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I had protected sex, with a condom, when it slipped off while being withdrawn.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
thank you for this! i took plan b a couple days after my period ended and this was almost two weeks ago now and my nipples are unbearably sore! i'm kidding i'm a woman i can BEAR it. but, still, i told my partner if they were still sore in another week, we would go get a pregnancy test even though it seems impossible that i could be pregnant.
March 27, 2017 - 7:13pmThis Comment
The similar thing happened to me! But the thing is I haven't experienced spotting and it's been a week and my breasts are very sore, my stomachs feel weird I guess like cramps and my backs been killing me, I tried a pregnancy test and it didn't show me anything I'm really scared should I be more patient? Please help
March 22, 2017 - 8:26pmThis Comment
Hello Anonymous,
If you have no bleeding within three weeks of taking the emergency contraceptive, then test for pregnancy.
You could call and speak with your gynecologist about this.
Regards,
March 23, 2017 - 10:42amMaryann
This Comment
Hi Maryann - hoping you can help me as well. I took plan b on 3/23, 12 hours after sex. My pill pack was in upside down, so when I started my new pack of pills I was taking placebo pills instead of actives, so that meant 10 days in a row without an active pill. So I of course realized this after we had sex and I freaked!! I took plan b on 3/23 and started to bleed on 3/28. This was two weeks after my last period on 3/14. The plan b bleeding was the heaviest I've ever bled, lasting very heavy for two days, then got much lighter and was done on the fourth day. Does this def mean I'm in the clear? I can take a first response pregnancy test on Thursday of this week but am in panic mode as my breasts are starting to get sore, and that was a strong sign of pregnancy for me in the past. Thank you for your thoughts and advice!
April 4, 2017 - 4:22pmThis Comment
I shouldve probably mentioned I had brown like discharge like a day or two after taking it was that part of the spotting? my discharge lately has been milky white and I've been feeling period like cramps but I haven't started bleeding or anything. I lost my virginity like a month ago right after my last period and I bled a ton so idk if that has anything to do with a late period also but I'm hoping I don't become pregnant. My period tends to be irregular so i usually never know when ill start until i get pain in my stomach a week before
March 24, 2017 - 1:56pmThis Comment
My first period was 26-30 January. I had unprotected sex, took the plan B less than 24 hours later. Started bleeding on the 13-16th. Had unprotected sex again on the 19th of February. My period came on 24 feb-1 march. On the 12th of march I started feeling nauseous, tender breast so I took a pregnancy test on 14 March (was negative) I'm still having pregnancy symptoms but don't know if I need to wait until my next missed period date. Any information? Could I be pregnant?
March 19, 2017 - 5:51pmThis Comment
Hello Anonymous,
If you had bleeding after taking Plan B, it worked and you did not become pregnant.
You had your period after the second time you had unprotected sex, so again you did not become pregnant.
If you continue to have nausea and tender breasts, speak with your gynecologist.
Regards,
March 23, 2017 - 10:41amMaryann
This Comment
I have a question about the side effects?
I took MAP 9th march 2017
It's now 17/03/17 and my "period is early"
But I've just taken my bra off & I have dried discharge which I can only assume is colostrum or milk? I am a mother already. Breastfed my babies but I can honestly say I've never leaked since I stopped producing milk. Is this a side effect? & do I have a lot more side effects coming my way?
I want to add that this isn't my 1st time taking the MAP. I've taken it 3 times all together. 2nd time I actually got pregnant because it didn't work so I'm just confused if it's a side effect or I should go see my doctor? I'm not too worried because I've read about all these side effects but nothing about breast discharge?
March 16, 2017 - 6:35amThis Comment
Hi.
March 7, 2017 - 5:11amI had unprotected sex around the 17th of February during what I think was around my last few days of ovulation. He didn't cum inside of me, but I'm scared some precum got in by accident. I took the Plan B the next day, about 21/22 hours later. A few days after that, I started spotting/bleeding which sometimes was dark, but then became pink/bright red towards the end. I have been experiencing some soreness in my nipples and i'm not sure what's going on. My period is supposed to come around this time, the 7th and I haven't gotten it yet.
And if I'm pregnant, i don't want to tell my parents. Can you help?
This Comment
Hello Anonymous,
Plan B prevents pregnancy by preventing ovulation. If you had already ovulated by the time you took it, it may not have been as effective.
However, you did have spotting the next day , so it may have worked.
The pill can cause changes in your menstrual cycle. As a result, your next period could start later than expected. Or earlier, meaning the spotting might have been your period.
Flow can be lighter or heavier than normal.
Wait and see what happens, that is see if you get a period in the next few days or a period next month. If neither happens, then take a home pregnancy test. For the most accurate result, test in the morning. Use the urine when you wake up.
Regards,
March 7, 2017 - 9:44amMaryann
This Comment