Reviews
Desogestrel pill reviews
2.7
423 reviews
Daily
Frequency
91% - 99+%
Effectiveness
None
Blood clot risk
None
Effect on fertility
Reviews
2.7
423 reviews
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Community reviews
Used for 1 - 3 mo
19 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 1 day ago
i have definitely noticed good and bad side effects just after a month of taking this mini pill, one of the good ones is i have lost weight without changing my diet or physical exercise, as well as an increased sex drive and enlarged breasts! (a positive for a smaller chest sized girlie like me) however i have also experienced negatives such as very drastic mood swings that change rapidly, as well as uncomfortable vaginal dryness and more bloating than usual. i am also spotting quite frequently but not heavy whatsoever, i only have to use a tampon a day to prevent the blood from ruining my nice underwear
Somewhat negative mood
2 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 8+ yr
35 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 1 day ago
I have been on this contraception since I was 17 and I am now 35. The contraception has done what it said it would do and provided me with a very low risk of pregnancy. During that time I had no scares or worries that i was pregnant. Whilst being on this pill I have had no bleeding for over 5 years. Prior to that the bleeding was very minimal and infrequent. I have suffered with hornmonal (neck and jaw) acne throughout the whole time I have been on this pill. I have had frequent lower back ache and stomach cramps. I have suffered with normal to severe anxiety which has fluctuated throughout the years.
Somewhat negative mood
2 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 1 - 3 mo
34 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 2 days ago
I started taking desogestrel for Endometriosis symptoms, I was having a lot of fatigue and thought I would try altering my hormones. I saw on the packet that the pill contained lactose but after a google search I was fairly confident that it was a low enough level to not affect me too much (I have had quite a lot of gut symptoms due to Endo and eliminated a few foods, lactose was one of them). After being on the pill for 3 months I was sure that the lactose has been causing some significant side effects, including less control over my bowels. Through an e-consult, I requested a version of the pill that didn't contain lactose. It turns out that there is not one single oral contraceptive pill that does not contain lactose! This is unbelievable to me and I believe there should be more awareness of this.
Somewhat negative mood
3 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
24 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 14th May 26
Not a good experience, lots of weight gain, more emotional/moody. cant wear contacts anymore
Somewhat negative mood
3 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 3 - 6 mo
29 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 5th May 26
I’d been off contraception for years and I wanted to go back on it as in a relationship and not TTC just yet. So far it seems to be okay th first 2 months was where i experienced most my symptoms mainly have settled sort from sex drive, headaches, no periods they still exist on month 5.
Somewhat negative mood
2 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 12 - 18 mo
21 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 26th Apr 26
I started taking the mini pill as the combined was making me cry every single day, it was great for the first year but now I am experiencing absolutely no sex drive and I feel awful! It’s made me hate myself as I know my partner can notice but I don’t know what to do. It seems like every conception has massive negatives so I don’t even know if I want to try another one and go through this again. In the same through I don’t want to come off the pill as my anxiety will go mental if I’m not on anything !!! It’s such a shame because I’ve experienced no other side effects but I can’t go on like thi
Somewhat negative mood
1 more effect
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 6 - 12 mo
31 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 18th Mar 26
I’m generally happy but I was looking for a contraceptive that did not reduce my sex drive and that mission was failed. I tried the coil for 5 years and found that at the end, as it wore off, I started to get my sex drive back and was hoping to keep it. I was recommended the mini pill as a good option by my GP but it still doesn’t work for me. No interest in sex at all.
Decreased sex drive
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
31 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 13th Mar 26
I feel like the mini-pill has changed my life. I used to get so many painful spots on my chin, but now they are cleared up. I have noticed my boobs getting bigger and a bit more sore, and I don't if it is linked, but I am getting cystitis more, but honestly, the impact it has had on my moods has been positive. My periods are non-existence and I just feel like a whole different person (in a good way). I have looked at photos of me when I was off hormonal contraception and I just don't even recognise her. I kind of feel like the mini pill has balanced my hormones (even though the intention of using it was to not get pregnant)
Very positive mood
1 more effect
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 3 - 6 mo
Lowdown user
🇬🇧 UK
• 6th Mar 26
I was constantly bleeding and around the third month I started seeing a pattern emerging that essentially flipped my natural cycle: three weeks of bleeding, 4–5 days off, three weeks of bleeding, a couple of days off. It had a bad impact on my mental health, made me feel exhausted most of the time and killed my sex drive, ultimately leading to a breakup.
Very negative mood
1 more effect
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 8+ yr
30 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 1st Mar 26
When I was on it I was really pleased with how it was going. I felt balanced due to no periods and lack of mood swings etc. It felt great to not have periods and have that interruption on my life each month. What I didn’t realise until after I came off it after many years of using this pill, the implant and another pill previously was the affect it had had on my arousal/libido, I had always put this down to anxiety, but I feel very confident in saying now that having a true cycle has made a huge difference to this. When on the pill (especially the mini pill) I felt broken as to why I didn’t ever think about sex, but that changed almost instantly when I stopped. I wish I had known how much this would have impacted this. I would use it again, but I would be cautious of this change.
Somewhat positive mood
1 more effect
1 helpful
0 comments
Desogestrel pill benefits
Some of the benefits that are recognised in scientific research or guidelines for this contraceptive
Period pain
Desogestrel pill alternatives
Contraceptives that work in similar ways, or brands that have close or exactly the same hormonal ingredients
