Questions regarding nuvaring ( please help me straighten things out)

[FlowerPower60]

So, I just started using the Nuvaring. It's my first form of birth control I've ever used and I'm thrilled to see how this is going to change my body..for better or worse. I have been doing so much research about this form of contraception to make sure that I can increase the rate of effectiveness by to almost its maximum potential ( like to use extra protection while on antibiotics, not drink or eat herbal supplements and things that can lower the effectiveness of bc, etc). However, I am still confused on how this bc really works. You see, I started my nuvaring on the 31st of december (during my 4th day of my period) , did some research prior the insertion and SOME websites (including you scarleteen *points fingers*) say when you put it in the first 5 days of your period, you're protected straight away. Is this true or not? Because some websites(including the official nuvaring website) say that you have to use proctection for the next 7 days unless you inserted the nuvaring on your first day. of your period. Also, what difference does it make whether you put it on the first day nor 4th day let's say of your period? It doesn't make sense to me.

When I asked my obgyn assistant about how long I should use protection before becoming effective, and she said 2 weeks? What what? Why? Fyi, I recently started going to the obgyn clinic and they never had pap smears done on me or deep medical records so it's safe to assume that the obgyn didn't recommend me to wait 2 weeks BECAUSE of my body. What is this about?

Ugh I'm so confused right now, who's right? I get that it doesn't matter and that I should just follow what my obgyn says but it's driving me crazy. Mostly because of all the information I gathered, I decided to not follow her and had unprotected sex with the withdrawal method on top of it 9 days after I inserted my nuvaring.

Sorry for the super long post! help me straighten things out! :"

[Heather]

I'm glad you're excited about your new method!

Honestly, you don't have to worry about things like supplements or most antibiotics, and if you really want as close to 100% protection from pregnancy as you can get, backing up your ring with another method (personally, I would strongly suggest condoms versus withdrawal, but I always will because of infection prevention alone) is the more effective way to get that than trying to avoid things that aren't likely to make any difference.

Here's the scoop with the timing: it matters when you first put it in because of when you would otherwise -- if you are NOT inserting it -- ovulate. Once you start a period, your body starts its fertility cycle for that particular cycle. But if you put the ring in straightaway, it can -- and most likely will -- basically stop that cycle before it even starts by changing the levels of hormones that your body would produce and when those levels would shift. Certain hormones that have certain levels and shifts one way = ovulation. Changing that up, or, more to the point, getting in the way of it with a different pattern, suppresses ovulation.

Many healthcare providers (and we're on this, too) will suggest you figure you should wait a full cycle before using a method like this all by itself, if you are going to use it alone, without a backup method. Yep, even if you start straightaway. That's about learning how to use it and compliance more than anything. For instance, let's say in the first week of use, you want to have intercourse without it for some reason, so you take it out, as you can for up to three hours without changing its effectiveness. But because you are new to this, you totally space it out and only upon waking up and seeing it on the table next to your bed the next morning do you remember you even used the ring. And then you'd have yourself a problem. Make sense?

Does all of that help clear this up for you?

[FlowerPower60]

I'm glad you're excited about your new method!

Honestly, you don't have to worry about things like supplements or most antibiotics, and if you really want as close to 100% protection from pregnancy as you can get, backing up your ring with another method (personally, I would strongly suggest condoms versus withdrawal, but I always will because of infection prevention alone) is the more effective way to get that than trying to avoid things that aren't likely to make any difference.

Here's the scoop with the timing: it matters when you first put it in because of when you would otherwise -- if you are NOT inserting it -- ovulate. Once you start a period, your body starts its fertility cycle for that particular cycle. But if you put the ring in straightaway, it can -- and most likely will -- basically stop that cycle before it even starts by changing the levels of hormones that your body would produce and when those levels would shift. Certain hormones that have certain levels and shifts one way = ovulation. Changing that up, or, more to the point, getting in the way of it with a different pattern, suppresses ovulation.

Many healthcare providers (and we're on this, too) will suggest you figure you should wait a full cycle before using a method like this all by itself, if you are going to use it alone, without a backup method. Yep, even if you start straightaway. That's about learning how to use it and compliance more than anything. For instance, let's say in the first week of use, you want to have intercourse without it for some reason, so you take it out, as you can for up to three hours without changing its effectiveness. But because you are new to this, you totally space it out and only upon waking up and seeing it on the table next to your bed the next morning do you remember you even used the ring. And then you'd have yourself a problem. Make sense?

Does all of that help clear this up for you?

Yes thank you so much!! Now I understand why putting it in during certain times in the cycle matter. It astonishes me how a lot of websites don't provide this detailed yet important information. Also, yes I understand now why my obgyn told me to wait for 2 weeks for the least. Matter of adjustment and compliance, but regardless I decided to do what everybody else did I guess which is wait for at least 7 full days. Even so, (sorry tmi) I've already done it without relying on any backup around 18 days after my insertion. I took it out just this morning and now I'm waiting for my period to come, a bit anxious but Yeah anyways thank you so much

[Heather]

Glad to be of help.