Aftera and Spotting: What Users Say

• If...
• March 19, 2017

For Emergency Contraception "I am a teen, and if you are one too, you might want to read this if you're stressing and want to know how this works. I had sex with my boyfriend, he came in me with no condom. We bought Aftera about 1 hour later. My boobs were sore for about two weeks, it first started the day after I had taken the pill. The pain may get really bad, but just breathe and relax, it's a side effect. I got cramps here and there, but it would feel like a little kick to my stomach. Then I had spotting for one day. I thought I was pregnant because of the dark color, but that is also a side effect. Just breathe and let the pill do its work. Plan B and Aftera are the same thing, same ingredients. Don't dig through every website trying to see if you're pregnant or not, it's okay."

• kka...
• April 19, 2021

For Emergency Contraception "A week ago, I had pull-out sex with a guy friend - desperate times, desperate measures - and he pulled out in time. But I checked my app, and I was in my fertile window, so I freaked out and went to CVS at 2 am, and Aftera was all they had in store. So I took a chance, and I didn't really notice any symptoms besides sore boobs. Then this morning, I woke up and was cramping really bad and had brown spotting. Of course, Google said it was implantation bleeding, so I sped to Walmart to get a pregnancy test. Of course, it was going to come back negative, it's only been a week. But I am super high anxiety, and I did some more research and discovered it was just the pill working. It is 5 am, and I'm sitting here still freaking out, reading through all these for peace of mind, and I started bleeding with clots. As far as I know, I'm not pregnant, so I'll say it worked for me! Girls, stay off the internet."

• Mis...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 23, 2020

For Emergency Contraception "I took Aftera after messing up my birth control and a partner hadn’t withdrawn. I had all the side effects of pregnancy, which weren’t unbearable, just freaked me out a lot. The one thing that stressed me out the most was the spotting I got for an hour 10 days after I took the pill, which I could’ve sworn was implantation bleeding. But all in all, the time for my period came and it came right on time, so I say don’t freak out and stop looking up symptoms!!"

• LGa...
• June 15, 2019

For Emergency Contraception "I had unprotected sex on June 1st. The condom broke, and I was in my fertile days. I have been on birth control pills for like 5 years, but the last couple of months, I had not been taking them responsibly. I was pretty worried, so I took Aftera. 1) Aftera is the SAME as Plan B, it is the generic version. 2) Once I took Aftera, I had the worst nausea of my life. I stayed in bed all day, and I had abdominal cramping for 2 weeks. 3) Aftera WORKS. I went to my doctor on June 14th for a blood pregnancy test (they are more accurate) because I couldn't wait any longer to know. It came back negative. After convincing myself I was pregnant for 2 very long, stressful weeks, I found out I wasn't, and Aftera did its job. I have taken Aftera before and did not have any side effects, but this time I had pretty bad ones: spotting (the week before my period, which made me think it was implantation bleeding), headaches, bad cramping, nausea, etc. All in all, like everyone says on here, trust the pill."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 28, 2023

For Emergency Contraception "I don’t know if taking this pill was really necessary, but I took it just to be safe, especially since I’m still a teen. My boyfriend and I did the pullout method, and he finished really close to it, to the point where I didn’t know if some was inside or not. As I said, just to be safe, I took this pill 2 days later. I didn’t have any symptoms. I did have spotting for like 4 days. But let me tell you, this pill really messed up my period cycle. I saw that the pill could cause your period to come late, like for a week or so. Turns out I was 19 days late from when it was supposed to come! Almost 3 weeks! I was so stressed waiting for it to come these couple of days, thinking I was for sure pregnant. I just want to say it’s possible for your period to come this late, just how mine did, so don’t worry too much and give it time. Also, please be safe, unlike how I was."

• Anonymous
• September 9, 2019

For Emergency Contraception "It works! Okay, so I’ve used both Aftera and Plan B (Aftera more times than Plan B), and I’m mainly posting this comment because of something I was incredibly worried about. Apparently, if you are over 160 pounds (I can’t remember the exact weight), levonorgestrel is less likely to work as an emergency pill, or so that’s what the internet says. This made me feel crazy worried. I thought for sure I was going to end up pregnant. I had unprotected sex where my boyfriend finished inside of me twice within a couple of hours, and I haven’t been on any type of birth control in 5 years, including condoms. I took the Aftera pill almost exactly 12 hours later. I had some spotting, and then started my period on the 28th day almost like clockwork. This pill has worked in my experience."

