abaya

Ladies who use the ring...

So I'm coming back from my summer abroad, and it's been 2.5 months since I had sex. I was supposed to remove my Nuva Ring on Sunday night and have my period this week, but I really don't want to be on my period when ktspktsp and I have wild reunion sex this weekend (my cervix gets really sore and we have to be all careful and stuff... not as fun).

Before I left for the summer, my doctor said that it was okay to leave the ring in for up to 4 weeks, if I wanted to alter my cycle (and not be on my period in Africa). I didn't end up doing that, but I'm leaving it in this week (4th week) so that I can delay my period till next week. Has anyone done this before? Or if not, do you have an opinion regarding messing with your cycle? I figure it's all artificially regulated anyway, so it should be okay, but just looking for other people's experience.

Oh, and we use condoms all the time anyway, so the protection issue isn't as big of a deal (though the ring is supposed to be fine for 4 weeks anyway).

__________________
And think not you can direct the course of Love;
for Love, if it finds you worthy, directs your course.
--Khalil Gibran

snowy

I change out my ring in this cycle: 4 weeks/3 weeks, so that at the end of 7 weeks I get my period (I've found this is the longest my body likes to go without a period for now...I'm hoping to lengthen it in the future). Works fine for me.

__________________
If I am not better, at least I am different. --Jean-Jacques Rousseau

JustJess

I use it to not have a period at all, ever. The worst you *might* run into is bleedthrough, and/or period 'symptoms' even though you're not bleeding. I often become quite overemotional the week before I'm due to switch to a new ring (4 days or so before the end of the third week). If hormone changes affect things like migraines, you shouldn't have any unusual issues since it's only one week. Really, these things completely depend on the person/current situation. You may have no changes at all, or you could have all the premenstrual stuff even if you don't normally (that's me). But I doubt you'll bleed, at least not much.
Go for it!

Go forth and bootify! Congrats on seeing your main man again!

__________________
My heart knows me better than I know myself, so I'm gonna let it do all the talkin'.

abaya

Thanks ladies, I knew I could depend on you TFP gals!!

Wow, I didn't know you could have a ring in for 7 weeks (2 rings in succession, as Owl described). Cool. Maybe I should try messing with my cycle a bit more, to cut down on the need to have my period!!

__________________
And think not you can direct the course of Love;
for Love, if it finds you worthy, directs your course.
--Khalil Gibran

JustJess

So far, the longest I've gone is 4 months. I should have gone 3 months, 1 week, however. My gyno told me it's actually pretty okay to go without a cycle, and may cut down on the chances of developing uterine etc. cancers, since the cycle is when all the mutated cells come out most.

__________________
My heart knows me better than I know myself, so I'm gonna let it do all the talkin'.

*Nikki*

All I know is when I kept the ring in longer and delayed my cycle was the time that I had my worst period ever. The pain was the most intense and I bleed for like a week. The doctor said it was because I messed my body up. Good luck to you not having that happen!

abaya

Nikki, thanks for telling me this. I'm hoping to go back to 3 weeks in/1 week out, after this week is finished. I just didn't want my first love-making sessions in 2.5 months to be marred by a sensitive cervix!... let's hope there's no heavy price to pay.

__________________
And think not you can direct the course of Love;
for Love, if it finds you worthy, directs your course.
--Khalil Gibran

abaya

**NEW POST, same issue!**

Hi ladies,

I went to Lebanon with ktspktsp over New Year's and, since I wanted to avoid having my period during those two weeks (we had great sex in the meantime!), I left my ring in for a 4th week. I replaced it immediately with a new ring to finish up the trip period-free.

Instead of taking it out when we got back, I wanted to try leaving it in for the rest of the cycle (7 weeks total, as per SnowyOwl's practice above). Last weekend, after week 6, however, things got weird. Maybe it's unrelated, but I got really nauseous, threw up, had major stomach/digestive issues for a couple of days. My tummy is still not quite back to normal today. (Btw, in case all this was ring-related, I took out the ring on Sunday night and my period started less than 24 hours later... it usually takes 3 days to start.

