Tags
asia, birth control, childfree, childfreedom, ECP, filipina, nordette, philippines, pills, Plan B, reproductive health, southeast asia
Please refer to updated version 12162015.
So you had unprotected intercourse. You shouldn’t have, but you did. And now here we are! Fret not, you can fix this. You can use emergency contraception, a.k.a Plan B or the Morning After pill.
Here’s What You Do
Ensure that it has only been 120 hours since your last unprotected intercourse. The closer you are to the zero hour, the better.Buy a pack of Nordette birth control pills. They usually come in a 21-pill pack and the active ingredients are ethinyl estradiol (30 mcg) and levonorgestrel (150 mcg). If you’re in the Philippines, Mercury Drugstore has this for less than 200 PHP.Take 4 active pills at once.Wait 12 hours, document your side effects just in case.Take 4 more active pills.Get yourself to an OB-GYNE sometime this week to discuss more stable birth control methods because this is not healthy.
Rules, Actual Rules (New Section!)
Take it in at most 120 hours. See FAQ item 1.If you vomit within three hours after taking a dose, retake. See FAQ item 10.Do NOT have unprotected intercourse in the week after taking ECP. See FAQ item 15.
Notes
If the pack you got has 28 pills instead of 21, that’s fine. Each pack has 21 active pills and 7 placebo or reminder pills. Take the active pills.The active ingredient you’re really going for is the levonorgestrel, not the ethinyl estradiol.Technically, any pill that gives you a total of 1.5 mg of levonorgestrel (0.75 mg doses 12 hours apart) will do.
Side Effects
As usual, it depends on the person. Common side effects include nausea, vomiting, withdrawal bleeding, bloating, cramps, and mood swings. This is because of the intense hormonal spike that you induced. So hopefully if you do this, you do it just this once.
FAQs
I am taking off from this post where a ton of readers left their comments.
Is it still effective after 120 hours? Some sources say you can go up to 150 hours. After that I guess it would just be a matter of luck.Will they ask me for a prescription? Maybe yes, maybe no. Depends on the Mercury Drugstore branch attendees. You either go to every branch until someone sells you a pack, or you lie and say you left your prescription at home but you have been using it for a while. Read this.How many times can I use this method? Ideally, never. It screws with your hormones, and after all those side effects I think you wouldn’t want to do this more than once.But I bought the pack and it says take one a day for 21 days! Yes, that’s how we normally take the pill. You’re doing the emergency route. Think of it as one teaspoon of sugar in your coffee on a normal day vs. four teaspoons of sugar in a liter of water because you have gastroenteritis.Will I die? Extremely unlikely, unless you’re really dodgy on the heart. In which case, go to your OB-GYNE!What if I’m too scared of the side effects you talked about? Well then you’re just going to have to deal with the side effects of being pregnant which, surprise, are exactly the same! With the very small difference that you have to take care of a child for the next 18 years.If it doesn’t work and I get pregnant, will it affect the baby? No, it’s just hormones. When you take it, you basically have the hormones of four pregnant women in you. Crazy side effects, but won’t cause birth defects.What if I’m too ashamed to buy the pills? Get one of your more adventurous friends to buy it for you, or just suck it up because if you’re too ashamed to buy pills then good luck dealing with the social stigma of an unintended pregnancy.What if I’m not experiencing any side effects?! That is some superhuman strength right there I tell you. Just be calm and take a pregnancy test next month.Do I need to retake it if I vomit? “If you vomit within three hours of taking the ECP, you should see your pharmacist, doctor, or Family Planning clinic for advice and further tablets.” (Pharmacy Live)Can I take this while on my period? Yeah okay but since you’re already on your period and if you had intercourse just 120 hours ago, your menstrual cycle says you’re safe.How will I know it worked??? I know you’re worried AF, but besides taking a pregnancy test or waiting for your period, I don’t know. And if the digging I’ve done on the subject on the internet is to be trusted, nobody does either. There are a lot of factors that go into this (where you are in your cycle, what contraceptives you took, etc) so there’s really just no way of knowing immediately after taking ECP that it worked. Go ask reddit if you want more people to weigh in on that, but users there agreed that we just. Don’t. Know. Yes it’s a hassle but I can’t do anything about this. See also: FAQ item 13.It’s been several days since I took ECP, and now I’m bleeding, and it’s darker and less heavy than my normal period. What is happening? This is the withdrawal bleeding I mentioned earlier. It’s a fake period, and is NOT the start of your actual period. Why does it happen? Because you ingested a ton of hormones and when those hormones leave your body, you go through withdrawal just like with any other drug. With normal pill users, the withdrawal bleed happens on day 24 or day 25. Basically, pill users don’t ever actually menstruate, it’s all fake. Read this if you want to learn the nitty-gritty of pill use. As for your period, you’re going to have to be patient; it may be delayed due to the ECP. Just stay calm. If you want to be absolutely sure, then take a pregnancy test a month after the unprotected intercourse happened.Can I take more than 8? No. Put that pill pack down, you’re going to be fine.I haven’t taken any pills before, can I do this? Yes. Also consider going on the pill to avoid more of these episodes.Can I have unprotected sex right after I do this emergency procedure? Seriously? SERIOUSLY? Let’s put it this way… You left the stove on and the house almost burned down. You managed to put out the fire. And you’re going to leave the stove on again? Come on now. “ECPs are only good to protect against one act of unprotected sex. They work by blocking ovulation, but only for a few days, so if you take them and have unprotected sex again afterwards, you’re significantly increasing your risk of a pregnancy. If you have unprotected sex again within a few days of taking the pills, there will be more sperm waiting in the fallopian tubes when the egg is eventually released.” (Bedsider.org 2014)What do I do with the 13 leftover pills? Keep it in your purse if you think you’ll need it again.
