Yasmin pill

I first started using Yasmin when i was almost 17, and mainly did it to improve my skin a bit. Initially my skin got so so much worse and it took about 3-4 months to fully clear up. On it my skin was the main improvement ; it really worked wonders for my skin. My body hair decreased and maybe got a bit lighter, my skin wasn’t as oily and my boobs grew a tiny bit. However after about 4 months of using it i started getting horrible anxiety. I was constantly stressing and crying to the point where people around me thought I was delusional. I also started getting horrible panic attacks, that sometimes would happen every day. I really felt like i was at my lowest point on this pill. Normal things like getting on a train would stress me out to the point where i fully avoided taking trains. I really felt like i was going psycho and all my friends and family couldn’t recognise me anymore!! I really felt like id lost my personality. I know it works for others but the psychological side effects i got from this pill whilst on it were not worth the skin benefits that came with it. 

Yasmin pill-review-id-28efb46e-0421-4471-ab53-b22d20c459b6

I went on Yasmin to try and control my prolonged periods. I committed to giving it 3 months but could not tolerate it any longer. Although the prolonged periods stopped, I got breakthrough bleeding / spotting every month. I also had extremely bad head aches for weeks at a time and felt really low. I had a few major dizzy spells where I’d completely lose my balance too which I can’t say for sure was the pill, but the other side effects definitely were. I even at times had intense increased urination where I would need to go for a wee every ten minutes (no exaggeration). I really wanted this pill to work after hearing good things about it and if I could’ve given it longer to settle I would’ve but I couldn’t tolerate the side effects any more. 

Yasmin pill-review-id-bf163de5-bc26-4cf7-87d7-14232b2241cf

I felt more positive mindset wise but a lot worse during my period ( such as period cramps and pms )

I used Yasmin for 8 months, lost 8kg and my appetite. Until getting off the pill I didn’t realise that I had felt nauseous other than vomiting every week or two. I had a little brain fog but other than those I didn’t find any other side effects and I really liked it.

Yasmin pill-review-id-3a3fd962-0af0-4813-9bb4-abcfcaf3414f

Rigevidon pill

I came off the coil as I didn’t like not having periods and was put on this pill. 
I had the worst 3 weeks I have had in years on this pill, I cried every day and my usual happy personality was destroyed. My doctor thankfully swapped me over very quickly to a new pill (marvelon) and my mood is back to normal. 
Im sure it works for some, just 100% did not for me!

Rigevidon pill-review-id-71667fa7-a7c7-440a-a35a-4f5221ba5ad6

My mood improved drastically - no suicidal thoughts and no longer depressed. Felt so much better that I stoped taking the pill altogether. My boobs did shrink back to their previous size.

The first month was VERY hard - depression and suicidal thoughts that I'd never had before. Eventually evened out, until my GP was unable to give me this pill for a month. When I went back on it I was a mess again - constant mood swings, depressed, horrile to be around. My relationship even started suffering until I had breakthrough bleeding and took a break. Within a few days my mood improved and people told me I was like a new & happier person. I then fully stopped taking that pill. 

Rigevidon pill-review-id-69e2d3bd-ae58-4b76-9e6f-8535fbc592c8

Did not even make it through my first box. Nearly instantly gave me severe mood swings- was feeling depressed the whole duration I was on it. Also had spotting in between periods, however I assume that would have resided if I stuck with it. Only positive thing to come out of this contraception was an increased sex drive. 

Rigevidon pill-review-id-7d9c3663-347b-4ef3-b797-41ffbada306b

Microgynon 30 pill

I started taking Microgynon when I was 18 for 9 years so I don't have much of a baseline of my emotions, sex drive, skin, etc beforehand as I was still pretty young. My skin definitely improved but that could have just been getting out of puberty. My sex drive seemed slightly decreased. The reason I stopped taking it is because of the mood swings - I would just suddenly feel very grumpy or annoyed for no reason at all and it caused me to be mean/rude to people and shut myself off from everyone. I especially noticed my mood very bad just before taking a pill break. My periods were lighter and shorted on this pill.