Has anyone else had an experience like this (Nikki)? I had a full range of reactions, going from thoughts of food poisoning to the flu to being pregnant... (especially since I recently had greater urges to pee). Is this normal, or should I see a doctor?

Thanks!

__________________
And think not you can direct the course of Love;
for Love, if it finds you worthy, directs your course.
--Khalil Gibran

abaya

Nikki, Owl, Jess.. can any of you ladies help me out here? I am still having some weird residual effects from having rings in for 6 weeks... tomorrow I am taking a preg test just to calm myself down, since my symptoms are 5 of the top 10 preg symptoms. I suspect it's from having too much hormones in my body for too long, but I'm still a little nervous.

If anyone could elaborate on what happened when you repressed your period with BC, I would be grateful.

__________________
And think not you can direct the course of Love;
for Love, if it finds you worthy, directs your course.
--Khalil Gibran

snowy

Nothing weird happened, ever. I'm pretty sensitive to the hormone change (stomach, breasts, etc) and never had any problems besides breast pain (which for me is normal). I wouldn't worry so much, dear

__________________
If I am not better, at least I am different. --Jean-Jacques Rousseau

*Nikki*

If I remember correctly when I took mine out after leaving it in for an extended time (more then the 3 weeks) I too started like 24 hours later. I think what you are going through is normal.

As far as the stomach issue, sounds completely unrelated to me. I mean traveling and different foods can REALLY take a tole on the stomach and digestive system. Being that you had your ring in the whole time I would not worry about being pregnant.

Hope that helps, and hope you are feeling better

snowy

Yes, I too usually start mine really quickly after removing the ring if doing the 7-week cycle.

__________________
If I am not better, at least I am different. --Jean-Jacques Rousseau

abaya

Okay, thank you ladies. I think I had just been getting more and more nervous since I had to pee so often, in combination with being very nauseated all weekend and even throwing up... and then the period stuff in addition to bad headaches... you can see how I got worried!

I do think, however, that with what my body is telling me after a 6-week cycle, I should probably not leave the ring in for longer than 4 weeks in the future.

__________________
And think not you can direct the course of Love;
for Love, if it finds you worthy, directs your course.
--Khalil Gibran

Biscuit Buns

My body does weird things when I start messing with my cycles. Not to mention my head. This is probably going to sound entirely too hippy for y'all, but I've learned to embrace my monthly as a sign that my body's working properly. My PMS symptoms clue me into what I need to be working on in my life (less stress, better diet, etc.) in case I'm in a "head down, plow through" mode. There are certain aspects that I could really care less about, but they all work hand in hand.

__________________
A hard man is good to find. ~Mae West

JustJess

Oh, Abaya - I'm sorry I didn't see the thread!

I'd have to agree with snowy and nikki - you're okay. I must say though... I tend to have stomach issues as part of my pms symptoms, it's soooo not pretty. And the fact that I had pms symptoms at all was pretty remarkable, actually. So leaving it in = more symptoms for such as you and I. Are you feeling better yet?

__________________
My heart knows me better than I know myself, so I'm gonna let it do all the talkin'.

abaya

Buns, when I was not on BC, I had the same outlook as you... I think women are more tuned into their bodies as a necessity (thanks to those lovely menses). So I used to semi-look forward to my period each month as a gauge for the rest of my body.

But now that I've been on hormones for nearly 2 years, my whole body feels a bit... artificial. I have no idea when my real periods are anymore... just the artificial ones. But I guess I trade that for the security (?) of not getting pregnant.

Jess, good to know that stomach issues are not that uncommon. I've never thrown up before (except if related to BC), so that worried me. But I did buy a cheapo preg test and it was negative, so that's fine with me. I saw a doctor today about my really bad neck pain and got some advice, and for my tummy he recommended I buy Metamucil-stuff.

So now my only problem is feeling like a 60-year old.. bring me the prune juice, next! (sorry, no offense to 60-year olds or anyone who drinks Metamucil or prune juice... just didn't think I would be doing it at 26!)

__________________
And think not you can direct the course of Love;
for Love, if it finds you worthy, directs your course.
--Khalil Gibran