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

1498 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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£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

1498 reviews

Progestogen-only / Mini pill  
Used for 1 - 3 mo
47 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  1 week ago

Hana pill  

I think this is the best mini-pill I have taken so far as it has very little side effects for me personally speaking. Made my periods a lot lighter, almost non existent which is great for my endometriosis. Mood wise it didn't have much of an effect either, other mini pills made me sad or depressed. Its frustrating its not free on the NHS in the UK but you can buy it over the counter after you have consulted with a pharmacist. Worth a try if other mini-pills didnt agree with you.


Decreased sex drive

0 helpful

0 comments

Progestogen-only / Mini pill  
Used for 6 - 12 mo
36 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  1 week ago

Slynd pill  

Expect to bleed for up to 2 months while you shed your uterine lining (TMI, but you asked!) but if you stick it out, it will transform your life. My lower belly is flat, my skin improved massively, my moods are stable and my brainfog is gone too (though this could be blue light sensitivity/food intolerance-related). Try this if your experiencing massive spikes in estrogen levels around your ovulation, dangerous mood swings, or can’t take estrogen for whatever reason. Lifesaver!


Very positive mood

3 more effects

0 helpful

0 comments

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

Cerazette pill  

It's stopped my period completely which is great, not that i had bad periods to begin with but it was definitely convenient. i've become quite irritable since being on cerazette and just overall heightened negative emotions. in the first couple months i had lots of nausea but that went away pretty quickly. overall it's been an alright experience, not bad but not amazing


Somewhat negative mood

0 helpful

0 comments

Progestogen-only / Mini pill  
Used for 1 - 3 mo
47 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  1 week ago

Hana pill  

I think this is the best mini-pill I have taken so far as it has very little side effects for me personally speaking. Made my periods a lot lighter, almost non existent which is great for my endometriosis. Mood wise it didn't have much of an effect either, other mini pills made me sad or depressed. Its frustrating its not free on the NHS in the UK but you can buy it over the counter after you have consulted with a pharmacist. Worth a try if other mini-pills didnt agree with you.


Decreased sex drive

0 helpful

0 comments

Progestogen-only / Mini pill  
Used for 6 - 12 mo
36 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  1 week ago

Slynd pill  

Expect to bleed for up to 2 months while you shed your uterine lining (TMI, but you asked!) but if you stick it out, it will transform your life. My lower belly is flat, my skin improved massively, my moods are stable and my brainfog is gone too (though this could be blue light sensitivity/food intolerance-related). Try this if your experiencing massive spikes in estrogen levels around your ovulation, dangerous mood swings, or can’t take estrogen for whatever reason. Lifesaver!


Very positive mood

3 more effects

0 helpful

0 comments

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

Cerazette pill  

It's stopped my period completely which is great, not that i had bad periods to begin with but it was definitely convenient. i've become quite irritable since being on cerazette and just overall heightened negative emotions. in the first couple months i had lots of nausea but that went away pretty quickly. overall it's been an alright experience, not bad but not amazing


Somewhat negative mood

0 helpful

0 comments

Progestogen-only / Mini pill  
Used for 1 - 3 mo
20 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  3 weeks ago

Cerelle pill  

This is my second time using Cerelle and I’m about a month into it. The first time, about a year ago, I decided to stop using it because I was constantly bleeding. However this time round my periods seem to have stopped all together.


Worse skin

1 more effect

0 helpful

0 comments

Progestogen-only / Mini pill  
Used for 1 - 3 mo
33 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  3 weeks ago

Slynd pill  

Had to stop after a month - constant headaches that turned into migraines every few days. Near constant bleeding for two weeks, cystitis and some swelling. I’m very sensitive to hormones and felt that even if I could get through the settling in phase this one wouldn’t work for me.


Decreased sex drive

0 helpful

0 comments

Progestogen-only / Mini pill  
Used for 1 - 3 mo
27 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  1 month 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
  •  3rd Jun 26

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
  •  28th May 26

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

Contraceptive alternatives and comparisons

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