Microgynon 30 pill-review-id-87fccf4d-ce5d-4666-850d-3cc9a07929d0

The mood swings I had on this pill were terrible. I was so highly stressed and emotional.

Microgynon 30 pill-review-id-8329b9fe-6acb-4655-b9dc-5fa3170c3e42

Been taking the pill continuously for 9 weeks now (as recommended by nurse). It seemed ok, but now I am realising it's stopping me losing weight despite calorie deficit and exercise, it's the only factor that can be stopping me (therefore if I was not on a diet I assume I would be gaining weight). At this stage it has felt like I am having period cramping but no period, I am pretty emotionless and just get quite irate at other people which is not great for my relationships with friends/family/work etc. Overall it's not been awful but I am going to come off it and just track my cycle as I have tried every contraceptive under the sun and can't seem to find one that doesn't impact me negatively. Sadly, this pill was no different (better than kyleena, the implant and the depot shot, but tbh I'm just tired of forever battling with weighing up pros and cons of birth control, it's easier to just just deal with my natural (very painful) periods at this point. 

Microgynon 30 pill-review-id-654ec734-13e4-4f46-9023-c32a7d83fed1

Cilique pill

I tried this pill after taking Microgynon for 9 years. For the first few months my breasts were much bigger and more tender. I tried the tricycling method but found I was spotting a lot throughout the 3rd pill strip so switched to 2 strips back to back, but still experienced a bit of spotting in the week before the pill break. Every time I started taking it again after the 7 day break, I was very very nauseous. At the start this lasted for a few days but as time went on, the nauseousness lasted for longer and longer. My sex drive was really low on this pill and I was experiencing vaginal dryness too which definitely didn't help. My mood was TERRIBLE on this pill. I switched from Microgynon because of mood swings, but Cilique just left me with a permanently low mood. It started to feel like depression - I had no motivation to do anything, I didn't feel excitement for anything, I felt myself wishing I could just stop existing at times (not suicidal but just feeling like there was no point in sitting around being miserable). I have my wedding coming up in about a month and I just had to switch pills because I couldn't even look forward to it. After switching to a different pill the low mood immediately lifted thankfully. I didn't gain weight but I definitely didn't look as slim as I normally do - I suspect it was maybe water retention as I just looked a bit puffier.

Cilique pill-review-id-5745b2d3-7e57-4c3e-972f-37e1c2041384

I wrote a four star review for cilique a few months ago saying I had nausea when first started taking it in the morning but then it settled when I then started taking it at night
Since then, I’ve been getting more and more spotting and breakthrough bleeding, both when I take 2 packs back to back, and also if I only take one months worth :/ 
My boobs also went up from a FF to a H cup, my sex drive decreased, feel like I’ve gained weight (although weight gain could be due to other factors), and generally feeling a bit meh on it - especially very emotional/sad and anxious when on my ‘period’
I’ve come off cilique to try marvelon in the hope that a lower dose will reduce my side effects. 

Cilique pill-review-id-34b3b146-cc06-4088-9811-ffb1726330b4

I was originally on depo for 3 years came off as I was on this for quite a long time (recommended 2 years only) I was getting bad acne from the jab so I was put on this pill. Took my body to adjust awhile my acne cleared up super quick, had sore boobs and headaches, but these disappeared 3 months. HOWEVER this pill kept giving me chronic UTIs I was in so much pain where i could not walk. I didn't think it was the pill but it was I looked in the symptom leaflet and 1 in 10 get urine infections. I changed pill and they have gone away. 

Cilique pill-review-id-7808beef-1f7c-4b0e-ae36-bbf04207dced

Eloine pill

It messed my periods up for about two months after stopping but overall coming off of this pill was a huge relief. I would much rather recommend Sertraline for PMDD treatment over the combined pill.

This pill was prescribed to me to help with PMDD symptoms. After a week it caused me to begin having extremely severe panic attacks during which I couldn’t breathe and experienced worrying limb numbness. I didn’t sleep for a week and stopped taking it straight away. Worst experience of my life! 

