Serendip is an independent site partnering with faculty at multiple colleges and universities around the world. Happy exploring!
Mifepristone..."The Abortion Pill": The Facts
Biology 103
2000 First Web
Report
On Serendip
Mifepristone..."The Abortion Pill": The Facts
Sujatha Sebastian
On September 28, 2000 the Food and Drug Administration after several years of research approved Mifepristone, better known as the "abortion pill", for distribution in the United States. The FDA's decision will have a definite impact on women's health care in the United States. There will be social and medical repercussions. The drug has caused controversy not only in antiabortion groups, but in Pro-Choice groups as well. Critics are worried that an abortion available in pill form will be "too easy". They are worried that use of the pill will be abused. What many people do not realize is that while Mifepristone will be beneficial to women's health care, it is not without side effects. In light of all the recent coverage that the "abortion pill" has been given in the media, and all the misinformation surrounding it, I decided researching that Mifepristone would be interesting and helpful. The purpose of my paper is to discover how Mifepristone works, how it is administered, and to look at its side effects. I want to demonstrate the benefit Mifepristone will be to women's health care, while showing that it is not an "easy" solution to abortion."Mifepristone, formerly known as RU-486, is a medical alternative to aspiration abortion."(1) It works by blocking progesterone from being absorbed into the uterus. When this happens the uterus sheds the endometrium (lining in the uterus, therefore inducing menstruation. (2 When Mifepristone is used as a method for abortion is it administered as part of a three step process. The first step is that 200 mg of Mifepristone is given orally in a doctor's office. Then within 24 to 48 hours the patient is given 400 mg a drug called Misoprostol either orally or in a suppository form. Misoprostol, which is a synthetic hormone, is used to get the cervix to soften and dilate as well as getting the uterus to relax. The embryo is then expelled.(2) This is supposed to happen approximately fours hours after the administration of the drug. The final step is an examination by a medical professional to make sure the abortion is complete. (2)
There are restrictions as to who can use this medical method of abortion. It is only intended for women to use up to nine weeks after their last menstruation period. Women who are under 18 or over 35, epileptic, diabetics, or suffering from heart, lung, kidney, liver, stomach or intestinal disorders are ineligible. As are women who have taken steroids within the past 12 months, or deemed overweight or a heavy smoker. Women who have used an IUD or hormonal contraceptive within three months prior to conception are not allowed to take Mifepristone as well.(2)
Like any drug or medical method there are side effects to using Mifepristone and Misoprostol. It is the number of side effects and degree of each that critics argue about. The FDA has determined that taking Mifepristone does cause various degrees of pain. Short term physical effects can be pelvic pain, vaginal bleeding, nausea, diarrhea, and fatigue.(2) There are psychological side effects as well. In some cases products of the conception are visualized. (3)
The use of Mifepristone will have a definite impact on reproductive freedom in this country and the world. (3) It is seen as less invasive procedure which gives the woman more freedom and privacy. In the United States it has been reported by the Alan Guttmacher Institute that eighty-nine percent of the abortions occur in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. Mifepristone will allow women another option to terminate a pregnancy in its early stages. (2) Twenty-four percent of the world's population lives in places where abortion is not legal. (3) As a result a significant population of women perform their own abortions or receive illegal abortions which kills them. The medical method of abortion would allow women in these areas of the world to receive a safe method of abortion.
A major issue that critics of Mifepristone have is that they feel that the drug will allow abortions to become "too easy". But the drug is only administered in a medical office and requires at least three visits. The last visit is an examination to see that the abortion is complete and that the mother is in good health. Before the patient is given Mifeprex tablets (Mifepristone) she must sign an agreement in which she acknowledges that there are side effects, that there is a three step process, and that 5 to 8 women out of every hundred do not have successful medical abortions and need surgical abortions . (5) Critics worry that the drug will cause an increase in the number of women who have abortions. Supporters of the drug cite the fact that in France, where the drug is manufactured and was first administered, there has not been an increase in the abortion rate. (2)
Mifepristone will change the way that abortions are administered. This method gives a woman more autonomy and does not require her to go through surgical procedure. It can also prevent pregnancy by taken as soon as a day after she has had intercourse. This new method will allow more women to have access to safe abortions. Mifepristone opens the door to a new area of medicine in which previously surgical procedures are now approached in a medical manner. Whether in support of or against Mifepristone one has to recognize the new technology the drug represents.
One of the problems I had when researching information was finding unbiased information. Both pro and anti Mifepristone groups used "research" and statistics to their benefit. Distinguishing the difference between opinion and fact was difficult. This is especially true because there is not a lot of accurate information about Mifepristone published by reliable sources. This is due to the fact that Mifepristone has just recently been approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Mifepristone that will be beneficial to women's health care and medicine. But one must realize that it is not without side effects and cannot be seen as an "easy" solution to abortion.
WWW Sources
1)www.plannedparenthood.org/mifepristone.html, Mifepristone2)www.rascalnut.com/naral.ohio/RU486.html, The Facts about Mifepristone (RU 486)
3)www.mja.com.au/public/issues/sep15/henshaw/henshaw.html, Mifepristone
4)http://jinx.sis.unsw.edu.au/~greenlft/1994/137/137p28htm, "Abortion Pill": A Woman's Right to Choose by, Kath Gelber
5)www.popcouncil.orgrhpdev/mifeprex/patient%5Fagreement.html,The Patient Agreement Mifeprex (Mifepristone) Tablets
6) www.pages.map.com/lroberge/ru486.htm, RU486: The Hidden Effects by Lawrence F. Roberge
6) www.nrlc.org/ru486/propsedFDAregs.html, RU486 *Please note that some of the sources read during my research were from biased sources (the National Right to Life Committee web site for example). Facts were not used from these sources in my paper. These sources were instead used to discover the arguments anti-Mifepristone groups had and to see the false information they were publishing about the drug.
