Cap or diaphragm vs Progestogen-only / Mini pill

I decided to invest in the Caya diaphragm since I was determined to find a non-hormonal method I could use that wouldn’t impact sex too much (I get irritation with condoms and the copper coil moved out of place pretty much immediately). I really wanted it to work but unfortunately it was way too uncomfortable during sex. It feels like there’s just way too much ‘stuff’ inside me. And I think it obstructs my natural wetness (I suspect that’s why some people mention a lot of discharge upon removal). My partner also said while he could definitely feel it, it wasn’t uncomfortable. I’d choose condoms over the diaphragm unfortunately. Hope this helps :)

I’ve enjoyed using the cap around my fertile window but struggle to feel 100% confident I have inserted it correctly. When removing the cap I notice a lot of discharge but not after use, only when removing. Way better than the pill or condoms for me.

Apart from the issue I'm currently dealing with (it getting stuck inside of me), I LOVE the diaphragm. I found out I wasn't never fitted (which is why it kept getting stuck upon removal), so my new, awesome doctor actually sized me. It's easier than popping in a tampon once you learn how to do it and then ya pop it out the morning after sex. No side effects, no hormones, no emotional hangover. It's very hard to find though. Pharmaceutical companies don't want women to buy one silicone object that lasts for the rest of your life, so finding the right size and actually getting it has been a challenge. My mom used it and only got pregnant to have me (her only child) and I've been using it for 5+ years with no issues.

Would have been ok apart from the bile acid diarrhoea anytime I ate anything with fat in it! Thought I was lactose intolerant, stopped pill and suddenly I could eat dairy again! Weird, went on it again after having my son and the diarrhoea suddenly came back doctors said it couldn’t be the pill but I’m not on it now and after 3 weeks no more diarrhoea. Bit of an odd coincidence if it’s not the pill

Vaginal atrophy, painful sex, painful urination, extreme constipation, right sided abdominal pain that felt like being stabbed (caused by constipation), dizziness from low blood pressure, fainting, extreme anxiety, chest pain, high cortisol, insomnia, depression, crying a lot, depression, dry skin, thirst,

Vaginal atrophy, vulvar pain, painful sex zero libido, constipation so bad I went to a&e, caused horrible right sided abdominal pain, very dry skin, extreme anxiety, chest pain, insomnia, depression, low blood pressure, dizziness and fainting, over all sucked, took a few months before side effects hit

I was taking Desogestrel for a year and was super happy with it no issues only a small three day period every few months everything seemed great. All of a sudden in the last month I have bled and bled even though I take my pill at the same time everyday. I was so upset and my mood went really low and I’m usually a very happy positively spirited person I have had no issues with mental health before. I believe it was because I was given a different brand of Desogestrel in my last 3 months it was called desorex (gold packaging) I have spoken to 3 girls at my work and they have all had the same problem absolutely fine until they started this brand of pill. The best advice I can give is stick to the brand you know and get on with! As the side effects and changes do differ so much even though they tell you Desogestrel tablets are all the same (they aren’t!!!) I have switched to slynd and my bleeding has completely gone, my mood is happy and normal and I feel healthy on it! I’m also glad to have a 4 day break to have a natural period as it gives me my cycle predictability back! It’s basically like a combined pill but no risk of blood clots which was my biggest worry! My skin is the same I just have small breakouts on my chin sometimes but that’s very normal to me, I don’t feel bloated and my weight has stayed the same. My boobs have definitely got bigger on this though could be temporary I’m not sure. Please try this pill if Desogestrel doesn’t work for you and you still want to be on a mini pill! Within 2 weeks it’s completely changed me making me happy and able to enjoy my sex life again without bleeding all the time! I will update this if anything changes :)

Overall I was very happy with Cerelle. The only side effect I got is that on packs 3 and 4 I started bleeding every other week, but it is was a fairly light flow, and no clots (which I used to have when I wasn't on the pill). I was advised to switch to a combined pill regulate my bleeding, but I wish I didn't as Cerelle was pretty good to me.

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.

A couple of months after starting Slynd I noticed a lot of hair in the plug hole after showering. I have fine but dense hair, so it took some time to realise just how much I was losing. I estimate I lost in a day what I previously would have lost in a week. The hairline behind my ears receded 2-3cm but otherwise I shed all over my head. My hair is now very thin, pony tail barely there, and my scalp is very visible if I wear my hair back. I think I have lost 2/3 of my hair at least. It is still falling out at the same rate a month after stopping it.

I was on this mini pill for just over a year after switching from the combined pill. It slowly affected my mood to the point where my mood was constantly flat and I didn’t feel excited about anything. My libido was also very low. I felt a massive difference after stopping. Positives were I didn’t have periods often (every 6-8 weeks) and not much period pain. The 12 hour window to take the pill was also helpful when I sometimes forgot, as some other mini pills have shorter windows.

I’ve had no serious side effects and the ones I’ve had are very minimal and don’t affect me

i have definitely noticed good and bad side effects just after a month of taking this mini pill, one of the good ones is i have lost weight without changing my diet or physical exercise, as well as an increased sex drive and enlarged breasts! (a positive for a smaller chest sized girlie like me) however i have also experienced negatives such as very drastic mood swings that change rapidly, as well as uncomfortable vaginal dryness and more bloating than usual. i am also spotting quite frequently but not heavy whatsoever, i only have to use a tampon a day to prevent the blood from ruining my nice underwear