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The Importance of Having a Backup Plan | Let’s Talk Plan B One-Step | The Brass Tacks

I’ve always been told that I’m too loud, too ‘extra’, too blunt. Well, no, I’m just not afraid of talking about the things that can make others uncomfortable. I figure it this way. If my talking about women’s health, the “taboo” topics (which I don’t believe should be taboo at all) and being real, open, and matter of fact about all of it, if that makes it so that ONE other woman either has a question answered, or finds the courage to voice her own concerns or opinions or seek out more information, I’ll be doing backflips. So, let’s talk Plan B One-Step.

We as women run households. We run companies. We run families. We plan vacations. We absolutely understand the importance of having backup plans for the backup plans.

Whenever I’m working on a project, be it for Cook.Eat.Explore (the food and travel side of my professional life), styling a session for a client, throwing a dinner party, or traveling back to the West Coast to see family, I inherently understand the importance of having a backup plan. (Or five. Whatever. I like to be prepared for all eventualities)

So why should our birth control be any different?

Despite our best efforts, life never goes quite as we planned.

So much so, that the number of colloquial phrases summing said up seems endless. Sod’s Law. Coughlin’s Law (Nod to one of the best movies of the 80’s). Murphy’s Law. Want to make God laugh? Tell him your plans. The road to hell is paved with good intentions. Life is all about how you handle your ”plan B”. Failure to plan means you plan to fail. Here’s the thing with all of that, though. While there may be a sliiiight grain of truth to those sayings, we do the best we can to ensure that we cover all of the eventualities. We make sure that we cover alllll our bases in every aspect of our lives, because let’s be real for a second, surprises are only a good thing when it comes to birthdays. And diamonds. Or maaaaaaaaaaybe vacations.

“Surprises” and “birth control” in the same thought? Nope. No thank you.

We as women have more choices and options at our fingertips now than at any point in time. We can do or be anything that we want to be, and the fact that we have a second line of defense (that we do not have to rely on anyone else to take care of) in the realm of birth control, that’s HUGE. HUGE.

No matter how careful you are (and let’s be real for a second, mistakes happen, and we don’t always make the best choices for ourselves), condoms break, pills get skipped, or even worse, someone slips something into our drink and rape occurs.

Before Plan B emergency contraception came onto the market (either with or without a prescription (and requisite visit to your doctor)), women who were not ready to be pregnant had to look at the calendar, figure out the anticipated dates for Aunt Flo’s next visit, and pray.

And wait. And pray. And wait some more.

Now? Now we have options. Now we have choices, and now, now we more than ever, are in control of our own futures. Which is all well and good (and in my opinion, as it should be), but what about the woman who’s not sure of what questions to ask? What about the woman whos drink was drugged the night before and has turned to Google prior to heading to the corner drug store?

 

That’s where I come in. If I can answer one woman’s questions, ease the mental stress even a TINY bit? Win.

There’s A TON of myths about Plan B, right? Plus, add in the whole fear of the unknown thing, and things can start getting a little overwhelming.  What does it do? When does it need to be taken? Why does it work? At what point does the efficacy drop? Most importantly, why having a backup plan in place before you could ever imagine needing it is so vitally important.

I’m here to provide a resource to anyone who is looking to learn more about what Plan B, what the process for taking it is, and where to find it.  Here’s the other thing, I’m not a doctor. (basic chemistry and I, not so much of a good match) so if you have specific questions, I’ve gotta tell you, reaching out to your doc, the pharmacist in your drug store, or to one of the resources listed at the bottom of this post, that’ll be the way to go.  I can remind you of one thing, though, Plan B One-Step does not replace regular birth control methods. It is a backup option when regular birth control failed or somehow unprotected sex happened.

Ok. So, tell me more about Plan B. What does it do? Why does it work?

Biggest myth I’ve heard tossed around about Plan B is that it’s “the abortion pill”. Nope, false. The active ingredient in Plan B is levonorgestrel, is the same ingredient in many common birth control pills – just at a higher, single dose. Plan B works mainly by delaying ovulation – it helps to prevent pregnancy BEFORE it begins. It WILL NOT affect an existing pregnancy. I will say that again for those in the back.

Plan B WILL NOT affect an existing pregnancy.

When does it need to be taken?

The short answer? The sooner the better. The sooner you take it, the better it works.  Plan B must be taken within 72 hours of unprotected sex or birth control failure.  That’s three days. Even with a three-day window, stick to the sooner the better thing. Also, as with all medicines, make sure that you take it as directed.

The sooner you get Plan B into your system, the better it will work, and real talk here (hey, I meant it when I said I’m not afraid to talk about the hard stuff.), if you’re at a point that you’re taking emergency contraception, you get that time is of the essence.

Even the worst hang over I’ve ever had, it didn’t last three days, so don’t even try and tell me that you’re too hung over after a night that you may or may not remember fully to drag yo’ hungover self outta bed and drag yourself to the store.

At what point does the efficacy drop?

At the end of 72 hours, after you either made a questionable decision, your primary birth control method failed, or the worst case scenario happened, and you’re reading this after having been raped. If that’s the case, please, PLEASE go to an urgent care clinic, an E.R., your gyno, the closest Planned Parenthood clinic, the closest police station, the closest fire station, your best friend’s house and get them to go with you, and report it. You can walk into any of those places and ask for help.  IT WAS NOT YOUR FAULT.

Oh, you just wanted the short answer? The sooner you can take it, the better, but NO LONGER than 72 hours after unprotected sex.

Where can I find it? Do I have to talk to anyone to buy it?

CVS is my drugstore of choice, so that’s where I’m going to tell you to go. That’s where I’m going to show you where to find it at, but you can find it also at CVS Caremark, Target, Walgreens, Rite Aid or Walmart, etc., and you should not have to talk to anyone if you don’t so choose.

If you’re a CVS gal like I am, Plan B is on aisle 14, (the adult care, feminine care, and family planning aisle) near the end, right about knee height.

Not near a CVS? You may have to ask the pharmacist because some stores keep it in different locations, or if you’re standing in the pharmacy, and got here via Google, ’cause you’ve looked and aren’t finding on your own, you can always ask the pharmacist and they will be able to help point you in the right direction, and answer any further questions you may have.

Click [HERE] for a coupon that’ll save you $10 off.

Hang on a sec, I want to have kids at some point down the road… will taking Plan B affect my fertility in the future?

Nope.

Am I going to have to show my ID to someone? I don’t want anyone to know I’ve taken Plan B, and I DEFINITELY don’t want my name to go on any list.

Yo’ body yo’ choice. Period.

You don’t have to tell anyone that you’ve taken it. You don’t have to tell anyone you bought it.  If you want to, awesome. If you don’t, awesome. You wanna shout it from the rooftop? You do you.

You do not need to show ID to buy Plan B. If someone tells you that you do, turn around, walk yo’ ass out of that pharmacy, and find one that respects your right to privacy. Because here’s the thing. There is no age restriction.  You do not need an ID or prescription to purchase.

So…… I’m in my 30’s, will it still work?

Absolutely. While half of the women who use Plan B are 18-24, the other half are 25+. There is no specific “type” of women who use emergency contraception. There is no one group of women that use EC more than another. We’re all human. Mistakes happen. Birth control fails.

That’s why we have a Plan B, in all aspects of our lives, and that’s why we plan for all of those eventualities. You never know when you’re going to need plans b-z.

#LetsTalkPlanB

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