I wanted to share my experience with Plan B in hopes it will calm some fears of others who were in my position.
I had protected sex, with a condom, when it slipped off while being withdrawn. This was after he ejaculated. Not being sure if any sperm had leaked out or somehow presented itself, I took action into my own hands. My partner claimed I had nothing to worry about, but I wasn't so sure. I was never one for charting my ovulation, nor was I highly aware of it, BUT the night this happened I could have been ovulating. I panicked. I did not want to have a baby, so I rushed to my local 24 hour drugstore. I picked up Plan B. It ran me $50 and it's now found on the shelf in the family planning aisle. It was Plan B one step. I took the one pill about two hours after we had had sex. Then the waiting began...
The night I took it, I felt pretty decent. Next day, nothing. It wasn't until about a week after taking Plan B, that nausea, little hot flashes, dizziness, and breast tenderness started setting in. The second week after taking Plan B, my breasts got so sore, I couldn't barely put a bra on, shower water hitting them was like daggers, it was awful! I was pretty concerned as it's normal for me to experience tender breasts about a week before my period but my period was still a while away and my breasts had NEVER been this sore. But I dealt with it, and reassured myself that I was okay. At the end of the second week, I started feeling cramps, really really bad cramps, spotting occurred, brown at first, then pink, then about two days later I broke out into a full bleed. I bled straight for 4 days, pretty much the length of my normal period, however this one seemed more heavy, and more bright red blood than I was used to, but on the 4th day of it, it stopped.
So to recap, I took Plan B around the possible time of ovulation. I experienced symptoms within a week, VERY sore breasts that lasted about three weeks, cramps, bloating, zits, dizziness, just awful. However I received my period 3 days earlier than when it was due.
Did I feel relief? Yes. Did I think this ordeal was over? Not quite. Even after my "period" had ended I ended up being the worry wart I am, taking a pregnancy test. First morning urine, about 3 weeks after the sex had happened, negative. At that point I was convinced Plan B had caused my bleeding and that I could consider that my period and the pill worked.
So when do you count your next cycle from? Well I ended up counting my next cycle from the day the new bleeding started from taking Plan B. My cycle is usually 30 days and I'm pretty regular. I am also NOT on any additional birth control, I only use condoms. So I sat here waiting or my next period to show, the next period after you have already bled once on Plan B. Now I know cycle changes are one of the side effects from Plan B and can go on for months, but again, what girl isn't worried about her health? And if you are like me, you want to be double, triple, quadruple sure you are okay?
So 30 days since I bled after taking Plan B, I had NO signs of my period coming. Very light soreness in my breasts, a twinge of pain in my abdomen, but nothing like what usually indicated it was coming. Day 30 came and went, nothing. Day 37, nothing, I was panicking! I took more home pregnancy tests even though probably not needed but to ease my mind I did. They were negative. I got so worked up that something was wrong I actually went to a free clinic for testing and they only did urine samples, negative. No one could really give me a real answer if Plan B was causing this and they seemed to have no information for me, just telling me everyone woman is different. Which I understand, but the last thing you want to hear when you are in full out panic mode is an, "I don't know, come back in two weeks", I mean this ordeal has been going on for almost two months now and the immature guy I was with jumped ship the moment I even tried to tell him I was a bit fearful of being pregnant. So lesson learned. If your partner is decent enough to stick around, bravo. I just wanted to share with him what I was going through and he did not even want to hear it.
Moving on though, so I sat with my negative pregnancy tests, being alone and scared, with no health insurance not knowing what my next move was. I have done the internet searches, I have read many of these message boards. So many girls in the same position as me, grasping for answers, yet they never seem to get one of people don't come back to tell their story after they have gone through something. So that's what I'm here for, I want to help others, because man I have been through the gauntlet with this Plan B.
So to wrap it up, here I sit, 45 days into my second cycle after taking plan b, which makes me roughly about two weeks late and I had the worst cramps, and I had mild spotting, but it looks like I have finally gotten my period and maybe now i can finally get my life back on track and focus on my life again instead of worrying about peeing on a stick.
So to recap -
Can Plan B bring on your period late or early?
Yes, after taking Plan B, I actually ended up bleeding fully two and a half weeks after taking it. I took it during the time I was ovulating and the day I got my period after taking Plan B was three days earlier than I would have expected.
Side effects?
I hate VERY sore breasts, alarmingly sore for almost three weeks, cramps, dizziness, very bad breakouts on my face which I'm still dealing with and some weight gain / bloating.
Second period after Plan B, showed almost no symptoms and more than two weeks late?
