Combined pill vs Hormonal coil (IUS)
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Overview
Rated 2.8
2795 reviews
Daily
Frequency
91% - 99+%
Effectiveness
Increased
Blood clot risk
None
Effect on fertility
Rated 3.5
904 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
2795 reviews
Used for 1 - 3 mo
33 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 6 days ago
I started Microgynon30 becase my previous mini-pill (Cerelle) made me bleed every other week. Pharmacist advised the combined would regulate the periods. Unfortunately within 24h of starting Microgynon30 I have severely painful breasts, swollen and itchy (I went up a full cup size and it's not fun, I can't fit into my bras and running has become impossible). Nipples are itchy and sensitive and get scabby and dry. I have sore muscles as if I was constantly PMSing. The worst side effect though has been migraines with aura. Never had migraines in my life before, and now I do. I'm gonna switch to Slynd now, I don't ever wanna go back on a combined pill ever again.
Top side effects not reported
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 1 - 3 mo
29 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 2 weeks ago
Only lasted a month on this pill as it made me incredibly low and irritable. Severe bloating
Very negative mood
2 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 3 - 6 mo
29 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 2 weeks ago
Generally my mood on it was brilliant however it caused severe bloating and cravings so I gained weight
Somewhat positive mood
2 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 1 - 3 mo
33 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 6 days ago
I started Microgynon30 becase my previous mini-pill (Cerelle) made me bleed every other week. Pharmacist advised the combined would regulate the periods. Unfortunately within 24h of starting Microgynon30 I have severely painful breasts, swollen and itchy (I went up a full cup size and it's not fun, I can't fit into my bras and running has become impossible). Nipples are itchy and sensitive and get scabby and dry. I have sore muscles as if I was constantly PMSing. The worst side effect though has been migraines with aura. Never had migraines in my life before, and now I do. I'm gonna switch to Slynd now, I don't ever wanna go back on a combined pill ever again.
Top side effects not reported
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 1 - 3 mo
29 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 2 weeks ago
Only lasted a month on this pill as it made me incredibly low and irritable. Severe bloating
Very negative mood
2 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 3 - 6 mo
29 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 2 weeks ago
Generally my mood on it was brilliant however it caused severe bloating and cravings so I gained weight
Somewhat positive mood
2 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Hormonal coil (IUS) reviews
904 reviews
Used for 5 - 8 yr
32 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• today
Positive - first one for 5 years, protected against pregnancy, stopped periods after about 18 months so saved money on tampons. No significant side effects initially. Set and forget method was great. Negatives - I found the fitting incredibly painful. When I had it changed after 5 years the reinsertion was traumatic and I won't have it again. I suffered with mouth ulcers every month that got progressively worse over time. My mood wasn't bad but it was overall flattened. The new one never settled and I had problems with the threads travelling upwards, I found medical staff across the board (GP, clinic, hospital for ultrasound) very uninterested when I had issues after fitting which was difficult because I was frightened of possible consequences if it moved or they couldn't get the threads to remove it. I have honestly never had thrush so much in my life as I did when I was on kyleena. Noticed more and darker body hair over time.
Somewhat negative mood
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
37 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 1 month ago
Works well for me, was hoping would take away periods altogether but definitely made them lighter. Found fitting comfortable as just had some cramping. But I have quite a low cervix, so I could feel the strings and needed them trimmed.
Top side effects not reported
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 12 - 18 mo
24 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 2nd Jul 26
Not pleasant to put in but completely stopped by periods after few months. Reassuring that no pregnancy, however absolutely 0 sex drive and this effects relationships.
Decreased sex drive
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 5 - 8 yr
32 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• today
Positive - first one for 5 years, protected against pregnancy, stopped periods after about 18 months so saved money on tampons. No significant side effects initially. Set and forget method was great. Negatives - I found the fitting incredibly painful. When I had it changed after 5 years the reinsertion was traumatic and I won't have it again. I suffered with mouth ulcers every month that got progressively worse over time. My mood wasn't bad but it was overall flattened. The new one never settled and I had problems with the threads travelling upwards, I found medical staff across the board (GP, clinic, hospital for ultrasound) very uninterested when I had issues after fitting which was difficult because I was frightened of possible consequences if it moved or they couldn't get the threads to remove it. I have honestly never had thrush so much in my life as I did when I was on kyleena. Noticed more and darker body hair over time.
Somewhat negative mood
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
37 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 1 month ago
Works well for me, was hoping would take away periods altogether but definitely made them lighter. Found fitting comfortable as just had some cramping. But I have quite a low cervix, so I could feel the strings and needed them trimmed.
Top side effects not reported
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 12 - 18 mo
24 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 2nd Jul 26
Not pleasant to put in but completely stopped by periods after few months. Reassuring that no pregnancy, however absolutely 0 sex drive and this effects relationships.
Decreased sex drive
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 3 - 6 mo
27 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 2nd Jul 26
Initial 3 month settling in period is intense, lots of bleeding and emotional side effects plus insertion pain. After 3 months it settled and I thought I had found the holy grail, emotionally stable and no side effects. At 6 months I developed a large ovarian cyst which put me in agony and A&E, doctors said this was caused by the coil and had to remove it. Unfortunately I cant recommend, the search continues.
Somewhat positive mood
1 more effect
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
27 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 29th Jun 26
No periods but developed acne. I also get cysts now regularly (never had before) that burst and hurt so bad that the first time it happened I went to the ER.
Worse skin
1 more effect
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 1 - 3 mo
21 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 19th Jun 26
only had mirena coil fitted 3 weeks ago but so far it’s been good, i have had quite a lot of lower back pain but other than that i don’t feel any different
Lost weight
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 5 - 8 yr
29 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 18th Jun 26
Prior to having the mirena coil I had the most horrific periods literally to the point of passing out. I can say I have had my coil in for nearly 6 years and not had a period since and now I feel like I have my life back! It has been one of the decisions I have ever made and also hardly had any hormonal side effects.
Very positive mood
2 helpful
0 comments
Used for 3 - 5 yr
32 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 17th Jun 26
I loved the mirena but over 3 different coils, shortly after insertion I would get kidney infections that didn’t respond to antibiotics. The link was only made on the third despite me asking the gyno about it. Such a shame because I loved it otherwise. Kidney infections mostly skipped the uti stage and went straight to them but bacteria wouldn’t grow in pee. If this sounds like you remove it!
Somewhat positive mood
1 more effect
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 6 - 12 mo
34 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 16th Jun 26
Had it inserted at birth during a c section so no pain for insertion. Periods for lighter every month with significantly less pain than before and have virtually stopped after 8 months - just a small amount of spotting.
Very positive mood
2 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 6 - 12 mo
21 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 11th Jun 26
occasional cramps and sore boobs but I'll take that for no periods and no babies!
Improved skin
1 more effect
0 helpful
0 comments

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