To Blame Plan B Pill - Warning: Graphic image

[Talkabtit101]

So, took the morning after pill 5-March, I was ovulating and told the pharmacy they still gave it, period was late by a few days but came, had April period normal, I'm normally really heavy for 3 days then 3 days medium then it stops.

So this month period was due on 19th, it came on the 15th, started off spotting which sometimes happens sometimes don't, but from the 16th only had a light - light medium
flow. Which is unusual - no cramps or pains which again is very unusual. Then since around the 20th I've had nothing but spotting in the morning, it's only on the tissue and it's more pink discharge, will attach a picture below. I called the doctors Friday who just said to see what the next cycle is like. Didn't really give much more than that just said wait and see.

Now I'm besides myself I already suffer with anxiety and this just doesn't help at all, especially with how unhelpful GP was, I asked if it could be the morning after pill still as my body never reacts well with hormones anyway, but doctors don't like to say how much birth control or plan b can actually mess with you.
They asked if I was stressed but if I'm honest I'm always stressed.
Has anybody had this? Any idea what it could be at all?
Also - not pregnant I've taken a couple tests all negative.

( Also, I’m 21 )

The MAP can mess around with your cycle, but anxiety can also do that! Sometimes your periods can just go a bit weird for a few months, and then settle back to normal. Did you have the covid vaccination, and did that have any effect on your periods (it made mine a bit irregular)?

Also, I mean this very kindly but - isn't it good if you've had a period without cramps, and only a light flow?

Yes it could be the hormones in the pill. I'd also just wait and see if it resolves over the next couple of months.

Have you done a pregnancy test?
GP cant really do very much at the moment

@PonyPatter44 At first it was yes! Didn’t mind the lighter period it’s more the spotting every single day that is bothering me! - No covid vaccine recently no. It’s just the spotting really that I’m finding unusual.

@dementedpixie Yes, done pregnancy tests two and both negative! I thought maybe implantation but then also remembered I haven’t had sex recently either.

And same partner for 6 years so no STI risks either.

DISCLAIMER THIS IS THE DISCHARGE.

For all who have voted (YABU) can you explain further as to what you would put it down to?

Periods can do this sometimes. If you are not pregnant, I do think your GP's and other posters' suggestion to wait and see what happens next month makes the most sense.

Before I got pregnant, I used to have an 'odd' period maybe once a year or so. Sometimes very late, sometimes just spotting as you describe. The same happened after both my miscarriages. Also had one strange one after my first covid jab.

I guess lots of things can affect it, and then it just goes back to normal.

They're not going to do anything about 2 slightly unusual periods after the MAP.

Which emergency contraceptive did you take? Was it Ulipristal (EllaOne)? And was it only that once you took it in that cycle? It shouldn’t affect your cycle 3 months down the line, especially if you’ve had a normal March & April period.

Have you had unprotected sex this month? I would probably say to take another pregnancy test. If that is still -ve see what happens next month. If the same thing happens again I would definitely get a GP appointment as the pill can sometimes cause endometrial changes that would need further investigation.

Hi, Thank you for the responses, yes it was the EllaOne, which was only taken Once on 05/03. I do know I’m extremely sensitive to hormones as last year after finishing just one shot of depo injection my periods never returned back to normal from June when the shot ran out until December. Which is why I just blamed the pill, as it seems that no matter what hormones go into me, it takes a while to get them out my system.

My period was due the 19th this month her came on the 15th, and my last test was Friday which was blatant negative. And no unprotected sex this month either.

I do appreciate the GP saying wait until next month as if they thought it would be serious I’m sure further action would be taken, it’s jusg the little information as to what it could be that wasn’t helpful at all. As with someone who suffers with Anxiety a month is a very long time to wait to see if it happens again due my next cycle.
another thing is I just feel constantly tired but I’ve put that down to not sleeping well because I’ve been so worried about this unusual bleeding.

Ok not pregnant then.

It could very well be the pill, but there are other reasons for altered periods. As mentioned stress, weight loss, weight gain, exercise and other things. It could just be a mixture of the pill and the anxiety. I wouldn’t worry too much and wait to see what happens next month. If you have any intermittent bleeding in between or if your period next month is the same then it’s more than likely to be from EllaOne and I would say to try GP again.

Op can I ask - if you're blaming the pill (and I agree with you) then what are you anxious about? You believe you know the cause and so have no sinister thing to fear.

Yabu and need to calm down. Just do a test surely?! How would we know.

@MountainClimber22 I feel like you haven’t fully read the post, I’ve already took tests. My post isn’t about being pregnant or not. That’s already been ruled out.

