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

1412 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

38% 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

Check out our latest reviews

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

1412 reviews

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

Cerazette pill  

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

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

Slynd pill  

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

Progestogen-only / Mini pill  
Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
28 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  3 weeks ago

Cerelle pill  

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

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

Cerazette pill  

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

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

Slynd pill  

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

Progestogen-only / Mini pill  
Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
28 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  3 weeks ago

Cerelle pill  

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

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

Cerazette pill  

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

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

Desogestrel pill  

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

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

Cerelle pill  

I was taking the contraception to stop painful periods or although I wasn’t any physical pain, my mental health went in freefall.


Very negative mood

2 more effects

0 helpful

0 comments

Progestogen-only / Mini pill  
Used for 3 - 6 mo
30 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  7th Aug 25

Desogestrel pill  

It feels nice not having a period. But I’ve noticed I’ve become more spotty , I sweat more also & get thrush


Somewhat positive mood

3 more effects

0 helpful

0 comments

Progestogen-only / Mini pill  
Used for 1 - 3 mo
31 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  6th Aug 25

Slynd pill  

Has helped with PMDD symptoms, have not had a period since I’ve been using it. Complete loss of sex drive which I really don’t like.


Very positive mood

1 more effect

0 helpful

0 comments

Progestogen-only / Mini pill  
Used for 6 - 12 mo
21 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  2nd Aug 25

Desogestrel pill  

I spotted for 3 months straight, but then stopped periods all together. I felt a bit sick after taking it, so i should’ve probably taken it after food or at night but i took in the morning. I feel like it made me quite anxious, but i’ve been off it for two years and still have anxiety problems so i’m not 100% whether it’s related! The sickness feeling made me feel quite nervous i think. No other side effects.


Somewhat negative mood

0 helpful

0 comments

Progestogen-only / Mini pill  
Used for 3 - 6 mo
20 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  30th Jul 25

Desogestrel pill  

Ok but not a fan of the hair loss and continuous spotting


Top side effects not reported

0 helpful

0 comments

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