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I had protected sex, with a condom, when it slipped off while being withdrawn.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 lost a bunch of weight too! It's awful. Hope you get your second one soon and you're back on track. Waiting for mine too. It's been about 30 days. Kinda expected it to be late. Ughhhhh
July 6, 2015 - 3:43pmThis Comment
When I took plan b I got back aches ( which I never get) acne on my forehead, and very sore breasts. When I got these symptoms I was afraid I was pregnant but got my period in time THANK GoD. Do not ever read symptoms on google you will just scare yourself thinking you are pregnant like I did. Just wait it out don't freak out your symptoms are most likely from the pill. Even 2 months down the road the pill has effected my cycle.
July 4, 2015 - 2:20amThis Comment
Thank you for your post! I saw how recent it is too so that makes me feel better. I got my period in June after taking Plan B at the end of May. It was about a day or two early and two weeks after I took the pill. Normal period and everything. Now I am two days late and have zero signs or symptoms of a period. Confused to say the least!
July 6, 2015 - 3:23pmThis Comment
Hello
June 22, 2015 - 3:36pmMy boyfriend and I had unprotected sex . 4 hours after doing so I took plan b . I was starting my period already with light spotting , the spotting stopped for a day then I had my period for 5 days. 3 weeks later I am feeling nauseous and light cramping . Is this normal due to the side effects of plan b ?
This Comment
You most likely aren't pregnant. You took the pill in time it's just all of the hormones. You should take a test just in case though :) good luck
July 4, 2015 - 2:29amThis Comment
did you have sore nipples on your second period?
May 22, 2015 - 9:49amThis Comment
Yep!! The middle bit of my nipples have been hurting when I press them but that's disappeared all a sudden and I feel cramping...probs to do with second period
July 6, 2015 - 1:52amThis Comment
Thank you so much! This is very reassuring. I took plan b, and almost exactly the same time line that happened to you happened to me. My only question is did you have a lot of brown clotting when you got your first period? I had used birth control and then had a lapse in my prescription for about 3 weeks. Stupidly, I took it right about the time I should have been starting my next period, and three days in had sex. He withdrew after about 30 seconds because we decided it wasn't a good idea. I freaked out and took plan b about two hours later. I started my off pills two days ago and have broken out into a full bleed, but this morning had a super bad cramping episode, and I had a massive brown clot that was the weirdest feeling. I get clots often but never one that big, so I was concerned. Just wondering.
April 20, 2015 - 7:08pmThis Comment
Thank you for this! I'm in a very similar situation, having sore breasts and some nausea a week after taking plan b while ovulating. I'm praying it isn't pregnancy symptoms and is just lasting plan b side effects.
April 20, 2015 - 7:44amThis Comment
Also kinda in the same boat. it's been about a 5 days since i had unprotected sex w/ my partner (and he ejaculated inside of me ... and it just so happened to be 2 days before ovulating). I took the morning after pill as soon as I could get a hold of it after (about 17h...). Now, 4 days later, I have a weird pulling sensation in my lower abdomen (though this started before i took the pill...) my breasts are huge & i've been super exhausted. So, obviously, I am completely FREAKING OUT. And like you, the dude thinks it's no big deal & has completely bailed. Nothing like a dose of hormones + thinking you might have just conceived a baby with a total jerk to help with emotional stability ... Excuse my rant :) All this to say, thank you so much for your post! I'm going to try to ignore that my body is feeling super weird, as the real lesson is - there is absolutely NOTHING I can do about it now. And in about 3-6 I'll know where I stand on stuff. *breathe out* Wish me luck!! xx
April 17, 2015 - 4:17pmThis Comment