question about missing the period and the nuva ring

[holdie]

hey so I think this might be a bit of overreaction but i figured it'd be best to make sure:

We've been having sex with the nuva ring for a few months now...she took her's out about 2 and a half days ago for the monthly cycle and still hasn't gotten her period. We're just a little bit worried about this, although there are a few things we're considering.

A. we just started school and she moved to a new dorm, which I understand makes girls delay their periods (because of the stress).

B. she's showing a lot of signs of starting her period (ie: cravings for food, kinda emotional, stuff like that) just no "flow"

C. It's only been 2 and a half days, and from what I understand that isn't completely long enough to be alarmed...

so if anyone has any suggestions/advice/knowledge to give about the nuvaring and periods it'd be really appreciated...thanks

[demonbuttercup]

I do not have experience w/ the ring.. but I am on the pill.
I know that I'll take my 3 weeks of active pills... and then there is that one week of placebos... which start on sunday. I do not immediatly get my period. My period will usually come wed or thur.. which is me going at least 4 days w/out hormones in my system.

The months prior to this... has her period been immediate after the removal of the ring?

[holdie]

as far as I know I think so...she didn't seem too horribly concerned about it until about an hour ago when I seemed worried about it...so I'm not sure...

she mentioned something about the periods getting shorter and shorter the more you use it so that might be why it's taking a while...

[Brandye]

I am always fascinated by the men who raise these questions. She is the one with the ring; she is the one who talked with the doctor; she is the one with the instructio sheet; she is the one who inserts it and removes; she is the one with the body that can get pregnant.

Ok, that is said. Bleeding does not begin the instant the ring is removed. There is a lag time for the absence of excess hormones to be registered by the body. Even with the low dose of hormones from the ring, there is more in her system than in the past and it takes the body a while to get used to that. Some women on the pill have their periods progressively "disappear" over several months. I have not encountered that with patients on the ring but it is conceivable.

Follow the instructions exactly and if the pressure is too much for you, forget about sex. We women spend 35 years or so dealing with it each month.