Progestogen-only / Mini pill Reviews

So I have very mixed feelings about the mini pill! I was on it for 4 years without noticing any side effects. But about two years ago, I started getting recurrent thrush and severe ovulation cramps with irregular bleeding. I did a lot of tests to figure out why I suddenly kept on getting thrush and it turns out that the mini pill caused me to have vaginal atrophy which is a factor for recurring infections. After being prescribed oestrogen cream to compensate the side effects, I decided to stop hormonal contraception for the time being.

I found this pill much better than the combined pill - the combined pill made my moods very low and I had to stop taking it, whereas Desogestrel did not affect my mood. However, this pill has caused me to have a light bleed for the past 4 weeks. This is bearable (it is light) but very inconvenient and tiring. I am now thinking of maybe trying the implant or coil instead in the hope that they will stop me bleeding.

In comparison to the other combined pills I've used, this one caused less noticeable effects on my mood. It still went down, but not to full-on depression. The periods became quite irregular, coming after only two weeks and lasting a full 7 or 8 days, sometimes there was some spotting. On the last month my period disappeared completely and only returned when I stopped taking the pill. My breasts grew about 2 sizes, most of the time they were quite hard and painful. I gained about 5kg from my normal weight, despite none of my eating or workout habits changing, and it has gone down since I stopped the pill. Stopped taking it after 3 months as the side effects were not worth it, and will not use hormonal contraception in the future.

I’ve been taking the mini pill for the last 17 months. As my doctor took me off the combined pill that I’d been on 13 years with no issue. As a contraception- it works. I noticed the first few months that it was playing havoc with my body. I kept getting thrush! Which I don’t usually suffer with. And then my hair started coming out. I lost a lot of hair, and as a hairdresser I know it was a concerning amount. My iron levels were down at the time so the doctor put it down to that. My bloods went back to normal but I was still loosing a considerable amount of hair. I naturally have thick long hair. And then my skin , my skin has never been so bad. My skin and my hair were my favourite things about myself and this pill effected both of them badly for me. I never get spots, but this caused acne all on my cheeks and jaw. My doctors now put me back on my combined pill which I’m so happy about!. I won’t be changing from that again!

I took this after my second child in 2019. And it wasnt until my husband thought I had postpartum depression that I realised that this really doesn’t agree with me. I struggled with my mental health, I felt sad and overwhelmed all the time. I didn’t have my normal drive to get things done or the patience to deal with the children.

i have had no issues the main change was my periods became a lot lighter they have always been irregular and they are still i just don’t get them as often since being on this pill :)

I have mixed feelings about the mini pill. I started taking it in 2018 after trying a combined pill and at first I was over the moon. My periods had stopped, it didn’t cause the mood swings that the combined pill did etc. But now I’ve been on it for 4 years I am being affected by my low mood, loss of sex drive and breakthrough bleeding with severe cramps and breast tenderness. I’m looking to move away from hormonal contraceptives all together but this was probably one of the best of a bad bunch.

Overall happy. Periods less frequent approximately every 2-3 months. No other side effects.

I really like this pill, i’ve had no negative side effects i’ve been fine on it however i’m on my period like every 2 weeks, although they are lighter it’s made my period irregular and more often. They used to be really regular, im not sure wether it’s because i’ve only been on it about 3 months and it’s new or it’s just made them weird.

It went mostly great, I wish I could have continued with it. For the good part: skin and rosacea improved as these previously would react to cyclical changes, my frequent migraines vanished when using this, I loved the pink packaging. For the not so great: I did get frequent spotting for weeks either every or every other month but it rarely hurt and when it did it quickly faded without needing painkillers, though when I did get a period it was prolonged and heavy and would not naturally stop by itself which was very scary. Unfortunately I was only this to stop my periods for endometriosis and it didn't work, not in 75mg nor 150mg, so unfortunately I have to change to something else.