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I had protected sex, with a condom, when it slipped off while being withdrawn.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 took the Plan B pill in Mid- Late March. From there it took about two weeks for my first bleed to start. This lasted for about 2 weeks. After this at mid April my period stopped and went about another month until my next arrived as normal, as well as my May period. However, This entire time my breasts were sore and almost pulsating. I was constantly nauseous, somedays not even wanting to eat. midd June my next period started however I didn't end up stopping for one month and one week. Mind you, i don't take any sort of birth control, but that was just plain ridiculous . I didn't think it had anything to do with the Plan.B pill since I had been fine for two months but I'm not sure what else would have caused it. I finally stopped spotting/ bleeding in mid July but the nausea hasn't passed. I haven't had sex since Before I had taken the Plan B pill...
July 30, 2015 - 5:44pmAny advise?
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Hi there. I hope by now you are feeling better. I am also suffering from daily nausea. The weird thing is it started with my 2nd period after Plan B, which was 16 days late, but just won't go away. I am just feeling so sick all the time! It's awful. When did it finally go away for you?
November 1, 2015 - 3:38amThis Comment
Last October I had a condom break while having sex with my husband. I am a pharmacy tech so I knew all about Plan B and didn't really worry. I took Plan B the following morning as soon as I arrived at work. Two weeks later I had been feeling nauseated and tired and decided to take a pregnancy test just to ease my mind, even though I just knew there was no way I could be pregnant, I had taken the Plan B as directed. Lol! I just gave birth to my beautiful 8 lb 7 oz daughter on June 24th:)
July 25, 2015 - 9:29pmSometimes you plan and God laughs! I love my Plan B baby!
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Did you bleed at all ?
September 25, 2015 - 10:37amThis Comment
Thank you, I feel a bit more relieved. I've been having weight gain after taking the pill, and it freaked me out a bit since I don't usually gain or lose very easily. But this gave me some comforting words.
July 22, 2015 - 9:10amThis Comment
Wow, this is exactly like me. I took it- not sure if i was ovulating or not- but i got my period about a week earlier than expected. My cycles are about 5 weeks apart so when my next period didnt come it felt like an eternity of waiting. Me and my boyfriend started getting scared so we decided to do 2 home pregnancy tests when i was about 8 1/2 weeks past my past period- about 3 1/2 weeks late. Both came back negative so we were very relieved and then the next day i started my period!
July 15, 2015 - 9:48pmThis Comment
Thank you so much for posting . It has been a little over a week since I have taken Plan B. I am miserable. ....hot flashes....tender breasts. ...nausea. ...back pain etc. I can barely eat. I have been terrified that I am pregnant. My boyfriend had a vasectomy over ten years ago and told me I had nothing to worry about but just to be safe I took the pill. I felt fine for the first four days after taking it then all these symptoms have set in. Ugh.....
July 10, 2015 - 9:48pmThis Comment
Thank you thank you thank you THANK YOU for this post. Seriously. I had an unprotected mishap. Not full blown intercourse but like <30 seconds of penetration. It was during my ovulation time and was freaked out about pre-fluids. I took it 17 hours later after talking myself into it. I had SEVERE anxiety and depression. I was moody, didn't sleep well, couldn't eat, it was terrible. Didn't really have a ton of symptoms until about a week and a half after taking it. I had weird cramps I had never experienced before. Started in my back, normal, but escalated to my pelvic area kinda on top of where my bones are. It burned. Awful. Got my period two days early--about two weeks after my encounter. It was a full five day heavy flow and lots of bleeding period. I was so relieved. Experience nothing after that ended except for some headaches and residual anxiety from scaring myself so much. Had bad allergies about a week ago. Flash forward to today and I am (according to my period tracker) 2 days late. I don't even feel like I'm about to start my period. No cramps, nothing. Had myself worrying again all over. Seeing this has helped. Have two pregnancy tests to take, but I think I am being ridiculous and need them to calm my nerves. I don't feel pregnant. This pill is whack. Never again. Thank you!
July 6, 2015 - 3:40pmThis Comment
Worst two months of my life, EVER! I have lost around 18 pounds due to worrying about being sick as a side effect and also of being pregnant, a worry for each month lol. Had to give in and take a test five days ago which was negative and then I even went to the doc for reassurance and she told me to stop worrying and to go and get a beer haha. It's worse for us women in the UK because its been rocket high temperatures which, I don't know about you guys but has caused me dizziness and slight nausea to the point where I've almost imagined and told some people I could be pregnant. My boyfriend of 9 months ticked me off too, saying he was gonna stick by me but that "if you're pregnant we'll get an abortion" (how rude..if your guy is being like this you need to consider how mature his morals are).
SO I sit here, sick of worrying for the past month and a half and I'm out-worried. Im pretty sure I tasted the metal taste last week along with tummy rumbles which sent me crazy cos Google told me these are week 6 symptoms. However I remain without them I just have this dizziness which hits me now and again..surely plan B can't affect me EIGHT weeks after? I hope it is though..I am a bit late for my second period, as every woman usually is when taking this(happened last time too) but I have that cramping at the moment...and my nipples were very sore for the last few days..not relying on my period coming yet though, this pill should be banned!!! I love how effective it is but the utter worry and confusion it sends us is unreal, I thought I was just being my worrying self. Plow twist is he didn't even finish in me, and I was on my coming-off day when we did it..so I was probably not even ovulating..how frustrating.
PS - if anyone has had dizziness approaching their second period can they let me know what happened? My worry is that I have something wrong with me...not hormone related :\
July 6, 2015 - 1:42amThis Comment
Hello,
I have taken plan B a few times.. unfortunately.. I am in my 40's and have 3 children. I have noticed some pretty intense side effects last several even 3-6 months after taking plan b. My best friend who is same age as me says the same thing. I get severe vertigo/ dizziness so bad it makes me throw up and nauseas for days where I can't eat. Periods are all over the place, moodiness, bloated, weight gain.. oh so much fun... :-( NOT.. uuhggg so yes I suppose it's normal to be dizzy a couple months after taking plan b.. Although it shouldn't be... My Plan A is to never have to take the stupid pill again.. Looking in to getting my tubes taken out! Take care hope all is better with you..
September 6, 2015 - 9:16pmThis Comment