Combined pill vs Combined pill
Need help choosing? Speak to a doctor
£From £0.16/day
£From £0.16/day
Overview
Rated 2.8
2608 reviews
Daily
Frequency
91% - 99+%
Effectiveness
Increased
Blood clot risk
None
Effect on fertility
Rated 2.8
2608 reviews
Daily
Frequency
91% - 99+%
Effectiveness
Increased
Blood clot risk
None
Effect on fertility
Combined pill ingredients
Main hormones in Combined pill
progestogen
oestrogen
Combined pill ingredients
Main hormones in Combined pill
progestogen
oestrogen
What Lowdown reviewers say
Benefits: What this contraceptive can help with
Acne or bad skin
Heavy periods
PMS and PMDD
PCOS symptoms
Period pain
Acne or bad skin
Heavy periods
PMS and PMDD
PCOS symptoms
Period pain
Try it now
£From £0.16/day
Try it now
£From £0.16/day
Check out our latest reviews
Real life reviews from people like you
Combined pill reviews
2608 reviews
Used for 3 - 5 yr
24 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 1 day ago
My boobs have got so much bigger but my skin it completely cleared my awful awful acne and I have the clearest skin now.
Improved skin
1 more effect
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 12 - 18 mo
19 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 2 days ago
Little to no very noticeable side effects, my anxiety definitely heightened but that was a personal predisposition. Overall very happy experience but swapping due to some low moods
Somewhat negative mood
2 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 3 - 5 yr
29 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 4 days ago
Been on this pill for years and it has treated me well. I have lighter periods and they are a lot less painful. I have suffered very badly with acne over the years and although my skin is not perfect, it has been the most stable on this pill. I don’t find any other side effects to my mood or body that I notice.
Improved skin
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 3 - 5 yr
24 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 1 day ago
My boobs have got so much bigger but my skin it completely cleared my awful awful acne and I have the clearest skin now.
Improved skin
1 more effect
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 12 - 18 mo
19 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 2 days ago
Little to no very noticeable side effects, my anxiety definitely heightened but that was a personal predisposition. Overall very happy experience but swapping due to some low moods
Somewhat negative mood
2 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 3 - 5 yr
29 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 4 days ago
Been on this pill for years and it has treated me well. I have lighter periods and they are a lot less painful. I have suffered very badly with acne over the years and although my skin is not perfect, it has been the most stable on this pill. I don’t find any other side effects to my mood or body that I notice.
Improved skin
0 helpful
0 comments
Combined pill reviews
2608 reviews
Used for 3 - 5 yr
24 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 1 day ago
My boobs have got so much bigger but my skin it completely cleared my awful awful acne and I have the clearest skin now.
Improved skin
1 more effect
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 12 - 18 mo
19 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 2 days ago
Little to no very noticeable side effects, my anxiety definitely heightened but that was a personal predisposition. Overall very happy experience but swapping due to some low moods
Somewhat negative mood
2 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 3 - 5 yr
29 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 4 days ago
Been on this pill for years and it has treated me well. I have lighter periods and they are a lot less painful. I have suffered very badly with acne over the years and although my skin is not perfect, it has been the most stable on this pill. I don’t find any other side effects to my mood or body that I notice.
Improved skin
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 3 - 5 yr
24 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 1 day ago
My boobs have got so much bigger but my skin it completely cleared my awful awful acne and I have the clearest skin now.
Improved skin
1 more effect
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 12 - 18 mo
19 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 2 days ago
Little to no very noticeable side effects, my anxiety definitely heightened but that was a personal predisposition. Overall very happy experience but swapping due to some low moods
Somewhat negative mood
2 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 3 - 5 yr
29 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 4 days ago
Been on this pill for years and it has treated me well. I have lighter periods and they are a lot less painful. I have suffered very badly with acne over the years and although my skin is not perfect, it has been the most stable on this pill. I don’t find any other side effects to my mood or body that I notice.