YES! My second period showed no signs it was even approaching, I drove myself nuts taking pregnancy tests, all negative, FINALLY i got my period after 45 days in between the time i bled after Plan B and now. The cramps are pretty bad I will admit. Stronger than I'm used to.
hope this helped someone out there! lesson learned for me, I'm glad as a female I have options like Plan B, very glad it's there, but wow it does work over your system pretty good so lesson learned and take caution!
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Add a Comment288 Comments
Hello Anonymous,
This was probably bleeding caused by taking Plan B and the breast tenderness is also a side effect of the pill.
Regards,
February 1, 2017 - 9:39amMaryann
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My second period was 24 days late after the plan b
January 30, 2017 - 12:17amI'm on my 3rd month waiting game is hard I'm a few days over due on my period and I'm wondering if the 3rd month was messed up too?
This Comment
Hello Anonymous,
Consider talking with your gynecologist. You may have suffered a hormonal imbalance as a result of taking Plan B. Three months is a long time to still have an irregular menstrual cycle.
Regards,
February 1, 2017 - 9:38amMaryann
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Hello Mary Ann, So I had unprotected sex with my boyfriend yesterday which is 26th Janaury and he ejaculated inside me. I took plan b 3 hours after the intercourse. I am so nervous cuz i am not really a fan of tracking my menstrual cycle due to the fact that i have irregular period. But I got my last period on Jan. 14 and ended on 18th. And i did some research and calculated that I am ovulating the day I had unprotected sex. I am not really sure tho (since i have irregular periods and i can't tell when am I gonna ovulate). Today is my second day in plan b and having some mild cramps and watery viganal discharges. I need some advice. THANKS!
January 27, 2017 - 5:03pmThis Comment
Hello Anonymous,
Just try your best to relax. Plan B prevents pregnancy by preventing ovulation. You took the pill as soon as you could.
If you do not have any bleeding within three weeks of taking Plan B, test for pregnancy. Cramping is a side effect of the pill.
Regards,
January 30, 2017 - 9:17amMaryann
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MaryAnn you've given some great responses. These have helped me but I still want to ask, is it possible to have pregnancy symptoms within a week of having a sexual encounter? My husband and I had a condom failure late Friday night, he immediately went and got Plan B One Step. I probably took it within an hour. But I also -was- either ovulating or near ovulation. I immediately felt sick by the pill. I was dizzy, weak and nauseous all day Saturday, a bit of nausea Sunday then I was normal. Wednesday I began feeling bits of nausea again and hot flashes. So it hasn't even been a full week. Could this be more side effects or symptoms of implantation? I have kids and don't ever remember having symptoms this soon, but I'd like some reassurance that plan B can have effects after no effects. The soonest I can test is next week but I'd love to know if, even with ovulation, the pill may still be effective. I'm 169 lbs
January 26, 2017 - 7:22amThis Comment
Hello Anonymous,
It is far too early to have any pregnancy symptoms within one week of intercourse. Implantation of the fertilized egg can take between six to 12 days.
Emergency contraceptives are thought to be less effective in women who weigh over 165 lbs.
Potential side effects of Plan B One-Step include:
nausea, abdominal pain, fatigue, headache, menstrual changes, dizziness, breast tenderness, and vomiting.
Regards,
January 26, 2017 - 9:25amMaryann
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Hello! Is plan B effective if I had unprotected sex on day 9 of my cycle, AKA about 5 days before ovulating? Since plan B only prevents ovulation for 5 days, is it really going to make a difference, since I am due to start ovulating at the same time that plan B supposedly stops working? I just want to make sure it's worth taking it at this point in my cycle. I really don't want to take it but also really, really don't want to be pregnant. It's been 24 hours since our mishap and I'll be taking it tomorrow morning, 36 hours after. I am now on day 10 of my typically very regular 29 day cycle.
December 23, 2016 - 7:59pmThis Comment
Hello Anonymous,
Plan B prevents pregnancy by preventing ovulation. So, it will be effective if taken before ovulation occurs.
In your case, take it. In the future, please use condoms and get on some regular type of birth control-oral contraceptives, patch, IUD or Depo-Provera injections.
Regards,
December 26, 2016 - 9:43amMaryann
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Hi. My husband and I had unprotected sex in the middle of the night the next afternoon i had had a cramp and went to the bathroom and after wiping i had discharge with a little blood, my huband went and got me plan b i took it maybe 16 hours after unprotected drunk sex. a week later i have sore breasts which i never get, and excess discharge clear milky but way more than normal and no smell. Am I pregnant or could this just be the effects of plan b? none of this is normal for me I am also a regular cycle and this was on day 6
December 18, 2016 - 11:30pmThis Comment