Combined pill vs Female condom

I switched to Gedarell after being on Microgynon 30ED for 5 years. I gained about 5kg in 2 years and my body felt puffy/inflammed even though I was eating well and regularly going to the gym. This caused me to come off the pill and I lost about 8kg in 2 months. I also experienced low libido and fatigue. After coming off the pill, I realised that it was making me feel quite numb. I wasn’t feeling any kind of emotion strongly which was a big adjustment for me after coming off it. Once I came off the pill I experienced significant hair loss for about 3 months but luckily my hair is quite thick so it wasn’t noticeable. Overall, I think this pill worked better for me as I didn’t have chronic thrush or bleeding during sex like I did on Microgynon but the weight gain was the main reason I decided to stop using it.

Was on this pill for around 7 years from the age of 15. Worked fairly well. The main side effects I experienced were bleeding during sex, chronic thrush, fatigue and low libido. After around 5 years I started peeing a lot during the night which led me to believe that it caused some insulin resistance. The pharmacies where I lived stopped supplying it so I ended up switching to another pill.

I’ve been taking Yasmin for just over 2 months now (skipping periods). About a month and a half in I noticed I’ve been extremely irritated, not particularly angry but it’s made me have a really short fuse. Unfortunately for me, it has made my boobs grow pretty significantly and made them super tender and sore after wearing sports bras etc. I’ve noticed a slight weight gain which also sucks as have been losing weight pretty steadily a few months before starting and I feel like I’ve lost that progress. I haven’t really noticed a change in my skin, i think it’s a little bit worse but maybe it’s purging? I’ve skipped both periods since starting, and noticed I was having some cramps after 1 month. I’ve had extreme cramping the last 48 hours and thought I was dying, and ended up passing a decidual cast (which I’ve never experienced before) and have had pretty heavy breakthrough bleeding the past 48 hours. A month ago I probably would’ve stayed on the pill but after everything I think I’ll be swapping to something else..

Same as the male condom, has no side effects and will protect from STIs and pregnancy! The only thing its a little fiddly to get on and if you don't react well to latex then not ideal!

These condoms prevent me from getting UTIs, I can't have sex without them! I think it's because the part of the condom that sticks out covers my urethra and prevents bacteria from spreading. They're a little hard to use at first, and some brands are better than others, but I highly recommend them to everyone.

Tried it a couple times with different partners. Mixed reactions. I practiced inserting prior to anything, so it was easy, especially after a couple of tries. Sex felt no different for me and one of the partners. One didn't like the appearance and the other the feel. One thing I love is that it doesn't have that nasty latex smell! You can also use any lube. Overall, I think it is a great option for many people, but (like everything) you should try it a few times for yourself. Also great if you run into situations where the guy is resisting wearing a condom himself.

Used it once - it came off inside me within 5 minutes and I didn't realise so ended up having completely unprotected sex and having to get a STI test.