Combined pill vs Injection
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£From £0.16/day
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Overview
Rated 2.8
2625 reviews
Daily
Frequency
91% - 99+%
Effectiveness
Increased
Blood clot risk
None
Effect on fertility
Rated 2.9
295 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
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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Add your Injection review
Check out our latest reviews
Real life reviews from people like you
Combined pill reviews
2625 reviews
Used for 8+ yr
28 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 5 days ago
I loved this pill at first and didn’t have any issues. After 4.5 years I started getting severe sharp head pains as well as lower back and pelvic pain which my gp said was from the pill. I swapped to Desogestril which I didn’t like to came off the pill and the pains stopped. I started back on Millinette after a couple of months and have been fine for 5 years until this year I have had an upset stomach and severe dizziness which has been put down to Vestibular Migraines. I have also had severe anxiety. I came off the pill and my stomach has gone back to normal but the constant dizziness, vertigo and severe anxiety is ongoing
Somewhat positive mood
2 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 1 - 3 mo
22 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 6 days ago
Don’t listen to everyone fear mongering about the combined pill . As a young adult , I’ve had zero issues with taking it . I was at first so so scared of the side effects but I have had zero !! Literally no changed whatsoever. I have endometriosis and pcos and the pill so far hasn’t made a huge difference but then again I don’t have very many symptoms or pain for either of the conditions . No mood swings , no anxiety depression or anything . I feel exactly as before , more balanced maybe ? No weight gain at all , didn’t kill my libido either . Actually I would say it made my libido a bit stronger . No change in personality , sense of smell taste or anything else . I’ve had literally zero effects and feel just like before . So honestly if you’re thinking of going on it , try it for a month , you can always quit if you don’t like it . Remember everyone’s body is different though and may react in a different way.
Increased sex drive
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 3 - 6 mo
25 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 2 weeks ago
I decided to try Eloine due to negative experiences with other combined pills and the low-dose appealed to me. Unfortunately this turned out to be the worst decision I've ever made. In the first month I felt fine but soon after I began experiencing cramps, headaches and significant mood swings. After 4 months, I was suffering from daily severe headaches and migraines with aura. These migraines were consistent, occurring at the same time each week and lasting nearly two hours (something I had never dealt with before). I often had to take afternoons off work and isolated myself in a dark, quiet room until my vision returned and the dizziness subsided. The only times these migraines didn’t occur was the week I had off for my period. I also started experiencing regular spotting. Alongside the physical symptoms, my mood deteriorated. I became easily irritable, leading to frequent arguments with my partner… something that was rare for us before. This change in my behavior left me feeling down and my anxiety gradually worsened. My sex drive plummeted and eventually vanished altogether. The only positives from this pill was my heavy periods and awful period pain decreased and I lost weight. After discussing my symptoms with a doctor, I was advised to stop taking Eloine immediately. Since stopping, my headaches and migraines have ceased (I haven't had a migraine since) and I began feeling like my old self again within 6 months. The impact of this pill extended beyond my health; it affected my relationship as well. This experience has left me wary of contraceptive pills, making me hesitant to try another option.
Very negative mood
3 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 8+ yr
28 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 5 days ago
I loved this pill at first and didn’t have any issues. After 4.5 years I started getting severe sharp head pains as well as lower back and pelvic pain which my gp said was from the pill. I swapped to Desogestril which I didn’t like to came off the pill and the pains stopped. I started back on Millinette after a couple of months and have been fine for 5 years until this year I have had an upset stomach and severe dizziness which has been put down to Vestibular Migraines. I have also had severe anxiety. I came off the pill and my stomach has gone back to normal but the constant dizziness, vertigo and severe anxiety is ongoing
Somewhat positive mood
2 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 1 - 3 mo
22 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 6 days ago
Don’t listen to everyone fear mongering about the combined pill . As a young adult , I’ve had zero issues with taking it . I was at first so so scared of the side effects but I have had zero !! Literally no changed whatsoever. I have endometriosis and pcos and the pill so far hasn’t made a huge difference but then again I don’t have very many symptoms or pain for either of the conditions . No mood swings , no anxiety depression or anything . I feel exactly as before , more balanced maybe ? No weight gain at all , didn’t kill my libido either . Actually I would say it made my libido a bit stronger . No change in personality , sense of smell taste or anything else . I’ve had literally zero effects and feel just like before . So honestly if you’re thinking of going on it , try it for a month , you can always quit if you don’t like it . Remember everyone’s body is different though and may react in a different way.
Increased sex drive
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 3 - 6 mo
25 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 2 weeks ago
I decided to try Eloine due to negative experiences with other combined pills and the low-dose appealed to me. Unfortunately this turned out to be the worst decision I've ever made. In the first month I felt fine but soon after I began experiencing cramps, headaches and significant mood swings. After 4 months, I was suffering from daily severe headaches and migraines with aura. These migraines were consistent, occurring at the same time each week and lasting nearly two hours (something I had never dealt with before). I often had to take afternoons off work and isolated myself in a dark, quiet room until my vision returned and the dizziness subsided. The only times these migraines didn’t occur was the week I had off for my period. I also started experiencing regular spotting. Alongside the physical symptoms, my mood deteriorated. I became easily irritable, leading to frequent arguments with my partner… something that was rare for us before. This change in my behavior left me feeling down and my anxiety gradually worsened. My sex drive plummeted and eventually vanished altogether. The only positives from this pill was my heavy periods and awful period pain decreased and I lost weight. After discussing my symptoms with a doctor, I was advised to stop taking Eloine immediately. Since stopping, my headaches and migraines have ceased (I haven't had a migraine since) and I began feeling like my old self again within 6 months. The impact of this pill extended beyond my health; it affected my relationship as well. This experience has left me wary of contraceptive pills, making me hesitant to try another option.
Very negative mood
3 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Injection reviews
295 reviews
Used for 6 - 12 mo
19 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• today
Somewhat positive mood
3 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
19 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 2 weeks ago
I had no problems while using noristerate but I would get annoyed sometimes because I would experience spotting for 2 weeks before my next injection. I had little to no menstrual cycle.
Top side effects not reported
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 6 - 12 mo
25 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 9th Jul 25
Worse skin
1 more effect
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 6 - 12 mo
19 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• today
Somewhat positive mood
3 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
19 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 2 weeks ago
I had no problems while using noristerate but I would get annoyed sometimes because I would experience spotting for 2 weeks before my next injection. I had little to no menstrual cycle.
Top side effects not reported
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 6 - 12 mo
25 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 9th Jul 25
Worse skin
1 more effect
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 1 - 3 mo
34 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 6th Jul 25
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
Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
25 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 3rd Jul 25
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
Used for 1 - 3 mo
27 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 26th Jun 25
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
Used for 1 - 3 mo
17 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 20th Jun 25
Top side effects not reported
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 1 - 3 mo
17 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 10th Jun 25
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
Used for 8+ yr
30 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 28th May 25
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
Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
16 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 13th May 25
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

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