Improved skin
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 1 - 3 mo
30 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 6 days ago
As soon as I started taking it, my first period whist on this pill came after a week and it was the most horrible period I’ve had in my entire life (it was a longer period then I ever had before (with really heavy cramps constantly) that was the first step in the negative journey. After that, I continued taking it and my acne got worse especially on my back. I had thought it would improve but was much worse event at month two. After two months of taking this pill, I’ve also gained weight which I noticed straight away but had put down to temporary water retention but seems to not budge and have had extreme weight fluctuations like never before and been feeling very off and not myself ever since taking it/depressed, also have lost all sex drive. I am at the point where it’s either stick it out for another month to see if symptoms ease up or stop and cut my losses. I’ve decided to stop.
Very negative mood
3 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 1 - 3 mo
20 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 2 weeks ago
This was prescribed to me to help regulate my periods; however did the complete opposite and have made them worse. I have no clue when my periods are going to begin or end now, as well as if the bleeding will be light spotting or extremely heavy. I have become incredibly sensitive to many things that would never have bothered me pre-pill, as well have been bed bound due to negative mood changes that I have no explanation for. I have been sad before, however, these feelings I could not explain or combat so I have decided to switch pill.
Very negative mood
1 more effect
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
28 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 2 weeks ago
My period was ok on it. My acne was very bad cystic nothing would get rid of it. Changed to Yasmin and I haven’t had cystic acne my skin is clearing. Hair thinned on top of my head too. This pill can cause high androgens which can cause bad hormonal acne and hair loss
Somewhat negative mood
2 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 3 - 6 mo
24 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 2 weeks ago
This sent me nearly insane with my moods. I had no other side effects other than it made me nearly suicidal. I know you could say maybe it wasn’t the pill but I was fine before taking it, happy in myself, then after I had a mental breakdown I stopped taking it and suddenly felt like myself again. I’ve heard a lot of people say it’s been awful for their mood and I’m surprised they haven’t banned it yet
Very negative mood
1 more effect
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 1 - 3 mo
25 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 2 weeks ago
I’ve never had Thrush before and went on this pill 2 months ago and got it within the first 20 days of using it. I’ve also felt nauseas everyday since maybe the first week into it. Will symptoms subside? I really hope so. I havent bled but I was on the depo injection for the last year so its normal for it to take a while to bleed again.
Gained weight
0 helpful
1 comments
Used for 1 - 3 mo
23 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 3 weeks ago
My experience is overall positive. For the first month I had breakthrough spotting almost every day, it was light and painless, just a bit worrisome, but it settled in the 2nd month. I started taking Drovelis for painful periods, and I have to say that while they are shorter and lighter, it's not like it completely changed around. I used to take around 4 painkillers a day on my period, now I'm down to one: so it is a big change, but I can't say the periods are painless. In the first month I also had some mood swings, but I can't be sure if that's due to the pill. I'm writing this review because I was very scared of taking birth control after reading so many negative opinions, but overall it's a net positive experience. No changes to my weight, my libido is stable, overall it's nothing too scary.
Top side effects not reported
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 12 - 18 mo
32 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 3 weeks ago
I switched to this after using Yasmine (no problems with that, I just wanted to try a lower-dose estrogen pill). In the first year, all seemed fine, regular light periods, no break-outs, fewer mood swings, but lately in the past 6 months, I noticed my mental health worsen, my ADHD symptoms became stronger, my depression and my anxiety crept higher, and my libido slowly went non-existent. Also, my breasts (or rather my nipples), which were usually only swollen/sore before the placebo tablets, became constantly sensitive in a bad way. Now I am looking for a different pill.
Somewhat negative mood
2 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments

Women's health, reviewed.
Get the best women’s health info in your inbox
You are signing up to receive The Lowdown's latest findings and news in women's health. Your data will be used in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie policy
Slide into our DMs
Built by doctors and experts
Our tools are made by medical professionals for your peace of mind
Our website uses affiliate links and we may earn a small commission if you click on them