Vasectomy vs Progestogen-only / Mini pill
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Overview
Rated 3.8
8 reviews
Permanent
Frequency
Over 99%
Effectiveness
None
Blood clot risk
Permanent
Effect on fertility
Rated 2.7
1417 reviews
Daily
Frequency
91% - 99+%
Effectiveness
None
Blood clot risk
None
Effect on fertility
Vasectomy ingredients
Progestogen-only / Mini pill ingredients
Main hormones in Progestogen-only / Mini pill
progestogen
What Lowdown reviewers say
Benefits: What this contraceptive can help with
There are no benefits that are recognised in scientific research or guidelines for this contraceptive
Period pain
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£From £0.22/day
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Real life reviews from people like you
Vasectomy reviews
8 reviews
Used for 8+ yr
58 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 1st Jun 25
vasectomy is a good form of contraception. There is a lot of good information here: https://vasectomy.co.uk/vasectomy
Very positive mood
0 helpful
1 comments
Used for 8+ yr
Lowdown user
🇬🇧 UK
• 5th Jul 24
As a woman the vasectomy is the best contraception I feel we have ever had. I have no pain, weight gain, mood swings, plastic packaging or costs. I highly recommend.
Top side effects not reported
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 6 - 12 mo
Lowdown user
🇬🇧 UK
• 5th Sep 20
Sept 1998. Had a vasectomy. Easy and quick. Done in the hospital operating room on a Friday morning. Went home And took it easy. Took it easy at work Monday no problems. By Wednesday started feeling pain in testicles. Called doctors office. Doctors gone on holiday. Anyway from this point the pain only gets worse and all the doctors have to say is that they have never seen anyone in such pain. Within the first six months I had met with a variety of doctors and tried a wide variety of drugs, therapies and nerve blocks. Nothing worked for more than a few hours (nerve blocks did!). I had the vasectomy reversed June 1999 at my own cost of $2000. It was about three months before i felt better from that. Sadly only my left testicle had resolved. The right side still had the same pain. I had a semen test done. First ever in my life. I had sperm count of 125 million / ml. Surgeon thought that was great but still pain persisted in my right testicle. Followup turned into another vas reversal but just for the right side. This one I didn’t have to pay for because it was for chronic pain. Sadly it didn’t help. Now it’s 2020! I have endured this for 22 years. I wish I had never done it. That’s my absolute last word.
Somewhat negative mood
1 more effect
1 helpful
0 comments
Used for 8+ yr
58 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 1st Jun 25
vasectomy is a good form of contraception. There is a lot of good information here: https://vasectomy.co.uk/vasectomy
Very positive mood
0 helpful
1 comments
Used for 8+ yr
Lowdown user
🇬🇧 UK
• 5th Jul 24
As a woman the vasectomy is the best contraception I feel we have ever had. I have no pain, weight gain, mood swings, plastic packaging or costs. I highly recommend.
Top side effects not reported
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 6 - 12 mo
Lowdown user
🇬🇧 UK
• 5th Sep 20
Sept 1998. Had a vasectomy. Easy and quick. Done in the hospital operating room on a Friday morning. Went home And took it easy. Took it easy at work Monday no problems. By Wednesday started feeling pain in testicles. Called doctors office. Doctors gone on holiday. Anyway from this point the pain only gets worse and all the doctors have to say is that they have never seen anyone in such pain. Within the first six months I had met with a variety of doctors and tried a wide variety of drugs, therapies and nerve blocks. Nothing worked for more than a few hours (nerve blocks did!). I had the vasectomy reversed June 1999 at my own cost of $2000. It was about three months before i felt better from that. Sadly only my left testicle had resolved. The right side still had the same pain. I had a semen test done. First ever in my life. I had sperm count of 125 million / ml. Surgeon thought that was great but still pain persisted in my right testicle. Followup turned into another vas reversal but just for the right side. This one I didn’t have to pay for because it was for chronic pain. Sadly it didn’t help. Now it’s 2020! I have endured this for 22 years. I wish I had never done it. That’s my absolute last word.
Somewhat negative mood
1 more effect
1 helpful
0 comments
Progestogen-only / Mini pill reviews
1417 reviews
Used for 6 - 12 mo
26 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 2 days ago
Somewhat negative mood
2 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 6 - 12 mo
23 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 3 days ago
I went on desogestrel twice. The first time I noticed it made me cry extremely easily, and I bled pretty much constantly for 9 months. Then I came off it. When I tried it again for a few months, I had a similar experience, with the added side effect of being so hungry that if I wasn't constantly snacking I was insanely nauseous. Ultimately, it was the bleeding that made me stop it.
Very negative mood
3 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 12 - 18 mo
50 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 6 days ago
I have never been this overweight in my lifetime... Always been a size 10-12, I'm 50yrs old and started taking these at 48 yrs old due to falling pregnant unexpectantly... however this was the worst option I took as I gained over 20kgs in weight. I went from 80kgs to 106kgs
Somewhat negative mood
2 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 6 - 12 mo
26 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 2 days ago
Somewhat negative mood
2 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 6 - 12 mo
23 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 3 days ago
I went on desogestrel twice. The first time I noticed it made me cry extremely easily, and I bled pretty much constantly for 9 months. Then I came off it. When I tried it again for a few months, I had a similar experience, with the added side effect of being so hungry that if I wasn't constantly snacking I was insanely nauseous. Ultimately, it was the bleeding that made me stop it.
