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plan b and Nuvaring

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lazslo

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plan b and Nuvaring
Posted: 07-28-08 11:39am

Hello,

On the last day of my period (day 7 or 8 of cycle) I had unprotected sex. I took plan b about 2 or three hours later and started nuvaring the next day as the doctor ordered (he said taking the two together should be fine). Should I be worried about getting pregnant? I am freaking out here! Also when's the earliest I can take a pregnancy test.
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Mabel

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Posted: 07-28-08 12:05pm

Two weeks after unprotected sex is the first a pregnancy test would be accurate. It is most accurate after you've missed your period.

Listen to your doctor, and if you are still concerned about getting pregnant, use condoms with the nuvaring.
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lazslo

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Posted: 07-28-08 12:07pm

does the unprotected sex I had though before I went on nuvaring give me a good chance of getting pregnant?
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Maddie34

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Posted: 07-28-08 12:39pm

a good chance? No, you took plan b (very promptly) and you were probably not really around the time of ovulation since you just getting off your period.. There is always a chance of pregnancy when you have sex, but in this case I wouldn't really consider it a good chance.
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notashamed

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Posted: 07-28-08 20:13pm

Maddie34 wrote:
a good chance? No, you took plan b (very promptly) and you were probably not really around the time of ovulation since you just getting off your period.. There is always a chance of pregnancy when you have sex, but in this case I wouldn't really consider it a good chance.


I just wanted to add that plan b does definitely have an error rate. Not trying to scare you (OP) but it failed for me after taking it the third time in two years. It even says in the information portion that repeated usage makes it less effective. I was worried when taking it the third time but I was thinking, maybe that's with people who use it all the time. So, just putting it out there. I don't think a lot of people read all that stuff like I do. I'm not even confident with plan b. I'm using condoms AND birth control now.
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Maddie34

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Posted: 07-28-08 20:54pm

Yep, there is an error rate. Pregnancy is aways a possibility when you have sex.

Plan b isn't really meant to be used all the time, its only an emergency form of birth control and should never be relied on for normal use. Was this the quote you read?

Quote:
While repeat use of Plan B is safe, EC should not be used as a primary contraceptive method, as it is less effective than many other contraceptives, including daily oral contraceptives and other hormonal contraceptives.


I've never really heard that the more you use EC, the less effective it is. What they mean is that normal birth control is more effective than just plan b. Plan b, on it own and used correctly (within first 72 hours after sex) is about 85% effective. Birth control is about 92-99% effective. So obviously, the more you rely on EC, the more risk you have, which is why it's for emergencies only.

Notashamed, let me know if that's not the right quote, and if its not, do you think you could write in what the pack does say?
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Sydney123456

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Posted: 07-28-08 22:20pm

Maddie34 did a good job of explaining what Plan B means by being "less effective."

You're not supposed to rely on it as a form of birth control; it is EMERGENCY CONTRACEPTIVE. Therefore, used in the worst case scenario.
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wanna_be_mommy

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Posted: 07-28-08 23:57pm

if you taking the plan b ills you shoudnt be worried about getting prego because it kills the cell eve before geting to your egg .
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notashamed

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Posted: 07-29-08 05:10am

Maddie34 wrote:
Yep, there is an error rate. Pregnancy is aways a possibility when you have sex.

Plan b isn't really meant to be used all the time, its only an emergency form of birth control and should never be relied on for normal use. Was this the quote you read?

Quote:
While repeat use of Plan B is safe, EC should not be used as a primary contraceptive method, as it is less effective than many other contraceptives, including daily oral contraceptives and other hormonal contraceptives.


I've never really heard that the more you use EC, the less effective it is. What they mean is that normal birth control is more effective than just plan b. Plan b, on it own and used correctly (within first 72 hours after sex) is about 85% effective. Birth control is about 92-99% effective. So obviously, the more you rely on EC, the more risk you have, which is why it's for emergencies only.

Notashamed, let me know if that's not the right quote, and if its not, do you think you could write in what the pack does say?


I'm sorry Maddie, I don't have it anymore. It said it right in the information part. I don't think that's the quote I read though. I'm quite certain it said with repeated use, it becomes less effective. From what I remember, it wasn't saying that EC is less effective than birth control. It said it becomes less effective with each use. I'm gonna google and see what I come up with.
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Maddie34

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Posted: 07-29-08 15:34pm

Hm... I'll keep looking too, but I can't find it saying that anywhere.

Plan b works almost the exact same way as birth control pills-- only a shorter and higher dosage of almost the same hormones (which is why some birth control pills can actually be used as EC). I've been looking, but I can't find one instance where it hints that a woman can acquire immunity to it-- if that were the case, then women would grow immune to using just regular birth control pills too-- which they don't.

