Patch vs Injection

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Patch

£From £0.32/day

Injection

Add your Injection review

Overview

Rated 3.5

101 reviews

Weekly

Frequency

91% - 99+%

Effectiveness

Increased

Blood clot risk

None

Effect on fertility

Rated 2.9

269 reviews

Every 2-3 months

Frequency

97% - 99+%

Effectiveness

None

Blood clot risk

Short term

Effect on fertility

Patch ingredients

Main hormones in Patch

progestogen

oestrogen


Injection ingredients

Main hormones in Injection

progestogen

What Lowdown reviewers say

36% no impact on mood

32% lighter periods

52% no impact

48% no impact

45% no impact on skin

Cycle return

36% in 1 month

32% somewhat negative

69% stopped periods

58% lost sex drive

50% gained weight

51% no impact on skin

Cycle return

40% don’t know impact

Benefits: What this contraceptive can help with

Acne or bad skin

Heavy periods

PMS and PMDD

PCOS symptoms

Period pain

Endometriosis

Heavy periods

Period pain

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£From £0.32/day

Try it now

Add your Injection review

Check out our latest reviews

Real life reviews from people like you

Patch reviews

101 reviews

Patch  
Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
22 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  31st Aug 24

Evra patch  

After switching from the combined pill due to depression, I was interested in the patch as I could change it weekly instead of remembering to take a pill everyday. I started the patch and my periods became regular and my mood increased greatly, I do experience bad PMS but It is much better compared to when I was on the pill. I do get cramps sometimes between periods but nothing too bad. You can also use the patch to skip periods but I enjoy having a regular “cycle” and when I did use it to skip a period for a holiday I ended up spotting for a month! Overall the patch is great for me and I don’t plan on changing as it has helped my mental health so much.

Read more

Somewhat positive mood

1 more effect

0 helpful

0 comments

Patch  
Used for 1 - 3 mo
21 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  24th Aug 24

Patch  

I had near constant breakthrough bleeding the entire time


Somewhat negative mood

1 more effect

0 helpful

0 comments

Patch  
Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
24 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  7th Aug 24

Patch  

It’s convenient to only change once a week. I’ve found when I’ve been on holiday if you are in the water it does loosen and sometimes come off in the water which is not helpful. I have experienced a lot of breakthrough bleeding very randomly but it has helped with my skin. My sex drive has basically gone it’s that low which I have struggled with but my mood and endometriosis pain during periods has helped


Somewhat positive mood

3 more effects

0 helpful

0 comments

Patch  
Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
22 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  31st Aug 24

Evra patch  

After switching from the combined pill due to depression, I was interested in the patch as I could change it weekly instead of remembering to take a pill everyday. I started the patch and my periods became regular and my mood increased greatly, I do experience bad PMS but It is much better compared to when I was on the pill. I do get cramps sometimes between periods but nothing too bad. You can also use the patch to skip periods but I enjoy having a regular “cycle” and when I did use it to skip a period for a holiday I ended up spotting for a month! Overall the patch is great for me and I don’t plan on changing as it has helped my mental health so much.


Somewhat positive mood

1 more effect

0 helpful

0 comments

Patch  
Used for 1 - 3 mo
21 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  24th Aug 24

Patch  

I had near constant breakthrough bleeding the entire time


Somewhat negative mood

1 more effect

0 helpful

0 comments

Patch  
Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
24 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  7th Aug 24

Patch  

It’s convenient to only change once a week. I’ve found when I’ve been on holiday if you are in the water it does loosen and sometimes come off in the water which is not helpful. I have experienced a lot of breakthrough bleeding very randomly but it has helped with my skin. My sex drive has basically gone it’s that low which I have struggled with but my mood and endometriosis pain during periods has helped


Somewhat positive mood

3 more effects

0 helpful

0 comments


Injection reviews

269 reviews

Injection  
Used for 3 - 6 mo
21 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  1 month ago

Noristerat injection  

the side effects makes it feel like its not worth it. i cant eat the things i like as much because im gaining weight and dont want to be unhealthy. i feel way more fatigued


Very negative mood

2 more effects

0 helpful

0 comments

Injection  
Used for 3 - 6 mo
21 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  1 month ago

Noristerat injection  

the side effects makes it feel like its not worth it. i cant eat the things i like as much because im gaining weight and dont want to be unhealthy. i feel way more fatigued


Very negative mood

2 more effects

0 helpful

0 comments

Injection  
Used for 12 - 18 mo
18 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  1 month ago

Depo-Provera injection  

I went on thsi injection due to my terrible experience with rigevidon, at first everything was fine as my skin cleared up, i only get the odd spot which is supported by acne medication- which was great considering i am acne prone. However it was beginning clear that i was gaining weight, I started off as a size 8 (very slim and petite) to currently being a size 14, leading to a size 16. My hips have also widened, this has led to an increase of SO many stretch marks, it has had an affect on my confidence due to this durastic change, while having the same diet the whole time. Yet this may be because i began at 16 now 18, coming into adulthood maybe?? At the minute my moods are terrible, i am very irritable, riddled with anxiety and more sensitive; so if youre looking into this as someone who has suffers with mental health I would not recommend. The pain of the injection is not bad however I am attempting to come off of this contracpetive as soon as possible yet just struggling which pill to choose due to my fear of weight gain, poor skin and loosing my sex drive. Just remember eveyones experience is different this is just mine :)


Somewhat negative mood

2 more effects

0 helpful

0 comments

Injection  
Used for 3 - 6 mo
21 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  1 month ago

