We spoke to girls about their first time using Plan B
‘I took it during my period and it made it last like 10 days and made my blood black’
Either the condom broke, you decided to risk it or you just wanted to be super safe, many women have used the “morning after pill.” Sex is already a pretty nervous topic to think about, but post-sex is when anxieties rile up. A flood of “am I pregnant?” thoughts fill your brain while men are usually pretty apathetic. We asked a few women their first encounters with the Plan B pill, and this is what they had to say.
Sarah
“The condom broke, and I started panicking and demanded to get the pill immediately. He didn’t seem half as worried. Drove to my local pharmacy only for them to tell me only limited places stock it. Thankfully the nearest one was close by but in a more villagey, super conservative part of town. The lady who sold it to me was very judgmental and uncaring, saying things like, ‘That will teach you to be more careful next time.’ I also thought that for what it is, it’s majorly expensive, especially when you’re in your teens and don’t have a job.”
Sarah
Rafaella
“I first got Plan B at my old college’s health center. As far as I know, it didn’t cost me anything since I have insurance. I was surprised by how it worked though. I took it during my period and it made it last like 10 days and made my blood black.”
Lauren-Rae
“I was majorly pissed off! It was my first time ever, and I wanted the guy to like me so when he finished I said ‘…sooooo, we didn’t use anything’ and he said ‘I thought we had?’ – because you forget to put a condom on, clearly. Anyway, [Plan B]’s free in the UK luckily, so he dropped me off at my local pharmacy the next day, never asked how it went, and I heard from him a few days later saying he was relieved. He has a baby now. I’m not shocked.”
Laina
“I split the cost with my boyfriend at the time because it’s hella expensive ($50 I believe), and I was freaking out right up until I took it because I was afraid I’d get horrible nausea. I get nauseous easily, even when I take birth control pills too close together, so I was terrified of an experience I envisioned to be ten times worse. To my surprise, I didn’t feel anything. I kept waiting to feel nauseous, but I never did. Overall good experience, I’d say. Also there’s a coupon for Plan B if you go on their website and print it out beforehand!”
The Plan B website is a great place for not only coupons, but also information
Lizzy
“I was like 14 or 15 I think, and it was my first time ever. My boyfriend at the time ended up having to get his sister to go with him to get it because I believe there was an age restriction or something? But he paid for it which was nice and I sat in my bathroom for half an hour before taking it, reading all the instructions because I thought I was gonna vomit all night from it. I was fine.”
Getting Plan B can be awkward or even intimidating, but it shouldn’t be. We should teach women how to have safe sex, and that doesn’t end with just putting a condom on. Women should be able to afford and access Plan B as easily as possible. We shouldn’t be reprimanded for sex. We should easily be able to take care of our bodies.