Combined pill vs Injection

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Combined pill

£From £0.16/day

Injection

Add your Injection review

Overview

Rated 2.8

2693 reviews

Daily

Frequency

91% - 99+%

Effectiveness

Increased

Blood clot risk

None

Effect on fertility

Rated 2.9

303 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

43% improved skin

Cycle return

36% don’t know impact

31% somewhat negative

70% stopped periods

57% lost sex drive

48% gained weight

47% no impact on skin

Cycle return

42% 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

2693 reviews

Combined pill  
Used for 12 - 18 mo
19 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  1 day ago

Drovelis pill  

i gained a lot of weight (10kg), i am depressed, no libido

Read more

Somewhat negative mood

2 more effects

0 helpful

0 comments

Combined pill  
Used for 3 - 6 mo
22 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  3 days ago

Yasmin pill  

So I was prescribed the yasmin pill for my PCOS after being on desogestrel since I was about 14 for my periods. I’ve always had really really irregular periods, and bled very heavily. They would last for 2 weeks roughly and sometimes id have two in one month. In my particular case, I was told to take yasmin continuously, so all 3 packets in a row and then stop for a 7 day break, and start a new box. This has worked well for me i think (baring in mind i’ve only just started my 2nd box). At the beginning I had severe nausea, not to the point of throwing up but it was there constantly all day. I started taking the pill just before bed, so 11pm- midnight roughly and that seemed to help with the nausea. That was the side effect that has affected me the most, and since restarting after my 7 day break I am still experiencing nausea. I’m just praying it goes away after 1-2 weeks like it did before. Aside from that, my sex drive historically has been really high. I was down to do it whenever, and no issues whatsoever. Since being on yasmin, i literally could not think of ANYTHING worse than having sex with my partner. (it is nothing to do with him!!) I just have absolutely 0 sex drive, I can’t even get horny unless i really stick with it- so that’s been another big issue for me. I have also had quite bad acne since I was in school, and i’ve always struggled with it especially on my chin, forehead and back. I haven’t noticed a change in my acne yet but praying yasmin is able to clear some of it up! In terms of my PCOS management aswell, yasmin has made my first period during my 7 day break incredibly light, I hardly needed to wear a pad at all. I had cramps but nowhere near as bad as they used to be and it also seemed to completely stop around the 4 day mark out of 7. So if i’m being completely honest, my experience on yasmin so far has been okay- i’m struggling with the nausea and low sex drive but hoping as the weeks/ months go on my body will adapt to the hormones and i’ll be back to normal. If anyone out there is struggling with severe irregular periods and pcos symptoms I would recommend giving it a try and sticking it out for atleast 6 months to 1 year. for me personally my periods are so much easier to deal with, and i will do an update in a few months time to see if my skin and other side effects have cleared!


Somewhat negative mood

1 more effect

0 helpful

0 comments

Combined pill  
Used for 1 - 3 mo
16 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  4 days ago

Rigevidon  

This pill severely increased my anxiety levels, I constantly felt like I was in a haze and I couldn’t regulate my emotions- I was constantly crying and overthinking every little thing. I lost my sex drive and was scared to socialise. I had intrusive thoughts that made me worry even more and I just wanted to stay at home all of the time, I was on the border of spiralling into depression. The first month was okay, I didn’t notice any symptoms and it did the job fine, but soon after the symptoms started to kick in. I gained weight which made me feel increasingly insecure and I had a larger than normal appetite.


Very negative mood

3 more effects

0 helpful

0 comments

Combined pill  
Used for 12 - 18 mo
19 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  1 day ago

Drovelis pill  

i gained a lot of weight (10kg), i am depressed, no libido


Somewhat negative mood

2 more effects

0 helpful

0 comments

Combined pill  
Used for 3 - 6 mo
22 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  3 days ago

Yasmin pill  

So I was prescribed the yasmin pill for my PCOS after being on desogestrel since I was about 14 for my periods. I’ve always had really really irregular periods, and bled very heavily. They would last for 2 weeks roughly and sometimes id have two in one month. In my particular case, I was told to take yasmin continuously, so all 3 packets in a row and then stop for a 7 day break, and start a new box. This has worked well for me i think (baring in mind i’ve only just started my 2nd box). At the beginning I had severe nausea, not to the point of throwing up but it was there constantly all day. I started taking the pill just before bed, so 11pm- midnight roughly and that seemed to help with the nausea. That was the side effect that has affected me the most, and since restarting after my 7 day break I am still experiencing nausea. I’m just praying it goes away after 1-2 weeks like it did before. Aside from that, my sex drive historically has been really high. I was down to do it whenever, and no issues whatsoever. Since being on yasmin, i literally could not think of ANYTHING worse than having sex with my partner. (it is nothing to do with him!!) I just have absolutely 0 sex drive, I can’t even get horny unless i really stick with it- so that’s been another big issue for me. I have also had quite bad acne since I was in school, and i’ve always struggled with it especially on my chin, forehead and back. I haven’t noticed a change in my acne yet but praying yasmin is able to clear some of it up! In terms of my PCOS management aswell, yasmin has made my first period during my 7 day break incredibly light, I hardly needed to wear a pad at all. I had cramps but nowhere near as bad as they used to be and it also seemed to completely stop around the 4 day mark out of 7. So if i’m being completely honest, my experience on yasmin so far has been okay- i’m struggling with the nausea and low sex drive but hoping as the weeks/ months go on my body will adapt to the hormones and i’ll be back to normal. If anyone out there is struggling with severe irregular periods and pcos symptoms I would recommend giving it a try and sticking it out for atleast 6 months to 1 year. for me personally my periods are so much easier to deal with, and i will do an update in a few months time to see if my skin and other side effects have cleared!


