Progestogen-only / Mini pill and periods to stop

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.

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.

Expect to bleed for up to 2 months while you shed your uterine lining (TMI, but you asked!) but if you stick it out, it will transform your life. My lower belly is flat, my skin improved massively, my moods are stable and my brainfog is gone too (though this could be blue light sensitivity/food intolerance-related). Try this if your experiencing massive spikes in estrogen levels around your ovulation, dangerous mood swings, or can’t take estrogen for whatever reason. Lifesaver!