|
08/06/2005, from a Reader on the Web I took that pill and almost blead to death now i have have to say it's not as easy as it sounds it is very painful like child birth but more blooder atleast for me i now have endromitrious and may have to have my women parts removed i had nothing before i took those pills i'm 37 so i'm just saying better think it out before you take it because it's dangerious i have a son who is 18 it was easier for me to have him then go through childbirth than taking those pills becuse i'm still not well and it has been 7 months
For what it's worth, I though I'd share my personal experience using Mifepristone almost a month ago.. After having made the difficult choice to abort, I learned of this pill as an alternative option to having the traditional surgical procedure. Of course, as anyone would, I opted to try the pill because it seemed -less- painful and was something I could do in the privacy of my own home. After having been given the first pill, Mifepristone, at the doctors office on a Friday afternoon, I finished out my day at work with minimal side-effects at that point. The Mifepristone made me slightly sick to my stomach, but compared to the ongoing morning sickness I'd been going through, it wasn't so bad. (ha ha) Misoprostol was the next step, given to me in the form of 4 tablets, to be inserted vaginally myself at home. I was also given a full bottle of Vicodin, as well as a bottle of 800mg Ibuprophen for the pain the doctor anticipated I would encounter (this worried me a little). Late Satuday afternoon, I'd say around 4:30pm, scared to death not knowing what to expect once everything started, and knowing I couldn't turn back now, I inserted the tablets and took 1 Vicodin as directed. About 30 minutes from the time I did this I began to have cramping comparable to what you would feel during a typical menstrual period.. but not for long. Within an hour I had severe cramping.. I'd been warned the pain could equal that of actual child-birth contractions, and this must have been it. (I've never had a child, so I can only imagine) I was to the point of feeling like I would pass out if the pain didn't let up when I passed the first, and largest, portion of what -was- the pregnancy.. Many people will tell you that all you'll see is blood and clots, and it's unlikely anything will look like actual tissue.. but mine sure did.. Large masses of gray tissue were expelled for the following numerous hours. Somewhere close to midnight that night I felt relief enough to know it was over.. or so I thought. 4 days after this, while I -should- have been feeling more or less back to normal, I began to experience increasing pain in my abdomen. I called and spoke with my doctor about this, but felt as though she didn't seem concerned at all. No more than 2 hours after hanging up the phone I developed a fever that shot through the roof out of nowhere, and my heart began beating unbelieveably TOO fast. The "increasing pain" in my abdomen now had me laying in bed, hardly able to move. I called my mother who left work and rushed to my home to get me. I couldn't even get out of bed to let her in when she arrived I hurt so bad. I ended up in the emergency room that afternoon with a heartbeat of 143 beats/min.. (Check your own and then you'll see just how high 143 is) and a 103 temperature I ended up fighting to keep away for the next 4 days. To make a long story short, that first afternoon I spent over 8 hours in a treatment room in the emergency area before they got my vitals under control and discovered the cause of everything.. The abortion pill I used began attacking my own body in a sense, and began a horrendous infection in my uterus. In the end I spent a week in the hospital on 3 of the most potent anti-biotics available, as well as some heavy-duty narcotic pain killers, while specialists from the surrounding hospitals kept watch over me constantly. It's now been almost a month since then, and I still have to have blood work done, as well as ultrasounds every now and then to keep monitoring my recovery. I have constant sharp pains in my abdomen and have been told the scar tissue left over from the infection may now keep me from becoming pregnant in the future.. It's all so much to deal with, and honestly, I don't think I've come to terms with everything yet. It still feels like a bad dream. Regardless of my experience with the pill and side effects it caused me, I can still step back and look at the broad picture of things.. The majority of women who use this method have no problems, and for them, this is a good way to go. I really do think it's a better choice for most, than to have the surgical abortion.. BUT - be warned.. It's not "easy" using the pill, and there's no way to know how you're body will react to it. I never knew I'd go through the things I did because of it. This is definitely not something to be looked at as the "new contraceptive" either, as some are saying. It's so risky, putting your body through something like this. It could take a toll on you that will effect the rest of your life. Like me.. Will I ever be able to have kids after everything that happened? Every woman out there should begin by being aware of how to avoid an unwanted pregnancy from the start. Such as life happens, and most protection only offers 99.9% effectiveness, we forget that's NOT 100%.. If you still become pregnant and choose to abort, do your homework.. read about all possibilities, and all side effects for each.. then decide what's best for you. I think the pill is a great option.. but be careful, it's certainly not without it's flaws.
|
Remote Ready Biology Learning Activities
Remote Ready Biology Learning Activities has 50 remote-ready activities, which work for either your classroom or remote teaching.
About Student Papers
| This paper reflects the research and thoughts of a student at the time the paper was written for a course at Bryn Mawr College. Like other materials on Serendip, it is not intended to be "authoritative" but rather to help others further develop their own explorations. Web links were active as of the time the paper was posted but are not updated. |
What's New? Subscribe to Serendip Studio
A Random Walk
New Topics
-
1 week 3 days ago
-
How do food molecules reach our muscles? – Structure and Function of Organ Systems, Organs and Cells1 week 4 days ago
-
1 week 4 days ago
-
1 week 4 days ago
-
1 week 4 days ago
Comments
my daughter is pregnant.
Dear readers my daughter is pregant and she want to take the pill.She is 22years old and have a 2 year old son.I wish she would read these stories. I wish she would have a change of mind and keep the baby.God gives life.
My Complete Experience
i hope this post is read by every girl who is pregnant and worried about taking the pill, just like i was when i found this website.
my "stats":
age: 20
weight: 100lbs
height: 5'1''
never carried a child full term
i found out that i was pregnant sometime in the end of july. I immediately made an appointment at planned parenthood to get an abortion consultation. I called my boyfriend for almost 2 years and told him what i had discovered, and told him that i'd made the appointment, and he was really supportive. he took the day off work so he could go with me to the appointment. I had to give a urine sample, got a vaginal ultrasound, and gave some blood. no pain at all.
At the day of my consutation appointment, i was 4wks 6 days. this was on 7/30/09. I came back to take the pill one week and a day later, on 8/7/09, had another vaginal ultrasound, and took the first pill. I felt fine all day, a little crampy and a little sleepy, but nothing worse than a period. I even drove an hour to my boyfriend's new house at his college.
I didn't bleed at all until the next morning, almost exactly 24 hours after i had taken the first pill. my boyfriend was planning on being with me, but had to do warehouse inventory for work and couldn't get out of it.
i took the phenergan at 12:30pm with a naproxen. i got a prescription for tylenol-3, but thought i would wait a while before taking it.
lesson #1, take your tylenol-3 WITH your phenergan.
When i put the 4 pills in my cheeks at 1pm,i was not expecting to have cramps starting at 1:12. anyway, once 1:30 came around (which felt like forever because those pills tasted so icky and chalky) I immediately gulped down the tylenol-3. Pain was pretty bad, but i wouldn't say it was unbearable. tylenol-3 kicked in about 20 minutes later, then i was out.
i slept on and off (more on than off, i only woke up when my boyfriend's roommates came to check on me or when i really had to go to the bathroom) until my boyfriend came home at 4. I was going to the bathroom around once an hour, and felt good enough to stand up straight and walk to the toilet. when you sit down, blood WILL gush out of you, but oh man, you will feel so much better afterward.
lesson #2, be careful standing up, because i almost blacked out EVERY time i stood up after going to the bathroom, but made it to the bed every time and never actually blacked out.
my boyfriend let me sleep (thank you tylenol-3) but i was just so relieved that he was there that i started feeling better already.
by 8 pm, i was feeling good enough to walk around the house and even eat some food, and by the next morning, i only felt a little sore. unfortunately, i did feel like i had just done 100 sit ups for about 2 or 3 days afterward. the antibiotics they gave me were not too bad but taught me my next lesson:
lesson #3, DEFINITELY take the doxycyclene with food, because if you don't, you WILL puke them up. i learned this the hard way, twice, because i don't eat breakfast. the second time, i actually did eat a piece of toast with it, but it wasn't enough. since i eat dinner around 9 or 10 pm and took the dinner pill then, i decided it would be alright to take the breakfast pill with lunch at work at noon.
after about 1 week, i felt just like i had before i had gotten pregnant, and it felt so good to be myself again. my INCREDIBLY sore breasts went pretty much back to normal, and were completely normal by the time the 2 weeks was up. I bled for about 2 weeks, each day getting a little lighter, and by my 2 week appointment at planned parenthood, i was only spotting.
My two week appointment was on 8/21/09. i got my third and last ultrasound, and everything was just fine! i was so relieved. I do think about it sometimes, but i am not sad that i chose to have an abortion. my boyfriend and i would not have been able to support a child and finish our college careers. I know that we made the right decision. if we had been even a year or so older, i would have considered keeping it. I have no regrets, but i do think that you should really take into consideration you and your partner's feelings before you decide to abort.
the breakdown:
- pain: not too bad. take the tylenol-3 and you'll pretty much sleep through the whole thing.
- no nausea at all, no diarrhea at all.
- overall, i am really happy that i chose the medical abortion over the surgical. i really liked that i could be at home and comfortable.
- i would be one of the 9 out of 10 girls planned parenthood says would recommend the medical abortion to other women.