@Useranon1 Im unsure, as I said I have major anxiety which is another topic, so of course when I’ve been Googling looking for answers I’ve seen some posts I’d rather not think about and that’s got me overwhelmed by it all. The main reason I asked on here was to ask other women abojt experiences and if the pill could be to blame, rather than me trying to tell myself it’s just the pill, ask others about their cycles and if they’ve had any similar experiences.

@ChloeHel Thank you! Maybe I’ll see how it is over the next cycles, I am getting cramps now too but still only light pink/brown when wiping and it hasn’t gotten any heavier than being there when I’m wiping so will see how it goes.

It’s just been 2 weeks now of bleeding, the 6 day period, and then 8 days of pink/brown discharge whenever I wipe, that’s the only thing that’s getting me down, also the cramps that are happening now could be because I’m due to ovulate maybe? I do usually feel cramps when ovulation time is near. But still losing the pink discharge so hopefully if I ovulate normally this month next months period shoukd be normal.

I will be calling GP again though as bleeding has now increased and the cramps are also there now too. Maybe it could be a UTI/Infwction so would really rather be seen by a GP rather than a phone call.

I use the fertility awareness method for contraception which means examinining my cycle, body temperature and discharge to pinpoint when I’m fertile. Occasionally I’ve chosen to ignore the signs and decided to take Ella 1- one time I had no period for two months! And then next time it was late by a week and very very light. I think it’s the MaP and I wouldn’t be worried. Spotting is normally a lack of progesterone and It will be low because to have a good dose of progesterone you need to ovulate. Wait another cycle and see what happens x

You've put artificial hormones in your body. Of course your period is not going to go back to being in a normal cycle straight away. It can take months to re-regulate and is entirely normal. There is nothing wrong with you and you really don't need to waste a GPs time with this. If anything, go and see the GP about your anxiety instead.

Have you ever had a UTI? Because from what you have described it doesn’t sound anything like a UTI.

Burning/stinging when urinating
Cloudy urine
The constant urge to urinate

It sounds like you are just having a normal period now. Stop worrying please.

There are a zillion things that can affect your periods. This is totally normal. You know you're not pregnant, so couple of periods that are missed or different from usual doesn't mean you need to see a doctor. Your doctor knows this, which is why they've told you that you should wait until your next cycle. Your GP wasn't 'unhelpful' at all. They were giving you the correct medical advice. And no, your GP isn't trying to cover up the side effects of the morning after pill. All of this is your anxiety speaking

Your problem here is your anxiety, not a disrupted menstrual cycle.

I will be calling GP again though as bleeding has now increased and the cramps are also there now too.

So, you thought you needed to see your GP because you weren't having a period.

Now you ARE having a period and you want to see your GP about that too?

I'm sorry, but you are not being remotely rational. If you need to see a doctor for anything, it's your anxiety/hypochondria/obsessive thoughts.

I don’t doubt the anxiety is playing a massive part in the worry, but as explained in my original post, I’ve already had a period, I’m now on day 15 and which looked to be another period came this morning. I’ve bled for over two weeks, 4/5 days a medium flow and 10 days of pink/red watery spotting all of which is very usual for myself.

If you look online it says morning after pill affects shouldn’t happen after the first cycle. This is now my third period after taking the pill. Hence why I made this post and contacted GP.

I called the GP to speak to a female doctor, for my own peace of mind. They want me to book in for bloods to check all levels.

thank you for all the responses, but this post wasn’t about not having a period or being pregnant as was suggested. It was made for the intention to ask if the pill could actually be to blame as everywhere seems to say it won’t affect any cycles other than the cycle you take the pill in.

And also this hasn’t been my first time taking a morning after pill, I took it a while back and do not remember it ever affecting me a couple months later, however body has been through other stuff since then and if I’m being honest after a spout of depo in March 21, and not getting that renewed in June when I should of my cycles never returned normal until December 21.

Thank you to all who have commented.

What are you worried about? You know you're not pregnant so what is there to be anxious about?

Artificial hormones cause all sorts of problems. That doesn’t mean they are not wonderful drugs that serve an excellent purpose, but they are far from benign.

your symptoms are really quite mild. I would give it another cycle or two and see if things work themselves out on their own.

If I’ve ever had to take the MAP it always messes with my next three or so cycles. Either really short, really long or lots of spotting in between. Always put it down to the hormones (and I have endometriosis so I’m being constantly poked and prodded down below so know there’s absolutely nothing else wrong with me, I think MAP can just do this).