cup after the end of my third-and-a-half day or so and experience only minor spotting.

Again, I love this, but I can think of absolutely no reason why it would happen. Anyone else experienced this? Any medical types with thoughts on possible reasons?

Ring thing

chickaboo — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 05:21:02 -0800

Nuvaring and the holidays... so I'll be out of town for Thanksgiving weekend, and that is the Sunday when I am supposed to put a new Nuvaring in... I obviously won't be able to keep it refrigerated. My question is, can I leave the ring in an extra two days the previous week, and then put a fresh one in on the Tuesday after THanksgiving?
I am not worried about birth control efficacy, simply avoiding my nemesis, breakthrough bleeding. This happened to me in July when I just threw the nuvaring packet in my suitcase with no refrigeration.... everything was a mess by week 3.

I don't think it's practical to try to take it with me and keep it cold. People kind of don't like to see that in their fridge.

How long does it take for the hormones to leave my system?

schroedinger — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 18:52:18 -0800

What can I expect from taking a break from hormonal birth control? How long does it take the hormones to clear out of your system? Which hormonal birth control side effects disappear and which stay? Factual and anecdotal advice welcome! I am currently on NuvaRing and have decided to take a break from hormonal birth control for at least a few months. I would like to let it all clear from my system and see how my body and mood changes when everything is "normal", then possibly start again-- though probably with the Mirena IUD. I'm wondering what to expect from this "off" period. How long does it take for the cravings and moodiness to stop? Will my boobs shrink immediately? When will my period go back to pre-BC flow? Is this a gradual process or abrupt? Will these BC side effects disappear at all? Does it depend entirely on my individual chemistry?

I would love to hear your experiences on going off, and whether or not you went back on and why.

NuvaRing out for 1/2 hour longer than it ought to have been... looking for advice and experiences.

exlotuseater — Tue, 26 Jun 2007 22:09:12 -0800

NuvaRing out for 1/2 hour longer than it ought to have been... looking for advice and experiences. NuvaRing users:

We are looking for reassurance and personal experiences from women who use the ring, and/or clinicians or docs that are familiar with the action and pharmacokinetics of the ring.

So. The ring came out during sex, and was reinserted three-and-a-half-hours afterwards.

The literature that is supplied with the ring states that if the ring is out for more than three hours, contraceptive efficacy may be compromised. How much?

NuvaRing releases a combination of estrogen and progestin, providing a sort of threefold defense against pregnancy-- one, it prevents ovulation. two, it thins the uterine lining, forestalling implantation of a fertilized egg, and three, it thickens cervical mucus, making it more difficult for semen to get past the cervix.

Is ~30 minutes over really long enough to allow progestin levels to drop to a point at which ovulation would occur? I imagine that the 3 hour limit is fairly arbitrary; the assumption being that 3 hours is completely safe, but anything over that increases one's chances.

This occurred on the 16^th day into the cycle, though from what we understand of the action of the ring, it's moot, as ovulation is completely suppressed.

We have posted to the nuva_ring lj, vaginapagina lj, spoken to a clinician at Planned Parenthood (who are usually fairly helpful, but this one was completely off with her facts regarding the official time limit re: length of time out), and gotten a lot of conflicting information, from "oh, don't worry about it, I'm sure you'll be fine, don't bother with Plan B, to "well, it depends.. would a pregnancy be devastating right now, or not?". PP provided a dose of "Plan B", but we're wary of using it having heard some horror stories of really bad reactions.

If anyone can provide peer-reviewed studies or statistical papers on exactly how quickly the efficacy drops after the three-hour mark, that would help too.

We're really just looking to assuage our nervousness.

Is NuvaRing giving me an unstoppable period?

schroedinger — Fri, 08 Jun 2007 09:16:52 -0800

Is my NuvaRing making my period wonky, and will it eventually stop? Has anyone had similar side-effects from starting on the Ring? Womanly cycle details inside. I was on Ortho TriCyclin Lo until the end of April. I stopped because it was making me crazy and crave chocolate all the damn time. I used no hormonal birth control during May. This month I began NuvaRing. A week-and-a-half ago my period started (though three days late). On the second day of flow I inserted the Ring, as per its official instructions booklet. Now my period has yet to stop, though for the past week the flow has been very light.

Previous to OrthoLo I usually menstruated six to seven days. I had no initial side-effects switching to OrthoLo, and when I was on it my periods lasted about five days or less, and were much lighter than previously. This whole ten-day period thing is an entirely new and unwelcome development.

Has anyone experienced similar side-effects from switching to the Ring or birth control in general? Do I need to wait it out or see a doctor? It is going to stop some time, right? God, I hope it will stop.

Nuvaring & no inserter = vag pain.