Other Methods
You can try to procure the real Plan B, just make sure that you’re getting it from a supplier you can trust. This supplier quotes it at 3000 – 3500 PHP.I have heard that Vitamin C can be used as an emergency contraceptive but I do not endorse it. I don’t know anyone who’s done this.You can get a copper IUD inserted by your OB-GYNE within 120 hours and it will also work as emergency contraception. Cost is 2500 PHP and up, and you can keep using it for the next 12 years. According to the US CDC, it’s 99.92% effective. Read this if you’re considering it. Not for the squeamish!
francinne said:
@babe, hi. side effects differ sa lahat ng babae. merong ibang girls na makaka feel ng side effects, some wala. some will differ din on how long will experience the side effects to the best answer to your question is: it depends per girl. 🙂
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jhe said:
Pano po kapag nag karoon kami ng unprotected intercourse ng bf ko. Then uminom ako ng first 4 within 5 days and another 4 after 12 hrs of taking the dirst four. Tapos nagka roon ulit kami ng unprotected intercousrse. Safe parin po ba inumin ulit? At same process or dosage parin po ba? Thanks😊
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Ann said:
@babe wait mo lang WB mo 🙂
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Aisha said:
Hi! It’s been 11 days (October 15) since I took Lady pills as ECP. I really did not experience major side effects after taking it because uminom ako ng Bonamine prior. Siguro nugn 1st week medyo sumasakit lang ang puson ko pero nothing major. Nagwoworry lang ako kasi wal pa din ako withdrawal bleeding. This past few days, sumasakit usually ang boobs ko and puro white discharge lang.
Has anybody experienced withdrawal bleeding for more than 10 days? 😦
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certainsomeone said:
yes , 7-14 days ang waiting time for the WB
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Aisha said:
thanks. got my withdrawal bleeding 13 days after the last intake of lady pills. And medyo malapit na sya sa expected period ko. So I assume this would be my period na and I will count ulit 28 days bago ulit ako magka menstruation on November.
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singlemom31 said:
I have the same predicament… It’s already 11 days after I took trust pill as ECP and up to now no withdrawal bleeding yet.
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Ann said:
Share ko lang
my last period is
Sept.08
Sept. 16 – deed the condom broke after 13 hrs i tool ladypills
Sept. 17 – 2nd dose of ladypills
Sept. 23-25 – i got my WB
Oct.1 -11 brown spotting
Oct. 12- 18 – EggWhitelikeCervical Mucus and Wet so i think im ovulating
Oct. 31 at 4 pm may spotting
Nov. 1 lumakas na sya and it fill pad
I think its my period na .. i felt relief 😄
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kitty said:
Help! I just want an assurance.
Our deed was on aug 20
Took nordette as ecp
Withdrawal bleeding at august 29
Vaginal bleeding/ period on oct 4
Im still waiting for my perid this month.
Am i not pregnant?
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Ann said:
Wait ka na lang sabi nga dba ecp will mess up your period so it will take a months para bumalik sa dati ang cycle mo . Darating yan dont stress out 🙂
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HelpPlease said:
Hello girls!
