Rigevidon pill vs Levest pill

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Rigevidon pill

£From £0.15/day

Levest pill

£From £0.15/day

Overview

Rated 2.5

527 reviews

Daily

Frequency

91% - 99+%

Effectiveness

Increased

Blood clot risk

None

Effect on fertility

Rated 2.6

124 reviews

Daily

Frequency

91% - 99+%

Effectiveness

Increased

Blood clot risk

None

Effect on fertility

Rigevidon pill ingredients

Main hormones in Rigevidon pill

Androgenic progestogen

Medium oestrogen


Levest pill ingredients

Main hormones in Levest pill

Androgenic progestogen

Medium oestrogen

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

Try it now

£From £0.15/day

Try it now

£From £0.15/day

Check out our latest reviews

Real life reviews from people like you

Rigevidon pill reviews

527 reviews

Used for 6 - 12 mo
16 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  3 weeks ago

  •  Stopped using

Used for 9 months and at the start I really liked it kept my periods regular but I did notice they became longer. They lasted around 8 days long and became more heavy. Went on this pill to help with the heaviness and the pain but it didn’t help either. In the last 3 months of taking it I began getting random sharp pains that weren’t like cramps they were right at the enterence of the vagina and they became more and more regular to the point it was multiple times a day.

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Top side effects not reported

0 helpful

0 comments

Used for 8+ yr
26 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  25th Feb 24

  •  Stopped using

Started taking this pill 8 years ago when I was 18 for contraception and to lighten periods that were on the heavy side and quite painful. The first few years were great, periods were lighter and less painful, no notable side effects. I started tricycling packets a few years back allowing me to plan periods around events. I think with time periods on this pill became more painful and heavier, with some infrequent almost unbearable pains, maybe once per period I would have 10 mins of agony. My blood pressure is now slightly raised and I have been having heart palpitations/high Heart rate. I had a migraine with aura a few weeks back (during my pill free week so probably linked to hormone changes). My skin has worsened in the last few years with big chin and jaw cysts but again these are infrequent. I hadn’t noticed mood changes maybe as I had been on this pill for so long. My sex drive was also none existent and I would never think of initiating sex. Due to all these symptoms I have come off birth control all together. I was incredibly anxious about coming off the pill as the thought of no longer having control over my periods was so alien to me. Since coming off my heart symptoms have improved, migraines improved, skin has improved (but I have been using prescription medication too), mood has improved (apart from the few days before my period!). The first period back came exactly 28 days after stopping the pill and has been heavier but less painful and manageable using a menstrual disc. My sex drive Increased immediately after stopping the pill and even more so around ovulation. I had lost about 6lbs from around my hips and stomach in a few weeks with no diet changes. My boobs feel slightly smaller and are more sensitive. I am now looking for the right alternative contraceptive for me whilst tracking my monthly cycles and getting to know my body better. The doctors immediately recommended I switch to a POP which I haven’t done yet, as maybe non hormonal would be better. Coming off the combined pill has prompted some open conversations with friends, and to my surprise all have had their own struggles with combined pills and no longer take them. I think we need more support as young women to make informed decisions around these topics rather than get dumped on the cheapest medication available that have symptoms that impact so many aspects of physical and mental health. In summary it was good for a while and may be better for some people but don’t let yourself feel trapped by the convenience of this pill. Don’t ignore any negative side effects as ultimately your body knows best.


Top side effects not reported

0 helpful

0 comments

Used for 1 - 3 mo
15 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  22nd Feb 24

  •  Stopped using

This pill was hell i had to stop taking it before it got too much for me. It helped my painful periods but the cons outweighed the pros. I gained a lot of weight no matter what i did i was always hungry. My breast got bigger however were always extremely tender. MY MOODS were so awful i was difficult to be around people didn’t want to talk to me as much as i was so easily irritated and negative all the time and it was affecting my relationship. I was always extremely upset and lethargic and cried throughout the day and got angry at the people i love for little things. I felt a bit nauseous and had a few headaches but not too bad. I absolutely would not recommend this pill to anyone, i know a few people who have taken it and i’ve never once heard of someone having a good experience with it so it saddens me that this is usually the go to first combined pill doctors recommend.


Top side effects not reported

0 helpful

0 comments

Used for 6 - 12 mo
16 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  3 weeks ago

  •  Stopped using

Used for 9 months and at the start I really liked it kept my periods regular but I did notice they became longer. They lasted around 8 days long and became more heavy. Went on this pill to help with the heaviness and the pain but it didn’t help either. In the last 3 months of taking it I began getting random sharp pains that weren’t like cramps they were right at the enterence of the vagina and they became more and more regular to the point it was multiple times a day.