Very negative mood
3 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 12 - 18 mo
50 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 6 days ago
I have never been this overweight in my lifetime... Always been a size 10-12, I'm 50yrs old and started taking these at 48 yrs old due to falling pregnant unexpectantly... however this was the worst option I took as I gained over 20kgs in weight. I went from 80kgs to 106kgs
Somewhat negative mood
2 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 12 - 18 mo
36 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 2 weeks ago
I went on Slynd to help with endometriosis, but unfortunately I developed a wide range of side effects that made me stop. The most unusual one was nerve-like stinging pain after sex and orgasms. Even though I stayed lubricated, I would get a burning/nerve pain that lasted for days afterwards. Alongside that, I also experienced dry mouth, chest pain, insomnia, low mood, low energy, acne, dry skin, anxiety, and frequent headaches. The combination left me feeling really unwell, physically and emotionally. I wanted to share because painful orgasms and these systemic symptoms weren’t something I’d ever read about with Slynd, and if anyone else is going through the same thing, you’re not imagining it
Very negative mood
2 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 3 - 6 mo
22 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 2 weeks ago
I stopped taking the pill yesterday. I used desogestrel for four months for my endometriosis. I tried really hard to stay positive, to remind myself that it takes time for the side effects to go away and for my endo pain to lessen. Well, unfortunately desogestrel hasn't helped at all, but has made everything worse for me. I've gained 5 kgs in these four months. I've always been naturally skinny and never gained (or lost) weight, so gaining this much in such a short amount of time is a lot for my body and self-esteem. Most of my pants don't fit anymore. Sure, some of it is just endo bloating, but the weight gain does play a part in it. And then there's the hot flashes. One minute I'm sweating like crazy, the next I'm feeling cold. I've also had constant breakthrough bleeding, so I'm using pantyliners daily. For the last two months of using the pills, I've had my periods every other week, which means I'm in terrible pain more often than I was without the pills. That's why I finally decided I've had enough and stopped taking desogestrel. I can't stand all the side effects and the pain. But this is just my experience, the pills might work for someone else! :)
Somewhat negative mood
1 more effect
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 1 - 3 mo
18 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 27th Aug 25
I used this for a month hoping it would help with period cramps. Do not recommend. I used it perfectly and felt nauseous everyday after taking it. I got a 9 day period (with cramps) during what was supposed to be my "ovulation" week.It had me feeling very anrgy, caused me period like pains and headaches daily.
Somewhat negative mood
2 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 3 - 6 mo
35 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 25th Aug 25
In general I had a good experience with Slynd. It helped my underlying endometriosis significantly and for the 4 months I was on it I had no period cramps or pain for the first time ever. Unfortunately I had to stop taking it because I was spotting everyday. I thought my body needed time to adjust but after 4 months I was still wearing a pantyliner every day. It was very minimal and I had no pain but I just didn't want to wear liners every day. Once I stopped Slynd I went back to 'normal' after about 3 days but sadly my periods are back to being painful. As an aside, I noticed a reduction in sweating whilst on Slynd and several days I would go without antiperspirant or deodorant.
Top side effects not reported
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
28 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 24th Aug 25
Great pill been on and off twice for a few years, no side effects bar really really really tender and sore and sensitive breasts. I have such bad health anxiety and honestly this had my questioning if I needed to go to the doctors because of the scary big C that’s how sore and tender my breasts have been, can’t even lie on them.
Somewhat positive mood
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 3 - 6 mo
45 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 24th Aug 25
Went on this for fibroid heavy bleeding and period pain. Have daily bleeding and spotting since starting, and periods are now more irregular and as heavy as before. It didn't help with pain at all. Im going to finish out this month's pack and go off them. However, I got some acupuncture two weeks ago and the pain during my period this month has been greatly reduced. Would reccommend trying it!
Somewhat negative mood
2 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 1 - 3 mo
24 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 24th Aug 25
Since i was 18 i tried 7 different contraception methods (pills and nuvaring). However i had diagnosed migraines, but none of the OBGYNs i was seeing though this was a concern. Now i am 24 and i finally found a competent OBGYN thanks to my friend. She was the only one who really looked through and studied my medical history and suggested taking desogestrel for my ovarian cysts and corpus luteum cyst, which were more rare occasion. I started my second pack today and i’m scared to jinx but the last two weeks were amazing. The first two weeks were a hell, i had bleeding for quite some time and then spotting for a week or more. Now i don’t have any spotting, my sex drive is the same, i am happy and i feel like i even started to lose weight. I am planning to update my story next month to see how my body would feel on these pills.
Somewhat positive mood
1 more effect
0 helpful
0 comments

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