Me and my gf had unprotected dry humping na naked. Was going to penetrate pero nd ko tinuloy so sa hole lang. I’m fairly certain may precum dun so we followed advice and bought trust pilss. She took a first dose 17 hours after the deed, pero now nd nya kaya ung hilo because she vomits everything kahit tubig. Ok lang kaya we stop at the first dose?
Nd ako nag cum inside as no penetration, just concerned what to do?
Thanks for the help
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Aapots said:
Hello i just wanna ask my case i took the ecp twice in 3 days apart i know it will ruin my menstrual cycle.. but lately i experiencing a liquid clear to yellowish discharge i just wanna know if this is normal my expected menstration id on nov 26. Am i possible to get pregnant. I took the ecp 24hrs after intecourse.. thank you
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Joan said:
Hi…uodate lang po ako
Had unprotected sex jan 3 fertile ako withdrawal naman pero uminom.ako.ng.trust pills 4/4
January 9 brown discharge konti hanngang kinabukasan then nawala
Jan 11 white mens parang.sipon
Jan 19 brown discharge naging red at lumakas.kinabukasan may buo pang.blood
Ngayun brown discharge konti
Ang tanong.ko.wb ko na ba yun?
Pls.help
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Kate said:
I promise myself to post a comment here if naging succesful sakin ang ecp. I gave birth Nov. 11, 2017, after giving birth, nagstop lang yung pagbbleed ko last feb 3, and that’s when we did it. My mom said na hindi pa daw ako ulit mabubuntis hanggat d pa ulit ako nagkakaron, but nung nagsearch ako, a woman who just gave birth is very fertile. I got scared, I just gave birth at ayoko pa ulit mabuntis considering also that my 1st pregnancy is accidental lang din. Then I searched about ecp using pills, walang mabilhan ng nordette dito samin so my bf just bought Trust Pills which is also on the list. We did it Feb 3 at past 2 pm, I drank my first dose at 5:30 pm that same day and my second dose at 5:30 am the ff. day. But I got scared kasi trust pills is not as popular like nordette as used for for ecp so I take another dose at feb 4, 5:30 pm and another dose at 5:30 am. I used 16 pills all in all, may balak pa sana kong bumili ng other types of pills pero pinigilan ko na lang sarili ko. I got mored scared pa as day passes waiting for the WB that I searched ways for natural abortion, I ate papaya and papaya seeds, I always buy taho in the morning for the soya content, I overdose myself in vit. C drinking 2 tablets in the morning and evening, sometimes 3 depending sa level ng stress ko, I do 100 squats before going to the shower and used hot water. And I always pray na sana di ako mabuntis and I promised the lord when I pray na the next time magiingat na talaga ko. Today at feb 11, 8 days after taking my first dosage I got my WB, first it was brown red discharge then parang naging normal na menstruation na din sya. I know I did it the OA way but I can’t blame myself, i’ve already experienced what it’s like to have unwanted pregnancy(but I don’t regret it now), and I think a person should have have a free choice to prevent or continue a pregnancy depending on her emotional, physical and mental preparedness. Btw, if you’re scared na what you are doing is like abortion, it is not, you are preventing the sperm to meet the egg hence no child is involved yet.
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Mars said:
Hi kate, update lang. This march ba dumating on time ang period mo? Thanks
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Natasha Teller said:
Emergency Contraceptive or Plan B Morning After Pill
Available for Sale
0945-765-1233
@alphafemaleph
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JayC Blue said:
hi, i had unprotected sex with my bf hindi naman sya nag ejaculate pero im worried abt sa pre ejaculate so i took trust pills after 2 days of intercourse pero isang pill lng ininom ko…..and now it’s almost 7 days after intercourse and still taking one pill every after 24 hrs and im experiencing abdominal pain….pls help idk what to do and i don’t want to get pregnant
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paranoid said:
Hello i used to visit 7 months ago 😅
Can someone just assure me that i am not pregnant?
My last sex was on the 3rd week of march. I had 2 periods since then; happened last week of march, april and may. I was on pill but stopped taking it about 5 days later after sex. I took 2 PTs 2 days apart last week and both had negative results.
I am just paranoid that i am just getting the side effects of getting off the pill thats why i get the periods.
Can someone just assure me that i am not pregnant? I just get paranoid when i experience cramps or dizziness or tiredness. I would appreciate the assurance from you guys. Thank you
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Lovey said:
If the PT says negative then it’s negative. Did you take it on your first urine in the morning?
