[Anonymous Post] Should I be taking EC? Am I abusing EC?

[rockstarbob.livejournal.com]

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rockstarbob
For the VP Team
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What constitutes the abuse of emergency contraception?

The reason I ask this is because I am currently not on bc. I have not had unprotected sex either. However, my SO frequently has "wet dreams" and tends to ejaculate on me at night. I'm very paranoid about becoming pregnant and I have taken emergency contraception twice (in one month) as a result of waking up wet down there from one of his nocturnal emissions. Should I be taking emergency contraception for this at all?

I am planning to start bc this soon, but in the meantime, what should I do? I know this is such an odd question!

Comments

[frolicnaked.livejournal.com]

However, I think using it that frequently is a serious issue, as in seriously horrible for your body.

Can you provide any authoritative medical sources to support this? Princeton University's (http://ec.princeton.edu/questions/ecsafe.htm) EC page says, "Emergency contraceptive pills ("morning after pills") have no long term or serious side effects, although you might experience some minor side effects.... The only time emergency contraception is “contraindicated” – meaning you should not use it – is when you know you are pregnant."

Using EC more than once isn't as effective as using a different regular contraceptive method. But in terms of safety (http://ec.princeton.edu/questions/ecrepeated.html), "There are no safety concerns about using emergency contraceptive pills (also known as "morning after pills" or "day after pills") more than once."

If you have sources showing that using Plan B frequently is "seriously horrible for your body," I'd be interested in seeing them.

[lovethatlovage.livejournal.com]

You think that someone should be taking EC frequently for a situation where there is no risk? I'd love to see a survey that encourages people to take EC for their health.

[frolicnaked.livejournal.com]

It's not about personal opinions.

I did provide you with authoritative sources stating that taking EC repeatedly is not a safety issue. Do you or do you not have sources showing the opposite?

[lovethatlovage.livejournal.com]

You didn't demonstrate that EC poses no risk.

[frolicnaked.livejournal.com]

No risk? Nothing comes with no risk, not taking an ibuprofen, not drinking a glass of water from my kitchen sink. However, here's yet another source (http://www.managingcontraception.com/index.php?go=choices&cpage=13), this time from Managing Contraception, that says, "ECPs should not be used as your regular contraceptive. However, if you do use ECPs several times, they are not dangerous." Additionally, one from the Guttmacher Institute (http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/tgr/05/5/gr050510.html): "Emergency contraception poses no serious risks. It is nontoxic; there is no danger from overdose or potential for addiction; and dosage is the same for all women."

I've asked you for sources a couple of times, and I've looked on my own for support for the idea that emergency contraceptive pills cause harm to the body. In the absence of finding credible medical sources that back up this claim, I'm going to have to conclude that it's not one in line with the facts about EC.

[lovethatlovage.livejournal.com]

Whatever, then take EC the first Sunday of every month. Since it poses no risk at all, why not? Just arbitrarily pump a ton of hormones into your body.

[mangofandango.livejournal.com]

No one is suggesting that EC should be taken regularly for no reason, simply that there is no *serious risk* to taking it several times. [Bad username or site: @ livejournal.com] is merely demonstrating that your statement that EC is "seriously horrible for your body" is inaccurate.

If you really want to argue this, it would behoove you to provide some sources. Otherwise, your insistence on arguing this point seems meaningless, inaccurate, and not particularly useful to the OP.

[lovethatlovage.livejournal.com]

Alright, I'll get back to you in 24 hours or so when I have time (which I'll take out of my real life) to provide you with some resources.

Being as there is a huge lobby against the negative effects of hormonal BC, which isn't even taken in concentrated doses, I don't think it'll be that difficult.

If you're really trying to tell people that abusing EC isn't dangerous you need to get a clue.

[mangofandango.livejournal.com]

It's probably not ideal - but there is no evidence that it's "seriously horrible for your body". The idea is, yes, EC is intended for emergencies and not for frequent use. It's not as effective as HBC and it is a higher, though not dangerously high, dosage of hormones. But there is no need to be alarmist about using EC multiple times, because there is no enormous safety risk.