The Morning After Pill

boardsie08

Hey girlies,

I recently got myself into a bit of bother and needed to get the Morning After pill.. Just wondering if any of you ladies have any experience of this?

Kinda need to put my mind at ease at the moment.. have you had any experience/ever heard of it failing?

Kinad worried about it all atm, so need some girly advice! x

themadchef

Hi Boardsie08, firstly...try not to worry


I took it once (years ago, in college). If i remember correctly, it brought my period on pretty quickly. I was mid cycle and worried sick when condom burst that i was going to get pregnant (i didint), I can imagine youre worried sick.

Not sure what the stats are, but i think it's very effective. Must be taken within a certain period of time after sex though, sooner the better to be most effective. Again, i'm going on memory. Also i know a few who have taken it, it worked for them also. Nothing is 100 % though.

Best of luck!

boardsie08

Thanks darling!

I've taken it well within 24 hours, and I know it's most effective when taken within the first 24 hours.. obviously because it's not 100% there's always gonna be that niggling doubt in the back of your mind.. Here's hoping it does the trick though! x

mollybird

ya i taken it once or twice. once you take it within the 24 hours it's fine. never failed on me.

LadyJ

I think once you take it within 72 hours it's ok, though the sooner the better of course. At least that's what I was told, that was a few years back though. Don't worry OP, you'd have to be really unlucky for it not to work. Anyone I've ever known who has taken it didn't become pregnant. Relax.

Maybe consider going on the pill after this though, just to put your mind at ease in the future. Keep using condoms as well though.

Gillybean72

boardsie08 wrote: »

Thanks darling!

I've taken it well within 24 hours, and I know it's most effective when taken within the first 24 hours.. obviously because it's not 100% there's always gonna be that niggling doubt in the back of your mind.. Here's hoping it does the trick though! x

I have taken it a couple of times and had diff symptoms each time. Once my period came early with heavy cramping, another it came on time and no diff and another I was a bit late, but had mild cramps for a week prior. I had the sore boobs and other things too and was worried it had failed....

As long as you werent sick you should be grand

Quality

I'd say you were fine, If you got there within 24 hours...

nikki 122

How many times can you take it only happened me once but just in case

Lux23

I took it three times. The first was when it was two pills and it made me puke my ring so no good. But the the last two times was just the one pill and it was fine, just took it and forgot about it.

To be honest I was never at risk that much but felt I was better off safe then sorry.

Its not recommended to take it all that often but I don't think there is a limit on how much you take it.

Sanerah

I've taken it i think 5 times now, it obviously works very well, I'm not pregnant!!
Some of my friends have taken it and experienced heavy bleeding immediately, myth has it that it was the actual embryo that was bleeding out... dunno if that's true!

Nevyn

5 times ?

It's like 6 months of the horrormoans in the normal pill all at once.
Have you not considered another standard type of contraception if you current one keeps failing ?

I took it once like 12 years ago and it worked.

Sanerah

I know, 5 times but over the space of like 10 years... so it isn't too bad.
i changed my contraception after the last time I needed one. I'm now on the patch its much better than having to remember to take the oral pill everyday! But patch isn't exactly attractive!

LadyJ

Sanerah wrote: »

IBut patch isn't exactly attractive!

Thus making it the best form of contraception!

Peared

Be warned that you may feel sick after taking it and if you actually vomit you may need to take another dose. Cant remember what the time frame for this is.

You will probably get an anti nausea tablet with it. In my experience this made no difference and I felt as sick as a dog but maybe you will be luckier.

Def get contraception sorted, morning after messes with your cycle, your hormones and your stomach.

StandnDeliver

i found when i took it i had 2 periods within the month so dont be alarmed if it happens.

dudara

Good to hear you got it sorted. But don't take it more than a couple of times in your life. It's a big dose of hormones and it's generally not recommended to take it multiple times.

boardsie08

Thanks for all the info guys and sharing your experiences, greatly appreciated!

does it really contain 6 months worth of the hormones that taking a regular contraceptive pill would contain?? That's pretty hardcore on your body!!

I'm feeling sort of crampy today, generally unwell, pains etc.. Convincing myself now that I am pregnant! Agggh!!

I wish I could keep away from google too I keep coming across posts from people who've taken the morning after pill and went on to become pregnant afterwards, God I hope it doesn't fail me!