I'm not saying you didn't see it, just that the wording is probably horrendously confusing-- which is annoying considering how much of a panic most women are when they are taking plan b.
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notashamed

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Posted: 07-29-08 17:28pm

Maddie34 wrote:
Hm... I'll keep looking too, but I can't find it saying that anywhere.

Plan b works almost the exact same way as birth control pills-- only a shorter and higher dosage of almost the same hormones (which is why some birth control pills can actually be used as EC). I've been looking, but I can't find one instance where it hints that a woman can acquire immunity to it-- if that were the case, then women would grow immune to using just regular birth control pills too-- which they don't.

I'm not saying you didn't see it, just that the wording is probably horrendously confusing-- which is annoying considering how much of a panic most women are when they are taking plan b.


I just googled plan b and repeated usage, here's what it said:

Emergency contraceptives are not as effective as routine contraception since their failure rate,while low based on a single use, would accumulate over time with repeated usage.

so, i don't know. i don't think this wording is horrendously confusing. It seems simple enough to me. It was an even easier read on the information packet. let me know what you think.
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Maddie34

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Posted: 07-29-08 20:16pm

Yes, plan b is not as effective as routine birth control, so don't use it like it is.
That's what I'm getting out of that.

It's like this (get ready, because I'm going to pull a hardcore statistic problem:D):
Say I had four marbles in a bag (one blue, three black) and I had to draw one marble and put it back into the bag after each time.

I have the same chance of picking the blue ball each time I draw, but the more times I do it, the more chance I have of becoming part of the 25% that draws a blue.

So Plan b is still effective 85% of the time, but you have more of a chance of falling in that unlucky 15% each time you use it. Does that make sense?
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notashamed

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Posted: 07-29-08 22:11pm

Maddie34 wrote:
Yes, plan b is not as effective as routine birth control, so don't use it like it is.
That's what I'm getting out of that.

It's like this (get ready, because I'm going to pull a hardcore statistic problem:D):
Say I had four marbles in a bag (one blue, three black) and I had to draw one marble and put it back into the bag after each time.

I have the same chance of picking the blue ball each time I draw, but the more times I do it, the more chance I have of becoming part of the 25% that draws a blue.

So Plan b is still effective 85% of the time, but you have more of a chance of falling in that unlucky 15% each time you use it. Does that make sense?


I totally understand your scenario with the marbles. But, I don't interpret it that way. I understand what I pasted to say with each use (over time), it becomes less effective. That obviousy was the case for me. I've taken it a couple times in the past year and it didn't work the last time. I literally took it 9 hours after my sexual encounter. So, what I read (& what I pasted here) confirms that warning. For me at least. Idk, I'm not saying I'm not reading it wrong but when accumulating is thrown in there, that means to me, with repeated usage, it's less effective.
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Maddie34

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Posted: 07-29-08 22:25pm

Well plan b doesn't always work even when taken correctly(within the first 72 hours), that's why it's only 85% effective and not 100%.

You took plan b the first two times and you fell into the "Yay! It worked!" group, whereas the last time you took it you fell into the much smaller "Oh poop, I'm preg" group.

Your chances were always 85% not pregnant. You just happen to draw the blue marble for your last draw and got stuck in the 15% pregnant.

It's like how women become pregnant on birth control. Was the birth control less effective even though they've been on it for 4 years? No. Are they stuck in the small percentage of women who get pregnant with perfect use of birth control? If sucks, but yes.
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notashamed

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Posted: 07-30-08 08:47am

Maddie34 wrote:
Well plan b doesn't always work even when taken correctly(within the first 72 hours), that's why it's only 85% effective and not 100%.

You took plan b the first two times and you fell into the "Yay! It worked!" group, whereas the last time you took it you fell into the much smaller "Oh poop, I'm preg" group.

Your chances were always 85% not pregnant. You just happen to draw the blue marble for your last draw and got stuck in the 15% pregnant.

It's like how women become pregnant on birth control. Was the birth control less effective even though they've been on it for 4 years? No. Are they stuck in the small percentage of women who get pregnant with perfect use of birth control? If sucks, but yes.


We'll just have to agree to disagree on how the wording is read. Cuz to me it's like "yay, it worked" the first two times but over repeated usage, i'd increasingly (accumulatingly, not a word but u get my point, lol!) fall into the "oh poop, im preg" group." I certainly wasn't saying "oh poop." Lol. Girl, u should have heard the words comin out of my mouth.
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Maddie34

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Posted: 07-30-08 12:09pm

lol Obviously that's not what you said.. just some misplaced humor Smile

I could also be wrong, but I just haven't found anything about someone growing an immunity to the effects of plan b or birth control due to repeated usage-- otherwise people would have to be changing birth control pills constantly!
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Sydney123456

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Posted: 07-30-08 14:21pm

I see where you are coming from, NotAshamed, but your logic is off.

