Yasmin pill vs Gedarel 20/150 pill

This pill has been awful for me. I went on as had really bad irregular periods but i have seen no change except bleeding in between, extreme abdominal pain and hair loss. I have also seen my skin which is normally clear be breaking out all the time. I am only speaking of my experience

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!

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!

Have been using Gedarel for 2 weeks now, the initial side effects in week 1 were strong.I got dizzy, was nauseous and slightly depressed.By week 2 I didn't feel as bad, my boobs started to hurt and I got light cramping, my moods are still up and down but not as severely.Overall ive had mild symptoms.

Breast pain was too much I could not even lie down.

This definitely helped me with my PMS symptoms. No significant changes to my weight. I had more sensitive skin / allergic reactions during my time on it but not necessarily due to the pill. My mood was pretty similar to when I was off the pill.

It was alright however I gained weight on it and it made me have horrible mood swings

Having been on this pill for a year, I noticed that I hadn't felt like myself for a while. I found myself with persistently lower moods. Even during times of joy, the feeling felt dampened. This is the primary reason I decided to stop taking this pill; no contraception is worth losing yourself to! I am still in the early stages of being off this pill, but I feel relieved to have made the choice. It did make my withdrawal bleeds ("periods") very light. However, I do also think it completely suppressed my libido. I (being naive) thought that being on a low dosage pill, I might have fewer symptoms, but it just hasn't worked for me. I just wish there were more non-hormonal options out there.

I had terrible experiences (bouts of acne) around age 17/18 with higher dose pills like Yasmin. Eventually settled on Marvelon and was put onto Gedarel (higher dosage) when there were stock issues. After 2 years I moved to the lower dose of Gedarel, and had a relatively positive experience with it for around 5 years but things have worsened recently. Side effects have been; spots around chin around end of pill pack, some spotting when taking back-to-back, lower sex-drive. More significant side-effects have been water-retention/weight gain and boob size increase. I am now thinking about coming off Gedarel as I have noticed the side effects have become more dramatic and all other things are equal - my boobs change massively in size throughout the course of a pack of pills, they are tender, and my weight is also massively fluctuating (I assume from water retention - between 55 - 60kg within the month). I am very active and generally healthy, if anything I am less stressed and have a healthier lifestyle now than I did a few years ago, yet the frequent changes to my body are making me feel uncomfortable in my own skin.

I have now taken this for a year and the side effects of this pill are more prominent than my previous pill. I bleed and spot after having a break, my sex drive has decreased and I encounter random strong period cramps randomly throughout the month

Positives: 1. in my last year on this my acne was almost none existent, which was a massive an improvement from when I started it. 2. My periods were also shorter (4-5 days), and my last day bleeding was very light. 3. Not 1 pregnancy scare the whole 3 years, completely protected!! Negatives: 1. no sex drive, I was told this wasn’t a result of the pill but of my mood & life. I can vouch this was incorrect because I’m now 3 months off the pill & my sex drive is through the roof. 2. My mood was always flat, I had happy moments but generally life felt pretty grey 3. My heavy period days were just as heavy & crampy as pre-pill. 4. Exhaustion & lower back pain pre-period. 5. Weight gain & obsession with food, always felt hungry. Overall this pill wasn’t bad as I just got used to the symptoms, but since being off it I genuinely cant believe that I was that shell of a person for the 3 years on it, and the 6 years before that that I was on other contraception.

The pill is overall effective in preventing pregnancy, however, in the two years I have been using it, I have been experiencing spotting and unexplained bleeding intermittently. It doesn't happen every single month but is very unpredictable and inconvenient. I would not recommend this if you are after something which gives you regular, consistent periods.

It took a couple of months for initial symptoms to improve after beginning this pill, and I have taken it continuously for all except the first cycle. The first cycle was a disaster, I cried for 48 hours of the pill break, and haven't taken one since! No spotting since then, and I've noticed some weight gain and hair loss but nothing drastic.