I hope that this has helped ease the mind of some of you girls out there. a lot of the horror stories on the internet seem a little fake and i definitely wanted to share my good experience with you guys. you can go ahead and reply if you have any questions for me, i will try my best to answer quickly.
much love to you all! you're gonna be okay. :)
Scared to Death
I have read all of the above horror stories on taking the pill to abort the child, however, your story was different but I'm STILL scared to death. I 7 weeks pregnant and actually went to Planned Parenthood last Wednesday. They took my blood, did the vaginal ultrasound and explained to me the pill option. I ended up leaving and rescheduling for a week later (this Weds) due to still not being sure of wanting to do this or not. My situation...I have been having an outside relationship with my bosses son who I care and love very much. However I have been in an on and off again 9 year relationship that loves me very much. The bosses son is 9 years younger than me with no job, no home and has a drug addiction. My off and on BF of 9 years is still supporting me but wants me to abort this child so we can move on with our lives.
I had heart surgery in March and recently stopped taking my heart meds and the aspirin I took every day required by the Doctor just in case I have this procedure done.
The night I found out I was pregnant I was terrified...I knew that it was the bosses sons...without a doubt. Well the next morning before the boss found out, she let me go from my job. So now both of us are jobless, Im in transition on where my life is going and will be 30 soon. This will be my 2nd abortion.
My question to you....you said that the Ty3 helped you tremendously.....I am on a medication (suboxone) to help with an opiod dependence I had awhile ago and am unable to take any narcotic medicine. I get really, really bad cramps and used to take percocet for them which really didnt even touch the pain. Im so scared that being 8 weeks by the time this happens that I will bleed out tremendously b/c of the blood thinners Ive been on for 7 mths due to my heart surgery (now not on them) and unable to take the Tylenol3.
Do you have any advice for me at all? I know each women is different and I know I MUST have this abortion due to really no way to be able to raise this child right now in my life.
Should I just do it the surgical way and be done with it or do you think enough Motrin or IB Profen will do the trick with me?
Thank you for any help you can provide.....
Please Advise me (-_-)
(u_u) hello.. I've red your comment. I'm just curious because my friend is 6 weeks pregnant... She's afraid to tell it to her parents and I am the only person she talked to with this issue. She is 18 yrs. old and one time she ask me if I can buy medicine for her to have her menstruation. Can drug store will be able to sell those kinds of pills to me? I'm also 18 yrs. old. I dont know what to do. I really want to help her. I also convince her to stop it and accept what will happen but unfortunately she already had decided to abort it.
thankyou
u are my hero thankyou.
Thank you!
I just want to thank the girls who wrote the details of their experience on here. You have no idea how big of a help it is! I am going to Planned Parenthood early in the morning to take my first pill for my medication abortion. I am 24 years old, have never been pregnant before, and I am about 5 weeks along. I know to expect some bad cramping and large clots, but after reading this, it seems like as long as I keep pain medicine in me, I will be fine. I usually take Tylenol and use a heating pad on the first day of my period (when my cramps are the worst), and I am just fine. I don't have the best tolerance for pain, but it seems like I'll be able to handle it after what I just read about your experience. The pain meds and heating pad are ready. :o) Wish me luck! If I remember, I would love to update everyone on my experience. Thanks again!
i seen ur comments and wanted
i seen ur comments and wanted to let you know "trust me it will be okey" i was verryyyy scared before i took my pill and after reading the stories and after what the doctors said...i thought i wont make it...it was scarier than the pain i had...i have some advise for the girls, i know its very bad situation to be in but be strong and if you really have no other way but to have abortion then go right ahead but if you can keep the baby then please do because they are so precious. this was my first time being pregnant and there is no way i could keep the baby...my parents are very strict, they don't believe in having kids before marriage so me and my bf have to wait till we finish our bachelor degree and get married. i was 5 weeks and 3 days preg. when the nurse was doing ultra sound and i seen a small sac and she told me thats where the baby will grow i felt soo sad...i cried sooo much before i took my pill. i was emotionally distress for at least 4 weeks...but everything gets better later on. so girls just be strong emotionally and physically. trust me physical pain is less then the emotional pain. just be prepared, if you are working take atleast 2 to 3 days off. have you pain killer medication and one more thing that really helped me was heating pad that i bought from CVS. its a electical pad that you just plug it in, put it in low heat and wrap at around your stomach....and trust me that helped me soooo much. it cost around $16.00-$24.00 but i got mine for only $8.00...i baught it long time ago but in my abortion it came in handy...take your pain medication right after you take your pill. it really hurts for good 2 or 3 hours but thats it...i took it right before i went to sleep cuz i thought when the pain start i wont feel it cuz ill be sleeping but noo cramps got really strong one hour after took my pill. one more important thing the best way to get the pill to work is if you take your pill through vaginally and make sure you insert the pill all the way...the inserter is little bit pointy so dont just hurt your self and stick it in, do it slow because you dont want any scratch from it, it may cause you infection. so just lay down and insert the pils all the way until you feel like this is it. the clots are not sooo big like some people say its little big bigger then a size of a grape...i guess its diff for everybody. just to be on the safe side, if they give you backup pill ask your doctor if you take the backup pill also but if you are really sure that you are clear then dont take the pill. i dont think it does any harm. ohh ya one more thing you have too much morning sickness, like you alwayz throw up right after you eat something take the medication that they give for nausea because it helps soooo much after i took mine my vomiting totally stopped. anywayz wish everybody good luck and everything will be alright....if you have any question just reply to my comments and ill get back to you...
Almost same story
I just wanted to post this, not to encourage any of you to have an abortion but to let you know that if your in this kind of situacion you will know what to expect....
age 31
weight 149 lbs
carried to beloved boys full term, vaginaly delivered
Never had an abortion before
I went to take the mifeprex around 11:30am at the clinic when I was 5 weeks and 2 days pregnant according to the clinics calculations. I din't have any side effects with that pill. Also that day I had to take one pill of doxycline that night ( antibiotic ) to prevent any infection. You will need to take this every morning and night for the next seven days.
The next day I took Promethazine at home ( anti-nausea ) at 5pm, 30 min before taking the cycotec ( 4 pills to be put in cheeks for 30 min, watever is not disolve by then you need to shalow them with water ). I din't really found any taste to the cycotec.
After shalowing the cycotec I had to take Iboprofen 4 pills of 200mg and one pill of vicodin to prevent any pain. ( If I had further pain I could take this every 4 to 6 hrs.
Well I was waiting for the worst to happen, and I guess I was so lucky becuase I felt fine.
I just bleed a little alot less than a normal period, I just filled one maxi pad, and the other blood just came out when I went to the bathroom. I had no cramps, no clots, no tissue, nothing. So I was concern that the medicine didn't work because I was expecting a totally different experience. So I made an appointment one week earlyer at the clinic because they also told me to go in because of my lack of simtoms. Well they made a vaginal ultrasound 6 days later after taking the pill and they told me that I had no pregnancy tissue and that everything seam fine. I am still bleading a little bit so that is the only thing they saw. I still need to go next week for the follow up and closing of the procedure.
So do I recomend this?, I do, based on my experience. I was terrified before I took the pill, but now I am glad I made this choice. I really hope this helps to anyone that fells as terified as I did. I still have one more appointment at the clinic, which I really hope that it will turn out fine.
All of you take care, and I hope you never fine yourself in this situacion but if your here, concider this pill as your alternative. I am not proud of what I did and even though I didn't suffer I don't want to find myself in this situacion never again. Good luck to all of you.......
I read this & it made me feel a little better
But how much was those pills? And how far wre you again?
My situation: Somthing Strange?
Hello. I've read through all of the experiences here and am now troubled by what my doctor told me to do. He gave me 8 pills to insert vaginally. I was instructed to insert 4 of them 5 days after the first pill and 24 hours after inserting the first 4, i am to insert 4 more. I have not heard of this anywhere else, and the only similar instructions seem to be in the event no bleeding begins after the first 24 hours. I do not want to use all 8 if it is not necessary. Any input would be greatly appreciated.
