Posted this on HealthBoard but thought I'd ask the Ladies on here

[Not Available 0]

I thought i would post this here because it takes like a week to get an answer on this Health Board I go to...

I have been on the Nuvaring since last July and never really had any problems with it. The only thing was my period. One month I would get it three days after taking it out, then the next it would be two days before i take it out, then the next month three days after i take it out, etc... its just been my cycle. I never gave much thought to it, but now reading on this health board, i am reading that this may be because of not enough hormones? Is that possible? Or do some bodies just do whatever they want no matter what? Also, does not enough hormones mean that there is a greater chance of me getting pregnant? I am so confused, can anyone give me some input?

[sparkofcreation 0]

Well, my body seems to do what it wants no matter what but I don't know enough about NuvaRing to comment on that specifically. I've only been on monophasic, two-hormone pills (four different ones, though). I would say the best person to ask might be your doctor, if you have a good one.

[Jaylen Brit 1]

My cycle has never been, well, CYCLIC!

Even on bc pills it often didn't 'perform' like it was 'supposed' to as far as cycles went.

Gotta tell ya tho - I didnt have a period for a year, was taking bc pills tho still (Id lost some weight, but if my weight changes up or down just a bit and my whole system seems to 'stop'), and also was on anti-biotics for a skin issue when I fell pregnant. Doc said later that anti-bios interfere with the bc pill but the main point here is..I hadnt had a period for a whole YEAR. Didn't think it was possible for me to get pregnant, assuming lack of periods meant lack of hormones as well (as you would) but there ya go - I think we all differ hugely.

[TracyTN 237]

Jaylen is right - we all differ SO much, and react to the hormones in birth control in different ways. Mine have always been very regular on the pill, but I know plenty of women who have had varying cycles on it. I'm on a triphasic pill (always have been).

You may just have to play around with different forms of BC and see what works best for you.

[Not Available 0]

So does "work best for you" mean that the ones i am on now arent working properly and i have greater chance of getting pregnant? Let's say hypothetically because i know everyone's different. I just dont understand what "not enough hormones" means. Does it mean my BC is failing?

[TracyTN 237]

No, I meant 'work best for you' as far as your cycle goes. For example, my friend used to be on the same pill I am on. She had horrible PMS and bled for a week on her cycle. They changed her to another one, and now she has manageable PMS and bleeds maybe 4 days tops.

To my knowledge, most all pills have a 98% effectiveness rate (I THINK that is the number). The ring, patch, shot, etc. probably all have different effectiveness percentages.

'Not enough hormones' - dunno who said it and where in this thread, but that is again, a personal thing. My biological makeup is different than yours, as are my hormone levels. Each pill has different levels of hormones, too. So its really a matter of finding which pill works with your particular hormonal makeup and thus, which one makes your cycle the most manageable for YOU. Almost like piecing a puzzle together.

As it goes, it doesn't sound like you are having bad cycles - just that they are starting at slightly different times. That's not uncommon, IMHO. Some months I start on a Tuesday, sometimes a Wednesday, just depends (stress brings mine on earlier, also maybe more or less calendar days a month, etc). That does NOT mean you have more of a chance of getting pregnant.

If your periods aren't bad (as in bad PMS or heavy bleeding), I'd be inclined to stick with the ring if I were you.

Edited May 15, 2006 by TracyTN

[Kez/JWolf 6]

These are questions that you should be asking your doctor.... everyone is diffrent and every method of birth control is diffrent... if you want real info that you can use to make informed choices about what is best for you, you need to speak to your doctor as they are the only ones who know you and the diffrent forms of BC..

Kezzie

[Not Available 0]

I know, I will be speaking to my doctor. He told me starting my period a couple of days before my ring free week was ok, but then again he told me i did not have to store my extra rings in the fridge and JUST found out, a year later, i should be. I should probably rephrase my question (was kinda out of it last night and posted right when i woke up this morning lol), do any of you start your period a little bit early before you have your "Free week" sometimes?

To be honest, I am asking moreso to ease my anxiety.

[Jaylen Brit 1]

My hormones have never been 'right' - I kinda gave up caring yearrs ago cos nothing they did really 'fixed it' - apart from being pregnant - that was the ONE time I had 'normality' of sorts, lol. Of course since then they've gone back to their naughty non-normal ways.

When you want to try, chuck out the contraceptives, eat a good healthy diet, get excericse, get plenty of sleep and rest, and have FUN..If you stressout worrying that you might not get pregnant it will be the BEST contraceptive; try not to worry excessively about your fertility until you've been trying a couple of years and nada. BEFORE you try is NOT the time to worry - seriously..

[TracyTN 237]

Stina, I don't think there is necessarily a 'normal' barometer for us to give you. As you've read here, everyone has different experiences with their BC and how their body responds to it. I'm afraid you're looking for complete reassurance which isn't something we can give you.

If you've been using the ring for several months, are using it in the manner your doctor instructed you and you are not pregnant, then you must be fine. If you have questions beyond that, you are most well served to ask your doctor (or his/her nurse). All we can give you here is what happened to us, which is going to vary greatly depending on many different factors.

[addy 0]

Which is more better? Using the birth control pill or using the condom? I know the pill will start changing your period schedule but the condom is good to prevent different forms of sexually transmitted diseases.

[Not Available 0]

Which is more better? Using the birth control pill or using the condom? I know the pill will start changing your period schedule but the condom is good to prevent different forms of sexually transmitted diseases.

I know that the pill has about a 95-98% effective rate where i believe the condom is only 86%. So when it comes to pregnancy, the pill is better, but if you are more worried about STd's then the condom is the way to go as the pill does not protect against that.

Thanks for the responses guys. I will talk to my doc next time i see him. The schedule doesnt really bother me, just wasnt sure if the reason my period was coming a bit early was because I wasnt recieving enough hormones therefore not getting full protection. Thanks again, helped me clear my mind of one thing racng around in my mind

Edited May 16, 2006 by Stina