State of being after taking ECP?

[Protex]

It's me again...

 

Is it normal for a girl that took the Plan B (ECP) last Monday for fear of conception on the previous Friday to have an upset stomach?

 

Like I said, she took it 7 days ago and she is complaining of an upset stomach since. Now, could this be the ECP, or is this a sign that the ECP failed and are these normal pregnancy pains?

 

Thanks in advance, and Merry Christmas.

[Tigris]

It could be that it's disagreed with her system, however, I'd only be guessing. I suggest she goes to the doctor/nurse/clinic where she was prescribed the medication and gets checked out, otherwise the pair of you are going to be worried sick.

 

Good luck and take care.

[Tears May Fall]

I am a soon to be pharmacist (just finished most of my didactical part of school), and I can give you pretty much as much info on plan B as anyone can. Overall, it decreases the likelihood of achieving conception from 8% down to 1%, and when used properly within 72 hours of accidental insemination/intercourse, will work very effectively to prevent a pregnancy from occurring.

 

To get to your question, abdominal pain is a very common side effect of taking plan B or any hormonal contraceptive, as well as nausea, fatigue, dizziness, vomiting (which if occurring within one hour of taking the tablet, will reduce the effectiveness and may end up in failure of contraception), headache, bloating, irregular menses/bleeding, breast tenderness, possible fluctuations in sugar levels. These side effects are mainly however limited to just shortly after having taken the drug, usually you're looking at a 24 to 48 hour window, 72 hours would even be pushing it but possible.

 

There are many other not so common side effects, but usually they are self limiting, only to within several hours or days within taking the medication, and once off, will return to normal. My question would be how soon after the intercourse she took the planB, how she felt immediately within taking it, if she takes any other medications, any other significant past medical history, and where in the abdomen she is experiencing pain and to describe the pain to me. It is unusual to have the pain several days after having completed the course. I cannot indicate whether it is a possibility of pregnancy or not. If it is extreme lower abdomen pain, it can be indicative of possible cervical complications, but that would be highly unlikely, unless she has had any sort of problems in the past with irregular menses or cervical complications. Only a lab test would prove whether she is pregnant and the pain is possibly coming from that.

[Protex]

Well, thank you for your reply.

 

She took it 68 hours after intercourse and felt very, very sleepy and had an upset stomach.

 

The pains she describes now are similar to an unsettled stomach? That's what it sounds like to me. I am not sure of where in the abdomen, she just says her stomach hurts.

 

She says it might be from Over-eating like she has this week, or from the massive stress at her home.

 

**edit: She says it feels like her stomach is empty, and when she eats she cannot fill it up, but when she does eat and fills it, she feels sick. o_O

[Protex]

Can anyone lend some advice? Please and thank you!

[RayKay]

Well, any dose of hormones can cause an unsettled stomach, however several days later, I would say that her feelings are probably related more to stress and anxiety due to the pregnancy scare, and possibly some imagined pain as well. When you are stressed, you produce cortisol, which can have all sorts of affects on the body, and anxiety often feels like a gutwrenching discomfort. I know personally I have trouble eating when I am anxious!

 

She may also just be having gastrointestinal discomfort totally unrelated to any of the above, that she is just noticing more now due to a heightened awareness from the recent events.

[Protex]

As an update for anyone who cares, she is not pregnant.

 

Thank you to all of you for your help.