Combined pill vs Injection

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Combined pill

£From £0.16/day

Injection

Add your Injection review

Overview

Rated 2.8

2615 reviews

Daily

Frequency

91% - 99+%

Effectiveness

Increased

Blood clot risk

None

Effect on fertility

Rated 2.9

293 reviews

Every 2-3 months

Frequency

94% - 99+%

Effectiveness

None

Blood clot risk

Short term

Effect on fertility

Combined pill ingredients

Main hormones in Combined pill

progestogen

oestrogen


Injection ingredients

Main hormones in Injection

progestogen

What Lowdown reviewers say

31% somewhat negative

47% lighter periods

46% lost sex drive

48% no impact

44% improved skin

Cycle return

36% don’t know impact

32% somewhat negative

70% stopped periods

56% lost sex drive

49% gained weight

47% no impact on skin

Cycle return

43% don’t know impact

Benefits: What this contraceptive can help with

Acne or bad skin

Heavy periods

PMS and PMDD

PCOS symptoms

Period pain

Endometriosis

Heavy periods

Period pain

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£From £0.16/day

Try it now

Add your Injection review

Check out our latest reviews

Real life reviews from people like you

Combined pill reviews

2615 reviews

Combined pill  
Used for 5 - 8 yr
29 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  5 days ago

Rigevidon  

This contraception changed my personality. It made me very angry, easily frustrated and issues that should be small seemed huge in my mind. Since changing contraception to the Yasmin pill, I honestly feel like a different person. I am quite upset that most of my twenties were spent in this state of constant anger. I thought it was just my personality but since changing pill I can now see that it was the contraception. I also got severe withdrawal headaches when I took the 7 day break.

Read more

Very negative mood

1 more effect

0 helpful

0 comments

Combined pill  
Used for 3 - 5 yr
19 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  6 days ago

Rigevidon  

i have PCOS this pill was amazing for the first 3 1/2 years, it made me lose 10 pounds in two weeks from me changing nothing to my active levels and diet, my skin cleared up, i had lighter and regular periods, had a high sex drive until i started having very irregular periods in the last 6 months. including periods happening every other week and spotting between it even when taking it correctly so i decided to change contraception but this may be because of my PCOS


Improved skin

2 more effects

0 helpful

0 comments

Combined pill  
Used for 3 - 5 yr
31 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  2 weeks ago

Yaz pill 🇺🇸  

Amazing contraceptive method except for the pigmentation


Worse skin

0 helpful

0 comments

Combined pill  
Used for 5 - 8 yr
29 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  5 days ago

Rigevidon  

This contraception changed my personality. It made me very angry, easily frustrated and issues that should be small seemed huge in my mind. Since changing contraception to the Yasmin pill, I honestly feel like a different person. I am quite upset that most of my twenties were spent in this state of constant anger. I thought it was just my personality but since changing pill I can now see that it was the contraception. I also got severe withdrawal headaches when I took the 7 day break.


Very negative mood

1 more effect

0 helpful

0 comments

Combined pill  
Used for 3 - 5 yr
19 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  6 days ago

Rigevidon  

i have PCOS this pill was amazing for the first 3 1/2 years, it made me lose 10 pounds in two weeks from me changing nothing to my active levels and diet, my skin cleared up, i had lighter and regular periods, had a high sex drive until i started having very irregular periods in the last 6 months. including periods happening every other week and spotting between it even when taking it correctly so i decided to change contraception but this may be because of my PCOS


Improved skin

2 more effects

0 helpful

0 comments

Combined pill  
Used for 3 - 5 yr
31 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  2 weeks ago

Yaz pill 🇺🇸  

Amazing contraceptive method except for the pigmentation


Worse skin

0 helpful

0 comments


Injection reviews

293 reviews

Injection  
Used for 6 - 12 mo
25 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  1 month ago

Injection  

Side effects are bad


Worse skin

1 more effect

0 helpful

0 comments

Injection  
Used for 1 - 3 mo
34 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  1 month ago

Depo-Provera injection  

All women should really do the research before starting this medication. I have read quite a few stories online of women who have felt the same. I have basically felt like a completely different person. I am near on the end of one injection and I will not be going back for another. It’s absolutely ruined my relationship with my partner. I’ve been absolutely horrible to him and it’s only now I’m starting to realise just what this injection did to me. Thank goodness he’s so understanding and helped me through it because I was literally horrendous. Literally a few days after I had it I was a different person, I hated him. Everything he done annoyed me, I was rude and hurtful and I couldn’t control it. I would snap in and out of moods so badly that we named the other “person” Patrica. He was constantly walking on egg shells as he never knew which version he would get. I am so upset that I have felt this way in the last few months. So much so I was having suicidal thoughts. I pray that anyone doesn’t risk it because it’s been 3 months of hell for us.