Gah *stress*

Ginny

The cramping will be the morning after pill.
As far as I remember its actually a conc. of a weeks worth of the normal pill, now I can't remember which version of the pill its supposed to be though, the combined or progestogen only..
Its really really not meant to be taken more then once maybe twice, its not good for your system and throws everything out of whack for a few months after, anyone how has to take it a second time really needs to sort out whats going wrong in the first place.

neuro-praxis

I am not passing judgement, but just to let you know that it is an abortifacient and therefore requires an element of moral choice when taking it. I only include this information because I believe family planning clinics etc. can be slow to mention this. Many women do not know that if their sexual encounter has actually resulted in pregnancy that the morning after pill may bring the pregnancy to an end, rather than simply preventing one from taking place in the first place.

Of course, the same risk exists with the typical daily pill (as in, if you become unknowingly pregnant while on the pill you may accidentally harm or destroy the foetus by continuing to take the pill) so it is certainly not a clear-cut issue, but one worthy of note.

Nevyn

It is not an abortifacient.
An abortifacient ends a pregnacy.

A woman is not pregnant until the embro implants in the womb, this is how is it is medically described.
The morning after pill prevents this from happening it is a possible post conception contraceptive.

The morning after pill is not to be mixed up with the medical abortion pill,
the medical abortion pill which ends a pregnancy is an abortifacient is not available or legal in this country.

po0k

neuro - there's too many of us.
Moral choice indeed.

neuro-praxis

Thaedydal wrote: »

It is not an abortifacient.
An abortifacient ends a pregnacy.

Ok, I am truly not trying to start a debate. This is my understanding of how it works. During sex, an egg may be fertilised. This egg will take 6-14 days to be implanted in the womb lining. Taking the morning after pill will mean it cannot be implanted. Effectively the influx of hormones bucks the internal system and the fertilised egg (if it exists) is washed out.

A woman is not pregnant until the embro implants in the womb, this is how is it is medically described.
The morning after pill prevents this from happening it is a possible post conception contraceptive.

Again, I am not arguing for the sake of it. However, there is much debate as to whether pregnancy is the period from conception to birth when a woman carries a developing embryo in her body, or whether pregnancy is that period from embryo implantation onwards. It is not cut and dried.

The morning after pill is not to be mixed up with the medical abortion pill,
the medical abortion pill which ends a pregnancy is an abortifacient is not available or legal in this country.

I am not mixing it up.

I am simply trying to make it clear that the morning after pill will bring to an end the first stage of pregnancy - conception (if it has, in fact, occurred at all) rather than preventing conception in the first place. You cannot disagree that the first stage of pregnancy is conception. Implantation is the second.

embee

"Pregnancy" doesn't happen until implantation of a fertilised egg occurs, which happens anywhere between 7-10 days post-conception. Conception does not equal pregnancy.

A close family member of mine took the MAP, without success. She took it about 18 hours after she'd had unprotected sex. She became pregnant, but travelled to the UK and had a termination.

Donegal Lass

I am simply trying to make it clear that the morning after pill will bring to an end the first stage of pregnancy - conception (if it has, in fact, occurred at all) rather than preventing conception in the first place. You cannot disagree that the first stage of pregnancy is conception. Implantation is the second.

It doesnt really matter about the stages, or about anyones personal thoughts on if a person should/shouldnt take the morning after pill.

The OP was asking people who have had experienced the same thing that she has done, not for a biology lesson!

neuro-praxis

I am not trying to win a cause here ladies, I am trying to make it clear what the morning after pill does, so that users can be aware. Please don't shout down the reality that when successful, it brings any conception to an end. That is its purpose and function.

I would like to point out that a woman with an ectopic pregnancy, i.e., an embryo that has implanted itself on any tissue outside of the uterus, will indeed gets readings of being pregnant and for a time, the embryo will stuntedly develop. It would not be true to say that because the embryo did not implant itself in her uterus she was not pregnant.

neuro-praxis

Donegal Lass wrote: »

It doesnt really matter about the stages, or about anyones personal thoughts on if a person should/shouldnt take the morning after pill. The OP was asking people who have had experienced the same thing that she has done, not for a biology lesson!

What an ignorant response. Nothing was said about who should/shouldn't take the morning after pill. What was said was how it works which is something that should be known. I believe that if anyone is going to take the morning after pill they should be fully aware of what's going on. That seems pretty sensible to me actually.

I actually need to add that I have not even presented my personal opinion the issue...other than that I think anyone taking it should be informed.

LadyJ

neuro-praxis wrote: »

IPlease don't shout down the reality that when successful, it brings any conception to an end. That is its purpose and function.