Eloine pill-review-id-dfa93b47-20c5-4db0-8c74-ba97d3f51980

Dr Fran recommended this pill as an option to help me manage my pain levels without affecting my mental health.

I have suspected endometriosis and some significant mental health issues too. Prior to trying this pill, I was at my wits end. I was in severe pain every day with frequent flare ups leaving me stuck in bed or throwing up for hours on end. 

I’d tried a few GP prescribed pills which had been devastating for my mental and physical health. My appointment with Dr Fran was a last attempt to try hormonal methods of management. 

Overall the experience has been positive. Dr Fran recommended I take the pill continuously for as long as my body could tolerate to a maximum of three months. Half way through month two I had break through bleeding for a few days so took a 4 day pill break. 

I’m now trialling a two month continuous cycle with a 4 day break. 

I can definitely feel period like symptoms as my hormone levels change. And I can tell when my body needs a break - my endometriosis symptoms push back through but after a break they abate again. It’ll take some playing around with to get it right but I feel positive that this could be a long term solution to improve my quality of life. 

Side effects have occurred but nothing significant really. I’ve definitely had a slightly lower libido. Otherwise I’ve noted some vaginal dryness/soreness. This seems to be easing up now I’m into my 4th (ish) month of taking this pill. 

The only side effect that is proving to be quite a problem for me is hormonal mouth ulcers/mouth soreness. This has never been a problem for me until now so has most definitely been brought on by this pill. They seem to occur mid-way through each packet but do stick around for a good week or two so it feels like I have them a lot. They are rather painful and nothing really helps to get rid of them quickly or to relive the pain. I am hoping this will also abate once I settle into a routine with how I take this pill.

I plan on booking an appointment to discuss it and get some further advice. Compared to the pain I was in, this is minor but it is starting to get me down. 

My mental health has actually been more stable on this pill which was unexpected! 

I haven’t gained any weight despite having more of an appetite. I actually think I’ve lost a little weight. Regardless, I actually feel better about my body than I have in years. I’m recovered from anorexia and have avoided looking at myself for years. Since being on this pill I seem to see my body differently and have way more positive days than negative. I do get bloated still but not as often as I did. 

Planning to keep going with this pill - huge thank you to Dr Fran for validating my pain and making me feel like I was worth listening to. 

Eloine pill-review-id-d24dff74-0617-4730-aaac-be7f93258b1a

I’ve been taking Eloine for 5 months now after having bad experiences with the mini pill (non stop bleeding) and Rigevidon (made me miserable). Although I had some breakthrough bleeding the first few months, that has now stopped and I have noticed no other side effects. I mainly started taking the pill to help with painful periods, and have experienced nothing more than mild discomfort whilst on Eloine. 

Eloine pill-review-id-d1e570db-102e-4510-adf3-db75236e9f24

Combined pill

I didn't get pregnant, however the side effects made me so miserable. I didn't even want to have sex anymore and my moods swung from deep depression and suicidal behaviours to mania. It affected my relationships with my boyfriend, friends and family so much that I had to come off of it and after a month, I felt so much better.

Levest pill-review-id-497bd7c9-1405-4c53-beb2-ff089cdc43a5

Gave me extreme PMDD. Very irritable and low moods and irrational thoughts. Would not recommend unless you are low in oestrogen before taking. Acne in the first 1-2 months of taking. 

Brevinor pill-review-id-840649ce-09b5-4418-bacb-2ee441c80bd8

Been using this pill for 6 years and it’s the only one I’ve tried. It has definitely helped with periods and cleared up acne unless having a week off. Did gain some weight and have a lot of trouble losing it. I believe this pill is one of the main causes of a depression diagnosis and causes a lot of headaches/migraines and mood swings.

Does the combined pill cause body hair getting darker?

How our community feel they have been impacted by body hair getting darker on the combined pill

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Used for 1 - 3 mo

17 years old

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• 7th Feb 23

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Used for 12 - 18 mo

23 years old

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Used for 5 - 8 yr

19 years old

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• 22nd Nov 22

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Combined pill common side effects

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Period like cramps

Vaginal dryness

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