You did A, which caused B to happen. That is horribly faulty logic. Just becuase you took it 3 times, and the third time it didn't work doesn't mean it decreases in effectiveness the more you use it.

That's like a superstituion. "I had a good day when I didn't walk under the ladder, and the one day I do walk under a ladder...my dog got run over. NEVER WALK UNDER A LADDER." See? Silly. It's called post hoc ergo propter hoc, a VERY common logical fallacy.

So, just letting you know you are letting your personal experience hinder the understanding of the actual thing. Not attacking you...just letting you know. And knowing is half the battle. Smile
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notashamed

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Posted: 07-30-08 21:08pm

Sydney123456 wrote:
I see where you are coming from, NotAshamed, but your logic is off.

You did A, which caused B to happen. That is horribly faulty logic. Just becuase you took it 3 times, and the third time it didn't work doesn't mean it decreases in effectiveness the more you use it.

That's like a superstituion. "I had a good day when I didn't walk under the ladder, and the one day I do walk under a ladder...my dog got run over. NEVER WALK UNDER A LADDER." See? Silly. It's called post hoc ergo propter hoc, a VERY common logical fallacy.

So, just letting you know you are letting your personal experience hinder the understanding of the actual thing. Not attacking you...just letting you know. And knowing is half the battle. Smile


I don't take anything anyone says personally, but what I do is read and logic and comprehending come into play while doing so. My personal experience has nothing to do with what I read:

Emergency contraceptives are not as effective as routine contraception since their failure rate,while low based on a single use, would accumulate over time with repeated use (see Warnings).See Table 2 below.

How else can you interpret this besides, over repeated usage, it's less effective?! To me, it's just a matter of comprehending what you read. And, I'm not attacking you but if you can give me some input as to how you interpret the word accumulate anyway other than over time, I'm open. I agree with ya, knowledge is half the battle. I know what I read in the pamphlet supplied with the plan b pill and all I had to do is google "plan b and repeated usage" and came up with this. Do you guys understand the word accumulate?! Not trying to attack either but it seems like there's some differences in comprehension going on here. Lol. My personal experience comes into play because the warnings turned out to be true. Lol.
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Maddie34

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Posted: 07-30-08 22:28pm

I think I know where we are getting mixed up, but I'll save it for now.

I'm going to the pharmacy tomorrow to pay off some bills so I'll just copy down your quote and ask for clarification. They seem to love helping when it comes to pregnancy prevention so it won't be a problem.
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Sydney123456

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Posted: 07-31-08 00:44am

NotAshamed, gotta say...I am offended that you question my ability to read and comprehend. I was not attacking you, but you blatantly did that to me. I don't appreciate that in a debate.

To display my knowledge of English, I will explain my understanding of accumulate: to build up over time. Ok? Are you satisfied?

ALL birth control failure rates are accumulations over a period of a year. It doens't mean that EACH time you use it, this is what you have the potential to fail...it talks about over the course of a year.

You know that quote you gave? It tells you to see Table 2, and the Warnings page. Table 2 is an incredibly important piece to understanding this effectiveness piece. I've supplied the table below, with some alterations that I will explain:



You'll notice I took the liberty of circling the title of the table, which is important. Over the course of a year, this is the effectiveness of each birth control. Notice how most BC methods have 3 columns, because it takes into account repeated use. Right? So, ALL these failure rates are ALREADY ACCUMULATED (thus giving the second half to that quote you keep citing).

The below red circle (also denoted with a number 2) shows that EC methods are not really intended to be a primary source of birth control. They do not have three columns because they assume people are using it only when they need to (not whenever they have sex). The quote you gave REFERENCES THIS TABLE, which shows how less effective that routine birth control is, hence it being less effective over time (i.e. after time has accumulated).

Not enough? Go HERE for more info. Here is the direct quote I want the readers of this post to note:

Quote:
So why use it only as a back-up method?
While repeat use of Plan B is safe, EC should not be used as a primary contraceptive method, as it is less effective than many other contraceptives, including daily oral contraceptives and other hormonal contraceptives.10
For example, if a woman used Plan B was as her primary contraceptive method for a year, her chances of getting pregnant that year would be about 20%.11


Plan B does not lose effectiveness. It simply is NOT as effective as regular use of birth control pills or a shot. It is good to use if there is a situation (broken condom, missed pills, etc) of unprotected sex, but don't use it as a reliable source because as time ACCUMULATES, it is less effective as regular birth control. The quote you use assumes that it is understood that ALL failure rates are accumulated.

Do not make remarks questioning my intelligence. I did no such thing in my post to you.
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