Plan B, also known as the morning-after pill, is a birth control medication used to prevent pregnancies. More importantly, Plan B is an emergency contraception for women who did not use protection during intercourse or if the other birth control methods used weren’t adequate enough.
However, this pill is not used as a routine contraception because there are other contraceptive methods that are more effective than Plan B. It is recommended that the pill be taken within 72 hours after sex in cases where protection was either not used or if other methods for protection failed.
It is also important that you talk to your healthcare provider in advance of taking this medication so that you know all the details and how to take it. This is especially wise if you are allergic to the pill or you’re on medications that decrease its effectiveness.
Is it safe to have alcohol with Plan B?
This is a frequent question that people ask, not only in relation to Plan B but also to other medications that they might be taking. And it’s true that if you are not a doctor, you might wonder whether the medicine will remain as effective with alcohol as without it or if there are going to be some side effects.
If you are an avid alcohol consumer, you will be pleased to know that there is no direct consequence to taking the two together. However, one must remember that alcohol is an intoxicant. This means that drinking it can affect your judgment and your ability to make good decisions. Here are a few ways drinking alcohol before or after taking Plan B can be detrimental to your overall purpose:
1. Alcohol may cause you to forget to take the pill
Plan B needs to be taken within a certain time after intercourse, and it’s really important to follow the guidelines for taking it. If you drink alcohol before taking it, you might forget about it completely and this may result in a contraceptive failure.
2. Drinking alcohol the night before may cause you to wake up late
As mentioned above, it is really important to take the pill on time. Alcohol can cause you to sleep more than usual and thus may cause you to be late taking it. It is not a good idea to delay its intake beyond the normal time since this can reduce its effectiveness.
3. Plan B can affect blood alcohol concentrations
The hormones contained in the pill can affect the rate at which alcohol is eliminated from the system. This results in an increase in blood alcohol concentration which leads to higher intoxication. An increase in alcohol intoxication is never good since it can harm your health and can even lead to death in more severe cases.
4. Alcohol intoxication can lead to vomiting
Like any pill, Plan B needs time to be absorbed properly by the system. If you vomit before it is completely absorbed, it might reduce its effectiveness. If you are drinking alcohol, you need to make sure that you don’t consume a quantity that will make you sick and vomit the next day. Or better yet, it is advised to refrain from alcohol, at least during the time that you have to take Plan B.
4 Ways to remember to take Plan B on time
The most important aspect of this medication is that it needs to be taken within a certain time to ensure maximum effectiveness. In order to do that, there are a few tips and suggestions that you can keep in your mind:
1. Set yourself a reminder
It is important that you write in your diary that you check often or your phone the exact time by which you have to take this medication. This will serve as a reminder for you so that you don’t forget or get confused with the time at the last moment. You can also set up alarms so that in case you forget to check your phone, you will have this as a reminder.
2. Avoid alcohol
This is perhaps the most important tip because your timely intake of the pill will depend on your soberness. You should remember that Plan B can increase your blood alcohol level and thus cause you to become more intoxicated than you otherwise would with the quantity that you consume. If you are not sure how much is safe to drink, you should avoid alcohol altogether. If you must drink alcohol at all costs and can’t live without it, you can have it several hours after taking Plan B. This way, you can be sure that you will take the medicine on time and won’t suffer from any unknown consequences as a result of mixing the two.
3. Wake up on time
If you don’t drink the night before, you are more likely to wake up on time to take Plan B. Alarms can also help in this regard. You should remember to set it to a time long before the deadline so that when you wake up, you will have enough time to have breakfast and take the pill after.
4. Consult a healthcare provider
Never experiment with medication. If you are unsure about how Plan B works or how you should take it, you should always speak to your doctor before. They will guide you thoroughly and also answer any questions that you may have regarding it. It is always better to be sure about something than to regret it later on.
Conclusion
While alcohol may not directly affect the functioning of Plan B, it does cause other effects, which can lead to you either forgetting to take the pill or missing the deadline by which you need to take it. You should, therefore, always use caution if you plan on mixing the two and consider the consequences. The best approach is to not drink or delay alcohol consumption by several hours after taking Plan B.
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