Progestogen-only / Mini pill and weight gaining
How our community feel progestogen-only / Mini pill has affected their weight
Data is taken from self reported Lowdown user reviews
No change
44%
Don't know
16%
Out of the 1518 reviews for progestogen-only / Mini pill, 523 people (35%) reported weight gaining.
Reviewers that reported weight gaining as a side effect
Data is taken from self reported Lowdown user reviews
Used for 1 - 3 mo
17 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 4 days ago
I had always suffered with very minor anxiety, however once I went on this pill I was a wreck. It was like I became a whole different person, I was irritable, mean, and I was constantly upset. In the space of a month I went from a D to and E, and I gained weight like I never have before around my lower stomach. I had always been rather skinny around there, but even after 2 years of not taking it, I have never been able to return to how my body was beforehand. The first 2 and a half weeks were normal, but after that I bled consecutively for 9 weeks, with a few 16 days staggered in between where I only briefly spotted.
Very negative mood
3 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
22 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 2 weeks ago
The first 2 years on this pill was fine, my moods were neutral and my periods stopped completely. However, this is my 3rd year using it and I’ve started growing darker facial hair on my chin and I’ve become more irritable with occasional breakthrough bleeding. Not sure if my body has just changed hormonally as I’ve grown older and doesn’t agree with Desorex anymore. My pharmacist recommended swapping to Noriday, so shall see how that goes and whether it improves my symptoms despite containing a higher amount of androgen than Desorex.
Somewhat negative mood
3 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 3 - 6 mo
27 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 11th Aug 26
I have been on the mini pill now for around 5 months, not for contraception (sure it’s a bonus) but as a move from taking Omeprazole and Mefenamic Acid to control horrific period pain, which stopped working. The first 2 weeks on this pill were great, no side effects, nothing… After I had such a horrorific period i almost stopped it all together. Bleeding & clotting heavily for almost 2 weeks combined with debilitating cramps. Since then I bleed DAILY, with 2-3week long periods. In my review my doctors pushed me to try another 3 months as “It’s should settle out” But I’m in agonising pain some days from when I wake up and for the last 2 months have had daily headaches with a few turning into full blown migraines, which I have been sent home from work for. I hadn’t had a migraine that bad in almost a year and my headaches, which i am prone to, have NEVER been this frequent, but again i was told to ‘monitor them’ and ‘keep track of them’ by my doctor… I’m genuinely at my wits end and i feel quite lied to as well, as one of the biggest reasons i was put onto the mini pill is my medical record with the combined pill, as well as being worried about weight gain and told oh that one happen, when it most certainly has. I genuinely wouldn’t recommend it to anyone and it makes me not want to try any others due to my horrible experience now and in the past.
Somewhat negative mood
2 more effects
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
39% of progestogen-only / Mini pill reviewers reported breast enlargement
36% of progestogen-only / Mini pill reviewers reported vaginal dryness