Top side effects not reported

0 helpful

0 comments

Used for 8+ yr
26 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  25th Feb 24

  •  Stopped using

Started taking this pill 8 years ago when I was 18 for contraception and to lighten periods that were on the heavy side and quite painful. The first few years were great, periods were lighter and less painful, no notable side effects. I started tricycling packets a few years back allowing me to plan periods around events. I think with time periods on this pill became more painful and heavier, with some infrequent almost unbearable pains, maybe once per period I would have 10 mins of agony. My blood pressure is now slightly raised and I have been having heart palpitations/high Heart rate. I had a migraine with aura a few weeks back (during my pill free week so probably linked to hormone changes). My skin has worsened in the last few years with big chin and jaw cysts but again these are infrequent. I hadn’t noticed mood changes maybe as I had been on this pill for so long. My sex drive was also none existent and I would never think of initiating sex. Due to all these symptoms I have come off birth control all together. I was incredibly anxious about coming off the pill as the thought of no longer having control over my periods was so alien to me. Since coming off my heart symptoms have improved, migraines improved, skin has improved (but I have been using prescription medication too), mood has improved (apart from the few days before my period!). The first period back came exactly 28 days after stopping the pill and has been heavier but less painful and manageable using a menstrual disc. My sex drive Increased immediately after stopping the pill and even more so around ovulation. I had lost about 6lbs from around my hips and stomach in a few weeks with no diet changes. My boobs feel slightly smaller and are more sensitive. I am now looking for the right alternative contraceptive for me whilst tracking my monthly cycles and getting to know my body better. The doctors immediately recommended I switch to a POP which I haven’t done yet, as maybe non hormonal would be better. Coming off the combined pill has prompted some open conversations with friends, and to my surprise all have had their own struggles with combined pills and no longer take them. I think we need more support as young women to make informed decisions around these topics rather than get dumped on the cheapest medication available that have symptoms that impact so many aspects of physical and mental health. In summary it was good for a while and may be better for some people but don’t let yourself feel trapped by the convenience of this pill. Don’t ignore any negative side effects as ultimately your body knows best.


Top side effects not reported

0 helpful

0 comments

Used for 1 - 3 mo
15 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  22nd Feb 24

  •  Stopped using

This pill was hell i had to stop taking it before it got too much for me. It helped my painful periods but the cons outweighed the pros. I gained a lot of weight no matter what i did i was always hungry. My breast got bigger however were always extremely tender. MY MOODS were so awful i was difficult to be around people didn’t want to talk to me as much as i was so easily irritated and negative all the time and it was affecting my relationship. I was always extremely upset and lethargic and cried throughout the day and got angry at the people i love for little things. I felt a bit nauseous and had a few headaches but not too bad. I absolutely would not recommend this pill to anyone, i know a few people who have taken it and i’ve never once heard of someone having a good experience with it so it saddens me that this is usually the go to first combined pill doctors recommend.


Top side effects not reported

0 helpful

0 comments


Levest pill reviews

124 reviews

Used for 3 - 5 yr
20 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  3 days ago

  •  Stopped using

started this pill when i was 16 for heavy irregular periods. really helped regulate them + shortened them from 7 days to 5! tbh i think it made them a little more painful though came off it after 3 years because my skin randomly got a lot worse after being clear for the duration of using it - got really painful hormonal spots on my chin but all in all a great starter pill for me! i’m pretty sure it sorted out my mood swings too lol but not sure cos it was aaaaaages ago


Top side effects not reported

0 helpful

0 comments

Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
17 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  19th Dec 23

  •  Still using

Levest has done me good. I have gained weight since being on the pill however I am no longer going to the gym regularly so I cannot blame levest entirely. Would recommend


Top side effects not reported

0 helpful

0 comments

Used for 12 - 18 mo
16 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  19th Nov 23

  •  Still using

Very helpful for my acne and confidence, but my mood noticeably changed to feeling numb quite often. I’ve felt very physically and mentally tired over the last 13 months, but can’t remember a time before then. Great at stopping my periods for 4 months, before I breakthrough bleed and take a break. When I do bleed, it is extremely heavy, but it is less painful.


