Progestogen-only / Mini pill and spotting

How our community feel progestogen-only / Mini pill has affected their periods

Data is taken from self reported Lowdown user reviews

Stopped

43%

No change

3%

Don't know

2%

Out of the 1482 reviews for progestogen-only / Mini pill, 296 people (20%) reported spotting.

Reviewers that reported spotting as a side effect

Data is taken from self reported Lowdown user reviews

Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
36 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  6 days ago

My GP suggested I switch from Desogesterel to Noriday as I was consistently getting break through bleeding after many years of being period free. The first 6 months of taking Noriday were great, with a few days of very light spotting over many months. Then I started to get more regular, painful periods. I persisted with taking it, and after a few months of no period, it's been months of heavy, painful bleeds that last anywhere from 4 to 9 days at a time every 2-4 weeks. For the last few months I've been getting the type of period pain I haven't had since I was a teenager (I'm not in my mid-30s) - the kind that wakes you up in the middle of the night and stops you from sleeping. I'm coming off this pill today.

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Decreased sex drive

0 helpful

0 comments

Used for 1 - 3 mo
25 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  1 month ago

I’ve had nothing but cystic acne, heavy bleeding for 2+ weeks at a time, hair growth is still the same rate if not even worse.


Very negative mood

3 more effects

0 helpful

1 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

Progestogen-only / Mini pill common side effects

Data is taken from self reported Lowdown user reviews

49% of progestogen-only / Mini pill reviewers reported tender breasts

46% of progestogen-only / Mini pill reviewers reported period like cramps

41% of progestogen-only / Mini pill reviewers reported vaginal discharge

40% of progestogen-only / Mini pill reviewers reported breast enlargement

36% of progestogen-only / Mini pill reviewers reported vaginal dryness


Possible progestogen-only / Mini pill side effects

Data is taken from self reported Lowdown user reviews

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