My Abortion Pill Experience.....Detailed Breakdown
7/24/09
I found this site shortly after I found out I was pregnant and was considering the Abortion Pill. I found the different opinions to be helpful and decided that if I decided on a medical abortion with this Pill that I would document my experience as thoroughly as possible to help others make up their respective minds on such a difficult decision. I am going through Planned Parenthood for the facilitation of my abortion process.
About 10 days ago, I had my ultrasound at Planned Parenthood (PP) and learned that I was 5 weeks and 2 days pregnant. Since I had a planned vacation, PP suggested that I begin the process the day after I get back.....today. Thus far, the process has been as followed:
9:15 - Took the first pill (Mifeprex) in the PP office. It is now 10:44 and I am feeling nothing more than a slightly upset stomach...the way my stomach feels if I take aspirin on an empty stomach.
I also received the follwoing pills:
1) 4 Misoprostol (200 mcg tablets) that I am to take 24-48 hours after the Mifeprex. I am to disolve them between my cheek and gum for 30 minutes, then swallow what doesn't dissolve. This pill will facilitate the passage of the pregnancy tissue.
2) Broad spectrum antibiotic, (Doxycycline 100 mg tablets), that I am to begin taking this evening to fight potential infection. 1 pill with dinner tonight. 1 pill with dinner tomorrow night. Then 1 pill (twice a day) with breakfast and dinner until they are entirely gone.
3) Anti-nausea pills (Phenegran 25 mg tablets) that I am to take 30-60 minutes before I take the Misoprostol. According to the packet information, this medication will cause drowsiness and may be repeated every 4 hours as needed.
4) Prescription for 20 Tylenol 3 tablets (going to pick up the prescription this afternoon). I am to take "1 tablet at the onset of cramping and 1-2 tablets every 4 hours as needed). Now....after all I've read here, I don't know that I WANT to wait until the onset of cramping to take these pills. I think I'll take them at the same time I take the Misoprostol. I was also informed that I could take up to 600 mg of Ibuprofen every 4 to 6 hours to supplement the Tylenol 3's as pain medication. Maybe I'll take the Ibuprofen with the Misoprostol instead and save the Tylenol 3's for when the pain gets intense. I just don't know yet.
That's about all I have at this point. I am on my way to the store to buy lots of sanitary napkins (nothing in the vagina for 2 weeks), water and juice and a heating pad, then I have to head to work.
I work until noon tomorrow, pick up my Tylenol 3's from the pharmacy on my way home, and will take the 2nd pill tomorrow (7/25/09) when I return home. I will update more at that time, unless something happens between now and then.
7/25/09 It's the second day
7/25/09
It's the second day after taking the first pill at the clinic. No major side effects except for a little nausea that was nowhere near what I've been experiencing due to the morning sickness. I had clients so I went to work this morning until noon. I'm a massage therapist so I have a pretty physical job. My energy was much lower than usual, but still, nothing too awful. I am home now and am ready to begin the process. I will document as things occur.
12:40 - 1 Phenegren tablet (for nausea) and 1 Tylenol 3 (for pain)
1:30 - 4 tablets misoprostol placed between cheek and gum (bucally).
Disvolved quickly....within 10 minutes or so. Placed heating pad on
stomach and waited for cramps.
2:00 - Washed down remaining tiny chalky particles of misoprostol with a couple
small sips of Gatorade. Still no cramps at this point. Quick potty trip shows no traces of blood. Back in bed with heating pad on belly.
3:30 - Awake from dozing off to feel first bits of blood coming down and mild cramps. Take another tylenol 3.
4:30 - Cramps really beginning to intensify but very bearable. So far, not much worse than menstrual cramps. I can tell that I'm bleeding but I don't know how much. I'm avoiding going to the bathroom because I really don't want to see the clots I'm passing. Not sure how I'll handle that, emotionally. No nausea so far.
4:45 - Went to bathroom. Some blood on maxi pad but when I sat down on the toilet, blood and....stuff....flowed from my vagina as urine would. Some liquid stool as well. In spite of myself, I looked in the toilet. The toilet paper covered much of it but from what I could see....the water was bright red with pinkish bits of tissue on the bottom of the toilet bowl. Cramps remain like those of a menstrual period, only somewhat stronger and coming in waves. Still very bearable and not what I would call painful. Uncomfortable, maybe. Blood is flowing rather freely...when I stood up to pull my panties back up.....blood dripped onto the toilet seat. Went downstairs to walk around for a bit.
7:35 - Took antibiotic pill and 2 more Tylenol 3's. Still waiting for the intense gut wrenching pain that I've heard so much about. Maybe I'm one of the lucky ones. Maybe. Lots of blood on pad but no more gushing when I went to the
bathroom. Bleeding actually seems to be slowing. Cramps are lessening back to what my menstrual cramps feel like.
7/26/09
7:32 (a.m.) - Cramps subsided by 10:00 last night. After having slept through the night in comfort, I woke up to find that my pad wasn't even soaked through. Moderate bleeding such as I would associate with a semi-heavy period. No more pinkish tissue in toilet. Small regular looking clots on pads. I'm guessing that the worst is over which, physically speaking, was NOT very bad at ALL. Where are the lemon-sized blood clots I was told to expect? Where is the nausea? The fever and chills? The ridiculously intense pain. In fact, physically the process has been so uneventful that I'm wondering if it "took". I'm not even very low on enegy. If it weren't Sunday I could probably go to work today without a problem.
Will update more in a couple of days or sooner if anything eventful happens. I still have a good 9 days to wait for my check up. But I'm really wanting to know now if I even passed this pregnancy. I was just expecting so much more.
Please tell me if the pills
Please tell me if the pills worked. I am going through the same thing as you and feel as if they didn't really 'work.' I just took the 4 tablets yesterday, had some bleeding and a little clotting, but I expected far worse. Please let me know how everything went. Thank you!
thank you!!!
Thank you for your detailed description of your experience! It was very helpful to me because the instructions you were given are the same as the ones I am supposed to follow (same medications including the antibiotic and the anti-nausea pills). I also was instructed to take my "Miso" bucally, which most of the stories I have read describe taking the medication through other routes. Today I took the first pill around 12:40 pm. It is now almost 9 pm and I have experienced little to no side effects. I did take two extra strength rapid release Tylenols about an hour after I took the pill-- just in case. The worst thing I have experienced so far is a little diarrhea and nausea, but that could be just because today was so stressful. I was planning on going to work tomorrow and being there until about 4 pm. I'm not sure if this is going to work, because I would like to start the "Miso" around 1 pm, and from the sound of it, I should most definitely be at home for this.
But anyway, I hope I have a relatively uneventful expirience like you did and I am interested to know how your follow-up appointment goes.
Thank you for your wonderful input, it was VERY helpful to me.
