Nuvaring (Ethinyl Estradiol / Etonogestrel)
To comply with Canadian International Pharmacy Association regulations you are permitted to order a 3-month supply or the closest package size available based on your personal prescription. read more
Ethinyl Estradiol / Etonogestrel Information
(eth' in il) (es tra dye' ol) (et oh noe jes' trel)
Cigarette smoking increases the risk of serious side effects from etonogestrel and ethinyl estradiol vaginal ring, including heart attacks, blood clots, and strokes. This risk is higher for women over 35 years old and heavy smokers (15 or more cigarettes per day). If you use etonogestrel and ethinyl estradiol ring, you should not smoke.- Wash and dry your hands.
- Remove one contraceptive ring from its foil pouch, but do not discard the pouch. Put the pouch in a safe place so you can use it to properly discard the contraceptive ring after you remove it.
- Lie down on your back with your knees bent, squat, or stand with one leg up on a chair, step, or other object. Choose the position that is most comfortable for you.
- Hold the contraceptive ring between your thumb and index finger and press the opposite sides of the ring together.
- Gently push the folded ring into your vagina.
- If you feel discomfort, push the ring further back into your vagina with your index finger.
- Wash your hands again.
- When it is time to remove the contraceptive ring, hook your index finger under the front rim or hold the rim between your index and middle fingers and pull it out.
- Put the used ring into the foil pouch and discard it safely, so that it is out of the reach of children and pets. Do not throw the used ring in the toilet.
- Wash your hands.
- Wait one week, then insert a new ring following the directions above.
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Before using etonogestrel and ethinyl estradiol vaginal ring,
- tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to etonogestrel, ethinyl estradiol or any other medications.
- tell your doctor and pharmacist what other prescription and nonprescription medications, vitamins, and nutritional supplements you are taking. Be sure to mention any of the following: acetaminophen (Tylenol, others); antibiotics such as ampicillin (Omnipen, Principen others), clarithromycin (Biaxin), demeclocycline (Declomycin), doxycycline (Vibramycin, Doryx, others), erythromycin (E.E.S., E-Mycin, Erythrocin), minocycline (Vectrin, Minocin), rifampin (Rifadin, Rimactane), rifabutin (Mycobutin), tetracycline (Sumycin), and troleandomycin (TAO); antifungals such as fluconazole (Diflucan), griseofulvin (Grifulvin V, Fulvicin, others), itraconazole (Sporanox), and ketoconazole (Nizoral); ascorbic acid (Vitamin C); atorvastatin (Lipitor); cimetidine (Tagamet); clofibrate (Abitrate, Atromid-S); cyclosporine (Neoral, Sandimmune); danazol (Danocrine); dexamethasone (Decadron); diltiazem (Cardizem, Dilacor, Tiazac); ethosuximide (Zarontin); fluoxetine (Prozac, Sarafem); fluvoxamine (Luvox); isoniazid (INH, Nydrazid); medications for HIV or AIDS such as delavirdine (Rescriptor), indinavir (Crixivan), nelfinavir (Viracept), Saquinavir (Fortovase, Invirase), and ritonavir (Norvir); medications for seizures such as carbamazepine (Tegretol), felbamate (Felbatol), oxcarbazepine (Trileptal), phenobarbital (Luminal, Solfoton), phenytoin (Dilantin), and topiramate (Topamax); metronidazole (Flagyl); morphine (MSIR, Oramorph, others); nefazodone; prednisolone (Prelone); primidone; theophylline (TheoDur, others); temazepam (Restoril); verapamil (Calan, Covera, Isoptin, Verelan); zafirlukast (Accolate); and any medication that is placed in the vagina. Your doctor may need to change the doses of your medications or monitor you carefully for side effects. You may need to use an extra method of birth control if you take some of these medications while you are using the contraceptive ring.
- tell your doctor what herbal products you are taking, especially products containing St. John's wort.
- tell your doctor if you have or have ever had, or anyone in your family has or has ever had, breast cancer, if you have ever had yellowing of the skin or eyes during pregnancy or while you were using another type of hormonal contraceptive (birth control pills, patches, rings, or injections), if you are on bed rest or are unable to walk around for any reason, or if you have or have ever had breast lumps; an abnormal mammogram (breast x-ray); fibrocystic breast disease (swollen, tender breasts and/or breast lumps that are not cancer); any type of cancer, especially cancer of the endometrium (lining of the uterus), cervix, or vagina; blood clots in your legs, lungs, or eyes; stroke or mini-stroke; coronary artery disease (clogged blood vessels leading to the heart); chest pain; a heart attack; any condition that affects your heart valves (flaps of tissue that open and close to control blood flow in the heart); high cholesterol or triglycerides; high blood pressure; diabetes; headaches; seizures; depression; unexplained vaginal bleeding; any condition that makes your vagina more likely to become irritated; bladder, uterus or rectum that has dropped or bulged into the vagina; constipation; or liver, kidney, thyroid, or gallbladder disease.
- tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. If you become pregnant while using etonogestrel and ethinyl estradiol vaginal ring, call your doctor immediately. You should suspect that you are pregnant and call your doctor if you have used the contraceptive ring correctly and you miss two periods in a row, or if you have not used the contraceptive ring according to the directions and you miss one period. You should not breast-feed while you are using the contraceptive ring.
- if you are having surgery, including dental surgery, tell the doctor or dentist that you are using etonogestrel and ethinyl estradiol vaginal ring.
- tell your doctor if you wear contact lenses. If you notice changes in your vision or your ability to wear your lenses while using etonogestrel and ethinyl estradiol vaginal ring, see an eye doctor.
- swelling, redness, irritation, burning, itching, or infection of the vagina
- white or yellow vaginal discharge
- vaginal bleeding or spotting when it is not time for your period. (Call your doctor if the bleeding lasts longer than a few days or happens in more than one cycle.)
- headache
- runny nose
- nausea
- vomiting
- changes in appetite
- weight gain or loss
- stomach cramps or bloating
- nervousness
- breasts that are large, tender, or produce a liquid
- growth of hair on face
- loss of hair on scalp
- acne
- changes in sexual desire
- pain in the back of the lower leg
- sharp, sudden, or crushing chest pain
- heaviness in chest
- coughing up blood
- sudden shortness of breath
- sudden severe headache, vomiting, dizziness, or fainting
- sudden problems with speech
- weakness or numbness of an arm or leg
- sudden loss of vision
- double vision, blurred vision, or other changes in vision
- bulging eyes
- yellowing of the skin or eyes, especially if you also have fever, tiredness, loss of appetite, dark urine, and/or light-colored bowel movements
- depression, especially if you also have trouble sleeping, tiredness, loss of energy, or other mood changes
- pain, tenderness, or swelling of the abdomen (area between the chest and the waist)
- stomach pain that worsens after eating
- swelling of the hands, feet, ankles, or lower legs
- diarrhea
- painful, difficult, or frequent urination
- brown patches on the skin, especially the face
- rash
The content on this page is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute professional medical advice. Patients should not use the information presented on this page for diagnosing a health-related issue or disease. Before taking any medication or supplements, patients should always consult a physician or qualified healthcare professional for medical advice or information about whether a drug is safe, appropriate or effective.