• Van...
• August 19, 2017

For Emergency Contraception "Before I begin, I want to explain that I am 18, and I have NEVER had unprotected sex (until this time) and never used a contraception pill. I had unprotected sex on August 29 and again on August 30, he did not cum in me, but I was very scared about precum and skeptical whether or not he might have pulled out on time and some of it might have gotten in me. He told me he was 80% sure he didn't, but that wasn't enough for me. On August 30, I took Aftera about 3 hours after having intercourse. The symptoms were crazy, I had cramps, dizziness, nausea, and I began spotting, which scared the heck out of me about 3 days before I got my period. But I got my period on September 18 on time!"

• Anonymous
• July 26, 2019

For Emergency Contraception "I did not expect to take Aftera, TBH. It was an early morning, and I decided to see my ex-boyfriend. We had sex right when my period was over, but we didn’t use a condom. He said he pulled out and told me that I didn’t need any type of Plan B, but I was scared, so I had to. By 5 pm, my best friend and I went to take the Plan B and had a talk with the doctor. He told us that it was “the better version of the Plan B because they used to make two pills of this,” so we bought it. The next day, I started to feel tired and had back pains, started spotting for a whole week, and had abdominal pain. After a while, I started to get paranoid because I was about to get my period, but I didn’t receive it at all, so I started to panic and searched for comments on Aftera. I was scared and started to cry. The next morning, I went to my best friend's house to get the pregnancy test. I was so scared at the point where I was shaking. The test came back negative after a whole month."

• Ano...
• November 3, 2018

For Emergency Contraception "On 9/30, the last day of my period, my husband and I had unprotected sex. Plan B wasn’t available at CVS, so I took this pill 30 hours later on 10/01. A week later, 10/08 (aka my “expected ovulation date”), I experienced the worst tightness in my stomach as well as cramping/spotting, breast tenderness, and severe migraines/light sensitivity. The week of 10/16, the spotting was gone, but my PMS was out of control, hormonal cystic acne took over my face (terrible like my teen years, I am 31 now), and my breast tenderness came back with a vengeance. My period was due around 10/26, but I decided to take my first pregnancy test on 10/23, which was negative. I took 2 more on 10/25 and 10/30, which again were negative. Still no full period as of Nov 2nd. Since all my pregnancy tests came back negative, I’m assuming it worked, and my period will start eventually or next month. Overall, it’s not worth taking, especially with the symptoms/period delay."

• Ano...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 4, 2022

For Emergency Contraception "It did not work for me, and I do not recommend it. Had a condom break, so I took this pill the same day. My period came about 3 days earlier than normal. My period lasted 7 full days, followed by several days of brown spotting. Whew, I’m in the clear, right? Nope… Due to the continued spotting, I decided to take a test, and it was positive. Went to the doctor, and they confirmed the pregnancy. What I thought was my period actually turned out to be a rare case of heavy and prolonged implantation bleeding."

• yag...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 12, 2021

For Emergency Contraception "So no Plan B at CVS, and took Aftera. A drunk boyfriend + ovulation window is a recipe for disaster. So he came inside of me & didn’t even realize. Took Aftera within 24 hours. Nothing happened for a few days, then boom, insane back pain, cramps, my nipples still hurt 3 weeks later. I had some spotting for like 3 days a week later (which may have been my period idk??). But still haven’t gotten an actual period, & pregnancy tests were all negative, so not really sure what happened there LOL. Getting an IUD in 2 weeks because oh boy I’m not doing that again."

• Sha...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 6, 2021

For Emergency Contraception "I was going nuts! For over two weeks after I had unexpected sex with a friend. I know all bad, but we were drunk. Anyways, I got Aftera 3 hours later, and I experienced the worst: nauseous. My boobs were super sore. I had headaches and cramps for over 10 days! It was the first day of my fertile days, so I was going nuts since I read online it was not effective! I was so scared and worried for a week, googling stuff and whatnot. Lol, close to taking a pregnancy test, but in my case, it did! I got my period a week before the expected date. I was so happy, yet my period was kind of heavy with spotting after days. I promised myself to never do this again. It does work, ladies! But don't risk it next time! Stay positive and try to take it as soon as possible! For me, it worked even on my fertile days, but you never know!"