Noristerat injection  

the side effects makes it feel like its not worth it. i cant eat the things i like as much because im gaining weight and dont want to be unhealthy. i feel way more fatigued


Very negative mood

2 more effects

0 helpful

0 comments

Injection  
Used for 3 - 6 mo
21 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  1 month ago

Noristerat injection  

the side effects makes it feel like its not worth it. i cant eat the things i like as much because im gaining weight and dont want to be unhealthy. i feel way more fatigued


Very negative mood

2 more effects

0 helpful

0 comments

Injection  
Used for 12 - 18 mo
18 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  1 month ago

Depo-Provera injection  

I went on thsi injection due to my terrible experience with rigevidon, at first everything was fine as my skin cleared up, i only get the odd spot which is supported by acne medication- which was great considering i am acne prone. However it was beginning clear that i was gaining weight, I started off as a size 8 (very slim and petite) to currently being a size 14, leading to a size 16. My hips have also widened, this has led to an increase of SO many stretch marks, it has had an affect on my confidence due to this durastic change, while having the same diet the whole time. Yet this may be because i began at 16 now 18, coming into adulthood maybe?? At the minute my moods are terrible, i am very irritable, riddled with anxiety and more sensitive; so if youre looking into this as someone who has suffers with mental health I would not recommend. The pain of the injection is not bad however I am attempting to come off of this contracpetive as soon as possible yet just struggling which pill to choose due to my fear of weight gain, poor skin and loosing my sex drive. Just remember eveyones experience is different this is just mine :)


Somewhat negative mood

2 more effects

0 helpful

0 comments

Injection  
Used for 1 - 3 mo
32 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  28th Aug 24

Depo-Provera injection  

I would absolutely never recommend this to anyone. As someone who has previously struggled with mental health issues but has been well for about 10 years, my mood has been incredibly low and my anxiety through the roof. This is not something I’ve experienced for years (actually last time I was on hormonal contraception). I feel very lucky to be in touch with my moods and still having therapy so I’ve been able to quickly be aware this is likely to be the Depo as nothing else has changed to bring this on. I will not be using this again and would really recommend others proceed with caution.


Very negative mood

2 more effects

0 helpful

0 comments

Injection  
Used for 1 - 3 mo
22 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  24th Aug 24

Depo-Provera injection  

I went on the depo injection after having my little boy as I thought it was an easy form of contraceptive as I didn’t have to remember to take it everyday. Fast forward a week post injection I started with the most horrific nausea, stomach pains, back pain and anxiety. I thought I maybe have a bug so went to the doctor who ran some bloods (all came back clean) never felt anxious or sick prior to having the injection so the only thing I can think of that is new is the depo. I have now been nauseas well over a month every single day to the point I am on anti - sickness tablets. I will not be having it again as it changes your body and emotions so much and the other downside there is no reversal so once it’s in if you suffer from the side effects you have to basically put up with it until it’s up for renewal. Wish I had done my research before as I have read on numerous sites that the hormone levels they give are so high and this is what causes all the adverse effects.


Very negative mood

1 more effect

0 helpful

0 comments

Injection  
Used for 8+ yr
29 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  23rd Aug 24

Sayana Press injection  

Completely stopped my periods which has been amazing. Very convenient only have to think about 4 times a year and GP now very good at supplying in comparison to when this brand was new on the market. Have struggled to use the devices recently as have to apply a lot of pressure to inject the suspension and have therefore had to discard a few injections on occasion which isn’t ideal. Having using it for so long I can’t tell if my weight or mood have been negatively or positively impacted, but will be keen to see what happens when I stop using.


Improved skin

0 helpful

0 comments

Injection  
Used for 3 - 6 mo
18 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  11th Aug 24

Depo-Provera injection  

Being on the injection has changed my life. After years of misery I finally feel like myself again. My mood has almost completely stabilised and my mental health has never been better. Physically my body has found it great too, I no longer find myself exhausted from heavy periods and my boobs have even gotten abit bigger which has been a big plus. I feel like a person again after going on the injection, After years of my hormones controlling my life I no longer feel crazy, I have control of my life again.


Very positive mood

1 more effect

0 helpful

0 comments

Injection  
Used for 3 - 6 mo
37 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  8th Aug 24

Depo-Provera injection  

Probably the worst method of hormonal contraception I’ve used. In terms of side effects (which the doctors did not discuss with me) there were Night sweats, loss of sex drive, terrible mood swings and Vaginal dryness to name just a few. Yes it did the job it was meant to, but the side effects were enough for me to make the decision to move off hormonal contraceptives altogether now.


Very negative mood

2 more effects

0 helpful

0 comments

Injection  
Used for 5 - 8 yr
34 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  15th Jul 24

Depo-Provera injection  

Stopped my periods completely which was great, but was depressed the entire time I was on it (and didn't realise why until I came off) also had zero sex drive until I came off it.


Very negative mood

1 more effect

0 helpful

0 comments

Injection  
Used for 6 - 12 mo
31 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  22nd May 24

Depo-Provera injection  

I was not offered an alternative injection and was adbised against it as i already was dinosed with depression.its been very difficult trying to feel normal and have a great s** life. I am already a mother and would like to wait a while before or IF i do have any more children. This contraception is extemly strong, i noticed many changes to my body. From the frist day i took the injection. It is brilliant at stopping me from getting pregnnt again though.


Somewhat negative mood

2 more effects

0 helpful

0 comments

Contraceptive alternatives and comparisons

Compare the Patch with other contraceptives

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