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I had protected sex, with a condom, when it slipped off while being withdrawn.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
I feel like I'm being a nag lol so I can be cramping as only a side effect from the plan b pill and still possibly be pregnant? Or could the cramping be the pill working? I've been cramping off and on all week. It's been exactly a week today since I took the pill. Thanks for your time!
December 12, 2016 - 12:24pmThis Comment
Hello llovebtce3,
I'd rather you keep asking a question so that you understand.
Plan B can cause abdominal cramping. You will only know that the pill worked once you have bleeding.
If you have no bleeding within three weeks of taking the pill, then test for pregnancy.
If the cramping worsens or persists for more than one week, please contact your gynecologist.
Regards,
December 13, 2016 - 9:49amMaryann
This Comment
I'm adding my story to this thread - hopefully others will find it and get some reassurance.
I had unprotected sex on 18 November and took the morning after pill (Leven, which is equivalent to Plan B sold in Australia) the next morning. I was super-tired that night - fell asleep over dinner - but put it down to jetlag after a long-haul flight a few days earlier and not much sleep the night before.
Over the next few days I was getting nausea off and on, but it was quite mild, so I thought maybe it was just a touch of motion sickness from being a passenger in a car (usually I drive) or maybe something I'd eaten.
After about a week, the nausea became really bad and I was fatigued as well. The nausea would start early in the morning and would wake me up, and would usually stay until late afternoon or evening. I thought I had picked up a virus or food poisoning on the flight home. It was an effort of willpower just to get off the sofa and do anything. This has continued for more than two weeks, every day.
Eventually I thought.... uh oh, what if this isn't motion sickness / virus / jetlag, what if the morning after pill didn't work and... I'm pregnant?
I did two at-home tests and both were negative - but it was hard to know when to test because my period start dates sometimes vary a bit. Eventually I had a blood test done (paid for privately) to confirm I wasn't pregnant. The blood tests can be more accurate sooner, and I wanted a definite answer. It was negative. I've just had my period and it was quite light and a few days early.
It has been more than two weeks since taking the morning after pill and I am still having on-again-off-again nausea and feeling fatigued, although it seems to be improving slowly.
In short, the morning after pill is quite serious medication and the side effects can be really long lasting. This is not to say I wouldn't take it again, but I could have avoided a lot of anxiety if these were explained better in the advice on the medication (like the leaflet inside the pack) - or if I had found this thread sooner!
December 5, 2016 - 10:55amThis Comment
I started my period on November 10th it ended on the 17th. I had unprotected sex on the 18th. I took Plan B within 24hrs. On November 24th I had light bleeding, on the 25th until the 27th it was heavy, on the 28th & 29th it was light. Then had breast tenderness for two days afterward. Was this my period again or should I be worried I am pregnant? Help this is beyond stressful!
December 3, 2016 - 3:42amThis Comment
Hello Anonymous,
This was not your period but bleeding triggered by taking Plan B. You need not be worried. You are not pregnant.
Be aware that ECP cause changes in the menstrual cycle. Your next period could start on time or earlier or later than expected. Flow might be lighter or heavier than normal.
Regards,
December 5, 2016 - 10:03amMaryann
This Comment
Hi, I took the Plan B pill on the 12th. I have very irregular periods. They used to come at the beginning of the month, now they come at the end of the month. I started feeling kind of tired and a little nauseous after taking the pill. Started having premenstrual cramps (or hope they are) on the 23rd, I believe I started bleeding heavily on the 24th. It was light at first then got heavier, and felt like a normal period, except for some bright red blood on occasion. The bleeding lasted for 4 days, but there was a bit of spotting a couple of days after. (I usually have periods that last for 5 or 7 days, but not always.) I had taken a pregnancy test on the 23rd, which was the same day that I began to feel cramps coming on, and it was negative. I am concerned because since then I have been feeling very nauseous on and off, extremely fatigued and sometimes to the point of drowsiness, dizziness, very little appetite, and today I had, although light, a bit of abdominal cramping. I know most of these are side effects of Plan B, and I already have a strange nervous system (i.e. hypoparathyroidism, which is under control, and ITP, a blood disorder, also under control). I take calcium and iron pills for these disorders. I am concerned because, should I still be feeling these symptoms so long after since I took the Plan B pill (took it on the 12th of Nov, it's now the 1st of December and still not feeling right). I am terrified of possible pregnancy, or if I could have had an ectopic pregnancy and not known it (I know I'm probably just being irrational, as I'm very anxious about it). Is it possible that the period I had wasn't my period? It was heavy like a normal period. The official sites say that symptoms shouldn't last more than 24 hours, but I have read about some people having symptoms last longer, and it's very confusing. I will be taking another pregnancy test soon just to be on the safe side. Please help because I am very anxious!!! Can't sleep because of how anxious I am! Thank you so very much for your help. I appreciate all the help I can get!
December 1, 2016 - 3:00amThis Comment
Hello Anonymous,
The symptoms persist and are causing you great anxiety. Please reach out to your gynecologist and schedule an appointment. With your medical history, it is best to be seen.
Keep in touch,
December 1, 2016 - 9:38amMaryann
This Comment
Here's my story .
November 30, 2016 - 6:00pmOn October 28th I had sex with my bf and the condom broke right when he ejaculated . Not on any form of birth control so he went and got the plan B pill and I probably took it a few hours after the fact . I was also on the final stages of my period so I was still lightly bleeding . (Period started on the 23rd usually lasts for about a week)
After taking the pill Shortly after I felt the symptoms, fatigue, bloating, nauseous..
That following Monday I became extremely nauseous like my period was going to start since I get that way every time . So I decided to go to the bathroom and seen I was bleeding wasn't extremely heavy but wasn't light . It lasted for about 2/3 days and I really wasn't sure what to do . Too soon to take a pregnancy test and because I had just had my period it was going to be a long waiting game for me .
About 10/14 days later I decided to take a pregnancy test .... both negative
A week later I decided to take another one... negative
I was probably a week away from my period so I decided to wait and see what was going to happen . I usually have irregular periods so I never pay attention to when it should start .
Last month it started on the 23rd this month it was late so I decided to take a test on the 27th ... negative.
Today November 30th around 10Am I started cramping nothing serious but bothersome.. went to the bathroom and saw I was bleeding but it wasn't like my usual period.. it didn't stop and it wasn't like spotting but more like it was trying to start . Now it is 7pm and it's a bit heavier and I'm still cramping and having all the regular signs of my period starting so with that said I believe plan B worked for me and this is my experience. I will still be seeing my doctor to make sure but in the mean time hello Mother Nature
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I am scared I might be pregnant. I was ovulating and the condom broke. I took plan B less than 2 hours later. I have dizziness and tender breasts about 5 days later.
November 4, 2016 - 2:29pmThis Comment
I had the very same experience as the original writer I was scared taking test just waiting and hoping to bleed and I did and it was brown and light and then it was my regular normal blood and it was stopped but long as I have seen blood I have the very tender soreness in my breast so I know that it did work and that the soreness of the breast is one of the major side effects to the plan b I did have unprotected sex 2 days before my ovulation day and it worked for me I know it's going to take at least two months for my normal monthly cycle to get back on track word of advice ladies we have to be smarter lesson learned
November 2, 2016 - 10:18amThis Comment