Combined pill and periods to stop
Reviewers that reported periods to stop as a side effect
Data is taken from self reported Lowdown user reviews
Used for 6 - 12 mo
26 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 1 week ago
I am 26. Have been on yasmin pill 7 months, I take in the evening just after food. I have PCOS and PMDD. I have found it to be good- it has really stabilised my mood as im not getting hormone fluctuations and has helped with insomnia and mood swings. The side effects: Breasts getting bigger [they might be slightly tender but also have large breasts to begin] and potentially more anxious/irritable but I also have more stress in my life so I think this is due to that. I have not noticed changes to skin [pimple every so often like before]. I also do 3 pill packs back to back without a break week and this caused some intermittent bleeding so now I do 2 pills back to back and this has gone away. I would recommend, once you get into the rhythm of taking a pill is easier.
Top side effects not reported
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 6 - 12 mo
24 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 2 weeks ago
I used this quite a while ago, I do not notably recall any mood-altering changes (hence why I rated "poor" instead of "terrible" to be fair, since every individual is different). But I will list below effects from when I was actively taking it and afterwards: - Heavier and more painful periods. I already struggle with painful periods, but while using Levest, they became unbearably painful (OTC barely helped, sweating, dizziness & nausea due to the pain). - I subtly started gaining more weight, despite no lifestyle or dietary changes. - I believe I had increased bodily hair growth. - After a period of heavy and painful periods, I eventually stopped having my period altogether, despite the 7 day break each month. When I stopped using it altogether, my cycle didn't resume. At one point, I didn't get my period for half a year until eventually being diagnosed with PCOS. However, Levest did not mask my symptoms during use either, it felt like it induced them (weight gain, hair growth, cycle dysregulation). I read another comment on here on hyperandrogenism concerns - and this symptom also relates to PCOS. While the issue of "pill-induced PCOS" is controversial and unconfirmed, it's still relatively acknowledged that those predisposed to the condition may find that using certain birth controls can induce it when otherwise dormant (especially progestin dominant ones, such as Levest). Synthetic progestin is often structured very similarly to androgens, hence why the body may register it as such. I heard that more recent brands have improved upon its configuration, so it's less similar - but from experience, I would say Levest hasn't quite got it yet.
Gained weight
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 3 - 5 yr
18 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 1 month ago
VERY mixed emotions about Yasmin. I've been on it for ages, and I'm still on it. yes the boobs grow a lot. at the beginning my mood changes were crazy I thought I was losing my mind. Anxiety and depression symptoms surfaced (mostly anxiety - intense panic attacks), when I didn't have issues with it prior. They're still there but after years of dealing with it I don't notice as much as I used to. I have noticed that water retention is a big issue, as well as increased appetite - it's much harder to lose weight on the pill compared to off it. I also have an extremely lower libido, like crazy low. My skin cleared so fast and i had really bad dermatitis around my mouth and nose, not to mention hormonal acne on the rest of my face - now i get pimples almost never. Also please please be careful when drinking if you've newly started the pill, it made me a lightweight overnight i swear. Also I skip the sugar pills most of the time, only having my period about 3 times a year which is FANTASTIC
Somewhat negative mood
3 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Combined pill common side effects
Data is taken from self reported Lowdown user reviews
52% of the combined pill reviewers reported tender breasts
48% of the combined pill reviewers reported breast enlargement
46% of the combined pill reviewers reported vaginal discharge
43% of the combined pill reviewers reported period like cramps
38% of the combined pill reviewers reported vaginal dryness
