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Moved away from the pill and onto condoms. Tried HANX as I'd only used mainstream brands historically, and found it much better. Their sizing is better, and it feels a lot more natural - I used to get way more irritation after sex with other brands, whereas now it feels like we're not using anything which is great. Happy to have moved away from hormonal contraceptives and won't go back.

Hanx condom-review-id-37715910-eebc-4423-833b-ed22c2978d43

I use male condoms because i struggle with weight and the pill was causing me to gain weight. Male condoms are cheap and convenient and i think theyre a good baseline of contraception.

Male condom-review-id-b05575d5-c0ae-4b39-9d5a-8de3d9a46224

Easy to use, doesn’t kill the moment. If you’ve got it ready to hand, you can put it on for the guy

Male condom-review-id-540e1cb5-08ef-4c2b-a81d-93ef8f01beba

I used to hate using condoms but after having recurring VB issues a nurse at the GUM clinic recommended I try them.
I have always hated the smell of them, how they interrupt the flow of sex and how they feel. However, I started using Skyns (original or extra live) with my current partner and they have totally changed my opinion. They’re really fine, easy to use and I can’t feel them at all during sex. I also used to worry about them bursting or coming off and in the 12 months of using this brand I have never had that issue once.

Male condom-review-id-04cb7df6-e05b-4994-8594-ef79859ca8ba

For some reason I’m always left feeling like it may not have worked and it kills the mood 99% of the time. I always have to use a lot of lube because I find they get dry and uncomfortable quite quickly !

Male condom-review-id-da48917e-406e-4744-bbf7-a670184e4de3

Great hormone-free contraception, also protects against STDs.
The bad thing is when it rips, which I personally experienced twice in couple years.
Also, it is not quite convenient in a long-term relationship, which was the reason why I stopped using them.

Male condom-review-id-06833930-5168-40a8-aa29-b9e6b4ce2f1d

My boyfriend and never used anything but male condoms. Although we are interested in something that’s less interrupting I just don’t feel comfortable with the thought of taking hormones or the copper options. I still often worry that there may have been an issue with a broken condom that we didn’t discover but in the end it worked the whole time and I love that it’s non-hormonal and just so simple.

Male condom-review-id-43e63b54-ca0d-49a6-8b92-c421812fecdd

No hormones, easy to use. The best condoms I've used, both for me (no irritation, and gently lubricated) and my partner (they are ultra thin and have no nasty latex smell). I use HANX condoms, which are also vegan certified and sustainable... kind to our bodies and the planet :)

Male condom-review-id-0275307b-882f-4a89-ad13-cef2810d6209

What's not to love about the male condom? I don't have to ingest hormones... my boyfriend has to remember to buy them (I buy the tampons it's only fair). My only qualm is that they're not exactly eco-friendly and I don't see recyclable condoms hitting the high street anytime soon.

Male condom-review-id-38c8171b-99e2-42c5-b5d3-cecf59b20556

For me a side affect free way of contraception.

Male condom-review-id-11ed263f-d3fb-4fbc-bdbd-bc2e9addab57

I still get bad cramps and heavy periods but less mood swings now that I have stopped. 

I started taking Rigevidon to help with mood swings, bad cramps and heavy bleeding and it just made all of them worse. I was missing school on my period and had brain fog a lot of the time as well as having even worse mood swings to the point where there was no point continuing with it. I was prescribed it when I was 13/14 purely for the symptoms above and not offered any alternatives except for the pill

Combined pill-review-id-2ffbf5f7-633d-4f74-9652-af1a15ec9519

I was previously using Mercilon after Loestrin were not produced anymore. Mercilon made me so miserable, it changed my moods made me super sensitive, I would literally cry for insignificant reasons, gave me pretty strong headaches every time I was on the no-pill week. I felt very depressed and anxious, doubted myself and sometimes paranoid. Eventually I noticed I am not like this normally and finally decided to change this pill to Norimin. All those effects disappeared, my moods are stable and no depression at all. Only downside is that the sex drive is pretty low, but I guess it doesn't affect me as bad as the other side effects mentioned before. So, I'm pretty conform with it. Apart from the contraceptive purpose, I take the pill to help me with bad acne and polycystic ovaries which I was diagnosed more than 10 years ago, and the pill was the recommended treatment for that. 

