Cilest pill vs Microgynon 30 pill
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Add your Cilest pill review
£From £0.18/day
Overview
Rated 3.1
78 reviews
Daily
Frequency
91% - 99+%
Effectiveness
Increased
Blood clot risk
None
Effect on fertility
Rated 2.6
318 reviews
Daily
Frequency
91% - 99+%
Effectiveness
Increased
Blood clot risk
None
Effect on fertility
What Lowdown reviewers say
Benefits: What this contraceptive can help with
Acne or bad skin
Heavy periods
PMS and PMDD
PCOS symptoms
Period pain
Acne or bad skin
Heavy periods
PMS and PMDD
PCOS symptoms
Period pain
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£From £0.18/day
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Real life reviews from people like you
Cilest pill reviews
78 reviews
Used for 5 - 8 yr
Lowdown user
🇬🇧 UK
• 27th Oct 23
The first few years on this pill were okay, my skin cleared up and I had regular, light periods. My mood has been consistently low though, whether that was entirely due to the pill I'm not sure, the last few years have been stressful for everyone. The worst side effect I had was periodontal breakdown - I didn't know birth control pills were linked to this, but if I had, I probably would have stopped taken this pill sooner. I now need to spend loads of periodontal treatment.
Very negative mood
2 more effects
3 helpful
0 comments
Used for 5 - 8 yr
Lowdown user
🇬🇧 UK
• 17th Jul 23
I've been using this pill since I was 17. I took a break for a progesterone only implant for a year which didn't work for me so I've moved back to cilest. This has worked as well as contraception can I think. Minimal side effects while my acne is much better. I take it until I break through bleed (about 10 weeks) to keep my endometriosis and adenomyosis at bay. It does the best any treatment at the moment can. I would note I have previously been told by my NHS GP that Cilest has been discontinued. At the advice of a pharmacist this isn't true, it's just simply more expensive than other pills so I have been able to continue using this pill.
Improved skin
3 helpful
0 comments
Used for 6 - 12 mo
Lowdown user
🇬🇧 UK
• 20th Jun 23
I began to get thrush very badly to the point the itching was excruciating. I would then get water infections which twice led to developing kidney infections. Before this pill I had only ever had cystitis and thrush once or twice and they weren't that bad and would go away quickly. On this pill, I was in a constant state of having thrush, a water infection, both. It was horrendous to the point I could barely leave the house. Nothing worked to treat it until I found Optibac probiotics for women which would keep them at bay somewhat but the only thing that really helped was stopping taking this pill and taking these probiotics. I cannot explain the impact this had on my life and the pain caused by having these conditions chronically.
Top side effects not reported
3 helpful
0 comments
Used for 5 - 8 yr
Lowdown user
🇬🇧 UK
• 27th Oct 23
The first few years on this pill were okay, my skin cleared up and I had regular, light periods. My mood has been consistently low though, whether that was entirely due to the pill I'm not sure, the last few years have been stressful for everyone. The worst side effect I had was periodontal breakdown - I didn't know birth control pills were linked to this, but if I had, I probably would have stopped taken this pill sooner. I now need to spend loads of periodontal treatment.
Very negative mood
2 more effects
3 helpful
0 comments
Used for 5 - 8 yr
Lowdown user
🇬🇧 UK
• 17th Jul 23
I've been using this pill since I was 17. I took a break for a progesterone only implant for a year which didn't work for me so I've moved back to cilest. This has worked as well as contraception can I think. Minimal side effects while my acne is much better. I take it until I break through bleed (about 10 weeks) to keep my endometriosis and adenomyosis at bay. It does the best any treatment at the moment can. I would note I have previously been told by my NHS GP that Cilest has been discontinued. At the advice of a pharmacist this isn't true, it's just simply more expensive than other pills so I have been able to continue using this pill.
Improved skin
3 helpful
0 comments
Used for 6 - 12 mo
Lowdown user
🇬🇧 UK
• 20th Jun 23
I began to get thrush very badly to the point the itching was excruciating. I would then get water infections which twice led to developing kidney infections. Before this pill I had only ever had cystitis and thrush once or twice and they weren't that bad and would go away quickly. On this pill, I was in a constant state of having thrush, a water infection, both. It was horrendous to the point I could barely leave the house. Nothing worked to treat it until I found Optibac probiotics for women which would keep them at bay somewhat but the only thing that really helped was stopping taking this pill and taking these probiotics. I cannot explain the impact this had on my life and the pain caused by having these conditions chronically.
