Patch vs Combined pill
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£From £0.32/day
£From £0.16/day
Overview
Rated 3.5
113 reviews
Weekly
Frequency
91% - 99+%
Effectiveness
Increased
Blood clot risk
None
Effect on fertility
Rated 2.8
2604 reviews
Daily
Frequency
91% - 99+%
Effectiveness
Increased
Blood clot risk
None
Effect on fertility
Patch ingredients
Main hormones in Patch
progestogen
oestrogen
Combined pill ingredients
Main hormones in Combined pill
progestogen
oestrogen
What Lowdown reviewers say
Benefits: What this contraceptive can help with
Acne or bad skin
Heavy periods
PMS and PMDD
PCOS symptoms
Period pain
Acne or bad skin
Heavy periods
PMS and PMDD
PCOS symptoms
Period pain
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£From £0.32/day
Try it now
£From £0.16/day
Check out our latest reviews
Real life reviews from people like you
Patch reviews
113 reviews
Used for 1 - 3 mo
24 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 3 days ago
I really liked the patch with my moods, periods, only having to remember once a week to change it, etc, but it gave me a rash. I went to my doctor and was hoping they’d be able to say the rash isn’t a big deal or offer me a patch for more sensitive skin but there isn’t any other patch so sadly I had to come off it and go on the pill
Top side effects not reported
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 1 - 3 mo
21 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 5 days ago
I think the patch works fine for me, it doesn’t fall off and has never peeled away. I’ve had a couple of headaches since starting a month ago but don’t know if they’re related, I don’t usually get any headaches so it’s likely. Pretty sure it’s decreased my sex drive.
Decreased sex drive
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 3 - 6 mo
23 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 27th May 25
I would highly recommend using the patch if you want a form of contraception that can easily fit around your life. Doctors will be very quick to try and prescribe the pill or the coil and will rarely mention the patch. The patch makes it easier to absorb hormones instead of digesting them like you do with the pill. It’s great not having a luteal phase which makes me feel really low anymore. My mood is stable and my skin has improved a lot. The only negative side effects I would say I’ve experienced is more difficulty in my vagina lubricating itself and water retention making me feel like I’m more bloated/ added on weight. However the latter could be due to other factors and I’ve found that I can manage it with exercising more.
Improved skin
1 more effect
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 1 - 3 mo
24 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 3 days ago
I really liked the patch with my moods, periods, only having to remember once a week to change it, etc, but it gave me a rash. I went to my doctor and was hoping they’d be able to say the rash isn’t a big deal or offer me a patch for more sensitive skin but there isn’t any other patch so sadly I had to come off it and go on the pill
Top side effects not reported
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 1 - 3 mo
21 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 5 days ago
I think the patch works fine for me, it doesn’t fall off and has never peeled away. I’ve had a couple of headaches since starting a month ago but don’t know if they’re related, I don’t usually get any headaches so it’s likely. Pretty sure it’s decreased my sex drive.
Decreased sex drive
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 3 - 6 mo
23 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 27th May 25
I would highly recommend using the patch if you want a form of contraception that can easily fit around your life. Doctors will be very quick to try and prescribe the pill or the coil and will rarely mention the patch. The patch makes it easier to absorb hormones instead of digesting them like you do with the pill. It’s great not having a luteal phase which makes me feel really low anymore. My mood is stable and my skin has improved a lot. The only negative side effects I would say I’ve experienced is more difficulty in my vagina lubricating itself and water retention making me feel like I’m more bloated/ added on weight. However the latter could be due to other factors and I’ve found that I can manage it with exercising more.
Improved skin
1 more effect
0 helpful
0 comments
Combined pill reviews
2604 reviews
Used for 1 - 3 mo
20 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• today
This was prescribed to me to help regulate my periods; however did the complete opposite and have made them worse. I have no clue when my periods are going to begin or end now, as well as if the bleeding will be light spotting or extremely heavy. I have become incredibly sensitive to many things that would never have bothered me pre-pill, as well have been bed bound due to negative mood changes that I have no explanation for. I have been sad before, however, these feelings I could not explain or combat so I have decided to switch pill.
Very negative mood
1 more effect
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
28 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 2 days ago
My period was ok on it. My acne was very bad cystic nothing would get rid of it. Changed to Yasmin and I haven’t had cystic acne my skin is clearing. Hair thinned on top of my head too. This pill can cause high androgens which can cause bad hormonal acne and hair loss
Somewhat negative mood
2 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 3 - 6 mo
24 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 3 days ago
This sent me nearly insane with my moods. I had no other side effects other than it made me nearly suicidal. I know you could say maybe it wasn’t the pill but I was fine before taking it, happy in myself, then after I had a mental breakdown I stopped taking it and suddenly felt like myself again. I’ve heard a lot of people say it’s been awful for their mood and I’m surprised they haven’t banned it yet
Very negative mood
1 more effect
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 1 - 3 mo
20 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• today
This was prescribed to me to help regulate my periods; however did the complete opposite and have made them worse. I have no clue when my periods are going to begin or end now, as well as if the bleeding will be light spotting or extremely heavy. I have become incredibly sensitive to many things that would never have bothered me pre-pill, as well have been bed bound due to negative mood changes that I have no explanation for. I have been sad before, however, these feelings I could not explain or combat so I have decided to switch pill.