Good. When I took it that is exactly the outcome I was hoping for! Didn't really care about the finer details tbh, though I did read up on it. However, mostly I was just thinking, "Ok, let's sort this out now so I don't have to go to England!"

Donegal Lass

neuro-praxis wrote: »

What an ignorant response. Nothing was said about who should/shouldn't take the morning after pill. What was said was how it works which is something that should be known. I believe that if anyone is going to take the morning after pill they should be fully aware of what's going on. That seems pretty sensible to me actually.

I actually need to add that I have not even presented my personal opinion the issue...other than that I think anyone taking it should be informed.

Ok, I did not mean to be ignorant at all, and im sorry if you thought so! But the OP wanted support and she has not asked for information as to when she is or isnt considered pregnant?

embee

neuro-praxis wrote: »

I would like to point out that a woman with an ectopic pregnancy, i.e., an embryo that has implanted itself on any tissue outside of the uterus, will indeed gets readings of being pregnant and for a time, the embryo will stuntedly develop. It would not be true to say that because the embryo did not implant itself in her uterus she was not pregnant.

An ectopic pregnancy has implanted into a place other than the womb. There is a world of difference between a fertilised egg and an extra-uterine pregnancy. The pregnancy hormone, hCG, will only ever be present in a womans system when a blastocyst has implanted, either in the endometrium or elsewhere. It won't happen when there is just a fertilised egg in the system.

ztoical

neuro-praxis wrote: »

What an ignorant response. Nothing was said about who should/shouldn't take the morning after pill. What was said was how it works which is something that should be known. I believe that if anyone is going to take the morning after pill they should be fully aware of what's going on. That seems pretty sensible to me actually.

Donegal Lass was trying to point out that this thread was not a discussion about taking the morning after pill and how it works - the OP asked what side effects other women on this board had suffered as a result of taking it, the implication being they [and the OP] had already taken it, no point in going on about the morality behind it at that point as it had already been taken.

If people wish to start a discussion on the moral implications of taking the morning after pill then I think it should be taken to a new thread.

neuro-praxis wrote: »

I actually need to add that I have not even presented my personal opinion the issue

I think you've pretty much made your personal opinion clear on the issue. I took the morning after pill a number of years ago and found my GP gave me all the information that I asked for. There was no moral issue involved for me so I didn't ask my doctor about it. Its up to each person to ask the questions that they need answers to from their doctor.

embee

ztoical wrote: »

I think you've pretty much made your personal opinion clear on the issue. I took the morning after pill a number of years ago and found my GP gave me all the information that I asked for. There was no moral issue involved for me so I didn't ask my doctor about it. Its up to each person to ask the questions that they need answers to from their doctor.

In fairness to neuro, she didn't at any stage make her own views on the issue clear at all. She only said that there is a moral question that needs to be asked when taking the MAP. She is right - some women do need to think about their moral standpoint on it. Some don't (like yourself). At no stage did neuro actually say "This is what I think", so there's no need for people to attack her. She raised a pertinent point.

neuro-praxis

ztoical wrote: »

Donegal Lass was trying to point out that this thread was not a discussion about taking the morning after pill and how it works - the OP asked what side effects other women on this board had suffered as a result of taking it, the implication being they [and the OP] had already taken it, no point in going on about the morality behind it at that point as it had already been taken.

I did not "go on" about the morality of it.

If people wish to start a discussion on the moral implications of taking the morning after pill then I think it should be taken to a new thread.

I would not be in the least bit interested in this debate as I think it is a decision that simply needs to be made accompanied by information. Effectively all decisions are ethical decisions, that's philosophy 101. Choice + values = ethics.

I think you've pretty much made your personal opinion clear on the issue.

If you assume that I think nobody should take the morning after pill, then you are flat out wrong. That is not my opinion. My opinion is that it is good to know all the facts before taking it.

I took the morning after pill a number of years ago and found my GP gave me all the information that I asked for.

That is a good scenario, then. I happen to know several people who have taken it under the impression that it only prevented conception.

There was no moral issue involved for me so I didn't ask my doctor about it. Its up to each person to ask the questions that they need answers to from their doctor.

I have no idea what you mean here. I am not suggesting anyone asks their doctor for his/her moral opinion on taking the morning after pill. I am suggesting that anyone who takes it understands first just what it does so that they can make their choice in conjunction with their personal values. That is all.

Quite frankly the leftist over-excitement about me stating the facts is pretty pathetic. I couldn't give a monkeys who takes the map and who doesn't.