Top side effects not reported
3 helpful
0 comments
Microgynon 30 pill reviews
318 reviews
Used for 6 - 12 mo
20 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 2 weeks ago
A week after starting to take this pill, I started having recurring UTIs triggered by sexual activity. I stopped taking the pill 6 months in for this reason, but still have constant issues. Aside from the recurrent UTIs, which have impacted both uni and work lives (I have to miss days due to the pain), I also get a frequent burning sensation with no trigger, which causes general discomfort in my day-to-day life. Due to the massive negative impact this pill has had, I am now extremely wary of any form of contraception and wish I had never started taking microgynon in the first place.
Very negative mood
1 more effect
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 5 - 8 yr
27 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 30th Oct 25
I’ve been on this pill for many years. As a positive side effect, it helped with my acne, which makes sense as I used to have high testosterone levels. However, over the past few years I’ve started getting night sweats during the break week and noticed an increase in my blood pressure.
Improved skin
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 3 - 5 yr
20 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 23rd Oct 25
Very negative mood
2 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 6 - 12 mo
20 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 2 weeks ago
A week after starting to take this pill, I started having recurring UTIs triggered by sexual activity. I stopped taking the pill 6 months in for this reason, but still have constant issues. Aside from the recurrent UTIs, which have impacted both uni and work lives (I have to miss days due to the pain), I also get a frequent burning sensation with no trigger, which causes general discomfort in my day-to-day life. Due to the massive negative impact this pill has had, I am now extremely wary of any form of contraception and wish I had never started taking microgynon in the first place.
Very negative mood
1 more effect
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 5 - 8 yr
27 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 30th Oct 25
I’ve been on this pill for many years. As a positive side effect, it helped with my acne, which makes sense as I used to have high testosterone levels. However, over the past few years I’ve started getting night sweats during the break week and noticed an increase in my blood pressure.
Improved skin
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 3 - 5 yr
20 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 23rd Oct 25
Very negative mood
2 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 1 - 3 mo
28 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 14th Jul 25
Nice to stop menstruation but in no way worth it for the awful psychological impacts. Mental breakdowns were indeed had.
Very negative mood
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 5 - 8 yr
29 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 24th Jun 25
I was on Microgynon 30 for almost 8 years and I never had any issues! I changed 3 months ago to the progesterone only pill due to my friend getting a blood clot from microgynon, and within a month I began getting spots all over my jawline! I have now had constant spots for 2 months. I will be going back to the pharmacy to discuss my options and potentially move back to Microgynon.
Top side effects not reported
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
19 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 19th Jun 25
Absolutely legendary pill, I’ve been on a few others this one by far is the best. Haven’t had any changes in my emotions and most importantly not pregnant! And I really do push that to the test weekly. I was A cup before taking and now I’m pushing B cup so for me that’s great
Improved skin
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
20 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 24th May 25
Gave me cystitis all the time and even after coming off I keep getting it after seeing a specialist they told me it’s due to the The pill, lowering my oestrogen
Somewhat negative mood
2 more effects
0 helpful
2 comments
Used for 3 - 5 yr
18 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 21st Apr 25
Began taking this when i was 14 when i got my first boyfriend and I am now 18 so it is very hard to determine or remember what things i suffered with prior to the pill and what increased while on it. One thing i can say is my skin has never been more oily in my whole life, regular bumps on my forehead which i don’t recall ever having. I can only put this down to hormones/the pill, i’ve tried antibiotics, thousands of pounds worth of skincare, changing shampoos, stopping vaping, bettering my diet, replacing makeup brushes regularly (im talking fortnightly!) and so much more and nothing seems to even touch the sides. cystic acne bumps on my back which seem to worsen in the winter/autumnal months. I have been seen to by uncountable doctors and a dermatologist who have all simply told me to wash my face with a cloth lol (wish i tried that one!!???). I have found my skins got worse through the years but now it’s totally uncontrollable, skincare does not even seem to touch the sides which also convinces me it’s something to do with my contraception. Have found myself very snappy and irritable 24/7 i feel very low… nothing major is happening in my life to be making me feel like that and it’s getting draining. booking another doctors appointment tomorrow to consider changing.
Somewhat negative mood
1 more effect
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 3 - 6 mo
37 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 11th Apr 25
It went smoothly in the start. No side effects other than weight gain. Slowly the mood startet to be affected. I startet to swear more and react more angrily towards situations and people around me. Felt almost like I was a child and could not contain myself. My husband told me I had to get of because I was horrible to live with. The anger subsided when I stopped
Very negative mood
3 more effects
2 helpful
0 comments
Used for 1 - 3 mo
15 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 5th Apr 25
Granted I havent used it for long, i've only noticed positive side effects that I was happy with (Stopped periods, Larger and tender breasts, Better skin) however, I have been having some worse mood swings from time to time, though personally I find that has been managable. So far, I have not been made pregnant after corrcet and consistant use, the pill being my only form of contraception too. Perhaps I just got really lucky with the pill!
Somewhat negative mood
2 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
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