Combined pill vs Hormonal coil (IUS)
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Overview
Rated 2.8
2652 reviews
Daily
Frequency
91% - 99+%
Effectiveness
Increased
Blood clot risk
None
Effect on fertility
Rated 3.5
856 reviews
Every 3-8 years
Frequency
Over 99%
Effectiveness
None
Blood clot risk
None
Effect on fertility
Combined pill ingredients
Main hormones in Combined pill
progestogen
oestrogen
Hormonal coil (IUS) ingredients
Main hormones in Hormonal coil (IUS)
progestogen
What Lowdown reviewers say
Benefits: What this contraceptive can help with
Acne or bad skin
Heavy periods
PMS and PMDD
PCOS symptoms
Period pain
Adenomyosis
Endometriosis
Heavy periods
Menopause
Period pain
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Add your Hormonal coil (IUS) review
Check out our latest reviews
Real life reviews from people like you
Combined pill reviews
2652 reviews
Used for 3 - 6 mo
31 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 1 day ago
When I first started levest It gave me bad acne around my chin and enlarged breasts and a slight change in mood but after three months I have literally no side effects and my skin is starting to clear, in fact I’ve actually lost weight on it. This pill suits me more than others I have been on.
Somewhat positive mood
2 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 6 - 12 mo
21 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 1 day ago
I have PCOS and had been told this would be my best option after having tried between 6-8 other pills and patches over the last 5 years. The main concern was facial acne, body acne and lack of periods all of which this pill is incredible for. My skin has completely cleared despite taking around 2-3 months to do so, particularly stubborn back acne and periods are as they should be. However in the short time I’ve been taking this I’ve gained 4-5kg. My job is physical and I work out often so there’s not much I can put it to but the pill. Additionally I have had extreme hair loss, zero sex drive and very flatlined emotions. All in all a great pill for clearing skin though when it comes to other side effects I do think I will be stopping this once I run out.
Somewhat negative mood
3 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
23 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 2 days ago
I went on it for PMDD symptoms, and they completely went away! Also made me gain a cup size which I liked. First year I loved it, but after taking it long term with no breaks it kinda tanked my libido :/ overall though, pretty positive experience for birth control
Somewhat positive mood
1 more effect
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 3 - 6 mo
31 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 1 day ago
When I first started levest It gave me bad acne around my chin and enlarged breasts and a slight change in mood but after three months I have literally no side effects and my skin is starting to clear, in fact I’ve actually lost weight on it. This pill suits me more than others I have been on.
Somewhat positive mood
2 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 6 - 12 mo
21 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 1 day ago
I have PCOS and had been told this would be my best option after having tried between 6-8 other pills and patches over the last 5 years. The main concern was facial acne, body acne and lack of periods all of which this pill is incredible for. My skin has completely cleared despite taking around 2-3 months to do so, particularly stubborn back acne and periods are as they should be. However in the short time I’ve been taking this I’ve gained 4-5kg. My job is physical and I work out often so there’s not much I can put it to but the pill. Additionally I have had extreme hair loss, zero sex drive and very flatlined emotions. All in all a great pill for clearing skin though when it comes to other side effects I do think I will be stopping this once I run out.
Somewhat negative mood
3 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
23 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 2 days ago
I went on it for PMDD symptoms, and they completely went away! Also made me gain a cup size which I liked. First year I loved it, but after taking it long term with no breaks it kinda tanked my libido :/ overall though, pretty positive experience for birth control
Somewhat positive mood
1 more effect
0 helpful
0 comments
Hormonal coil (IUS) reviews
856 reviews
Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
23 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 2 weeks ago
While I had my Levosert, I liked it. I had mood changes, and cried a lot more than usual, but mostly just leading up to my period so it was manageable. I had recurrent thrush with it, and actually ended up having a prescription for monthly fluconazole tablets. In the end, after around 2 years, my coil slipped into my cervix, and it was incredibly stressful. I had no symptoms that it had slipped down, except my strings were a bit longer than usual. A doctor mistakenly told me it was fine to keep using, but when I later had it checked at a different clinic with ultrasound, they were alarmed that I'd had no symptoms as it was pretty much almost out of my body. I'd essentially been unprotected for about 8 months, and this led to a big pregnancy scare.
Somewhat negative mood
1 more effect
1 helpful
0 comments
Used for 5 - 8 yr
31 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 2 weeks ago
The mirena coil did effectively reduce menstrual bleeding and prevent pregnancy. Due to thickening vaginal discharge I found I was more prone to thrush and also that this had an impact on arousal. I was an advocate for the hormonal coil until I changed to a non hormonal birth control and found that this had elevated my anxiety certain times in my cycle. I am epileptic without seizure control and this was my reason for coming off hormonal methods. Female hormones can trigger seizures in women with refractory epilepsy!