Very negative mood

2 more effects

0 helpful

0 comments

Injection  
Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
25 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  3rd Jul 25

Depo-Provera injection  

This has been great for me helped regulate my moods no longer huge crashes i get around periods. Also it has completely stopped my periods which were heavy and painful, I get the occasional period pain leading up to when my injection is due but they are very very mild and don’t really effect me.


Very positive mood

1 more effect

0 helpful

0 comments

Injection  
Used for 6 - 12 mo
25 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  1 month ago

Injection  

Side effects are bad


Worse skin

1 more effect

0 helpful

0 comments

Injection  
Used for 1 - 3 mo
34 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  1 month ago

Depo-Provera injection  

All women should really do the research before starting this medication. I have read quite a few stories online of women who have felt the same. I have basically felt like a completely different person. I am near on the end of one injection and I will not be going back for another. It’s absolutely ruined my relationship with my partner. I’ve been absolutely horrible to him and it’s only now I’m starting to realise just what this injection did to me. Thank goodness he’s so understanding and helped me through it because I was literally horrendous. Literally a few days after I had it I was a different person, I hated him. Everything he done annoyed me, I was rude and hurtful and I couldn’t control it. I would snap in and out of moods so badly that we named the other “person” Patrica. He was constantly walking on egg shells as he never knew which version he would get. I am so upset that I have felt this way in the last few months. So much so I was having suicidal thoughts. I pray that anyone doesn’t risk it because it’s been 3 months of hell for us.


Very negative mood

2 more effects

0 helpful

0 comments

Injection  
Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
25 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  3rd Jul 25

Depo-Provera injection  

This has been great for me helped regulate my moods no longer huge crashes i get around periods. Also it has completely stopped my periods which were heavy and painful, I get the occasional period pain leading up to when my injection is due but they are very very mild and don’t really effect me.


Very positive mood

1 more effect

0 helpful

0 comments

Injection  
Used for 1 - 3 mo
27 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  26th Jun 25

Depo-Provera injection  

Things I’ve had history struggling with in the past: depression, anxiety, weight Things depo increased: depression, anxiety, weight


Very negative mood

1 more effect

0 helpful

0 comments

Injection  
Used for 1 - 3 mo
17 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  20th Jun 25

Noristerat injection  

im not gaining weight is that normal?


Top side effects not reported

0 helpful

0 comments

Injection  
Used for 1 - 3 mo
17 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  10th Jun 25

Noristerat injection  

started using it on April but so far my body is still the same & haven’t experienced breast enlargement yet


Top side effects not reported

0 helpful

0 comments

Injection  
Used for 8+ yr
30 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  28th May 25

Sayana Press injection  

Used for over 10 years, completely stopped my periods which was fantastic. The devices became harder and harder to use, needing a lot of force to inject so I ended up turning myself into a pin cushion & wasting a few, which made reordering a faff. Don’t think I gained weight and if anything my skin improved (but that could just be normal from teenage to late 20s). The only negative I noticed was decreased sex drive - but it didn’t totally go so not a massive issue for me.


Improved skin

1 more effect

0 helpful

0 comments

Injection  
Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
16 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  13th May 25

Sayana Press injection  

I was on this injection for 2 years, the whole process put me off . when i started the injection i had a period of 16 days (over two weeks) and it was so heavy, months went on and my periods stopped all together, i didn’t have a period for minus 2 years , i’m now on the combined pill but i did receive higher anxiety and depression towards taking it for ages, the doctor offered me antidepressants but i didn’t want to be taking them as i am a quite smily happy person but i literally lost all my energy and motivation to do anything.


Somewhat negative mood

3 more effects

0 helpful

0 comments

Injection  
Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
19 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  8th May 25

Noristerat injection  

With the contraception I experience a lot of abdominal pains frequently


Somewhat negative mood

3 more effects

0 helpful

0 comments

Injection  
Used for 1 - 3 mo
27 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  2nd May 25

Depo-Provera injection  

Worst decision I’ve ever made Gained a lot of weight Depressed Anxious Moods all over the place


Very negative mood

2 more effects

1 helpful

0 comments

Contraceptive alternatives and comparisons

Compare the Combined pill with other contraceptives

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