Fertility awareness methods (FAM) vs Progestogen-only / Mini pill

I've had an entirely positive experience using Natural Cycles. While using the impant I was struggling with acne, mood swings, irregular periods. And since swapping to use Natural Cycles I've felt much better in myself, my periods are very regular, I feel I understand my body and cycle so much more, and my skin has cleared up. In 5 years of using it it's been 100% effective at preventing pregnancy, I'm very careful to measure consistently, and I use the Oura Ring to help get accurate readings. But this small effort seems like a small price to pay in exchange for getting rid of all the nasty side effects of my previous contraception

I started using Natural Cycles a few years back. I was never on any birth control as a teenager as my mum didn't want my young body being put on hormones. However, once I settled down with my current long-term partner, I wanted to have the peace of mind that I wasn't going to fall pregnant. The first few years of using Natural Cycles were great and empowering, understanding the changes in my body and knowing when I had ovulated was great. What I had failed to understand was it predicted with its algorithm your date of next month's ovulation based on your previous month. Well. I managed to fall pregnant not once, but twice in the space of 8 months. The first time around, I thought it was my fault and I had not taken my temps properly (even though I never had an issue in the past). I had a surgical abortion as I was 3 months pregnant before I actually found out. I was willing to try again and really get to grips with it even though the clinic was very strongly advising me to go on some form of HBC. In the past 6 months, my body has recovered from the abortion and got back into its usual swing of periods and I saw I was ovulating again. This time around I invested in an Oura ring to pair with my NC app to be certain of my temps being taken. All was well, I stuck to my green and red days religiously. I use the pull-out method on red days (if we do have sex). And I trust our pull-out method completely because we definitely know he does not ejaculate inside of me or we tend to stick to oral sex rather than penetrative. I noticed my temperatures lately had been higher than usual and my ovulation was confirmed a bit earlier than usual. I didn't think much of it as I had stuck to our red days and green days as shown. When I went on calendar view, I saw that my fertile window just gone was a lot shorter than 6 days and I had unprotected sex (on a green day) that was 2 days before I ovulated. I did a test and indeed am pregnant yet again. I contacted NC straight away and got them to go through my data, which they did and have taken full responsibility for the muck up with their algorithm. I advise you to check your fertile windows and note any other observations (cervical mucus), because the algorithm cannot be trusted. And from what I now know, ovulation may change throughout different cycles (stress, sleep etc). I will no longer be using them ever again which is sad as I did so enjoy using it.

Amazing

I have only been using the minipill for a month but I am already feeling pretty strong side effects especially on my mood: crying for no reason, being very angry at times and very sad at others, overall depressed mood. I am probably going to finish the blister and switch to something else.

Please do NOT go on this. Not only did this give me severe Anxiety, Depression and Mood Swings, but I had many Dr and Hospital trips due to Panic Attacks, Migraines, Double Vision & Heart Palpitations. It was so bad, I had to get checked for suspected blood clot. A very scary experience. I hated every moment I was on this.

I’ve been on Slynd just over three months, and as someone who has tried several other mini pills this one seems to agree with me best. On other mini pills I experienced mild to moderate side effects, notably acne, spotting between periods/constantly and low mood. On Slynd I’ve only had very, very minor spotting and it’s infrequent. I haven’t yet had a period on Slynd but that’s not unusual for me on mini pills. Most notable is my skin, which has seen a noticeable and gradual improvement. Acne has been my biggest challenge on mini pills, with painful cystic acne requiring prescription topical creams for years on end. I’ve just started my fourth month on Slynd and seem to have turned a corner to where I have very little acne, if at all, and no cystic spots. My skin hasn’t been this clear in years! The only other side effects i’ve experienced, but cannot be 100% sure are related, are some moderate thirst in month 2/3 and a strange, weeks-long cramp in the bottom of my foot. I started eating more bananas to try and balance my potassium and the cramp has since gone. Rating 4 stars only because I’ve been on combination pills before (no longer can be on them) and I will always prefer the combination ones over mini pills. But I would say Slynd has been the closest to combination pills I’ve found yet.

I got this pill after being 25 years on Yasmin but started to get headaches and turned 40 so was made to switch to Desogestrel. I didn't get headaches but everything else just got bad, was told to stay on it 6 months to get adjusted but after 5 and half months I finish the pack half way as I was getting really frustrated with it all. The side effects have been horrible - oily skin, scalp and nails, acne, hair loss and hair thinning, random spotting and I gained 15kg, I have never been so huge! I just hope all will return to normal soon as it's been very depressing.

I started this pill after being on the implant for years. I was initially scared, but this is not very different from the implant. The first six or so months are MUCH easier than when I was on the implant. I feel much more emotionally stable, with an increased libido compared to my old BC method. I like the flexibility of being able to stop taking it when I want. I take it at night which helps regulate my emotions and I feel more chilled out on this pill (I have severe anxiety). I've had no periods at all on this pill. The only downside is remembering to take it but for me the flexibility is worth it. I've also noticed more sweating and I get quite hot.

The Slynd pill has helped my adenomyosis symptoms! I used to have extremely heavy and painful periods that were so bad that I couldn't walk and leave the house. I had to take high doses of codeine. Apart from a bit of nausea on the first two days (couldve been my period though as I took the pill on the first day of my period) I haven't had any negative side effects.

Started taking in April 2024 finished the last pack September 2024. Had spotting for the first couple months in the place of period which was frustrating (spotting for 14days instead of normal 5-7day period flow). Once settled, periods just completely stopped which made me feel slightly uneasy as there’s no indicator of “missed period” for pregnancy sirens to ring. Mood was a strange one, felt slightly mentally exhausted but difficult to tell whether that was life or the pill, but I do remember having PMS type symptoms (emotional, cramps) once a month, almost mimicking a period without the bleeds.

Lloyds Pharmacy gave me no warning when they changed my Crescent generic version of Desogestrel for Lovima. My fatigue is awful, acne (it's like reexperiencing puberty), very tender breasts prior to my period, and suddenly anxiety that has gone through the roof for no real reason. My sex drive had already suffered on Desogestrel, I need the mini pill due to migraines so not sure will I necessarily be able to tackle this, but so far I have just as low libido on Lovima. For the first time in a long time I've had period cramps, but minus any spotting or bleeding. On the plus side, perhaps no signs of weight change. Desperately trying to get a new prescription.

I have only been taking this pill for just over a month, but so far I am really happy with it. No change in moods, sex drive or skin. My boobs have grown lot - which I'm not mad about! Although I do feel slightly frumpy, as though I have put on a bit of weight - but it isn't hugely noticeable I don't think. I did have spotting for the first 2.5 weeks of using the pill which has now stopped completely.

I’ve taken it for 6 years now. Not really any side effects. However, it might have affected my mood negatively, but i am not certain as I went through big life changes when i started taking it so my mood may have been a result of that. Also lost a bit of weight at that time and it stayed off. Didn’t get my period anymore for a couple of years but now i have irregular bleeding sometimes (Some months more, some less).