Could i be pregnant or is it side effects of birth control?

[Bree17]

Symptoms: Extremely sore breasts, Period last month FIVE days late and WAY too short and light to be my normal period, REALLY tired, Headaches like crazy....they come and go not lasting more than an hour at a time, Milky white discharge from vagina, BLOATING/SWELLING in the lower stomach from belly button down to hairline, nausea in early morning and late night before i go to sleep, DOUBLE or TRIPLE amounts in trips to the bathroom to pee, Bowl movements are totally ABNORMAL, Back hurts like hell... Feels like lower back needs to be cracked but it wont crack

I started NuvaRing last month. I was on a oral contraceptive for about 2 weeks. I admit I did NOT take them faithfully or properly and i did NOT start them when i should have, i started taking them about midway through my cycle instead of waiting until after my period. When i got my period, THREE days into it, i started the NuvaRing. My boyfriend and i have had sex MANY times and he cums in me almost everytime. It also fell out one day and was out for more than 3 hours...

Is it possible that i may be pregnant or is this just the side effects of this ring?

[Keith Downing, MD]

Hello,

I believe I responded to your concerns in the pregnancy forum.  If you think you might be pregnant take a HPT.  If negative, repeat it in one week.  

Yes, being on hormonal contraception can mimic symptoms of pregnancy, and the efficacy of the "pill" after starting it depends on where one is in their cycle.  Generally speaking, no matter when one starts it you will be adequately protected after the first 7 days of use (and having refrained from intercourse during those 7 days).  

Best regards,

Dr. Downing

[Butters81]

From what I know and I may be wrong, birth control  has to be in your system for a month before  it's completely effective.  If you were taking the pills beforehand and not on a regular basis and had sex on one of those days you very well could be pregnant, but they should have tested you at the gyno.  If its been more than a month since your last period take a pregnancy test.  Some of those side effects you feel around the time of your period, but if there not normal for you, call your gyno and just ask about the side effects of the NuvaRing and explain your situation.