Mercilon pill vs Yasmin pill
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£From £0.18/day
£From £0.25/day
Overview
Rated 2.9
48 reviews
Daily
Frequency
91% - 99+%
Effectiveness
Increased
Blood clot risk
None
Effect on fertility
Rated 3.0
217 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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Check out our latest reviews
Real life reviews from people like you
Mercilon pill reviews
48 reviews
Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
25 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 14th Aug 23
This pill has been a lifesaver. I've tried lots of different combined pills and all were giving me problems with varicose veins. My doctor recommended going on the mini pill which was even worse. I eventually got put on Mercilon as it's low estrogen. My periods are lighter and shorter, my skin has cleared up and my mood has been fine. Only negative side effect is loss of sex drive.
Decreased sex drive
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 12 - 18 mo
33 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 26th Jan 23
I used this for quite a while and to be honest it seemed like it was alright. Did get a loss of libido and the occasional headache but other than that I felt it was fine. Although I have been trying different contraception and have recently gone back onto mercellion. Turns out it’s not as good as I thought. My moods are not good. I have a short temper on these and my anxiety is through the roof. It’s only when you come off something and come back a year later that actually you can tell a difference.
Somewhat negative mood
2 more effects
3 helpful
0 comments
Used for 1 - 3 mo
20 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 11th Nov 22
I only used it for a month but I had the worst itching and pain ever. it felt like I had thrush constantly and the skin down there was very painful and irritated. I've had this side effect with every single pill I've tried but this one was by far the worst.
Improved skin
1 more effect
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
25 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 14th Aug 23
This pill has been a lifesaver. I've tried lots of different combined pills and all were giving me problems with varicose veins. My doctor recommended going on the mini pill which was even worse. I eventually got put on Mercilon as it's low estrogen. My periods are lighter and shorter, my skin has cleared up and my mood has been fine. Only negative side effect is loss of sex drive.
Decreased sex drive
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 12 - 18 mo
33 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 26th Jan 23
I used this for quite a while and to be honest it seemed like it was alright. Did get a loss of libido and the occasional headache but other than that I felt it was fine. Although I have been trying different contraception and have recently gone back onto mercellion. Turns out it’s not as good as I thought. My moods are not good. I have a short temper on these and my anxiety is through the roof. It’s only when you come off something and come back a year later that actually you can tell a difference.
Somewhat negative mood
2 more effects
3 helpful
0 comments
Used for 1 - 3 mo
20 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 11th Nov 22
I only used it for a month but I had the worst itching and pain ever. it felt like I had thrush constantly and the skin down there was very painful and irritated. I've had this side effect with every single pill I've tried but this one was by far the worst.
Improved skin
1 more effect
0 helpful
0 comments
Yasmin pill reviews
217 reviews
Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
31 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 2 days ago
I swapped to Yasmin after trying so many and I felt like I’d struck gold! My skin improved loads (but must also note was under a dermatologist as well) but my skin has continued to be really clear My mood is a lot better provided I run the packets back to back - do find my mood plummets whenever I have a 7 day break but only do this once every 3-6 months I do get headaches but unclear if it coincides with Yasmin but GP is requesting I stop due to this however I’m reluctant due to have good this pill has been!
Somewhat positive mood
1 more effect
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 1 - 3 mo
19 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 27th Aug 24
This is the third pill I’ve tried and I’ve finally found one I want to stay on. I lost weight, my skin cleared up, my bra size has gone up in cup in 3 months, I’m much calmer on this pill I’m someone who is neurodivergent which causes me lots of anxiety and this pill has made me a lot more optimistic and relaxed. Only been on it 3 months if anything changes I’ll update!
Very positive mood
2 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 1 - 3 mo
25 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 23rd Aug 24
I was on this pill for a few months and it was mostly fine. HOWEVER I realised later down the line it was giving me chronic IBS-like symptoms. I’ve never had IBS before but as soon as I started this pill I started having digestive issues, I was either constipated or constantly needing the toilet. Also major nausea especially after eating. It got really quite bad towards the 3 month mark, and was affecting me every single day. It gave me major anxiety about eating so I lost a lot of weight. Finally connected the dots and came off it and the symptoms gradually went away. There are studies that have linked drospirenone to IBS and symptoms like these so it makes sense now! Otherwise, I had very little issues with this pill. It didn’t majorly affect my mood or sex drive. My breasts grew very slightly but no tenderness. Other annoying side effects were occasional thrush and random patches of dry skin. I could cope with that but not the constant nausea and sh*ts😭 so I’ll be avoiding drospirenone at all costs from now on!!
Top side effects not reported
2 helpful
0 comments
Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
31 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 2 days ago
I swapped to Yasmin after trying so many and I felt like I’d struck gold! My skin improved loads (but must also note was under a dermatologist as well) but my skin has continued to be really clear My mood is a lot better provided I run the packets back to back - do find my mood plummets whenever I have a 7 day break but only do this once every 3-6 months I do get headaches but unclear if it coincides with Yasmin but GP is requesting I stop due to this however I’m reluctant due to have good this pill has been!
