Cilest pill vs Rigevidon

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Cilest pill

Want to switch contraception?

Rigevidon

£From £0.19/day

Overview

Rated 3.1

78 reviews

Daily

Frequency

91% - 99+%

Effectiveness

Increased

Blood clot risk

None

Effect on fertility

Rated 2.5

551 reviews

Daily

Frequency

91% - 99+%

Effectiveness

Increased

Blood clot risk

None

Effect on fertility

Cilest pill ingredients

Main hormones in Cilest pill

Less-Androgenic progestogen


Rigevidon ingredients

Main hormones in Rigevidon

Androgenic progestogen

Medium oestrogen

What Lowdown reviewers say

35% somewhat negative

42% lighter periods

45% lost sex drive

55% no impact

50% improved skin

Cycle return

35% don’t know impact

41% very negative

49% lighter periods

45% lost sex drive

45% no impact

37% improved 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

Acne or bad skin

Heavy periods

PMS and PMDD

PCOS symptoms

Period pain

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£From £0.19/day

Check out our latest reviews

Real life reviews from people like you

Cilest pill reviews

78 reviews

Combined pill  
Used for 5 - 8 yr
27 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  27th Oct 23

Cilest pill  

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.

Read more

Very negative mood

2 more effects

1 helpful

0 comments

Combined pill  
Used for 5 - 8 yr
28 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  17th Jul 23

Cilest pill  

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

1 helpful

0 comments

Combined pill  
Used for 6 - 12 mo
25 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  20th Jun 23

Cilest pill  

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

1 helpful

0 comments

Combined pill  
Used for 5 - 8 yr
27 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  27th Oct 23

Cilest pill  

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

1 helpful

0 comments

Combined pill  
Used for 5 - 8 yr
28 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  17th Jul 23

Cilest pill  

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

1 helpful

0 comments

Combined pill  
Used for 6 - 12 mo
25 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  20th Jun 23

Cilest pill  

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

1 helpful

0 comments


Rigevidon reviews

551 reviews

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

Rigevidon  

I used this pill continuously but my body rejected it. I had 2 breakthrough spotting bleeds every 6 months but after 1 and a ½ years I had a full blown period while on the pill. So I had to come off it. Had no issues on it other than that because I have endometriosis, the pain built up and during self pleasure I'd get debilitating cramps. This stopped after coming off the pill. However no one talks about how hard it is to come off the pill. Your hormones are bring shifted and changed and the emotional toll is so harsh. I've had the worst anxiety and paranoia and it's really hard.


Worse skin

0 helpful

0 comments

Combined pill  
Used for 6 - 12 mo
20 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  1 month ago

Rigevidon  

I was weary to go on Rigevidon after switching from a mini pill which caused non stop bleeding and decreased sex drive however, I was positively surprised. For me I found the side effects minimal if not positive: clearer skin and slightly bigger boobs. I take it without a break which means I only bleed every few months and find it a convenient method of contraception.


Improved skin

0 helpful

0 comments

Combined pill  
Used for 1 - 3 mo
18 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  1 month ago

Rigevidon  

I was put on Rigevidon to help my pms and OCD symptoms which worsened the week before and during my period. I was on this pill for a month only and had to stop because of the side effects; the first day I took it i vomited in the middle of the night and every time I took this pill i would feel some sort of nausea. It made my mood much worse, I was uncontrollably sobbing almost every day and would frequently get very annoyed and shout at my family. It also worsened my OCD a lot which was triggered by my mood. I felt a lot better coming off of it.


Very negative mood

1 more effect

0 helpful

0 comments

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

Rigevidon  

I used this pill continuously but my body rejected it. I had 2 breakthrough spotting bleeds every 6 months but after 1 and a ½ years I had a full blown period while on the pill. So I had to come off it. Had no issues on it other than that because I have endometriosis, the pain built up and during self pleasure I'd get debilitating cramps. This stopped after coming off the pill. However no one talks about how hard it is to come off the pill. Your hormones are bring shifted and changed and the emotional toll is so harsh. I've had the worst anxiety and paranoia and it's really hard.