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cait said:
hi! may tanong po ako nong april 24-28 2018 yun yung totoong period ko tapos nag sex kami ng boyfriend ko after ko magkaroon then nag take ako ng lady pills 8 tablets tas nagkaroon ako ng wb last may 7-11 alam kong hindi totoong period ko yun kasi parang brown yung color tas nag sex ulit kami last may 26 2018 protected naman kaso nabutas yung condom pero di naman siya nalabasan sabi niya tas last na nag sex kami ngayong june 3 2018 unprotected tas june 4 nag take ako ng lady pills 4 tabs tas 4 tabs ulit after 12 hrs tas ngayon wala pa akong wb nararamdaman ko lang ngayon eh tender breasts tas nausea ilang araw na mabubuntis po ba ako? please answer me thank you napaparanoid na po kasi ako hahaha thanks po sa sasagot 🙂
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Lovey said:
The while you had was your men already at that meeting month, assuming you din’t bled after that. You should be safe. Update if no nag nangyari sayo. Chill
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@girl said:
Help please my bf and i had a s3x and then suddenly nung aalisin niya na yung condom is naiwan siya i dont think kung may natapon ba sakin then i panic so agad akong umuhi pinilit ko talagang umihi advice may chance ba na may pumasok na sperm sakin even hindi naman sa loob natanggal yung condom? should i take a pill?
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Lovey said:
Hi Yes. Take the pill. Did you take it na? Are youbfertile at that time? When was your last menstruation? If you need someone to talk to, please email me roxy_melon@yahoo.com.. we have similar situation.
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Lovey said:
Yes you should take the pill just to be sure.
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Lovey said:
I had unprotected sex last July 18. My last mens is July 11-15. Since nordette is faced out, I took Lady pills 4 pills On July 19 (22hours after the deed) and another 4 pills 10 hours after(7pm). Until now I don’t have the so-called Withdrawal bleed, it’s been 10days. All week and until right at this moment IM feeling queasy and I have lower abdominal pains, also sore nipples and breasts. Am I at risk? Please I need advises . Thanks a lot! Please email me roxy_melon@yahoo.com..
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Lovey said:
I had unprotected sex last July 18. My last mens is July 11-15. Since nordette is puwede out, I took Lady pills 4 On July 19 and another 4 10 hours after. Until now I don’t have the so-called Withdrawal bleed. All week and until right at this moment IM feeling queasy and abdominal pains. Am I at risk? Please I need advises . Thanks a lot!
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Anne said:
Ask ko lng what happened sau. Did u had wb?
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lala said:
Hi. my bf and I had an unprotected sex on sept 29 i’m really worried and scared because before syang mag cum nilabas nya muna nya ung kanya then after mga 3 sec siguro un, pinasok nya ulit. then kinabukasan sept 30, first thing in the morning naghanap na ako ng nordette, ang dami daming kong napuntang drugstore more or less ten siguro un, hindi ko alam na phase out na pala sya, nung monday oct 1 bumili nalang ako nung charlize, i followed the instruction na 4 pills then another 4 pills after 12 hrs. Oct 2 i feel a little bit nausea then oct 3 to now oct 4 i don’t feel any signs na magkakaroon ako. usually kase if time of the month ko na ung boobs ko will feel sour and meron din akong back pain bukod ung masakit ang puson. i really dont know what to do. i’m really scared na mag take ng pt gusto ko ulit mag take ng another 4 just to be sure. i really need advise please.
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katangahan said:
dont take another 4 pills, it will fuck up ur cycle more and matatakot ka pa nang masmatagal. dont have sex din muna until you get your WB. Also anong part ka na ba sa cycle mo? relax muna, eat normally and sleep normally kasi madedelay lalo bleeding if sobra sa stress.
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Helpme said:
Hi po, may question po, my gf last periond is August 30, 2018, we had s3x September 30 first and last for the month of september, until now october 6 still wala pa syang period, Buntis po kaya sya? And if positive may mga paraan po ba para mapigilan? Hindi pa po kami prepared.
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jhe said:
Can you reccomend another emerfency pill na over the counter lang other than nordette?
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jessica said:
pwede po ba trust pill?
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cel said:
hello. so irregular cycle ko and i had unprotected sex. is it okay to take the pill? or baka mas lallong magka gulo cycle ko?
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yikes said:
Hi so it’s my first time encounter and I was really anxious about it, we used a condom but idk if it broke or what so just to b sure i took the plan b, days after I experienced withdrawal of white thing in my vag area and also some irritation and itch in my vulva, do you think it’s yeast infection caused by imbalanced hormones? Anyone has experienced this? Should I check on an Ob? Thank u.
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