Somewhat positive mood
1 more effect
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 1 - 3 mo
19 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 27th Aug 24
This is the third pill I’ve tried and I’ve finally found one I want to stay on. I lost weight, my skin cleared up, my bra size has gone up in cup in 3 months, I’m much calmer on this pill I’m someone who is neurodivergent which causes me lots of anxiety and this pill has made me a lot more optimistic and relaxed. Only been on it 3 months if anything changes I’ll update!
Very positive mood
2 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 1 - 3 mo
25 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 23rd Aug 24
I was on this pill for a few months and it was mostly fine. HOWEVER I realised later down the line it was giving me chronic IBS-like symptoms. I’ve never had IBS before but as soon as I started this pill I started having digestive issues, I was either constipated or constantly needing the toilet. Also major nausea especially after eating. It got really quite bad towards the 3 month mark, and was affecting me every single day. It gave me major anxiety about eating so I lost a lot of weight. Finally connected the dots and came off it and the symptoms gradually went away. There are studies that have linked drospirenone to IBS and symptoms like these so it makes sense now! Otherwise, I had very little issues with this pill. It didn’t majorly affect my mood or sex drive. My breasts grew very slightly but no tenderness. Other annoying side effects were occasional thrush and random patches of dry skin. I could cope with that but not the constant nausea and sh*ts😭 so I’ll be avoiding drospirenone at all costs from now on!!
Top side effects not reported
2 helpful
0 comments
Used for 12 - 18 mo
27 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 21st Aug 24
I was really pleased for the first 3 months of taking Yasmin as my skin cleared up completely. However after a couple of years of taking it my anxiety increased and I started feeling depressed. I also had no libido whatsoever which affected my relationship. My periods became longer and heavier and more painful.
Somewhat negative mood
2 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 8+ yr
31 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 14th Aug 24
I have mixed feelings about Yasmin. I was on it for a long time and it cleared up the numerous spots on my back and gave me regular, light periods with no cramping. However, the last five or so years before I went off it, I found I had zero sex drive and significant vaginal dryness, which negatively impacted my ability to have and enjoy sex. My breasts also enlarged significantly, from roughly a B/C cup to about a D/ double D, a change that I have found uncomfortable.
Somewhat negative mood
2 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 3 - 6 mo
22 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 3rd Jun 24
I started yasmin about 3 months ago and since then my breasts have become really sore, and one of them started leaking discharge, which I had to visit the GP for. It also gave me these mild but constant headaches, so as per my GP's advice, I'm getting off this pill ASAP!
Somewhat negative mood
2 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 3 - 6 mo
20 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 21st May 24
So torn about Lucette/Yasmin. They cleared up my PCOS symptoms so well- my skin cleared almost immediately after years of terrible acne; stopped extreme sweating and prevented excessive hair growth. My mood is brilliant compared to other pills which made me very depressed/strong mood swings. However, I have chronic IBS and extreme urinary urgency on these pills. I took a 3 month break and my symptoms cleared within 2 weeks so I know this is the cause. These symptoms aren’t talked about much so I wanted to raise awareness. It’s a tough balancing act between horrible PCOS symptoms and horrible IBS/bladder symptoms.
Very positive mood
2 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 8+ yr
27 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 21st May 24
Used the Yasmin combined pill to treat acne. Was extremely effective. However, I've suffered with gastroparesis for 10 years and didn't realise it was caused by this contraceptive. I was really quite poorly for several of those years, unable to eat enough so was malnourished and my career suffered. I felt so nauseous every single morning. When I first started taking it as a teenager I would vomit every morning. I was prescribed domperidone and had numerous doctors appointments and hospital appointments over the years and no one ever mentioned my symptoms could be caused by the contraceptive pill I was taking. I recently missed a few pills and noticed an improvement in my symptoms, so stopped taking it. For the first time in over 10 years I experience normal hunger, don't feel sick all the time, and am able to eat a normal sized meal. I can't overstate how much of a transformation it's been for me.
Somewhat positive mood
2 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 3 - 5 yr
37 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 7th May 24
I absolutely love Yasmin. It has absolutely no side-effects for me, unlike the implant which gave me cystic acne. It is a good low-angrogen contraception.
Top side effects not reported
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 8+ yr
43 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 11th Apr 24
Yasmin was the best pill for me. I have PCOS and it completely took care of my symptoms like acne. I also had very stable mood and positive mental state with this pill. My periods were light and I used to skip them 3 packets in a row and have only maybe 4 withdrawal bleeds per year. When I tried to extend it to 4 packs, I would often start to get light spotting so I think 3 packs non-stop was optimal for me.
Very positive mood
1 more effect
1 helpful
0 comments
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