-H. (first time abortion. 7 1/2 weeks pregnant)
Im scared
I honestly wish I got the procedure instead of taking these pills. I first went into the clinic and the way they made it look was as if it was going to be very easy and not painful. The first pill that stops the growth wasnt bad at all. The nurse and doctor told me to take 4 pills of misoprostol in 24 hours but before that take anti-nausea pills 30 min before. I wonder why they didnt tell me to take the pills vaginally?! instead they told me to put the 4 pills in my mouth and let it dissolve in 30 min and to swallow the remaining after, 2 pills on each side of the inside of my cheek. Then I was to wait another 30 min to take MOTRIN. Some of you got vicodin?! They told me not to throw up or it might not work. First of all waiting to let the pills dissolve in my mouth for 30 min was HORRIBLE. It tasted very bitter and chalky. Having to deal with morning sickness for 6 weeks, I wanted to puke. The anti-nausea pills werent working but I tried to focus and not puke. After a half hour I felt the immense cramping. MOTRIN BY NO MEANS DID ANYTHING! I ended up puking everywhere after I took the motrin. I was in the worst pain of my life and worst of all I was all by myself. I have a VERY high tolerance to pain but this was very traumatizing and felt as though my uterus was being ripped out of my body. I tried to get up to go to the bathroom and I fell to the ground as soon as I tried to even get up because I was in severe pain. I literally crawled to the bathroom on my hands and knees and managed to get on the toilet and sat there for 5 hours as I was screaming in agony and watching blood just pour out of me. I felt like dying because I just wanted someone to put me out of my misery. The VERY severe cramping and bleeding lasted about 8 hours or more. The whole time I was still on the toilet crying and screaming in agony. I felt like I watched the fetus exit my body in midst of all the blood and I felt more guilty and heartbroken than ever. Its been a week now and the bleeding has not stopped even though its definitely not as much as the first 8 hours of taking it. The cramping although not as severe, has not stopped either. Tampons and pads dont last more than an hour and it sucks because I take three 4 hour college summer courses and Im constantly bleeding through my tampon, pad, and jeans. I WISH I GOT THE PROCEDURE INSTEAD. IT WOULD HAVE BEEN WAY LESS TRAUMATIZING! at least Id have medical staff around me and feel safe. I really though I was dying because I couldnt imagine anyone going through that much PAIN. WATCHING what felt like GALLONS of blood was traumatizing on its own thinking that your fetus is in there somewhere as its pouring out of you. I really hope the cramping and bleeding goes away but from the looks of it no one else has had much luck either. Im really scared. The doctor never told me to take it vaginally, like the rest of you because I would rather have done so and NEVER prescribed me pain meds. He only told me to go to CVS and buy motrin and I would be fine. That really pisses me off. PLEASE CONSIDER THE PROCEDURE IF YOU ARE CONSIDERING AN ABORTION. WHILE THAT MAY BE TRAUMATIZING I PROMISE YOU THIS IS MUCH MORE!
I couldn't stop crying while
I couldn't stop crying while I was reading your story because NO ONE should go through that alone. I did Monday and Tuesday the 22nd was the night of pain. I had someone with me. You need a hug. It is sheer trauma. We are being used as guinea pigs. I was gven prescription strength ibuprofen by the nurse practitioner and instructed to take 800 mg every four hours. The pain is nothing they prepare you for and I came on his website before I had it thinking those women don't have a high tolerance for pain like I do, they aren't as fit nor As healthy so mine will not be that painful. Boy was i wrong. I wish I did the other procedure instead. What if I wasn't self-employed. I am literally in bed on my back and in pain and it's three days later. This is worst than labor. I called the clinic and they said to keep tAking ibuprofen. I made the wrong choice, the other procedure would have been better. This is misery!
Dont Even
For all the girls who are asking for help and what not, DO NOT LET THESE PEOPLE WHO ARE ON THE INTERNET AND DO NOT KNOW YOU AT ALL AFFECT YOUR DECISION! it is YOUR RIGHT TO CHOOSE! DO NOT DARE let these people talk you out of something that you feel is BEST FOR YOU. It is YOUR BODY, YOU will be the one affected for the rest of your life, ITS ALL ABOUT YOU not these people preaching whether or not you should or shouldnt do this, BULLSHIT. I HATE these WOMEN! who do not support other WOMEN! no wonder men feel they can control us, AND OUR SEXUAL REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM! we dont even support each other! You women should be ashamed of yourselves, if we cannot even do what we want with our own bodies then you might as well take away all of our rights, if we dont even know whats best for us how can we possibly vote? or drive a car? or hell make simple decisions like what brand of tampons to use! come on, you people praying and all of that other bullshit need to give it a rest, go back to your housewives lives bake some fucking cookies and back the hell off.
Don't even
I don't even agree with this post.. they are just telling it like it is!!! real and the truth!!!!! why are you afraid that these girls should know what will really happen to them?
DONT DO IT I GOT VERY ILL AFTER TABLET
Hi i want to share my experience with the Abortion tablet. I was 22 at the time and i had a little girl aged 13 months and i was 5 weeks pregnant. I was a lone parent and really did not know how i would cope on my own with toddler and a newborn. I thought about what to do for 2 weeks, i went to hospital 2 times to take tablet and both times i left as i just couldnt take it.
I kept getting hassled by the father to have abortion and on the 3rd visit to hopsital i sat there crying and the midwife said ''i dont have time for this are you going to take it or not?'' so with that i shoved the tablet in my mouth and swollowed. I WANTED TO DIE. I FELT SOOO BAD ,I WANTED TO KILL MYSELF. I was riddled with guilt instantly i wanted to make myself sick, the midwife said come back in three days to take the second tablet. I ran out of hospital and cryed i did not know what to do with myself.
That evening i had a little spotting, no pain i walled the hospital and asked 'should i be bleeding alot because im not' she heard the upset in my voice "you didnt want to take it did you?" she asked, i replied "no, i didnt i feel so ashamed"
She said " we can scan you on monday to see if the tablet has worked if you like?" i prayed for the next 2 days that the tablet wouldnt work, i prayed so hard.
Monday i went to hospitla , the midwife scanned me, (this is not what they normally do, you normally take the second tablet even if the first worked or not) I was delighted to find it had not worked, but the dr told me it would not be the right thing to keep the pregnancy going as the baby could be deformed. They told me i may still lose the baby.
I kept praying , i took progestornone drink to help keep baby alive. I prayed day and night. My baby survived and he is now 2 years old called Henry. He is perfectly normal and i say thank you to god every day for my little miracle.
Please girls be sure about your decision it is the hardest one to make, but if you are to have abortion please i would only reccomend the surgical termination as i reasearched the dangers of mifpristone and there have already been 5 reported deaths from the tablet. The also dont tell you that it is not to be taken by smokers and also i would like to add i became very ill from taking it 18 months after taking it i lost nearly all my hair, i couldnt walk very well, i kept getting dizzy , passing out (dr told me its due to low progestorne caused by pill) anyways please take care and do your research. blessings, jodie
Oh my God Jodie, I was
Oh my God Jodie,
I was looking for a story like yours on Tuesday but didn't find it. Like you, i went to the clinic on Monday and took the first pill and the next day I changed my mind. I had two friends with me and we called clinics including the one where I took the pill and we asked about what happens if you don't take the rest of the pills, I was told that the baby would be mentally retarded or maybe he'd be missing fingers and toes and i was so afraid that if my baby came out damaged that I couldn't live with the guilt and so after talking to different people on the phone, I put the rest of the four pills in my mouth and went through excrutiating pain on Tuesday night and now it's Friday and I'm still in bed, bleeding and in pain. I wish I had read your story first. I was too quick to get it over with. I am not against abortion and I would have been fine with mine if I wasn't still laying in bed with horrible stomach pains. The moral of the story for me is this was a really big decision and I should have waited longer. I should have taken more time and I should have done more research. Had I read your story a few days ago and knew there was a possibility the baby would be normal and if I knew about this lasting excrutiating pain, I would have had he other type of abortion instead or kept the baby.
I am devestated, but so happy your situation worked out
I had the pill and i didn't want to. I had the pressure from my husband all the way :(
The next day i took 4 pills and had no bleeding (all the while just regretting the whole thing and hating myself. As they told me from the start... once i took that first pill, I couldn't go back. I went back and got 4 more pills and had a small amount of bleeding.
I went back 2 weeks later for the follow up only to find the baby was still alive and growing!!!! I almost died right there on the spot. They told me I HAD to have the surgical because there wasn't really any chance of the baby being normal.
