i've been on the patch for over a year and a half and this past month started having breakthrough bleeding. since i work for an ob/gyn office, i asked a nurse of ours about it and she said that several people have had the same problem with the patch, and she gave me some information on the nuva ring and some free samples to try to see if i like it. i can't remember to take the pill everyday so thats why i liked the patch so much, and since the nuva ring is just a once the month thing, it sounds awesome. i'm just wondering if anyone else out there has switched from the patch to the nuva ring, and if they like it, or if anyone has any suggestions or complaints about it. any information is greatly appreciated!!!!!

....oh yah, and for those of you that use it, can your guy feel it during sex???

I love the nuvaring. I've been on it for 6 months with no problems. I've tried about 4 different pills in the last year, all with breakthrough bleeding that NEVER STOPPED so my dr. put me on the nuvaring. My breakthrough bleeding completely stopped. For the 4th week, I take the ring out on Sunday, and I don't start bleeding until late Thursday. And then Sunday morning I put a new ring in and the bleeding is completely over that night. I can't feel it during sex and neither can my boyfriend, but obviously if he's using his fingers he can feel it. Hope I helped you out!

What I mean is, how do you get it in & out if you are bleeding? If you still have one in & you are still bleeding, can you wear tampons with it in?

i believe so! you can have sex with one in, so why not wear a tampon?

any other people out there ever switched and what did ya'll think about it?

I switched because the patches didn't stick to my skin. I've been using Nuvaring for more than 6 months. I think it's great because I really suck at taking a pill every day at the same time. Plus, I feel a lot safer cause vomiting or diarroea don't influence my birth control.

My boyfriend does feel it sometimes, and sometimes I take it out during sex cause it occasionally gets in the way, but we don't mind that. (My doc told me that it can be out for 1 hour without risk of pregnancy) By the way, be sure to check that the ring is there after you've had sex: a couple of times the ring had inadvertedly popped out during sex.

One side effect I have is less "natural lubricant" during sex. It's a bit annoying (I'm usually a bit sore after sex, and my boyfriend has to be careful he doesn't try to enter me to quick) but it's a minor problem.

If you have to insert a new ring when you're still having you're period, you can still use a tampon. Just be careful when pulling your tampon out cause you can pull your ring out at the same time. My period only starts 4 days after taking the ring out, so I've done this.

PS: in my info leaflet it says that the ring can be out for 3 hours. And that if you put in a new ring too late, after more than a week (or if you leave it out for too long during sex) you have to use condoms for 1 week. My doc said that wasn't true: he said 1 hour. And condoms for the rest of the month (like with the pill, and I'm pretty sure that goes for the patch too, even though the info leaflet also only says a week)

Lietchi :wave:

Its interesting that you say that you have less "natural lubrication". For me, the major side effect I have is a tooooooooon of lubrication all the time. Sometimes its so bad I have to wear a pantyliner. Its funny how different people have different side effects to the same thing.

Lietchi :wave:

Its interesting that you say that you have less "natural lubrication". For me, the major side effect I have is a tooooooooon of lubrication all the time. Sometimes its so bad I have to wear a pantyliner. Its funny how different people have different side effects to the same thing.

Don't misunderstand: I need pantyliners too (always have). But that's another type of discharge than when you're aroused, another consistency I think... (Excuse me if I'm too graphic) Even when I'm wet on the outside (which is less than before) I always seem to be dry on the inside. (Or the wetness isn't the right type to actually lubricate?)
Anyway, long live pantyliners! :D