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I had protected sex, with a condom, when it slipped off while being withdrawn.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
Good information to know. I had completely unexpected, unprotected sex 2 weeks ago, smack in the middle of my fertile time and didn't have access to EC until almost 40 hours later. My period started today, a few days early. I have had both miscarriages and labor pains that haven't been this bad as far as cramps/contractions go. Neither Pamprin nor prescription strength ibuprofen are even touching the pain, which is also causing back cramps. Like you, I have the breast tenderness, slight nausea and dizziness and other symptoms that typically indicate a pregnancy, which caused me to take a pregnancy test, which came out negative. Ladies, just know that taking Plan B can cause extremely painful cramping and heavy bleeding because it forces the uterus to shed its lining to stop implantation. I will never take this again because the cramps are SO bad! It almost has me screaming into my pillow.
November 19, 2017 - 12:56amThis Comment
Ugh I’m having those awful back cramps right now!!! Took plan b about a week and a half ago and my period has come a few days early. It’s not heavy or light it’s just barely anything unless I wipe then it’s alot. It’s the weirdest period I’ve had but the cramps. I’ve had 2 csections and this is by far the worst pain I’ve ever experienced. I can barely lift up my one year old to change his diaper it’s awful. I wouldn’t wish this pain in anyone
June 21, 2018 - 10:31amThis Comment
Hi there. I took Plan B around 30-36 hours after the event. My period ended the day before said event date. Didn't start spotting until a week later after the pill, darker red and bright red too, lasted a few days. At that same time felt bloated, acne on areas of my face that normally don't occur. This is still going on. I've been nauseas since taking the pill until now. My breasts haven't been tender. I've been having cramps for the past week. My period was supposed to arrive a couple of days ago, but instead I'm spotting again today. Is this a bad sign?
October 26, 2017 - 4:48pmThis Comment
Did anyone finally get the bloating and weight gain to go away after plan B? I took it almost a month ago and can't shake these symptoms :( I am also irritable and feel sluggish.
October 17, 2017 - 9:45amThis Comment
I have taken plan b 3 months in a row (I know I know, I should be more careful). It was necessary because of contraceptive failures (e.g. condom came off). I bled within a few weeks afterwards. Since then i have had protected intercourse (plus no ejaculation inside of me), and I am nervous that i'm pregnant. I have super SORE boobs, mild cramping, and i'm very fatigued. I'm not sure if this is all that plan B catching up with me, considering that it can really mess up your hormones/cycle. I'm so nervous. My period was due today and it hasn't come I have taken 2 early detection pregnancy tests over the past few days and both came back negative, but i'm not sure if that's just because I'm testing too early. I'm really really scared. Someone shed some light please !
October 1, 2017 - 12:10amThis Comment
I took take action one day before ovulation. Period came on the day it was supposed too. Heavy for two days and then spotting on day 3 (brown blood on tampon). I'm very crampy this evening but no spotting since this afternoon. Am I safe to assume that was my period and I'm not pregant? I took a test and it was negative. I know this should be an easy answer of yes, you're not pregant but I'm freaked out.
September 25, 2017 - 7:42pmThis Comment
I took plan b 19 days ago. I had a lot of the symptoms that you would get after taking it. September 25 is the first day I am supposed to start my period but haven’t got it yet. I didn’t have no spotting after take the morning after pill is that what could be causing my period to be late?
September 25, 2017 - 7:12pmThis Comment
Hi, I had unprotected sex two days ago and he came inside of me. Now today two days later I took the pill. And it's a been over 6 hours since I've taken it and I am starting to have very bad stomach pain on the bottom and feeling like I have to use the bathroom and sharp pain. Is that normal or too soon to start seeings symptoms? And will they get worse?
September 19, 2017 - 1:17amThis Comment
I had my period and two days after I had sex we used a condom but before putting it on he did maybe about 2-3 thrusts unprotected. He did cum inside but I was still worried. I took a pill that night before going to bed and experienced no symptoms at all. A week later I experienced blood not as heavy as when I get my period but blood. Is this normal? It seems to slow down but I am still bleeding it's been 3 days so far
September 18, 2017 - 2:12pmThis Comment
Are you spotting brown? Because I am... If so I think it's normal
September 24, 2017 - 3:47amThis Comment