I am devestated by this whole experience and regrt it with all of my heart. After all this... i have told my husband we ARE having another baby because i think it's the only thing to help me get over this.
Deep in my heart and soul... i just want that baby who did all it could to come into this world
help
Hi i have just read through these comments and i am absolutely terrified!! i am i8 and found out i am pregant on monday. i went to my abortion consultation today where i had an ultrasound which showed i am just 5weeks. i also had blood taken. i am due to take my first table on 20th july and then the other 4 on the 22nd under hospital care. i go on holiday on the 27th with my mum and dad and i am absolutely terrified they will suspect something. i am also so scared about the pain etc. please can somebody put my mind at ease i just cant stop crying
i took the pills back in
i took the pills back in september of 2008...i was terrified too! for me it was all over in one day but i can say it was painful but the pain only last a couple hours until i passed the pregnancy. i was only four weeks but i did passed a small what looked like a grey colored cotton ball. it made me nauseous but i never vomited. i know its different for everyone but its rare that you will have any major issues. it definitely wasnt the easy decision but it was the best decision for me and i think you would be fine to go on vacation with your parents after. i dont think theres any reason they would find out.
"Help"... how are you doing?
Hello again, just checking in on you and hoping you are okay. I am concerned for you and your unborn baby. Are you still feeling terrified?
There are so many people out there who would love to help you during this difficult time. There are crisis pregnancy centers all over who can assist you with housing,counseling, job opportunities, free medical care, support network and possible adoption options too. You could look up the phone number for a nearby crisis pregnancy center to get assistance. (not the kind who take your money for abortion but rather; a center who wants to help you make the nonviolent choice)
I think you are going to make the right choice. Count on my prayers - especially as July 20th approaches. I pray you have the courage to tell your parents and that they are supportive of your decision to give life to your little son or daughter! YOU CAN DO IT. :) You will never regret giving your little baby life.
I can say that I have had many jobs but being a mother is the best one ever.
Thinking about you....
Jennifer M.
Hello Help- I was compelled
Hello Help-
I was compelled to write to you after reading your post. If i thought that I could implore you, beg you or come and physically hold your hand for the next nine months so that you would have this baby and then either keep it or give it to a family who would LOVE it... believe me i would. Instead I would like to humbly offer to you a scenario that is equally as terrifying and scary even though you may not see it as such at the moment. WHAT IF... you go through with this non-surgical abortion, go through the physical pain, suffering etc. and then instead of having any physical repercutions as many people warn about- Breast cancer, inability to concieve any children... you instead go through periods of such emotional isolation and despair as to want to commit suicide,... turn towards alcholism, drugs, promiscuity...anything to make the pain of emotional emptiness dissapear. Because of one choice-YOUR CHOICE- the rest of the choices you make would inevitably turn you down the wrong path and as scary and terrifing as this moment in your life is...NOTHING is scarier than looking in the mirror in 10-20 years-ALONE- and knowing that you wasted a major part of your life because you were in such despair you could not function. Right now it is still easier to find help.. to take the right turn. I can't garuntee you that it wont be difficult to tell your parents and i cant garuntee you that your pregnancy wont have its ups and downs, what i can gaurantee you is that the road that i went down because I made the choice at 18 to HAVE the abortion will not be the road that you go down. I garuntee that you will NEVER look into the mirror and feel hatred or disgust at the image that looks back at you. I gaurantee that if you decide to keep the baby against all odds and raise it- that the love in your life will only multiply a thousandfold and although you are young- your life will not end at this turning point... IT IS ONLY BEGINNING!!!!!!!!!! I PROMISE YOU THIS WITH ALL OF MY HEART!!!!
Ultimately you also must know that the choice that everyone talks about is YOURS!!!!! YOU will live with the decision that you make for the rest of your life and as difficult as it is only YOU will understand all of the repercusions. Your parents or boyfriend, will not be there in the quiet moments when you have to face yourself alone. They will not be there to go through the pain with you wether its now or 10 years from now and wether its physical or emotional. Please consider this carefully!
Please know that there is an enormous support network for mothers in your exact situation. They are waiting to help 24 hours a day...financially, emotionally with whatever you may need at any time for whatever reason and all of it is confidential!!!!!
help
Hello,
I can help you make the best decision you are ever going to make...to have the baby! Please know that God gave you this baby for a reason (there are so many women out there who cannot get pregnant) and that He wants to give you this wonderful gift of life. Yes, you many think you cannot handle a situation like this, but you will see how strong you are by the tough decisions that you make! You can do it, tell you parents and let them know that you are going to have this baby, because you are a good woman who would never harm her own child. At first they may be upset, but in the end, it is going to be that little grand-daughter, or grand-son that will bring them the gift of joy! Even the hardest of hearts melts when they see a baby smile. You can do, make the only decision that you know is right....give birth to your little son or daughter. It is only one year of your life, but the baby will exist for eternity! These are the moments that prove who we are...and you know who you are...you are human and filled with love and compassion. Show compassion to your child and give him or her life! I will continue to keep you and your baby in my prayers! You will see, once you make the choice to keep your baby, you will feel relieved, I promise! I know MANY woman who were in your exact situation and let me tell you, it is that baby that has "saved" their life in so many ways. Please feel free to contact me if you need ANYTHING...ANYTHING!! It is not too late, please do not go to your next appt! You can do this...for your sweet little angel. Don't forget to start taking your pre natal vitamins, baby needs them!!
july 20th could change your life forever
Congratulations, you are a mom. It is perfectly understandable that you are frightened and crying. But, baby is there and the decisions you make now will affect the rest of your life. The health risks (infertility,breast cancer)and heartache caused by abortion is not worth it. You are worried about what your parents think but remember you are a parent now too. Don't you want a chance to see this beautiful baby of yours- who will look like you and be all yours?
I went with a scared 22 year old Mom recently to an ultrasound. She was 5 weeks 1 day pregnant and on her way in to have an abortion when I met her, her mom was forcing her into it. Together we went to a legit. OBGYN for ultrasaound, there we saw the strong, fast heartbeat of her unborn baby. I repeat... at only 5 weeks 1 day!!!!!! What a beautiful sight it was. She was so moved and knew immediately that she could not kill the life inside of her. It was sad because she had aborted last year but had never seen what the baby looks like at such a young age. Planned parenthood and other abortionists (who make a lot of money in this business)do not show the moms what their innocent, little child looks like in utero WHY? WHY? WHY? Well,it is not good for business.
Please contact me if you would like to talk. There are so many people who would love to help you make the peaceful, non violent choice. Think about what you and your little baby would go through at the hands of the abortionist? Please don't kill your child.
I will be thinking of you - and contact me if I can do anything for you.
Have you considered adoption?
Sincerely,
Jennifer
Hello Help
I can imagine that you are terrified, in making a decision to possibly end the life of your unborn child. Anyone who would say to you that the decision is trivial. It is not. PLEASE realize that abortion is not the only option. There are many women and families who are not able to have children, and would love to adopt an infant. I happen to be one of them.
abortion
i took my 3 pills by mouth and i pssed the clots almost a week later, it was not very painful but now i am still bleeding in spurts. I was 8 weeks. now i need to go for my follow up visit but i am scared.
I regret doing this...
I took the abortion pill last year, it was June 26th 2008. I already had 2 lil boys and their father and I had split for a while and I got pregnant by a close friend. We both decided it wasn't the right time. So after about a week of me freaking out and deciding what I should do, I made the choice to go through with it. I'm not going to tell about my experience, although it was pretty bad. It's now just about a year later and I am ready to have another baby, but I fear I am unable to. I have been trying for about 8 months and nothing. I caculated my fertility and had sexual intercourse like everyday. If what I did caused my chances of ever getting pregnant again to not happen, I will never, ever forgive myself. If I could go back, I would have done things way different.
