Birth control pill and plan b

[Christy0227]

Hello. I would like to start using birth control pills as soon as possible but the problem is I took plan B a week ago. Since plan b contains a high level of hormones would that be okay for me to take birth control pills one week after the usage of plan b??? Thanks

[Heather]

So, Plan B actually doesn't contain a "high level of hormones." That's a bit of mythology people seemed to pass around (which pretty clearly came from the group of people who don't support any use of contraception, so tend to invent myths and misinformation like this, or like condoms having holes in them, and then do what they can to get people to believe it so they won't use contraception) that stuck for some.

It doesn't contain any estrogen at all, for starters, only progestin, and is the equivalent of less than a week's worth of the mini-pill (which is also only progestin).

Unless you have a health issue that anyone is concerned with, or higher risk factors with use of birth control pills (like being a smoker), it should be perfectly safe for you to start oral contraceptives after using Plan B. You can rest assured that unless you didn't tell the physician prescribing birth control pills for you that you used Plan B, they'd have been sure to let you know if there was any reason for you not to start taking the pills you have been prescribed.

[Christy0227]

Thanks for such a quick reply. I haven't been using any birth control except condoms lately and the birth control pills that I got were prescribed a few months earlier so I didn't get to consult a doctor about starting birth control pills after plan b. I was worried because last year I took plan b and i got no period for about half a year so I thought plan B was pretty strong. Thanks again for clearing things up...!

[Heather]

That change in your cycles for so long was not at all likely due to Plan B. In other words, the timing there was most likely coincidence, especially since suppression of cycles isn't associated with Plan B.

But when you get this pill prescription filled, you can of course check in with the pharmacist filling them if you like, just to get a second opinion.