Top side effects not reported

0 helpful

0 comments

Used for 3 - 5 yr
20 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  3 days ago

  •  Stopped using

started this pill when i was 16 for heavy irregular periods. really helped regulate them + shortened them from 7 days to 5! tbh i think it made them a little more painful though came off it after 3 years because my skin randomly got a lot worse after being clear for the duration of using it - got really painful hormonal spots on my chin but all in all a great starter pill for me! i’m pretty sure it sorted out my mood swings too lol but not sure cos it was aaaaaages ago


Top side effects not reported

0 helpful

0 comments

Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
17 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  19th Dec 23

  •  Still using

Levest has done me good. I have gained weight since being on the pill however I am no longer going to the gym regularly so I cannot blame levest entirely. Would recommend


Top side effects not reported

0 helpful

0 comments

Used for 12 - 18 mo
16 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  19th Nov 23

  •  Still using

Very helpful for my acne and confidence, but my mood noticeably changed to feeling numb quite often. I’ve felt very physically and mentally tired over the last 13 months, but can’t remember a time before then. Great at stopping my periods for 4 months, before I breakthrough bleed and take a break. When I do bleed, it is extremely heavy, but it is less painful.


Top side effects not reported

0 helpful

0 comments

Used for 1 - 3 mo
21 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  1st Nov 23

  •  Stopped using

Took this for 3 months total and am now taking a break to see if there's any change in the side effects. Didn't notice major changes in mood or anything else, was very happy with it initially as I took it to have lighter and less painful periods, and it worked really well in this respect. However after a month or two I started to notice considerable vaginal dryness - it was uncomfortable, itchy and sensitive - in a bad way - day to day and made sex very painful even with lube. Don't really want to choose between painful periods and daily discomfort/painful sex but here I am.


Top side effects not reported

1 helpful

0 comments

Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
20 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  29th Oct 23

  •  Still using

I've never had mental health issues but this pill has made me almost suicidal and made me act out in ways I never thought id behave like kind of erratic. Also made me gain 2 stone when I didn't think that would happen to me, not a good experience over the 3 years.


Top side effects not reported

3 helpful

3 comments

Used for 6 - 12 mo
28 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  8th Aug 23

  •  Stopped using

The only good things I could say about this pill is it made my periods super light and my skin was spotless (quite literally). Then the negatives were SO negative. I experienced unbelievable anxiety, brain fog and my anger management around the time of my period was non existent to the point the final straw was when I hurled my poor bf’s breakfast across the room in a rage 😅 I’ve spent a month on no contraception and I’ve felt like a different person around this cycle. I’ve been prescribed a different pill but tbh I think I’d rather be sane and spotty rather than go back to being someone I don’t even recognise!


Top side effects not reported

0 helpful

0 comments

Used for 3 - 5 yr
28 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  12th Jul 23

  •  Stopped using

I was on the combined pill originally on Microgynon for a few years but then I was moved onto Levest and that is what I continued with for at least 2 years. I had no problems with the effectiveness of Levest for what it is intended to do. The only advantage of this pill for me was that my skin became very clear and my periods were very light which is nice. HOWEVER, I started to realise that I was starting to feel like a different person while on this pill. I would say that I became very numb most of the time which gave me quite a low mood and would often snap at people. The couple of days before my period I would be extremely low and would cry at anything and everything! Sometimes I would literally cry for no reason, if I was even just thinking of a sad situation...I would cry. It was my mum that eventually mentioned that it could be the pill effecting my mood so I decided to come off it to see what would happen. I'm so glad that I did! My mood has improved massively and I no longer have that low mood all the time. Of course, you get fluctuations in your natural cycle and mood changes with that but it is nothing compared to when I was on Levest, I have barely cried since being off it!


Top side effects not reported

1 helpful

0 comments

Used for 6 - 12 mo
33 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  13th Jun 23

  •  Still using

Prior to using this pill I was on Microgynon with no side-effects. The pharmacy decided to change the pill, like they were changing a brand of sweets. I've steadily gained a lot of weight over 8 months. I'm a very active person & so the weight makes me look bloated & thick, mainly settling on my stomach, boobs & backside. I've also had some major mood swings, particularly with anxiety, which I've only just attributed to this pill. Plus side is I've had no periods & no issues with my sex drive, like some people have mentioned. I will be coming off this pill & chatting with my nurse about alternatives.


Top side effects not reported

0 helpful

0 comments

Used for 12 - 18 mo
26 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  11th Jun 23

  •  Still using

Was looking for a pill to give me a regular period, as I did not get any due to having PCOS. During my 7 day break, I get a bleed, and the first 2 days or so of the break, my sex drive returns. The loss of libido has been the hardest part of changing from the mini pill to the combined pill.


Top side effects not reported

0 helpful

0 comments

Used for 3 - 5 yr
21 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  9th Jun 23

  •  Stopped using

For the first 2.5 years the pill was fine I got on with it well. It was only in the final 18 months of using the pill that I noticed my anxiety heightened, sex drive depleted, vaginal dryness and extremely low moods during the break.


Top side effects not reported

1 helpful

2 comments

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