Cost: I paid $500 a couple
Cost: I paid $500 a couple days ago at a Planned Parenthood. That includes the ultrasound, blood test, all treatment, the pills, and, in the rare case that the pill did not work, the cost of a regular abortion (so you wouldn't have to pay anything if the pill fails, which rarely happens).
I read a lot of scary information on the internet, and it freaked me out about taking the pill. People saying they experienced the worst pain of their lives! I was really scared when I finally took it, but here's how it went:
12.30pm - anti nausea pill
1-1.30pm - four misoprostol pills
1.35pm - vomited, then took vicodin afterwards as I started to feel some pain
1.50pm - vomited again, pain about the same, but now even more scared about what I'd read online, especially since I was afraid I'd vomited up most of the vicodin. Took one ibuprofen.
2pm - cramping, about the same as a heavy period, in 30 second waves. I lay down on my stomach, on a hot pad, and without moving I felt no nausea anymore, and the cramps were very reasonable (4/10 on a pain scale)
2.30pm - cramping continues, go to bathroom, no bleeding at all in maxipad yet, but some bleeding in the toilet (less than a normal period). Two more ibuprofen, afraid things will get worse. Went to lie back down.
2.50pm - All cramping stops. I'm confused. Where's the pain everyone talked about? Where's the bleeding?!?
3pm - Go to bathroom, no blood in maxipads, but I lose two large clots in the toilet. No pain whatsoever.
The end. Some light bleeding in the toilet occurred for some time after all that, but basically, I had regular cramps for an hour, like a period, with no severe bleeding, and then the entire abortion was over!
I'm sure this isn't the same for all women, and I am certain some reports of extreme pain must be true, but for me, it was not bad at all. I wanted to post this information and put it out there for all the women who are scared after reading about all the worst-case-scenario stories. I'm even wondering now if some of those "experiences" were just made up by anti-abortion activists? Those reports are certainly entirely unlike the very quick experience I had. (Some, not all obviously, I have no doubt some women have extreme responses)
In the end, the most unpleasant part of the abortion was the fear that I felt as a result of scaremongers posting disturbing reports about extreme responses (if they're even all true) the abortion pill on the internet.
Some extra info, in case it helps: I'm in my 20's, never before been pregnant, and I was 6 weeks and 4 days away from the first day of my last period (so around 4 weeks pregnant, 6 weeks by the method Planned Parenthood uses to determine if you can take the pill). I have normal periods. I should also add, for those interested, that the doctors at Planned Parenthood mentioned that the worst pain, and even abortions that start at the first pill, before the Misoprostol, mostly happen in extremely skinny girls (which I'm not). Not sure why.
Hi, Claire, Your experience
Hi, Claire,
Your experience sounds similar to my own just yesterday. I posted my experience in a 2 part post covering Friday (first pill), Saturday (2 pills) and this morning....but for some reason, the posts have yet to show up. I had VERY reasonable cramps when I took the Misoprostol yesterday and not a whole lot of bleeding. I think I soaked through only 1 pad. The rest of the time was like a semi-heavy period. I'm confused and wondering if it was successful or not. From what I've read, it should have been so much worse. So much more blood. So much more pain. So much more....everything.
I'm curious to know if you later had any problems and, when you went back for your 2 week check up, were you cleared of you abortion?
Not bad at all
Hello, just to let some people know who may be scared to do it. This was not the greatest decision to make. I was so nervous and scared. I took the pill about 2 weeks ago. I did not what so ever feel any pain!! Of course I took the pain pills that they give you, and also I took my own midol. And nausea pills. I took the 4 pills. Layed on the couch and just waited.I waited to so long I ended up falling asleep. Woke up still nothing. Nothing happened for 2 hours. I still decided to wear a pad. you know just in case if i did bleed a lot. basically i woke up that next morning and i did bleed a lot. even though i bleed a lot i still did not feel any pain. But i can tell you this!! I felt sooooooo much better the next day. I woke up ready to be at work by 7:30! I had energy and I did not wake up grouchy! or feeling as i was going to throw up. when i went to the bathroom that morning. i was bleeding out clots badly. but it was not painful. Unfortunaley my period is still on! And i believe it has been 2 weeks. I just wish it would go off! but i'm thinking this pill works differently for everyone. because i did not have any pain. but i feel so much better. I am back to normal now.
Cost me $150 because I think
Cost me $150 because I think my insurance covered the rest. I am going through this right now. I took the first pill orally yesterday at about 5pm. I just felt a little upset stomach. I think it's because I didn't have much to eat. (I haven't had much of an appetite lately.) I inserted the 4 pills vaginally today at about 11:45 (30 min after I took the two 400mg ibuprofin). I too, was scared waiting for the pain and intense bleeding. I felt nothing but mild cramps and I got cold and the shivers but it didn't last long. I kept waiting and waiting but nothing happened until after 3:30pm. Then I started to bleed not to heavily. Later I went to the restroom and stuff just gushed out. Again no pain. I have been taking my temperature and it did rise to 100.7 so I called the emergency nummber that I was given at planned parenthood. The nurse called me back and let me know that the pills could cause my temperature to rise. She recommended that I take plenty of fluids and keep checking my temp. It has now dropped and I feel fine. I am still bleeding and clots are still coming out when I got to the restroom. Overall I feel well. I'll keep taking the pain meds just in case. I also think that some of the posting were placed by individuals that want to scare others. It worked, I a scared bit I was still determined to go through with the abortion. I was less than six weeks along (not sure about the exact days). I'm 33 and I've never been pregnant before. I'm not at all sorry I did this. I'm glad this option was available for me. I'll keep you all informed on what happens next. BTW I am doing this all by myself and it's okay.
Last update
Well this has definitely been a long two month journey for me. I did go for my 2 week follow up appointment and I did expect everything to be okay. I hadn't been in any pain and I was only lightly bleeding.
I did not get good news. I was no longer pregnant but my uterus was not empty so I had to take a second dose of the pills. I was not happy because I just remembered how much I bled the first time I took them. The doctor assured me I would bleed that much again.
I took the pain pills waited the 30min thenI inserted the pills vaginally like I did the first time. I waited but nothing happened. I didn't start bleeding. The bleeding didn't actually start untill 3 days later. The bleeding has been the worst part for me because I don't like using pads. I continued to bleed for the next 2 weeks. I had started to have light bleeding by the time I had my next appointment.
I went to my next appointment again thinking everything would go well because I felt well. I did get an all clear. I remember the nurse practitioner specifically told me my bleeding should be the way it was then light and brownish. So I was done. Yeah!
Well I'd like to end my story like this but that wasn't the end. The next day I started bleeding bright red again. I was concerned becuase I could hear the nurse practitioner's words ringing in my head. I ignored the bleeding and tried to trick myself into thinking that after all this time I was now getting my period. Well I waited it out for a week. After a week it still hadn't eased up so I called the 1800# that they gave me. I spoke to a nurse practitioner who wanted me to go in that same day because of the risk of infection. I told her I could go the next day. I did and they told me they needed to perform a DNC to clean me out. Unfortunately I didn't have a driver so I had to go back the next day.
So I go to get the DNC which is like a surgical abortion and I'm worried about the pain and risks that I've read about. My body is so crazy. That day I had stoped bleeding like before. They checked me out and told me I didn't need the DNC anymore. The nurse practitioner was great she told me it was up to me. I thought about it and with my luck I figured I'd be back again if I didn't do this today. I went ahead with the procedure. Let me tell you this procedure was so easy and super painless. The worst pain was when the medicine to put me under was administered through the IV. The next thing I knew I was awake and feeling just a little sore.
