Hormonal coil (IUS) vs Injection
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Overview
Rated 3.5
858 reviews
Every 3-8 years
Frequency
Over 99%
Effectiveness
None
Blood clot risk
None
Effect on fertility
Rated 2.9
301 reviews
Every 2-3 months
Frequency
94% - 99+%
Effectiveness
None
Blood clot risk
Short term
Effect on fertility
Hormonal coil (IUS) ingredients
Main hormones in Hormonal coil (IUS)
progestogen
Injection ingredients
Main hormones in Injection
progestogen
What Lowdown reviewers say
Benefits: What this contraceptive can help with
Adenomyosis
Endometriosis
Heavy periods
Menopause
Period pain
Endometriosis
Heavy periods
Period pain
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Check out our latest reviews
Real life reviews from people like you
Hormonal coil (IUS) reviews
858 reviews
Used for 6 - 12 mo
40 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 2 weeks ago
From coil insertion I had issues, it was very painful having it inserted and I had cramps for a weeks. I also got a post coil infection. I would get horrible period pain at that time of the month and my periods would also last longer than before coil. Often had spotting and could always feel there was something there like a pressure (difficult to explain). I also didn’t feel like myself, I didn’t have energy for a long time after the coil insertion. I got thrush and then got a UTI in August which I had for 6 & half weeks and took 5 courses of antibiotics. I finally saw a nurse who said stop the meds and agreed with my decision to have coil removed and said we would monitor it. I had coil removed 29/09 and am still getting the discomfort down there and regularly have a hot bean bag on my lower abdomen. Some days are better than others and this week I have had headaches so I’m not sure if it is linked to coil removal. The nurse will call me for follow up next week and if still getting it she needs to see if it could be pelvic inflammatory disease
Somewhat negative mood
1 more effect
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 5 - 8 yr
31 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 2 weeks ago
I liked that it was minimal effort once inserted. My periods were far lighter and less frequently occurring. Because of the thickening of vaginal fluids being part of the mechanism; I found I because much more prone to UTIs after sex and also had lower sexual drive. I came off the Mirena because I wanted to track my cycle accurately to see if my hormones and cycle were affecting/triggering my seizures (I have drug resistant epilepsy). When I came off the Mirena I found I was less anxious over the months following swapping to the copper coil I.e. non hormonal. This had not been a concern of mine when on it.
Somewhat negative mood
2 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
23 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 1 month ago
While I had my Levosert, I liked it. I had mood changes, and cried a lot more than usual, but mostly just leading up to my period so it was manageable. I had recurrent thrush with it, and actually ended up having a prescription for monthly fluconazole tablets. In the end, after around 2 years, my coil slipped into my cervix, and it was incredibly stressful. I had no symptoms that it had slipped down, except my strings were a bit longer than usual. A doctor mistakenly told me it was fine to keep using, but when I later had it checked at a different clinic with ultrasound, they were alarmed that I'd had no symptoms as it was pretty much almost out of my body. I'd essentially been unprotected for about 8 months, and this led to a big pregnancy scare.
Somewhat negative mood
1 more effect
1 helpful
0 comments
Used for 6 - 12 mo
40 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 2 weeks ago
From coil insertion I had issues, it was very painful having it inserted and I had cramps for a weeks. I also got a post coil infection. I would get horrible period pain at that time of the month and my periods would also last longer than before coil. Often had spotting and could always feel there was something there like a pressure (difficult to explain). I also didn’t feel like myself, I didn’t have energy for a long time after the coil insertion. I got thrush and then got a UTI in August which I had for 6 & half weeks and took 5 courses of antibiotics. I finally saw a nurse who said stop the meds and agreed with my decision to have coil removed and said we would monitor it. I had coil removed 29/09 and am still getting the discomfort down there and regularly have a hot bean bag on my lower abdomen. Some days are better than others and this week I have had headaches so I’m not sure if it is linked to coil removal. The nurse will call me for follow up next week and if still getting it she needs to see if it could be pelvic inflammatory disease
Somewhat negative mood
1 more effect
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 5 - 8 yr
31 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 2 weeks ago
I liked that it was minimal effort once inserted. My periods were far lighter and less frequently occurring. Because of the thickening of vaginal fluids being part of the mechanism; I found I because much more prone to UTIs after sex and also had lower sexual drive. I came off the Mirena because I wanted to track my cycle accurately to see if my hormones and cycle were affecting/triggering my seizures (I have drug resistant epilepsy). When I came off the Mirena I found I was less anxious over the months following swapping to the copper coil I.e. non hormonal. This had not been a concern of mine when on it.
Somewhat negative mood
2 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
23 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 1 month ago
While I had my Levosert, I liked it. I had mood changes, and cried a lot more than usual, but mostly just leading up to my period so it was manageable. I had recurrent thrush with it, and actually ended up having a prescription for monthly fluconazole tablets. In the end, after around 2 years, my coil slipped into my cervix, and it was incredibly stressful. I had no symptoms that it had slipped down, except my strings were a bit longer than usual. A doctor mistakenly told me it was fine to keep using, but when I later had it checked at a different clinic with ultrasound, they were alarmed that I'd had no symptoms as it was pretty much almost out of my body. I'd essentially been unprotected for about 8 months, and this led to a big pregnancy scare.