Norimin pill-review-id-7a9d0270-e900-49ea-973a-8bf7f8555449

I’ll give a detailed review - started it to help my spots a little, and due to getting in a relationship. I’ve been on it almost 2 months which might not be long enough, but my spots have gotten slightly worse, and had mood swings (such as crying over not being able to chose what takeaway to get for dinner hahahah, compared to me crying once in a blue moon). But the thing that confirmed me needing to change is the fact my vagina is irritated and sore, think it’s thrush, as applying the cream helps… until I decide it feels okay and stop applying it for it to only get sore again :(. 
I haven’t had the thrush problem with other combined pills I’ve tried - I’ve tried rigevidon, millinette and eloine. 

Microgynon 30 pill-review-id-eca95dca-4747-4d33-a028-51b705290cb2

So many eye problems from this pill -  loss of vision and lots of cysts developed due to oil clogging glands in eye. Also experienced severe hair loss.

Cilique pill-review-id-abcc70b6-aa28-4fc4-9ac0-60507a6fa8fa

I probably haven’t been on it long enough to be able to say with full confidence that it’s definitely working for me, however compared to other hormonal contraceptives I’ve used it’s definitely pretty good. I’ve been taking it back to back with no pill break as the main reason for going on it was heavy/painful periods. The periods have of course stopped but there’s been a lot of spotting - tmi but it’s not really blood that I’m spotting and more dark discharge but it’s annoying nonetheless. I haven’t noticed a change to my sex drive but I have had more sex with my partner recently since not having to rely on condoms is a massive weight off both our minds - having said that the spotting does stop me from wanting to have sex sometimes. 

My boobs have gotten bigger, which to be honest for me is a win although they’re super sore. 

I’ve been getting pretty gnarly headaches/migraines but again I’m not 100% these are down to the pill as they seem to be triggered by a hangover and then progress into a migraine. They have increased since taking the pill, though. 

The last thing is my mood is quite erratic at the minute. Again, I can’t say fully that this is due to the pill as my moods beforehand were a bit all over the place as well thanks to PMS. 

Overall I’m happy with it so far and will continue to take it unless any side effects get worse. 

Sunya 20/75 pill-review-id-1c60f075-c774-4296-9f18-c9d11836ae33

I started microgynon at the start of January 2022 it's now June and I'm in the process of changing to a different pill. Microgynon had massively increased my hormonal acne cross my chin and upper arms, and it has caused me to gain nearly 10kg even though I go to the gym for 6hrs a week and eat healthy. In the last 3 months my period has been starting 3-4 days before I'm supposed to take my 7 day break, and my periods have become heavier and longer in the last 3 months. Absolutely loved the pill when I first started as it made my periods regular, light and pain free, this has unfortunately changed the longer I was taking it. Now I'm switching to marvelon to hopefully reduce the acne and stop the weight gain. 

Microgynon 30 pill-review-id-7340495e-1337-4639-8cee-4319527f13c4

I’m currently still taking this pill but looking to change. This is the third pill I’ve tried but hasnt been good. I’ve had severe an anxiety and depression. Haven’t felt like myself on it. Get frequent mood swings which last about hour or so, cry a lot. Overall would not recommend for your own sanity. However I didn’t notice any weight gain or change. My period last 1-3 days and very light

Millinette 20/75 pill-review-id-c835de1b-510c-4c34-a60b-fc65f4556452

In terms of contraception, great. However, I have undesired side effects. 

Levest pill-review-id-3c7049e7-2d7c-4716-991e-2020f3d066bb

I didn't notice a major difference afterwards but my skin did get worse with spots and more oily, realised it was affecting wearing contact lenses and my periods were back heavy, bad cramps and feeling sick. Gained weight coming off it as well.

I was on it for approximately 7 years after being diagnosed with PCOS. Never had any issues with being on it. Periods became regular and lighter and my skin was relatively clear. Had the usual spot on my chin every month but that was about it.

Millinette 20/75 pill-review-id-40addabf-4442-4af9-ba3c-4e732e73ccc4

My spots started to get a little worse once stopping Eloine, but nothing major, just the odd one… but then I started to get loads around my jaw line, and under my chin and neck. It’s not about 6months since stopping it, and my spots have just hit rock bottom, they’ve gotten really bad again. 

When I stopped the pill - the back pain didn’t completely go until about just under 2 months.

I’m currently debating whether to go back on Eloine, as I’m worried the back pain will happen again (I have heard that some people return to pills and will experience completely different effects to before). 

Honestly this pill majorly helped my spots. The spots on my face and back/chest cleared up almost instantly, like literally almost straight away. I literally wouldn’t even break out, I very rarely had the one pimple pop up. 

I stopped this pill due to back pain (was slightly unsure whether it was acc from the pill of not), which went once I stopped the pill. The back pain was odd, it was in the lower part of my spine?!

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