Somewhat negative mood

1 more effect

0 helpful

0 comments

Combined pill  
Used for 1 - 3 mo
16 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  4 days ago

Rigevidon  

This pill severely increased my anxiety levels, I constantly felt like I was in a haze and I couldn’t regulate my emotions- I was constantly crying and overthinking every little thing. I lost my sex drive and was scared to socialise. I had intrusive thoughts that made me worry even more and I just wanted to stay at home all of the time, I was on the border of spiralling into depression. The first month was okay, I didn’t notice any symptoms and it did the job fine, but soon after the symptoms started to kick in. I gained weight which made me feel increasingly insecure and I had a larger than normal appetite.


Very negative mood

3 more effects

0 helpful

0 comments


Injection reviews

303 reviews

Injection  
Used for 12 - 18 mo
Lowdown user
🇬🇧 UK
  •  3 weeks ago

Noristerat injection  

I experience mood swings, low libido, aura migraine, my face got darker than usual and I stopped seeing my period.


Very negative mood

3 more effects

0 helpful

0 comments

Injection  
Used for 12 - 18 mo
24 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  1 month ago

Noristerat injection  

I had a very bad experience using this contraceptive. Bad moods, bad skin, bad body image, depression, sweating, low libido. Just bad.


Very positive mood

3 more effects

0 helpful

0 comments

Injection  
Used for 3 - 5 yr
23 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  16th Oct 25

Noristerat injection  

It's a good injection for me, I have been using it for longest time since I was 16 years started to use it. Who recommended it? Clinic nurse.


Decreased sex drive

0 helpful

0 comments

Injection  
Used for 12 - 18 mo
Lowdown user
🇬🇧 UK
  •  3 weeks ago

Noristerat injection  

I experience mood swings, low libido, aura migraine, my face got darker than usual and I stopped seeing my period.


Very negative mood

3 more effects

0 helpful

0 comments

Injection  
Used for 12 - 18 mo
24 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  1 month ago

Noristerat injection  

I had a very bad experience using this contraceptive. Bad moods, bad skin, bad body image, depression, sweating, low libido. Just bad.


Very positive mood

3 more effects

0 helpful

0 comments

Injection  
Used for 3 - 5 yr
23 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  16th Oct 25

Noristerat injection  

It's a good injection for me, I have been using it for longest time since I was 16 years started to use it. Who recommended it? Clinic nurse.


Decreased sex drive

0 helpful

0 comments

Injection  
Used for 3 - 6 mo
17 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  11th Oct 25

Noristerat injection  

took some time before i ever come here mainly because i was scared , shy , & hated myself for what im about to talk about here❤️ trust me when i say it’s hard ( im even trying not to cry ) shap so i started my pregnancy prevention journey this year on April it’s been 6 months now & never missed even a single dose (big ups!!) Starting it was so fun & games bcs i would notice some changes & that for me was a game changer bcs I’ve always wanned to gain weight so badzzzz ( i lost weight before so starting this journey for me was a bounce back ) may started eating a lot!! , June my periods desappeared July i got some pimples , august i experienced painful headaches, September my mood swings would change here & there & all that came unoticed to me because that one thing I’ve always wanned does not happen im not gaining still , bro im so drained i feel like it’s so useless for me to inject i don’t know but yeah hey i just hope god pulls through im even thinking of leaving it


Very negative mood

2 more effects

0 helpful

0 comments

Injection  
Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
25 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  11th Oct 25

Sayana Press injection  

I have had no negative side effects with Sayana Press and my periods have stopped completely, of the four different contraceptives I've tried over the years, this one is my favourite.


Top side effects not reported

0 helpful

0 comments

Injection  
Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
25 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  11th Oct 25

Depo-Provera injection  

Depo-Provera was great for me and it stopped my periods completely. I liked not having to take a pill everyday and I didn't want to get another copper coil so this worked well for me. However after being on it for quite a while I got unlucky and ended up with an abscess at the injection site which eventually had to be operated on, however this could have happened with any kind of injection and was just bad luck. I have since switched to Sayana Press so that I can do my own injections at home and clean the injection site beforehand to prevent another abscess.


Top side effects not reported

0 helpful

0 comments

Injection  
Used for 3 - 6 mo
28 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  6th Oct 25

Depo-Provera injection  

Worst experience I’ve ever had. Since taking this I’ve felt constantly irritated, had complete lack of concentration and it’s completely wiped out my sex drive. I have now been bleeding for 2 months with no break. I have never regretted taking something so much it’s honestly made me miserable.


Very negative mood

1 more effect

0 helpful

0 comments

Injection  
Used for 1 - 3 mo
32 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  28th Aug 25

Depo-Provera injection  

I’ve used it on an off for years sudden lost of weight within a month since using it again.


Very positive mood

2 more effects

0 helpful

0 comments

Injection  
Used for 6 - 12 mo
19 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  26th Aug 25

Sayana Press injection  

i think it’s amazing


Somewhat positive mood

3 more effects

0 helpful

0 comments

Injection  
Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
19 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  15th Aug 25

Noristerat injection  

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

Contraceptive alternatives and comparisons

Compare the Combined pill with other contraceptives

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