PS - Ta embers.

Donegal Lass

In fairness to neuro, she didn't at any stage make her own views on the issue clear at all. She only said that there is a moral question that needs to be asked when taking the MAP. She is right - some women do need to think about their moral standpoint on it. Some don't (like yourself). At no stage did neuro actually say "This is what I think", so there's no need for people to attack her. She raised a pertinent point.

yes, perhaps she has, but its not on topic with this particular thread. Had the OP asked what she needed to know about it, then neuro-praxis would probably have been the one to provide the most information! Im not attacking her in any way, just pointing something out!

ztoical

embee wrote: »

In fairness to neuro, she didn't at any stage make her own views on the issue clear at all. She only said that there is a moral question that needs to be asked when taking the MAP. She is right - some women do need to think about their moral standpoint on it. Some don't (like yourself). At no stage did neuro actually say "This is what I think", so there's no need for people to attack her. She raised a pertinent point.

aplogies Embee your right I shouldn't have made that judgement I just dislike it when people start threads with

neuro-praxis wrote: »

I am not passing judgement, but

cus it usually means they are. I feel it is up to each person, if they aren't clear on what the pill does or have reservations about it due to their own beliefs then they should ask their doctor to explain it to them before they take it. I do still think this should be moved a different thread as it has moved off topic to what the OP was asking

neuro-praxis

ztoical wrote: »

I feel it is up to each person, if they aren't clear on what the pill does or have reservations about it due to their own beliefs then they should ask their doctor to explain it to them before they take it.

Um, I completely agree.

Ginny

neuro-praxis wrote: »

I am not trying to win a cause here ladies, I am trying to make it clear what the morning after pill does, so that users can be aware. Please don't shout down the reality that when successful, it brings any conception to an end. That is its purpose and function.

Can you at least do a google search before you spout what it does?

Emergency contraceptive pills (ECPs)—sometimes simply referred to as emergency contraceptives (ECs) or the "morning-after pill"—are drugs that act both to prevent ovulation or fertilization and possibly post-fertilization implantation of a blastocyst (embryo). ECPs are distinct from medical abortion methods that act after implantation.

You are a fraction right.

neuro-praxis

Dear GinnyJo,

Thank you for your aggressive post.

If you can highlight to me where I am wrong that would be great. Feel free to take it to pm. I don't see anything whatsoever that I have said about the morning after pill that is wrong. In fact your post highlights how I was right. Actually it furthers what I was saying; I didn't realise that it could destroy an implanted embryo too although that does make sense. I assume it would have to be taken pretty late.

neuro

ztoical

neuro-praxis wrote: »

If you can highlight to me where I am wrong that would be great. Feel free to take it to pm. I don't see anything whatsoever that I have said about the morning after pill that is wrong.
neuro

what you have said is neither wrong nor right, at best it is a matter of opinion. The view you are presenting of the morning after pill is a minority view in the medical community, along with many pro-life advocates. Very few doctors would back what you are saying. It is not the majority view of the medical community that the morning after pill terminates pregnancy - it is not a forum of chemical abortion. Since the morning after pill acts before implantation, they are medically and legally considered forms of contraception. A few pro-life groups argue that the morning after pill may possibly act after fertilization is therefore an abortifacient. This is a minority view.

Ginny

neuro-praxis wrote: »

Dear GinnyJo,

Thank you for your aggressive post.

If you can highlight to me where I am wrong that would be great. Feel free to take it to pm. I don't see anything whatsoever that I have said about the morning after pill that is wrong. In fact your post highlights how I was right. Actually it furthers what I was saying; I didn't realise that it could destroy an implanted embryo too although that does make sense. I assume it would have to be taken pretty late.

neuro

Please point to me where in that post I am aggressive?

Like I said you are a fraction right, presenting half the truths as fact is just scare mongering and has no place in this thread, and is really not helpful to the OP.

cas_k

I have to agree with Ginny Jo on this one... they are very high grounds that you are standing on, Neuro.... have you forgotten that this thread was started by a young lady who made a mistake but was wise enough to take action for it...

The likes of you should keep your scare mongering NON facts to yourself!!!!

boardsie08

Hey guys,

I'm sorry for all the controversy that has started.

just like to make a few things clear first however, I *am* a normally responsible savvy person when it comes to sex and contraceptives, and on this occasion we did use a condom (normally I wouldn't trust a condom on it's own however this was opn impulse, and yes there had been a bit of alcohol consumed beforehand) however the condom slipped off and of course I was horrified so I went about getting myself The Morning After Pill straight away the next day.