Somewhat negative mood
1 more effect
1 helpful
0 comments
Injection reviews
301 reviews
Used for 3 - 5 yr
23 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 4 days ago
It's a good injection for me, I have been using it for longest time since I was 16 years started to use it. Who recommended it? Clinic nurse.
Decreased sex drive
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 3 - 6 mo
17 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 2 weeks ago
took some time before i ever come here mainly because i was scared , shy , & hated myself for what im about to talk about here❤️ trust me when i say it’s hard ( im even trying not to cry ) shap so i started my pregnancy prevention journey this year on April it’s been 6 months now & never missed even a single dose (big ups!!) Starting it was so fun & games bcs i would notice some changes & that for me was a game changer bcs I’ve always wanned to gain weight so badzzzz ( i lost weight before so starting this journey for me was a bounce back ) may started eating a lot!! , June my periods desappeared July i got some pimples , august i experienced painful headaches, September my mood swings would change here & there & all that came unoticed to me because that one thing I’ve always wanned does not happen im not gaining still , bro im so drained i feel like it’s so useless for me to inject i don’t know but yeah hey i just hope god pulls through im even thinking of leaving it
Very negative mood
2 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
25 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 2 weeks ago
I have had no negative side effects with Sayana Press and my periods have stopped completely, of the four different contraceptives I've tried over the years, this one is my favourite.
Top side effects not reported
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 3 - 5 yr
23 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 4 days ago
It's a good injection for me, I have been using it for longest time since I was 16 years started to use it. Who recommended it? Clinic nurse.
Decreased sex drive
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 3 - 6 mo
17 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 2 weeks ago
took some time before i ever come here mainly because i was scared , shy , & hated myself for what im about to talk about here❤️ trust me when i say it’s hard ( im even trying not to cry ) shap so i started my pregnancy prevention journey this year on April it’s been 6 months now & never missed even a single dose (big ups!!) Starting it was so fun & games bcs i would notice some changes & that for me was a game changer bcs I’ve always wanned to gain weight so badzzzz ( i lost weight before so starting this journey for me was a bounce back ) may started eating a lot!! , June my periods desappeared July i got some pimples , august i experienced painful headaches, September my mood swings would change here & there & all that came unoticed to me because that one thing I’ve always wanned does not happen im not gaining still , bro im so drained i feel like it’s so useless for me to inject i don’t know but yeah hey i just hope god pulls through im even thinking of leaving it
Very negative mood
2 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
25 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 2 weeks ago
I have had no negative side effects with Sayana Press and my periods have stopped completely, of the four different contraceptives I've tried over the years, this one is my favourite.
Top side effects not reported
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
25 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 2 weeks ago
Depo-Provera was great for me and it stopped my periods completely. I liked not having to take a pill everyday and I didn't want to get another copper coil so this worked well for me. However after being on it for quite a while I got unlucky and ended up with an abscess at the injection site which eventually had to be operated on, however this could have happened with any kind of injection and was just bad luck. I have since switched to Sayana Press so that I can do my own injections at home and clean the injection site beforehand to prevent another abscess.
Top side effects not reported
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 3 - 6 mo
28 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 2 weeks ago
Worst experience I’ve ever had. Since taking this I’ve felt constantly irritated, had complete lack of concentration and it’s completely wiped out my sex drive. I have now been bleeding for 2 months with no break. I have never regretted taking something so much it’s honestly made me miserable.
Very negative mood
1 more effect
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 1 - 3 mo
32 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 28th Aug 25
I’ve used it on an off for years sudden lost of weight within a month since using it again.
Very positive mood
2 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 6 - 12 mo
19 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 26th Aug 25
Somewhat positive mood
3 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
19 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 15th Aug 25
I had no problems while using noristerate but I would get annoyed sometimes because I would experience spotting for 2 weeks before my next injection. I had little to no menstrual cycle.
Top side effects not reported
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 6 - 12 mo
25 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 9th Jul 25
Worse skin
1 more effect
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 1 - 3 mo
34 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 6th Jul 25
All women should really do the research before starting this medication. I have read quite a few stories online of women who have felt the same. I have basically felt like a completely different person. I am near on the end of one injection and I will not be going back for another. It’s absolutely ruined my relationship with my partner. I’ve been absolutely horrible to him and it’s only now I’m starting to realise just what this injection did to me. Thank goodness he’s so understanding and helped me through it because I was literally horrendous. Literally a few days after I had it I was a different person, I hated him. Everything he done annoyed me, I was rude and hurtful and I couldn’t control it. I would snap in and out of moods so badly that we named the other “person” Patrica. He was constantly walking on egg shells as he never knew which version he would get. I am so upset that I have felt this way in the last few months. So much so I was having suicidal thoughts. I pray that anyone doesn’t risk it because it’s been 3 months of hell for us.
Very negative mood
2 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments

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