NuvaRing and Menstrual Cup

I'm not sure i'd class this as a problem (yet). I just thought i'd post my experience...
This will be my 4th period with a Lunette, i'm also starting Nuvaring for the first time today. I did contemplate going with just pads/tampons this period, but that constant leaking feeling is just awful.
I got the Nuvaring in first, it doesn't go in as far as i'd thought it would, but it's in. I moved and sat around for an hour and a half and it didn't slip out. I think i also found my cervix while i was poking around up there.
So, after an hour and a half i'm really disliking the feeling of leaking onto a liner and i decide to put my cup in. Sitting on the toilet i felt for the ring and proceeded with the triangle fold. Felt for the Nuvaring again and aimed to insert the cup below the ring. Cup goes in, unfolds. I poke around some more and i can feel the ring is above the cup on either side. I feel satisfied the ring is against the vaginal wall and doing its thing. When it comes time to empty the cup i fully expect the ring to come out with the cup.

Anyone else started Nuvaring (for the first time) with a cup?

Also.. FINGERNAILS! OW!

Haven't used a nuvaring (although I am curious). But I imagine that if it manages to ring around your cervix, it may or may not come out with the cup. Especially if its not caught between the walls of the cup and vaginal walls. Hope all goes well, keep us posted

Well, i've done the first cup removal. The ring did come out with the cup a little, i used my other hand to stop it coming out any further. Re-insertion went fine, cup went in below the ring. I'm not sure how good of a seal i'm getting, it's either residual blood or i'm leaking a little.
In future i really hope i don't get any period/ring overlapping.
The ring is sitting above my public bone and then goes off into the sides. The diagrams gave me the impression it'd go up much further.

Yeah, I think a lot of companies that design vaginal products (diaphrams, nuvaring, etc.) sometimes don't always consider that not all women's cervixes are high, and not all vaginas are "long" lol. I've even spoken to nurses who had no idea the cervix travels up and down at different points of the cycle in some women... Being shorter up there can make it feel like things are "falling" out of you, when really, you are just so short that it never goes up very high.

To lessen residual blood, I like to let the cup pop open a bit lower, then coax it up. It seems to (sorry this is gross, lol) "scoop" up the residual blood on its way up. If you still see quite a bit after that, you will be able to tell if its leaking or not. Also, does it happen the entire time, or only a short while after insertion?

Melissa569 wrote:To lessen residual blood, I like to let the cup pop open a bit lower, then coax it up. It seems to (sorry this is gross, lol) "scoop" up the residual blood on its way up. If you still see quite a bit after that, you will be able to tell if its leaking or not. Also, does it happen the entire time, or only a short while after insertion?

Hmm, yeah i think it happened the whole time, so i must have been leaking.
Before i went to sleep last night i managed to shove the ring up a bit further, as far as my middle finger would go. I'd guesstimate that's 6cm-ish. My Lunette is 4.7cm in height so i've got my fingers crossed there will be less conflict today. Even if there's still leakage it's no worse than a failing tampon.
I also found a Nuvaring LiveJournal community with a nifty way to fold the ring to get it up higher, i'll try this at some point.

Well, i've had much better luck over the past 24 hours. I've only needed to empty twice during the day, i seem to make it to 3ml and i get a bit of leaking.. looks like mucous/tissue/goo in the holes is the culprit. At least it's a light period. Nuvaring is firmly anchored way up there now.

Well its good you're seeing some progress Try playing around with angles too, try inserting straight back, or slightly tilted up... See which angle works best to form a good seal.

Something with a more defined rim might stop the leaking too, that has worked for a few women I know because the flared-out rim rests deeper in the walls of the vagina and seals better (mooncup uk, or keeper mooncup, keeper, fleurcup, femmecup). But its always good to try and make the one you have work first if possible, as cups are not cheap. For a second, I thought "maybe its the cervix comming down really low and taking up space in the cup and lessening the capacity". But if it leaks the whole time, then that's probably not it. Its sounds more like a sealing or maybe even size issue.

Hugs, and please keep us posted about if different ngles help,

M

I don't think it's the cup's fault, it's the nuvaring interfering with the seal. Next ring-less period should be business as usual.

Yeah, probably, if it doesn't leak without the ring. Strange though, makes me wonder what sort of positioning is taking place between the ring and cup. Edge of the ring caught between the cup rim and vaginal wall? Hmmm...

That's what i think is happening. Based on finger measurements i'd guess the cup's rim is siting against the lowest bit of the ring, breaking the wonderful seal i usually have.
Fortunately, it's only when you're starting the ring you're supposed to have it in while on your period.