Levest pill side effects

The only good things I could say about this pill is it made my periods super light and my skin was spotless (quite literally). Then the negatives were SO negative. I experienced unbelievable anxiety, brain fog and my anger management around the time of my period was non existent to the point the final straw was when I hurled my poor bf’s breakfast across the room in a rage 😅 I’ve spent a month on no contraception and I’ve felt like a different person around this cycle. I’ve been prescribed a different pill but tbh I think I’d rather be sane and spotty rather than go back to being someone I don’t even recognise!

I was on the combined pill originally on Microgynon for a few years but then I was moved onto Levest and that is what I continued with for at least 2 years. I had no problems with the effectiveness of Levest for what it is intended to do. The only advantage of this pill for me was that my skin became very clear and my periods were very light which is nice. HOWEVER, I started to realise that I was starting to feel like a different person while on this pill. I would say that I became very numb most of the time which gave me quite a low mood and would often snap at people. The couple of days before my period I would be extremely low and would cry at anything and everything! Sometimes I would literally cry for no reason, if I was even just thinking of a sad situation...I would cry. It was my mum that eventually mentioned that it could be the pill effecting my mood so I decided to come off it to see what would happen. I'm so glad that I did! My mood has improved massively and I no longer have that low mood all the time. Of course, you get fluctuations in your natural cycle and mood changes with that but it is nothing compared to when I was on Levest, I have barely cried since being off it!

Prior to using this pill I was on Microgynon with no side-effects. The pharmacy decided to change the pill, like they were changing a brand of sweets. I've steadily gained a lot of weight over 8 months. I'm a very active person & so the weight makes me look bloated & thick, mainly settling on my stomach, boobs & backside. I've also had some major mood swings, particularly with anxiety, which I've only just attributed to this pill. Plus side is I've had no periods & no issues with my sex drive, like some people have mentioned. I will be coming off this pill & chatting with my nurse about alternatives.

Was looking for a pill to give me a regular period, as I did not get any due to having PCOS. During my 7 day break, I get a bleed, and the first 2 days or so of the break, my sex drive returns. The loss of libido has been the hardest part of changing from the mini pill to the combined pill.

For the first 2.5 years the pill was fine I got on with it well. It was only in the final 18 months of using the pill that I noticed my anxiety heightened, sex drive depleted, vaginal dryness and extremely low moods during the break.

I was a very rare case, unknown to me I was Liver Adenomas growing inside my liver, 8 of them. I would’ve never have known this until October 2022 I went to a&e in severe stomach pain. After many tests & investigations they told me o have 8 tumours in my liver called Adenomas caused by the contraceptive pill. I had to stop taking it immediately. 2 operations later 2 large tumours have gone. 6 remain I am still having tests for in hope they don’t grow. I have been off the pill 6 months now & this months period was unbearable, I am unsure if it is liver related or the pill like leaving my body but I cannot cope with that every month if it stays. I was on the pill for around 15 years, although my condition is rare I never knew it was even possible and my life has completely changed from birth control. I wanted to share my story so more people could know.

I have been really thankful that I've been able to get on the Levest combined pill. It helps me manage when I want my periods and my moods have become more predictable and consistent. I really haven't had any noticeable issues and love the freedom it has given me.

I start 3 years ago on the levest pill, and since then I have put on lots of weight and tried to lose it but it hasn’t gone. I only started the pill to regulate my periods, which it has only made them more heavier. I want to change but I don’t know what to?

I went on the combined pill at 16 and came off it at 21 for 12 months after research came out linking it to depression. My depression was SO much worse OFF the pill that I went back on it and have stayed on it ever since. I have since been diagnosed with PMDD, I think the combined pill gets a really negative reputation, but for me, it has made me periods lighter, stabilised my mood, and I don't think I'd ever want anything else!

This was the first ever pill I went on. I was on it for around 18 months and I must add that I didn't notice any negative side effects for about 10 months, but that might be because it was my first pill experience. After 10 months I started noticing my skin getting worse every time I had my pill break. My sex drive suddenly depleted entirely, and I didn't even want to think about sex. My worst symptom by far was vaginal dryness. Sex started to become very painful and it caused severe itching- I'd be waking up in the middle of the night because I was so itchy. Sometimes it was even uncomfortable to walk. I assumed it was because I was shaving and waxing, yet only recently pieced it together that it was the pill and other users reported the exact same symptoms as me. I went to my GP and swapped to Lucette, so far there's no change- but it might take a while to get used to it.