• Not...
• October 1, 2019

For Emergency Contraception "I've taken it two times a while ago. The first couple of times, I spotted, but didn't get pregnant. However, I took it recently, and my effects were different. I just had my period from 8/31 - 9/4. After taking Aftera on 9/11 because I was due to ovulate, I had another period from 9/17 - 9/20, stopped spotting for about 2 days, then started spotting again from 9/23 - 9/29, and am now having ANOTHER period that started on 9/30 and is still going. I don't think this is normal, and it hasn't happened before. I'm 102 lbs, btw, 24 yrs. So maybe it's a hit or miss."

• col...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 14, 2021

For Emergency Contraception "I had unprotected sex with my boyfriend 1 week and a day ago, and he pulled out, but was still nervous that we weren’t totally in the clear. We went the next morning to get a pill, and I got Aftera (which I’ve never used before because in the past I’ve only used Take Action, which is the Walgreens brand). I didn’t notice any symptoms for the first 5 days until yesterday when I started spotting, but it was very subtle. Today, exactly one week after I took the pill, I am bleeding enough to call it a period, but I’m not due for another week and a half. I’ve had really light cramping, and I’ve been more prone to headaches, but the bleeding is my main symptom by far. We had sex on the first day of my ovulation (5 days before my actual ovulation day). I’ll update on anything else that happens. I don’t think I’m pregnant, but my body is definitely reacting differently than it ever has before. This is my 5th time taking a morning-after pill."

• Chi...
• April 7, 2016

For Emergency Contraception "My period had just ended last week, Tuesday. I had unprotected sex with my boyfriend literally yesterday afternoon. Caught up in the moment, he released inside of me, and I'm ovulating. I took Aftera last night at 6:30 pm, and I started spotting tonight."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 21, 2019

For Emergency Contraception "I think this pill works well as long as you’re not ovulating and you haven’t waited too long. I was with my partner, he didn’t finish in me, but just to be safe, I took the pill as the condom did break. I took it two days after (I had to wait to get paid), and I was worried it wouldn’t work as I know the longer you leave it, the chances of it working drop off. However, I took it (that was two weeks ago), and I’m spotting now and starting my period. It is a week early and definitely lighter than my normal period. It is a slightly cheaper form of emergency contraceptive when you follow the instructions. I hope this helps someone in my situation!"

• Anonymous
• October 3, 2019

For Emergency Contraception "I took the pill a day after I had unprotected sex (July 29) just to be safe, and my period actually skipped the whole month of August (my last period was July 18). I got scared thinking I was pregnant, but I took two different pregnancy tests in that month of August, and they came out negative. On September 13th, I got light spotting for about 6-7 days, but not enough to fill up a pad, which also scared me because I was only spotting, and I took another pregnancy test, which came out negative. It is now October 2nd, and I finally got a normal period with a flow. That pill really messes up your cycle!"

• anx...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 21, 2022

For Emergency Contraception "I first used Aftera after a drunken hookup. I’m not on bc, and the condom broke. The guy wasn’t even close to finishing, but I was still worried about precum, so I took this EC the next day, within 12 hours. The next week, I had tight abdominal pain and some cramping, but nothing too bad. I know the pill can cause spotting about a week after, but I actually ended up getting what I assume to be a full, 6-day-long period 2 weeks earlier than I was expecting. About 2 weeks later, I had another hookup with a different guy, and the condom broke again, only this time, he had said he fully finished, and I didn’t realize there was a hole until inspecting the condom afterwards. I picked up Aftera once again and took it within 12 hours of the sex. I had mild cramping again and am currently experiencing what I’m hoping is only really bad PMS. Both times, I was about 5 days from predicted ovulation. Fingers crossed it worked again, expecting my period next week."

• Hea...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 15, 2018

For Emergency Contraception "After instructing my friend to purchase a Plan B after some 'fun time,' he returned with 'Aftera.' I took the pill, and 5 days later I began a slow brown spotting situation that I never experienced before. This lasted about 4 days, then a heavy brown period began. There has been crazy cramping, and my legs even ache, so much I’ll wake up in the night. At least I got my period, but I don’t recommend this experience. Not the most comfortable, hormones going crazy...smh."

• Pis...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 26, 2019

For Emergency Contraception "I had unprotected sex with my ex 2 days after my period. My cycles are a little wonky after we miscarried in October. The night we had sex, I bled for about 20 minutes. I took this pill 18 hours after we had sex. I was fine until day 4, I started feeling sick. Day 6, I cramped like I was starting my period (around the time of ovulation). I spotted every day after sex. So on day 6, I started bleeding. I read this pill can make your period come a week early, but 2 weeks early? I never experienced this with Take Action brand or Plan B. Never taking this brand again. I've felt as bad as if I were pregnant again."