I felt normal and was pretty active around my house the same day. I was cooking and cleaning up and doing the dishes. I bled not too heavily for the following week. I went for my 2 week follow up appointment and I got the all clear last Friday July 24r. I hope this really is the end for me. I have started getting some cramps today. I need to make an appointment with my regular doctor just to make sure everything is okay.
Bottom line after having gone through all this I would definitly advise anyone that is choosing th have an abortion to choose the surgical method. It is a lot less complicated. I know that going through this choice is difficult and maybe just popping a pill might seem like the easier choice but it's not.
another update
Things are going well. I've had light bleeding today. No pain. I've done very little these last couple of days. I've taking one pain pill today but just as a precaution. I'm still worried that something scary can happen to me. I read a posting in which the girl said everything went well until and then suddenly day four is when she started having complications. I hope that's not the case with me. The way I was bleeding yesterday I think my uterus did empty. I was amazed at how much would gush out and each time I thought that had to be the end of it. There was no possible way I had that much stuff in there. Anyway, I think I all empty now and that's why I only have light bleeding. However, I won't feel like I'm in the clear until I go to my follow up appointment.
Update
I just wanted to give an update on what I've experienced since my last posting. I did continue to bleed a lot. Since I was consuming lots of fluids I also needed to use the restroom frequently. When I used the restroom blood and clots would gush out. This went on for hours. I had started bleeding at about 3:30pm and by 10pm I was starting to get concerned because you are supposed to call the 24hr emergency number if you completely saturate one pad in an hour. I'm pretty sure I would have saturated more than that had I been bleeding into a pad. But that would have been very messy. As soon as I felt stuff coming down I would rush to the restroom. It didn't hurt at all. It felt like diarrhea coming down except it was blood and clots. I never saw the "tissue". It was quite impossible because the toilet water turns bright red immediately. It seemed like a lot of blood. I decided that I would go back to the clinic if it didn't stop by the next day. Lukily it did stop after about 10pm. Now it is 8am and when I woke up my pad was not soaked. I've used the restroom and no more stuff gushing out.
I will keep you updated on what happens. I have read all the postings and I just wanted to know what happened later. Since I am going through this alone this site helps me feel not so alone.
gushing and clots
i took the pills about 3 weeks ago. had light bleeding until today. im now experiencing the same thing you did with the blood gushing out and feeling something coming out. its happened 9 or so times today. some worse than others. im worried this is not normal? how long after you took the pills did you experience this? and i understand having to go through this alone. i have one person i have confided in and she lives 4000 miles away. so i too am doing this alone.
abortion pill
i have a 11 month old son who is the best thing that has ever happened to me. I just recently found out i am 7 weeks pregnant and am getting married in November and starting my masters degree in Sept. i have an appointment to take the pill tomorrow at 7:30 and am very nervous. I feel i will never be 100% sure if this is the right option. i have so many doubts but think this is the right thing to do. My fiance supports my decision either way but sways more on having the baby but thats because he can continue to work and not have to be pregnant again after just being pregnant. can anyone give me some advice before i decide what to do?
Abortion pill
Hi. I am 21 yrs old and im in the same boat I have a 11 mo old daughter who means the world to me and I love her more than anything. I just found out I was pregnant and based on my last period I'm about 6 weeks or so. My bf and I have been together for over 2 years and I keep telling him I don't think I can have another baby like mentally I just don't believe I can. He told me he would never look at me the same way if I did this and he thinks I'm wrong for feeling this way. I never felt this way with my daughter but we are very very careful and I'm on the pill and we use condoms but one night it ripped and here I am. Lost confused and I don't know what to do. Ihave a good job but may be losing it cuz we were bought out by another co and we live in atrailer which isn't very big for two kids I just don't know if I would regret having the baby more than an abortion
Hello Anonymous
My advice as a woman who has never been able to have children... is have the baby and then allow a family who wants a child to adopt the baby. I am very interested in adopting an infant.
I took medication abortion
I took medication abortion about five days ago and all I can say it that it is the worse pain I have ever endured in my life. I am only 24 years old and the thoughT of even having the abortion killed me, but we all have our reasons why we go through with it.When i took the second set of pills that was when the pain started. Nausea, vomitting, shaking, crying, severe cramping,dizziness, bleeding all which varied through a long 24 hour period. It is now day five and i still have horrible cramps which keep me bed ridden, crying and missing work. I take pain medication, but it doesnt even touch it. I feel as if i havent even had a chance to endure the emotional part of this all due to the physical pain i have been through. I dont reccommend the pill to anyone. The thought of taking control of your own abortion at home is a less traumatic thought then to be in the clinic on a cold table with your legs open, but the pain that a person endures is almost too much along with the possible side effects that the pill could possibly offer. good luck with whatever form you choose.
pills falling out
I wanted to know if anyone had a similiar experience. I took the first pill and later that evening I started to bleed. I had to wait until the 3rd day to insert the 4 other pills in my vagina. I recently inserted the 4 pills in my vagina. However, the next day one pill was on my maxi pad. It had not dissolved like the other 3. So I quickly inserted it. But I'm worried now if the entire process is going to be affected? Has this happened to anyone before?
wait
please just think about the baby. the baby is too far along now. i had an abortion on 10/28, and now i cry every day, and i don't think i'll ever feel the same as i did before. i wish i had made a different choice. i could have given the baby up for adoption, or anything, rather than just erasing someone who could have been here. you must be really scared and freaked out, but it's only one or two more months, and you can know forever you did the right thing.
please help me
hello!!!
is it ok to take this pill during 8th or 9th month of pregnancy??? will it work during those month also?? Actully i had my last period on 24th Oct 2008 and till now i haven't went for any kind of checkup but i'm sure i'm pregnent. please help me get out of this as soon as posible so i can able to keep this secret as i kept it till now. i will be so glad to you.
...
I truly hope that is some type of sick joke. You will be in my prayers.
No blood yet...
Hi, I took the 4 pills at a clinic yesterday after taking the first mifegyne pill on Saturday. About ten minutes later I experienced the worst abdominal pains imaginable which caused me to pass out. The pains relaxed to like menstrual cramps after an hour and I was sent home. It's now been 26hours and I still haven't had any bleeding. The doctor told me to wait a week before worrying but I haven't heard of this happening to any real people on the forums I have read. I'm beginning to think it has not worked and that I will have to have the surgical procedure. Has anybody here taken longer than usual to bleed? I really just want this to be over with and hate worrying about if or when it will happen.
Thankyou x
Well actually I tool my
Well actually I tool my pills on a monday and nothing happened a whole week. I went to the clinic again and they told me to insert 4 more pills. But this time they told me to drink plenty of water. When I did that i bleed about 4 hours after inserting the pills. about the 3rd day of bleeding i beagn to get freakded out. I just layed in the bed crying i was in so much pain and i hated going to the bathroom. big clots and huge strings of blood just hanging, i had to break it off myself. I know it sound nasty it looks even worse. Im just ready for it all to be over. today is my 4th day. Its not as bad. IF i can do it anyone can.
I don't understand why you
I don't understand why you had to wait an entire week before you took the 2nd set of pills. When I did it which was 2/22/2010. The nurse practitioner gave me one pill at the office and then she gave me four pills to take home and on the instructions it said I had 72 hours to take the 2nd set of pills but the nurse told me to do it 24 hours later. Why did you have to wait a week? I'm curious because like you I'm still having pain and it's been over a week.
older mom
I feel extremnely guilt i have an appointment on friday at planned parent hood..i have decied to have the abortion pill..i have a special needs son and just couldnt cope with a baby too..i am a little scared how my body will react to the abortion pill if i can deal wit the discomfort