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Today’s post might be a little TMI for some of you but it’s my blog and I get to write what I want to on here. Consider yourself warned.
I have always been an advocate for women’s health. I was the girl in college who talked to all her friends and took them to the school nurse or county heath department to get them on birth control. Did you know you can get birth control for free if you are a student? Yep, it’s true.
I have been on birth control since I was 18 years old. I started with the pill and used that for six years but I was bad about remembering ti take it. The pill is 99% effective if taken at the same time every single day. I am good about following a schedule but if I got just one day off it seems like I would forget for a week and then how effective is it? It’s NOT.
I decided to talk to my doctor about my forgetfulness and we decided I would try this super new (at the time) method of birth control called the NuvaRing. I was a little leery about it at first because you have to put it inside of yourself but after the initial OMG I was excited to try it.
There are many things I love about my NuvaRing. Since I am list maker at heart let me make a little list for you:
1. The NuvaRing uses less hormones that your average method of birth control because it is inside of you and this means less side effects.
2. The NuvaRing stay inside of you for 3 weeks and then comes out for a week. That’s it. You only have to remember to do something about it 2 times a month versus everyday with the pill.
3. You can’t feel it inside of you.
4. When you have sex, the guy can’t feel it inside you either.
5. It is covered 100% by my insurance (every birth control is now).
6. Despite being extremely awkward at first the NuvaRing is super “user friendly” and it easy to put in and take out.
7. Just like with the pill if you want to skip your period as soon as you take one ring out, out another in.
I mentioned above that the ring it “user friendly” but that it was awkward the first time I used it. You better bet I called a friend and had her talk me through putting it in. Funny, but true.
There are many positions to get in to put it in but the easiest (to me) is sitting on the toilet and pretend you are putting one of those OB tampons in. You just squeeze the NuvaRing and insert it in, pushing with your index finger until it is fully inside you. There is no “too deep” or it getting lost inside you. It can’t go anywhere, I promise.
I promised this post would be TMI right??
I have never had the NuvaRing come out but sometimes you can feel it when you wipe (usually right before your period) and you just push it back up there with a clean finger. I have also never had it come out during sex.
Another good thing about the NuvaRing is that it makes your periods super light. I put mine in and take it out on Sundays. Typically I take it out on a Sunday morning and my period doesn’t start until the following Thursday or Friday. I put a new one in that Sunday morning and my period stops by that night. LOVE that.
I have used the NuvaRing for six years and have seriously LOVED it!!! I can honestly say that it is the easiest method of birth control I have ever used.
Beth Rowland says
I’m glad the NuvaRing works for you. Sadly the hormone dosage was too high for me so I had to switch back to the pill. Sometimes being a girl can suck :)
Kelley says
I was on it for a years and loved it so much! I switched to the IUD but when it’s time to take that bad boy out you better believe that I’m going back to the ring! :)
RitaMarie says
I used it a few years and I loved it. Full disclosure: some guys can feel it, but I don’t know why. My current husband had no problem and (TMI alert) we can say he’s better endowed than any of the ones who said they could feel it.
Found your blog from Whitney’s today. Yay to a new blog for me to read all time.
Dara says
I’m scared to try any hormonal birth control options since the pill made me so sick. did you have any nausea with this?
Crissa Pollmann Robertson says
I LOVE the NuvaRing. I switched to it from the pill years ago. The pill made me turn into a bitch with the highs and lows of hormones. The NuvaRing kept my hormone levels constant. It was awesome!
TMI-I couldn’t insert it with my fingers. Instead I used a tampon applicator. I just threw out the tampon, inserted the ring in the application, and “injected”…for lack of a better word. Works like a charm.
I went to get my prescription filled now that my son is born and I am done nursing…now all of a sudden my NuvaRing went from $4/month to $20/month! WTH! There isn’t a generic for the NuvaRing so I went back on the pill. After having my period 3 times this month I stopped taking the pill. I would rather get pregnant than have my period 3 times a month. Call me crazy but my period is REALLY heavy and miserable!
Ashley from The Kitchen-Sink Chronicles says
I’m a depo girl myself. :)
ty says
Back when I had to be on BC (ahhhhh, the good ol’ days), I loved NuvaRing. I got the shot once and it made me batshit crazy, and I had some bad experiences with the pill.
CeCe says
I’m a little more worried about the taking it out part. How do you find it? I’ve considered this in the past but have been to afraid to try it.