Anonymous — Fri, 09 Mar 2007 03:49:31 -0800

Hailing all MacGyvers - help me insert my Nuvaring! I have been using Nuvaring birth control for a couple of years now and love it except for one major problem: the shape of the ring (O) combined with the lack of applicator often make it difficult to insert it into my vagina deep enough that it stays put. I squeeze it so that it's narrower, but my fingers are apparently too short for my vagina, so it starts to open up into the "O" shape before it gets deep enough into the vagina. Even when I think I've put it in deep enough, but as soon as I move around (e.g. running for the bus yesterday), it slips lower into the vagina, near the vulva. In that location it's irritating (annoying & causing pain and redness in my vagina & even vulva). I need to get it beyond the canal zone and into the folds zone, if that makes sense.

Soooooo... I'm looking for MacGyver solutions to resolve the lack of applicator problem. (Yes, I've tried lots of positions for ease of insert, and I've used lube to help put it in easily. And a penis works well to push it into place, but sometimes it pulls it out of place instead, so that's not the reliable solution I'm looking for.) I've thought of something that I could use to tie it so it stays in a straight line instead of the "O" shape, and later unfurls. I've thought of something like a tampon applicator that could help me get it higher up into the vagina before it opens. But I really don't know what do to. It is quite painful these days.

I hope I haven't massacred the terminology here.

Ways around Nuvaring side effects?

Anonymous — Sat, 11 Nov 2006 11:17:46 -0800

Problems with the NuvaRing. What can I do? I started the NuvaRing two weeks ago. I had sex for the first time (on the ring) last night and I immediately felt an intense burning in my vagina that didn't go away for 45 minutes. I did some investigation and it seems that other people have complained about this in various forums but the only solution seems to be to take out the ring during sex. Are there any other ways around this? Also, when looking at the side effects, I saw sinusitis listed. I've had a cold that I can't shake for a week. Related?

A period belongs at the end of a sentence

nakedsushi — Mon, 01 May 2006 22:23:46 -0800

Should I use birth control to skip my period? I'm taking the NuvaRing as prescribed: in for 3 weeks, out for 1 week, repeat with a new ring the next week. I'm getting fed up with PMS, cramps, bloating and the lethargic feeling I get whenever Auntie Flow visits so I'm considering continuously using The Ring and skipping my periods altogether (or delaying them for months?). Has anyone else had any success stories with this?

I'm borederline anemic, and IANAD (but I will consult one shortly about this whole thing), but wouldn't it be beneficial for me not to be bleeding each month anyway?

oh my god it looks like a jelly bracelet!

Kellydamnit — Wed, 01 Feb 2006 15:48:03 -0800

So, I just started Nuvaring (warning: music), which my doctor convinced me to try before getting an IUD, and I was wondering if anyone out there had any experience with it, good or bad. Specifically looking for side effects, things to watch out for, tips about getting the damn thing in place, and so on. Also would love to know from any guys who may have had a partner on it if they can, ahem, feel the ring.

to tell or not to tell

Anonymous — Tue, 20 Dec 2005 16:41:04 -0800

Should I tell my doctor something about my medical history that might keep her from prescribing me the birth control I want? I have a family history of blood clots, and I tested positive for one gene of Factor Five Leiden (5% more likely than the general population to develop a blood clot). (The other gene is normal - I forget my high school biology, but that's the gist of it.) Something like 5% of the population has 1 Factor Five Leiden gene. I have been on hormonal birth control for about 4 years now, and I have not had a blood clot. The specialist I saw told me that most women who get blood clots from birth control get them in the first year. She also told me that estrogen is the cause of the blood clots. I've been on the Nuvaring for about 2 years, and I LOVE it. I feel like a normal person on it. As I understand, it has 1/3 the estrogen of the Pill, so I'm thinking the risk of a blood clot might be lower too. The problem is, Planned Parenthood refused to continue my Nuvaring prescription once they found out I was on baby aspirin (1x per day). And the specialist I saw kept telling me those facts about blood clots and birth control, but when I asked if I should stay on the Ring she would only say that she wouldn't advise it. Now I'm visiting a new GYN on Monday, new health care coverage too, and I'm wondering whether I should tell her about the Factor Five Leiden and risk her refusing to prescribe the Nuvaring, or not tell her and lower the quality of my health care and also possibly put her at some sort of risk. (Although I would think if I conceal part of my medical history she would be fine, legally, if something happened to me, but who knows.)

What should I do? Pregnancy to me seems like a greater risk - much more likely, and potentially worse altogether - than the slightly increased risk of the blood clot. And I know there are alternatives to hormonal birth control - condoms, diaphragm, temperature, etc., but I've considered them all, and mostly they're significantly less effective than hormonal birth control, and others (e.g. IUD) have their own serious side effects. I don't want to screw the doctor, and I don't want to screw myself.