Worse skin

0 helpful

0 comments

Combined pill  
Used for 6 - 12 mo
20 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  1 month ago

Rigevidon  

I was weary to go on Rigevidon after switching from a mini pill which caused non stop bleeding and decreased sex drive however, I was positively surprised. For me I found the side effects minimal if not positive: clearer skin and slightly bigger boobs. I take it without a break which means I only bleed every few months and find it a convenient method of contraception.


Improved skin

0 helpful

0 comments

Combined pill  
Used for 1 - 3 mo
18 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  1 month ago

Rigevidon  

I was put on Rigevidon to help my pms and OCD symptoms which worsened the week before and during my period. I was on this pill for a month only and had to stop because of the side effects; the first day I took it i vomited in the middle of the night and every time I took this pill i would feel some sort of nausea. It made my mood much worse, I was uncontrollably sobbing almost every day and would frequently get very annoyed and shout at my family. It also worsened my OCD a lot which was triggered by my mood. I felt a lot better coming off of it.


Very negative mood

1 more effect

0 helpful

0 comments

Combined pill  
Used for 1 - 3 mo
24 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  1 month ago

Rigevidon  

I took it for 3 months. It gave me a lot brain fog initially which either cleared or I just got used to it. I also had very sore breasts and period like cramps for the first few weeks. I had quite a bit of breakthrough bleeding, and couldn’t take it pack to pack. I don’t think it affected my mood too much. The main thing that made me stop was I was getting recurrent UTIs. They only started when i began this pill and have stopped since I started taking a different pill (fingers crossed).


Somewhat negative mood

1 more effect

0 helpful

0 comments

Combined pill  
Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
17 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  17th Jun 24

Rigevidon  

This pill helped me so much mentally , it helped me regulate my mood better and focus on tasks so mentally it was great, physically however not so much. On this pill I was much hairier, oilier, sweatier and spottier than I naturally am and when I stopped taking it all of the above cleared up.It did however give me regular and much lighter manageable periods.


Very positive mood

2 more effects

1 helpful

0 comments

Combined pill  
Used for 8+ yr
35 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  12th Jun 24

Rigevidon  

I was moved onto Rigevidon from Yasmin about 14 years ago as my GP said the risk of blood clots was lower (now evidence looks like they are both pretty high risk). I started the pill as a teenager for PCOS symptoms (rarely having periods, excess body hair and acne). I have been very happy on this pill - my mood has been stable and good, my libido is very good, my skin is free of spots although it is oily and my periods are very predictable and light. I do still have a lot of body hair but I think this may just be normal for my genetics unfortunately, and not related to contraception.


Somewhat positive mood

1 more effect

1 helpful

0 comments

Combined pill  
Used for 1 - 3 mo
22 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  3rd Jun 24

Rigevidon  

Made me really irritable which I hated! I came off it as soon as I realised. Also made my boobs a bit sore.


Very negative mood

1 more effect

0 helpful

0 comments

Combined pill  
Used for 6 - 12 mo
22 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  2nd Jun 24

Rigevidon  

Honestly the worst pill! I have been on this pill for 6 months and have decided to come off it. I experienced weight gain, loss of sex drive, bad mood swings, vaginal dryness. I do not recommend this pill to nobody. I spoke to my doctor and he said yes because of the estrogen I expereinced weight gain. So if your doctor or nurse tells you that it does not make you gain weight it sure does!


Very negative mood

3 more effects

0 helpful

0 comments

Combined pill  
Used for 1 - 3 mo
18 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  30th May 24

Rigevidon  

Not many changes noticed until my withdrawal bleed I experienced a decidual cast.


Worse skin

0 helpful

0 comments

Combined pill  
Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
22 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  22nd May 24

Rigevidon  

When starting the pill, i got intense cramps that lasted a good few months and then went away. Ruined my mental health & my sex drive. Improved my skin massively Since coming off: my cycle STILL hasn’t regulated and its been about 1.5 years.


Very negative mood

3 more effects

0 helpful

0 comments

Contraceptive alternatives and comparisons

Compare the Cilest pill with other contraceptives

Compare the Rigevidon with other contraceptives

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