Just switched from Ovcon to Nuvaring-few questions...
hello. i just switched from ovcon-35 to nuvaring yesterday and i'm just looking to see if anyone else made this switch or can tell me about their experiences with nuvaring.
i was on estrostep fe for 4 months & ovcon-35 for 3 months...had terrible btb each month since starting. my gyn was concerned about this & had me come in for a sonogram yesterday to see if i had any problems with my uterus. she said everything looked ok & that maybe my body just cant tolerate oral bc, so she gave me 2 options...the patch & nuvaring. maybe absorbing the hormones a different way would be better for me. i was concerned about the patch because i have extremely sensitive skin & thought the ring sounded easier so i went with that.
i'm wondering if there is a high occurance of btb with the ring. has anyone had btb on pills & then switched to the ring? if so how did the switch go?
also, what about unpleasant side effects? one reason i'm on bc is because i'm trying to clear my skin. i've read on this board that some of you have had good experiences with this & some bad. in both cases, how long did it take to see a change. also, for those of you who broke out on the ring - does it stop after a few months or is this a constant issue?
so far i havent even noticed that its there. i just have this fear...& this might sound silly...that its going to fall out when i go to the bathroom. is that totally stupid or has anyone had this happen before?
and one more thing...i've read a lot that people complain about yeast infections with the ring. i see that you can rinse it off. how often should i rinse it? is there such a thing as over rinsing?
sorry this turned out so long. any responses would be greatly appreciated!
Re: Just switched from Ovcon to Nuvaring-few questions...
oh & i forgot...this is something i have been thinking about...
is the ring safe for men? i mean, can this affect them in any way since the hormones are just sitting there? are they absorbing hormones as well? could this affect a man if he is a smoker? is it better to take the ring out before intercourse? i just want to make sure i'm not harming my bf in any way by using this. dont mean to sound paranoid...its just that this is new to me.
Re: Just switched from Ovcon to Nuvaring-few questions...
ok now i'm getting really annoying...i know, i'm sorry. i thought of another one:
last month i started using instead cups, rather than tampons & found that i absolutely love them! i know you can use tampons with the ring...can you use instead? has anyone tried this?
Re: Just switched from Ovcon to Nuvaring-few questions...
Quote:
Originally Posted by Allison1125
i'm wondering if there is a high occurance of btb with the ring.
There isn't a "high occurance," but it certainly does happen. It's a possible side effect of all birth control. However, Nuva Ring does have a higher incidence of yeast infections.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Allison1125
also, what about unpleasant side effects? one reason i'm on bc is because i'm trying to clear my skin. i've read on this board that some of you have had good experiences with this & some bad. in both cases, how long did it take to see a change. also, for those of you who broke out on the ring - does it stop after a few months or is this a constant issue?
The side effects are also the same as the pill. The most common side effects are nausea, bloating, weight gain, mood swings, spotting, irregular cycles, etc. But, like all birth control, most side effects cease after a few cycles of use. And yes, it MIGHT clear your skin; there's no way to know. It would take several cycles for a major skin improvement, and your skin might get worse before it gets better, just with every birth control.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Allison1125
i just have this fear...& this might sound silly...that its going to fall out when i go to the bathroom. is that totally stupid or has anyone had this happen before?
If you have the ring in far enough, it shouldn't fall out. The vaginal muscles will keep it in place. If you can't feel it, that's good.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Allison1125
is the ring safe for men?
Yes, it's completely safe. He has nothing to worry about.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Allison1125
last month i started using instead cups, rather than tampons & found that i absolutely love them! i know you can use tampons with the ring...can you use instead? has anyone tried this?
I've never seen any warnings in the information for Nuva Ring, or on the cup information, so either it hasn't posed a problem, or it hasn't been investigated yet. In theory, you should be able to, however, better check with your gynocologist for a professional clarification.
Re: Just switched from Ovcon to Nuvaring-few questions...
thank you so much for your answers gls. sorry again for so many questions! i wonder why it is that it wouldnt affect men though. well thanks again...your post was very informative! any other comments would be appreciated!
Re: Just switched from Ovcon to Nuvaring-few questions...
Well, gls did a pretty good job of answering your questions... As to whether it affects men, it doesn't because it releases hormones SO slowly. All men have some level of progesterone and estrogen anyway and unless he is wearing the ring full time, he isn't going to be absorbing any measurable amount of hormone. You gotta remember - bcps are so low in hormones these days as compared to several years ago. Well now in the ring that VERY low dose of hormone must be released over a 24 hour period - not just once a day. Because the dose is so stretched out, there is just no way to absorb any significant quantity in such a short time. Additionally, the skin on the penis isn't nearly as absorbent as the vaginal lining!
Re: Just switched from Ovcon to Nuvaring-few questions...
i have a few more questions...
how far in is the ring supposed to be? this is my 1st week so its still new to me & i'm afraid i dont have it in right so i'm constantly checking. i cant feel it at all during the day, but when i check it i get concerned. sorry to be graphic but i get my finger in maybe 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch & there it is. is this right? i saw someone posted about using a tampon applicator to insert it so i tried this to see if it would go further & it was still at the same spot. it doesnt bother me because like i said i dont feel it. it just doesnt seem to want to go any further. just wanted to know if this sounds right.
also, i noticed that my discharge is different...its thicker. not itchy or clumpy though. is this ok? i have been rinsing it.
and for those of you who noticed skin problems...how long did it take to see your skin getting worse? and if it got worse & then improved, how long to see an improvement? i'm very nervous about what this might do to my skin & i feel its not as clear as it was a week ago when i started.
Re: Just switched from Ovcon to Nuvaring-few questions...
Quote:
Originally Posted by Allison1125
i have a few more questions...
how far in is the ring supposed to be? this is my 1st week so its still new to me & i'm afraid i dont have it in right so i'm constantly checking. i cant feel it at all during the day, but when i check it i get concerned. sorry to be graphic but i get my finger in maybe 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch & there it is. is this right? i saw someone posted about using a tampon applicator to insert it so i tried this to see if it would go further & it was still at the same spot. it doesnt bother me because like i said i dont feel it. it just doesnt seem to want to go any further. just wanted to know if this sounds right.
also, i noticed that my discharge is different...its thicker. not itchy or clumpy though. is this ok? i have been rinsing it.
and for those of you who noticed skin problems...how long did it take to see your skin getting worse? and if it got worse & then improved, how long to see an improvement? i'm very nervous about what this might do to my skin & i feel its not as clear as it was a week ago when i started.
thanks for any help!
As long as the ring isn't falling out, and you can't feel it, it's far enough in. You don't need an applicator to insert it. It sounds like you're inserting it just fine.
It's normal to have discharge when starting any new birth control.
Some women notice their skin getting worse within the first week of using birth control. It can take several cycles until the skin is improved.
