Vasectomy vs Progestogen-only / Mini pill

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Vasectomy

Add your vasectomy review

Progestogen-only / Mini pill

£From £0.22/day

Overview

Rated 3.8

8 reviews

Permanent

Frequency

Over 99%

Effectiveness

None

Blood clot risk

Permanent

Effect on fertility

Rated 2.7

1493 reviews

Daily

Frequency

91% - 99+%

Effectiveness

None

Blood clot risk

None

Effect on fertility

Vasectomy ingredients

A vasectomy (male sterilisation) is a permanent surgical procedure to cut or seal the tubes that carry a man’s sperm. It prevents pregnancy by stopping sperm getting into a man’s semen which is then ejaculated during sexual intercourse.

Progestogen-only / Mini pill ingredients

Main hormones in Progestogen-only / Mini pill

progestogen

What Lowdown reviewers say

38% somewhat negative

75% no change

50% lost sex drive

88% no impact

100% no impact on skin

Cycle return

Not enough data to say

31% somewhat negative

44% stopped periods

49% lost sex drive

44% no impact

46% no impact on skin

Cycle return

39% don’t know impact

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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Try it now

£From £0.22/day

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Real life reviews from people like you

Vasectomy reviews

8 reviews

Vasectomy  
Used for 8+ yr
58 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  1st Jun 25

Vasectomy  

vasectomy is a good form of contraception. There is a lot of good information here: https://vasectomy.co.uk/vasectomy

Read more

Very positive mood

0 helpful

1 comments

Vasectomy  
Used for 8+ yr
Lowdown user
🇬🇧 UK
  •  5th Jul 24

Vasectomy  

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

Vasectomy  
Used for 6 - 12 mo
Lowdown user
🇬🇧 UK
  •  5th Sep 20

Vasectomy  

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

Vasectomy  
Used for 8+ yr
58 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  1st Jun 25

Vasectomy  

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

Vasectomy  
Used for 8+ yr
Lowdown user
🇬🇧 UK
  •  5th Jul 24

Vasectomy  

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

Vasectomy  
Used for 6 - 12 mo
Lowdown user
🇬🇧 UK
  •  5th Sep 20

Vasectomy  

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

1493 reviews

Progestogen-only / Mini pill  
Used for 1 - 3 mo
27 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  4 days ago

Zelleta pill  

Feel like the mini pill has levelled out my mood after years of going literally crazy 1-2 days before my period. Having no periods is a welcome relief but I have experienced a slight drop in libido and some dryness which isn’t ideal.


Somewhat positive mood

1 more effect

0 helpful

0 comments

Progestogen-only / Mini pill  
Used for 3 - 6 mo
32 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  2 weeks ago

Slynd pill  

Slynd started off great no period was a bonus, water retention went down. Then after 2 months it made me very irritable and my mood very very low. Within a week of stopping both returned to normal.


Very negative mood

1 more effect

0 helpful

0 comments

Progestogen-only / Mini pill  
Used for 6 - 12 mo
22 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  3 weeks ago

Cerazette pill  

went on cerazette after trying out microgynon30ED and noriday (which both caused frequent irregular bleeding). My GP told me cerazette was fantastic for people who experience frequent bleeding on other mini-pills and often their periods stop. i started it back in late september 2025, and experienced bleeding every second week. fine, i thought, it’s just my body getting used to it! by november i was having just one period a month again! yay!! this was short lived however, as by december i was back to having it every 2nd week. in january i bled for 25 days straight. i was told that the first 3-5 months are expected to see changes in bleeding, so i stuck it out a bit longer. unfortunately the bleeding never stopped, and i continued to get my period now every week and a half, or sometimes even more frequently with only 3 days break in between cycles. :( it’s end of may now and have been on cerazette for 9 months. i am still bleeding every week and a half and honestly im sick of it. i have stopped taking cerazette now. hopefully there’s another one out there for me :(


Top side effects not reported

0 helpful

0 comments

Progestogen-only / Mini pill  
Used for 1 - 3 mo
27 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  4 days ago

Zelleta pill  

Feel like the mini pill has levelled out my mood after years of going literally crazy 1-2 days before my period. Having no periods is a welcome relief but I have experienced a slight drop in libido and some dryness which isn’t ideal.


Somewhat positive mood

1 more effect

0 helpful

0 comments

Progestogen-only / Mini pill  
Used for 3 - 6 mo
32 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  2 weeks ago

Slynd pill  

Slynd started off great no period was a bonus, water retention went down. Then after 2 months it made me very irritable and my mood very very low. Within a week of stopping both returned to normal.