I really do appreciate everyone's comments, experiences, viewpoints etc.. we all have our own stance when it comes to something like the Emergency Contraceptive pill.

I knew well beforehand what it involved and how it works etc.. although, it seems if you google it, not *one* single company/manufacturer can tell you *exactly* how it works.

It's not something I would take lightly, however desperate times call for desperate measures.

There's always going to be people for and against this, but that's life. You cannot please all of the people all the time.

In my case I hope to God that it works as I'm not in a relationship with the other person involved nor am I in a time or place where a pregnancy would be exactly joyous news. I'm sorry if that sounds shocking to others but it's true.

I took a hot bath this evening, i'm hoping that my period comes as normal this month, or else... more worrying and tension fraught times ahead!

A big thank you to everyone that posted however!

neuro-praxis

Dear Boardsie08, can I just say, I think you made a very responsible decision. Despite making myself clear ad nauseum, others are refusing to acknowledge my central point: that this is something every woman should be as informed about as possible before taking. You were informed and that's good. My only problem is that what the emc does is sometimes clouded by professionals and drug companies (and as we can see from this thread, its takers do too) - and that is certainly my own personal experience with the Well Woman Clinic in Dublin, one of whose representatives informed me that there was no way conception could occur in less than a week and the emc prevents conception, which is of course complete rubbish. Ever since, I have believed that individuals need to really find out for themselves the facts involved. That is all.

I have not included misinformation or scaremongering in these posts; those claims are reactionary knee-jerks. In fact I have stated that in certain cases the emc is a good idea, and this is my last word on it. Peace out, OP.

Nevyn

http://www.rte.ie/news/2008/0227/contraception.html?rss

Pill without prescription sought
listen Wednesday, 27 February 2008 10:56

The Government has been urged to make the morning-after contraceptive pill available without prescription.

An estimated 2,000 women seek emergency contraception in Ireland every week, but have to visit a GP to obtain a prescription.

The Irish Pharmaceutical Union and the Irish Family Planning Association say emergency contraception should be sold without the need of a prescription.

LadyJ

Hmm....I don't think that's a very good idea tbh.

Crumble Froo

i duno.. im in favour of not having to pay the $50 to get the prescription before paying for the drugs.... but they are something that should be taken on the rare occasion during the year... not every weekend you go out, get pissed and forget to use a condom... im not in favour of a nanny state, but fuxake, how ar ehtey gonna make sure that people don't abuse these drugs? even codeine based painkillers are limited, (though so easy to visit several different outlets to get the fix), what are they gonna do to limit mornign after pill intake?

Nevyn

I think they want to go the pharmisty consult like in the uk.
It would not be bought like say asprin but that ideally your local pharmist will be the one asking the questions and checking suitiblity, ie if a woman has been on the oral contraceptive pill then she can take the morning after pill.

I would be concerned that it would not be used as a back up contrceptive but as a standard contraceptive which it was never desgined to be.

LadyJ

Thaedydal wrote: »

I would be concerned that it would not be used as a back up contrceptive but as a standard contraceptive which it was never desgined to be.

This would be my main concern.

I think, especially in this country, selling it over the counter would be a terrible idea. There is such a lack of education when it comes to STDs etc that I don't think at this point in time we could trust young girls to use the ecp properly and responsibly.

Nevyn

Again we need proper education and acess to contraception.

LadyJ

Thaedydal wrote: »

Again we need proper education and acess to contraception.

Agreed. I think condoms should be free tbh. However, education is the key because people won't bother with them regardless of whether they're free or not unless the dangers of not using them are drummed into them.

Crazy Catlady

I have to say I think it does need to be prescribed to avoid misuse by some people. Its unfortunate, because its so hard to get, especially as its designed for emergency's.
My own doctor won't prescribe it, and has a sign in the surgery so as not to waste anyones time.
I just feel there are certain people who would act now, think later with the ease of availablity in mind.
Personally, having taken it on 2 occasions in about 13/14 years, I wouldn't ever view it as contraception. And i doubt any reasonable, responsible woman would, having found the effects on my body far too sickining to take it other than in a genuine emergency where primary contraception failed.

boardsie08

Hey again guys!

Just wondering if any of you found that your period was delayed/late after taking the Morning After Pill?

I'm late now so pretty concerned right now but not sure if it's because of the pill, or stress, or if it hasn't worked? :-/