Implant vs Combined pill

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Implant

Add your Implant review

Combined pill

£From £0.16/day

Overview

Rated 2.8

636 reviews

Every 5 years

Frequency

Over 99%

Effectiveness

None

Blood clot risk

None

Effect on fertility

Rated 2.8

2769 reviews

Daily

Frequency

91% - 99+%

Effectiveness

Increased

Blood clot risk

None

Effect on fertility

Implant ingredients

Main hormones in Implant

progestogen


Combined pill ingredients

Main hormones in Combined pill

progestogen

oestrogen

What Lowdown reviewers say

37% somewhat negative

49% irregular periods

49% lost sex drive

40% gained weight

55% no impact on skin

Cycle return

31% in 1 month

31% somewhat negative

47% lighter periods

46% lost sex drive

48% no impact

43% improved skin

Cycle return

36% don’t know impact

Benefits: What this contraceptive can help with

Heavy periods

Ovulation pain

Period pain

Acne or bad skin

Heavy periods

PMS and PMDD

PCOS symptoms

Period pain

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Add your Implant review

Try it now

£From £0.16/day

Check out our latest reviews

Real life reviews from people like you

Implant reviews

636 reviews

Implant  
Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
38 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  3 days ago

Nexplanon implant  

I am so far very happy with the nexplanon implant. I had tried iuds prior, first the copper T, which did not work for me at all, and then mirena, which was good, but I did experience some pelvic pain and discomfort during intimacy. With the nexplanon, my periods stopped for the first year and a half, maybe closer to 2 years. And then was just very light spotting for awhile after that. I am at about 2 years and 6 months, and my period has come back fully, and I am starting to have hormonal acne and mood changes, so I opted to have it replaced, just in case these symptoms are due to the hormones tapering off. I just had it replaced today, so I am not sure whether it will fix the issue, but will keep ypu posted.

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Very positive mood

0 helpful

0 comments

Implant  
Used for 3 - 6 mo
18 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  5 days ago

Nexplanon implant  

It cause me to have my period for 145 days straight starting two weeks after getting it. The first month was honestly horrible with severe cramping and lower back pain while passing relatively big clots. It also made my mental health decline significantly during this time but after the five month mark I am feeling great and not pregnant!


Somewhat negative mood

1 more effect

0 helpful

0 comments

Implant  
Used for 5 - 8 yr
30 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  1 month ago

Nexplanon implant  

I was on it for coming up to 8 years overall obviously great to not get pregnant and I was on contraception before where I had an accident so it was really easy and really quick to not have to think about this. It did really impact my moods and I eventually ended up having PMDD because of the severe mood swings. I would also bleed twice a month instead of just a once And it caused a really bad loss of libido and federal dryness. But these are all things that would probably happen if I was pregnant anyway.


Very negative mood

1 more effect

0 helpful

0 comments

Implant  
Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
38 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  3 days ago

Nexplanon implant  

I am so far very happy with the nexplanon implant. I had tried iuds prior, first the copper T, which did not work for me at all, and then mirena, which was good, but I did experience some pelvic pain and discomfort during intimacy. With the nexplanon, my periods stopped for the first year and a half, maybe closer to 2 years. And then was just very light spotting for awhile after that. I am at about 2 years and 6 months, and my period has come back fully, and I am starting to have hormonal acne and mood changes, so I opted to have it replaced, just in case these symptoms are due to the hormones tapering off. I just had it replaced today, so I am not sure whether it will fix the issue, but will keep ypu posted.


Very positive mood

0 helpful

0 comments

Implant  
Used for 3 - 6 mo
18 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  5 days ago

Nexplanon implant  

It cause me to have my period for 145 days straight starting two weeks after getting it. The first month was honestly horrible with severe cramping and lower back pain while passing relatively big clots. It also made my mental health decline significantly during this time but after the five month mark I am feeling great and not pregnant!


Somewhat negative mood

1 more effect

0 helpful

0 comments

Implant  
Used for 5 - 8 yr
30 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  1 month ago

Nexplanon implant  

I was on it for coming up to 8 years overall obviously great to not get pregnant and I was on contraception before where I had an accident so it was really easy and really quick to not have to think about this. It did really impact my moods and I eventually ended up having PMDD because of the severe mood swings. I would also bleed twice a month instead of just a once And it caused a really bad loss of libido and federal dryness. But these are all things that would probably happen if I was pregnant anyway.


Very negative mood

1 more effect

0 helpful

0 comments


Combined pill reviews

2769 reviews

Combined pill  
Used for 12 - 18 mo
27 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  2 days ago

Zoely pill  

I requested Zoelly after attending a talk at spire about endometriosis as it was recommenced. For the first 3 months I loved it! Minimal cramps and much lighter periods lasting 2 and a half days (always been 6-7 days and heavy for me). After about 9 months - 1 year. Periods went back to 6 days but lighter. However, my endo symptoms have worsened. I can’t say if that’s is due to the pill though. I was taken off this due to developing migraines (I think developed due to stress rather than the pill) and endo symptoms worsening so to try another option.


Top side effects not reported

0 helpful

0 comments

Combined pill  
Used for 12 - 18 mo
17 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  4 days ago

Dianette pill  

Went in it for my acne which it massively improved, however experienced a lot of mental health issues (but obviously can’t be certain that’s from the pill) and a loss of libido.