Somewhat negative mood
2 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 6 - 12 mo
27 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 3 weeks ago
Positives: lighter pain free periods, no anxiety over remembering to taking a pill everyday, no changes to mood skin weight etc. Negative: it moved after 11 months and I fell pregnant
Top side effects not reported
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
23 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 2 weeks ago
While I had my Levosert, I liked it. I had mood changes, and cried a lot more than usual, but mostly just leading up to my period so it was manageable. I had recurrent thrush with it, and actually ended up having a prescription for monthly fluconazole tablets. In the end, after around 2 years, my coil slipped into my cervix, and it was incredibly stressful. I had no symptoms that it had slipped down, except my strings were a bit longer than usual. A doctor mistakenly told me it was fine to keep using, but when I later had it checked at a different clinic with ultrasound, they were alarmed that I'd had no symptoms as it was pretty much almost out of my body. I'd essentially been unprotected for about 8 months, and this led to a big pregnancy scare.
Somewhat negative mood
1 more effect
1 helpful
0 comments
Used for 5 - 8 yr
31 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 2 weeks ago
The mirena coil did effectively reduce menstrual bleeding and prevent pregnancy. Due to thickening vaginal discharge I found I was more prone to thrush and also that this had an impact on arousal. I was an advocate for the hormonal coil until I changed to a non hormonal birth control and found that this had elevated my anxiety certain times in my cycle. I am epileptic without seizure control and this was my reason for coming off hormonal methods. Female hormones can trigger seizures in women with refractory epilepsy!
Somewhat negative mood
2 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 6 - 12 mo
27 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 3 weeks ago
Positives: lighter pain free periods, no anxiety over remembering to taking a pill everyday, no changes to mood skin weight etc. Negative: it moved after 11 months and I fell pregnant
Top side effects not reported
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 6 - 12 mo
32 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 3 weeks ago
I was on the Kyleena IUD for 10 months after being on mirena for 5 years. Kyleena has had a terrible impact on my mental health and the reason I got it removed was because increased hair loss.
Very negative mood
2 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 1 - 3 mo
24 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 1 month ago
Have only had the coil for 2 months (although feels like much longer) so will give it a bit more of a chance, I also acknowledge that everyone reacts differently and my side effects seem to be less common, however in my experience and at this point in time, the negative side effects FAR outweigh the positives. My GP talked me into trying Mirena for managing my PCOS and the excruciating pain I would experience on occasion from burst ovarian cysts, as well as the birth control aspect. I’ve gone from an abnormally long (but fairly painless) cycle to an even longer one, bleeding and in moderate-severe pain almost daily. If my stomach doesn’t hurt, my head will be, or both. I’m not joking when I say I look pregnant from abdominal swelling on top of it all.
Worse skin
1 more effect
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 3 - 5 yr
63 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 1 month ago
It was a very positive as i was having irregular heavy periods And personally I had a much better libido When in the past, bloods tested low in testerol levels of 7.5 i II wish this had been aware of of this before bow, i thought there was something not quite right as apparently 12 or above is the better level of testerol for women
Very positive mood
2 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 6 - 12 mo
25 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 2nd Sep 25
I've had the Mirena coil for about 10 months now, my doctor recommended it to stop uterine polyps from reappearing. Prior to the coil I had very heavy, extremely painful periods and pretty bad iron deficiency, but now my periods are super light and not painful at all!! The insertion was painful but not worse that the period cramps I used to get before; I spotted for 3 months straight but after that I started having semi-regular periods. I noticed that I had much more energy (probably because my iron levels were back to normal), my libido increased and I lost weight. I am really really happy with the coil.
Somewhat positive mood
2 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 12 - 18 mo
52 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 31st Aug 25
Awful experience having it fitted, very painful. I’m convinced it triggered vaginal atrophy (I was already menopausal)
Top side effects not reported
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 6 - 12 mo
35 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 31st Aug 25
Recurrent abdominal pain and pressure in my lower tummy. The only positive thing is that it has stopped heavy periods
Worse skin
1 more effect
0 helpful
1 comments
Used for 6 - 12 mo
32 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 21st Aug 25
I swapped to the coil as I started getting migraines on the combined pill and wanted a longer term solution GP advised to give the coil 6 months to settle in but during that time my skin has gradually got worse with bad acne, I still have periods which are lighter granted but lasting 8-9 days, much worse periods cramps than on combined and then for last 2 months spotting almost everyday and bad period like cramping. GP thought these symptoms suggested coil displacement but USS confirmed it was in situ and these must just be the side effects I personally get from mirena. The cramping and constant spotting and acne is affecting my sex life and general mood day to day so trying to get the coil removed and tempted to try the copper coil (although I went for the Mirena as I’d read you can get the symptoms I’m currently having on the copper but only time will tell!)
Somewhat positive mood
2 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments

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