Very negative mood

1 more effect

0 helpful

0 comments

Progestogen-only / Mini pill  
Used for 6 - 12 mo
22 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  3 weeks ago

Cerazette pill  

went on cerazette after trying out microgynon30ED and noriday (which both caused frequent irregular bleeding). My GP told me cerazette was fantastic for people who experience frequent bleeding on other mini-pills and often their periods stop. i started it back in late september 2025, and experienced bleeding every second week. fine, i thought, it’s just my body getting used to it! by november i was having just one period a month again! yay!! this was short lived however, as by december i was back to having it every 2nd week. in january i bled for 25 days straight. i was told that the first 3-5 months are expected to see changes in bleeding, so i stuck it out a bit longer. unfortunately the bleeding never stopped, and i continued to get my period now every week and a half, or sometimes even more frequently with only 3 days break in between cycles. :( it’s end of may now and have been on cerazette for 9 months. i am still bleeding every week and a half and honestly im sick of it. i have stopped taking cerazette now. hopefully there’s another one out there for me :(


Top side effects not reported

0 helpful

0 comments

Progestogen-only / Mini pill  
Used for 3 - 6 mo
38 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  14th May 26

Zelleta pill  

I was on the depo shot for 22 years and really started to worry about my bone density as my mother has osteoporosis and I was also struggling to inject in certain bits of my stomach from scar nodules. So I swapped to the mini pill as its the same but with less side effects. I originally came to this site to read the reviews and as usual, people always tend to leave a review for the negatives. I can honestly say Ive had absolutely no side effects, my period still hasn't returned after being on the shot and I've actually lost weight. Hopefully someone needs to read this.


Very positive mood

1 more effect

0 helpful

0 comments

Progestogen-only / Mini pill  
Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
24 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  14th May 26

Desogestrel pill  

Not a good experience, lots of weight gain, more emotional/moody. cant wear contacts anymore


Somewhat negative mood

3 more effects

0 helpful

0 comments

Progestogen-only / Mini pill  
Used for 6 - 12 mo
20 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  14th May 26

Cerazette pill  

I was a bit more emotional my first 1-2 months on it but then I was fine. Completely took away my debilitating period pains, I get one very mild cramp about once a month and that's it. No side effects except for some constant spotting. I Googled it and started taking 2 pills instead of 1 and the spotting has since stopped. My weight, sex drive, skin, and mood are unaffected as of now (8 months of taking it daily)


Lost weight

0 helpful

0 comments

Progestogen-only / Mini pill  
Used for 1 - 3 mo
28 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  10th May 26

Slynd pill  

I'm in months 2 and hoping things get a little better. Pro: No periods or period pain/endo pain! (HURRAY) And no weightgain (which i had on another pill) Con: I'm feeling down, sleep bad, hair loss, forgetful, spotting, BV, vaginal dryness, heart pains and rising anxiety. I want to give it a month extra or so but the side effects are getting me down. This is the 2nd pill I've tried this year. The first one was a combined pill but made my uterine lining super thick and that gave me massive cramps and hurt. So let's see but kinda sceptical.


Somewhat negative mood

1 more effect

0 helpful

0 comments

Progestogen-only / Mini pill  
Used for 12 - 18 mo
31 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  8th May 26

Slynd pill  

I love this pill. I was struggling with mood and physical symptoms around pms, I have tried several oral contraceptives intermittently over the last 15 years but had other side effects to them, I was using a Kyleena coil which worked really well for contraception and period control but as this did not stop me ovulating, PMS became my main concern. I tried Slynd when it became available in the UK and I love it. My cyclical mood, bloating and skin issues have basically completely resolved and the longer missed pill window works much better for me.


Very positive mood

1 more effect

0 helpful

0 comments

Progestogen-only / Mini pill  
Used for 1 - 3 mo
18 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  7th May 26

Zelleta pill  

this was my first contraception ever. i had read up on it so had an idea of what to expect but after a week of taking it i could already see the affect it was having on my body. i was easily gaining much more weight than i would when eating the same foods, same amount of foods. i was never one to have spots and noticed my skin getting loads around my forehead and cheeks. my mood was terrible, always angry and irritated causing a lot of arguments between me and my boyfriend. decreased sex drive. i decided to stop it as i just didn’t feel like myself anymore, im 4 days off it and im feeling a lot better than i was taking it.


Very negative mood

3 more effects

0 helpful

0 comments

Progestogen-only / Mini pill  
Used for 3 - 6 mo
29 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  5th May 26

Desogestrel pill  

I’d been off contraception for years and I wanted to go back on it as in a relationship and not TTC just yet. So far it seems to be okay th first 2 months was where i experienced most my symptoms mainly have settled sort from sex drive, headaches, no periods they still exist on month 5.


Somewhat negative mood

2 more effects

0 helpful

0 comments

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