Somewhat negative mood

2 more effects

0 helpful

0 comments

Combined pill  
Used for 12 - 18 mo
31 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  1 week ago

Zoely pill  

Honestly the best of all of the pills I’ve taken. However, after 18m on this I’m going to come off it and go back to natural cycles due to the following - loss of sex drive, constant and I mean constant headaches, generally feeling a bit ‘flat’ and tired all the time. I also have heavy limbs which is a weird side effect. That said, Zoely did not have any negative implications on my skin, weight, appetite and I don’t get mood swings- in fact I just feel a bit too flat overall so perhaps If mood swings are an issue it might suit you! But I’ve gone the other way


Somewhat negative mood

1 more effect

0 helpful

0 comments

Combined pill  
Used for 12 - 18 mo
27 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  2 days ago

Zoely pill  

I requested Zoelly after attending a talk at spire about endometriosis as it was recommenced. For the first 3 months I loved it! Minimal cramps and much lighter periods lasting 2 and a half days (always been 6-7 days and heavy for me). After about 9 months - 1 year. Periods went back to 6 days but lighter. However, my endo symptoms have worsened. I can’t say if that’s is due to the pill though. I was taken off this due to developing migraines (I think developed due to stress rather than the pill) and endo symptoms worsening so to try another option.


Top side effects not reported

0 helpful

0 comments

Combined pill  
Used for 12 - 18 mo
17 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  4 days ago

Dianette pill  

Went in it for my acne which it massively improved, however experienced a lot of mental health issues (but obviously can’t be certain that’s from the pill) and a loss of libido.


Somewhat negative mood

2 more effects

0 helpful

0 comments

Combined pill  
Used for 12 - 18 mo
31 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  1 week ago

Zoely pill  

Honestly the best of all of the pills I’ve taken. However, after 18m on this I’m going to come off it and go back to natural cycles due to the following - loss of sex drive, constant and I mean constant headaches, generally feeling a bit ‘flat’ and tired all the time. I also have heavy limbs which is a weird side effect. That said, Zoely did not have any negative implications on my skin, weight, appetite and I don’t get mood swings- in fact I just feel a bit too flat overall so perhaps If mood swings are an issue it might suit you! But I’ve gone the other way


Somewhat negative mood

1 more effect

0 helpful

0 comments

Combined pill  
Used for 8+ yr
32 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  2 weeks ago

Gedarel 20/150 pill  

Regular and shorter period (4 days) and light flow. It made my skin perfect and my hair a bit thinner. I gained a lot of weight while on it and it was impossible for me to lose it, no matter how much I worked out or what diet I was doing. If I could go back I wouldn’t start using it, as in my case I only needed it for contraception.


Somewhat negative mood

3 more effects

0 helpful

0 comments

Combined pill  
Used for 1 - 3 mo
21 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  2 weeks ago

Rigevidon  

Within the 1st month, I had terrible mood swings; I become angry and irritable towards my parent. I seemed to calm down but then pick back up again in the next week. From withdrawal from this, everything was ok, apart from having a few pains and it also made my periods light. I didn’t have any symptoms of nausea or vomiting but I did gain a bit of weight and had breast tenderness (i dont know if my breast got bigger). By the 2nd month, I ended up feeling really low and had quite dark thoughts; my headache got worse and I was crying a lot during the day/night. Because of this I’m no longer taking this pill.


Somewhat negative mood

2 more effects

0 helpful

1 comments

Combined pill  
Used for 6 - 12 mo
35 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  2 weeks ago

Ovranette pill  

I was extremely anxious. I would be extremely jittery and uncomfortable in my own body each day I took it. I was very emotional by the evenings and tired from being so anxious..


Very negative mood

1 more effect

0 helpful

0 comments

Combined pill  
Used for 5 - 8 yr
35 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  2 weeks ago

Yaz pill 🇺🇸  

I felt my best on Yaz. I had lots of energy, my mood was always good. But I got over 10 UTIs a year. I was on so many antibiotics. I couldn't get to the bottom of it. We looked at everything with my Dr. Only when I went to treat my reoccurring dry eyes it clicked. The week after I switched pills from Yaz, I havnt had a UTI since. I spent years suffering and countless antibiotics


Very positive mood

1 more effect

0 helpful

0 comments

Combined pill  
Used for 1 - 3 mo
29 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  2 weeks ago

Mercilon pill  

I have PCOS and PMDD. It did help with mood swings and cleared up my face acne, however it made me put on weight quite a lot so I decided to stop it in the end as it was becoming really hard to move around


Somewhat negative mood

3 more effects

0 helpful

0 comments

Combined pill  
Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
27 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  3 weeks ago

Drovelis pill  

If you gave up looking for any birth control because of the side effects, give Drovelis your last chance. I could not believe that such a pill exists anymore, given that every other pill made my face go full baboon's behinds. I have to take some contraception because of endometriosis. I'm taking it continuously without withdrawal days to stop my period completely. My symptoms are non-existent and my ovarian cysts have even shrinked so much they're not visible on the ultrasound anymore. From time to time, spotting occurs, sometimes not stopping for weeks. In that case, it's time to take a withdrawal period and let the uterus clean itself. I do this 2-3 times a year. The period cramps are noticeable but manageable. The biggest downside I am struggling is often reocurrence of candidiasis which is extremely uncomfortable, but given the circumstances it's the best thing I could ask for. I'm trying to manage with probiotics and autovaccines but to no avail.


Very positive mood

2 more effects

0 helpful

0 comments

Combined pill  
Used for 3 - 6 mo
19 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  3 weeks ago

Gedarel 20/150 pill  

Started on Gedarel due to having suffered with Pmdd for a long time , was fine at first mood was abit better , but then I noticed I felt numb and couldn’t feel any emotion , was irritable and angry all the time , also gained a lot of weight despite being very active , cramps got very bad during the withdrawal bleed and I feel like this has completely changed me as a person - would not recommend


Very negative mood

3 more effects

0 helpful

0 comments

Contraceptive alternatives and comparisons

Compare the Implant with other contraceptives

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