Very negative mood
1 more effect
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
28 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 2 days ago
My period was ok on it. My acne was very bad cystic nothing would get rid of it. Changed to Yasmin and I haven’t had cystic acne my skin is clearing. Hair thinned on top of my head too. This pill can cause high androgens which can cause bad hormonal acne and hair loss
Somewhat negative mood
2 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 3 - 6 mo
24 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 3 days ago
This sent me nearly insane with my moods. I had no other side effects other than it made me nearly suicidal. I know you could say maybe it wasn’t the pill but I was fine before taking it, happy in myself, then after I had a mental breakdown I stopped taking it and suddenly felt like myself again. I’ve heard a lot of people say it’s been awful for their mood and I’m surprised they haven’t banned it yet
Very negative mood
1 more effect
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 1 - 3 mo
25 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 4 days ago
I’ve never had Thrush before and went on this pill 2 months ago and got it within the first 20 days of using it. I’ve also felt nauseas everyday since maybe the first week into it. Will symptoms subside? I really hope so. I havent bled but I was on the depo injection for the last year so its normal for it to take a while to bleed again.
Gained weight
0 helpful
1 comments
Used for 1 - 3 mo
23 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 6 days ago
My experience is overall positive. For the first month I had breakthrough spotting almost every day, it was light and painless, just a bit worrisome, but it settled in the 2nd month. I started taking Drovelis for painful periods, and I have to say that while they are shorter and lighter, it's not like it completely changed around. I used to take around 4 painkillers a day on my period, now I'm down to one: so it is a big change, but I can't say the periods are painless. In the first month I also had some mood swings, but I can't be sure if that's due to the pill. I'm writing this review because I was very scared of taking birth control after reading so many negative opinions, but overall it's a net positive experience. No changes to my weight, my libido is stable, overall it's nothing too scary.
Top side effects not reported
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 12 - 18 mo
32 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 1 week ago
I switched to this after using Yasmine (no problems with that, I just wanted to try a lower-dose estrogen pill). In the first year, all seemed fine, regular light periods, no break-outs, fewer mood swings, but lately in the past 6 months, I noticed my mental health worsen, my ADHD symptoms became stronger, my depression and my anxiety crept higher, and my libido slowly went non-existent. Also, my breasts (or rather my nipples), which were usually only swollen/sore before the placebo tablets, became constantly sensitive in a bad way. Now I am looking for a different pill.
Somewhat negative mood
2 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 3 - 6 mo
20 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 2 weeks ago
I started taking Eloine after I had experienced depression-like symptoms on the two weeks before my period for around 3 months. It was really hard to deal with and I think I have very bad PMT or maybe PMDD? I also had horrendous hormonal acne that really damaged the way I felt about myself, this mixed with the pre period mood swings made me feel like I wasn’t myself anymore. I researched different treatments that can help both PMT symptoms and hormonal acne, so I gave Eloine a go. I started it in February and wow has it changed how I experience periods (not to be dramatic but it really has changed my quality of life too). I feel very little mood swings now, I just feel when my luteal phase starts but in terms of energy not mentally! I just feel soooo much better in myself. My only complaint is I’ve experienced slight breast enlargement - but I’m consistently working out to try and combat this. I’ve never really had issues with period heaviness or cramps, but I would say my period is a lot lighter but last a day or so longer than before I was on the pill. Overall, my PMT symptoms have been totally ushered away by Eloine, I’m currently seeing a dermatologist for acne who also says this will help alongside other treatments. Facial oil is very much reduced. If you are struggling with acne or mood problems, please know that you are not alone. My mum grew up dealing with this, and so did her mum. Unfortunately some people are just dealt that hormonal issue card but I would definitely recommend this pill, sometimes natural remedies just don’t scratch the surface of what you’re going through. You’ve got this!!! Things will get better and I’m rooting for you 🩷
Very positive mood
1 more effect
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 6 - 12 mo
20 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 2 weeks ago
Stopped the mini pill after 3 years and switched to the combined to see if my skin and moods would improve. My skin definitely has improved and is similar to my post-accutane skin I had before I started hormonal birth control. My mood swings remained awful. I took the packs typically back to back but on a couple occasions I had breakthrough bleeding so took a 4 day break. I never had a yeast infection/thrush before taking this pill but in the 10 months of taking the combined pill I’ve had about 7 cases of thrush. Doctors kind of dismissed me saying it must be something else but it’s the only thing in my life that has changed, must be the estrogen! Finally had enough of the recurrent yeast infections affecting my relationship and sex life as well as day to day comfort so decided to switch to the copper coil last week. Fingers crossed my hormones will balance out!
Somewhat negative mood
1 more effect
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 5 - 8 yr
28 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 2 weeks ago
I’ve used Rigevidon on and off for years. It was great from my late teens to about age 25, my periods reduce to 3 days on this pill and are very light, with minimal cramping. When I hit 25, I really started to notice mood swings and complete loss of libido. Came off the pill for a while, then back on it, and am noticing the same symptoms again
Somewhat negative mood
2 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 5 - 8 yr
29 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 2 weeks ago
I was on Microgynon 30 for almost 8 years and I never had any issues! I changed 3 months ago to the progesterone only pill due to my friend getting a blood clot from microgynon, and within a month I began getting spots all over my jawline! I have now had constant spots for 2 months. I will be going back to the pharmacy to discuss my options and potentially move back to Microgynon.
Top side effects not reported
0 helpful
0 comments

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