Patch vs Progestogen-only / Mini pill

I don't like it. It makes me feel sad, like full-time pms. I've cried most days on it. I get headaches and I never used to. My friends say I don't seem like myself. My sex drive is lower. I was spotting for the first 6 weeks. Pluses are decreased risk of pregnancy, being able to skip a break and less heavy period/breakthrough bleeding so iron levels are easier to control. It's easy to use and so far has stayed on well (we'll see if this is still the case in summer). I like that if I wanted to stop using it I can remove it myself.

Breast tenderness and headaches

First few months were GREAT- my skin and hair looked amazing, breasts looked the best they'd ever looked, periods were regular and only negative side effects I had were nausea and breast tenderness. Did not have big issues with the adhesive, even though I have sensitive skin, and was not bothered by the lint that stuck to the edges of the patch (I stuck it to my tummy or my bum so it was hidden by clothes anyway). Thought it was a blessing for the first 4 months on it. Started having issues further in, due to the high levels of oestrogen, where I began having extremely heavy and longer periods and went on to have daily pelvic pain after about 8 months on the patch... now on the waiting list to see if I have endometriosis. The patch itself did not negatively impact my sex drive and it did not worsen my anxiety (I did cry more and have some brain fog though). I only gained a small amount of weight and my body looked the best it ever has. Overall, it didn't work for me and has potentially worsened endometriosis (high oestrogen can feed endo), but it has prevented pregnancy and it is so convenient and harder to mess up than taking a pill every day.

I have been on Cerazette for 4 years now. Initially, I had headaches, breast tenderness and mood swings. These symptoms subsided after 3 months. My periods became very irregular and then stopped altogether. Although my doctors deny this all the time, I feel like the pill caused excessive weight gain. Yes, I have had circumstances that affected my life but the weight gain was dramatic. In the first year alone, I gained 15 kilograms. After 4 years, I am up to 25 kg extra weight (BMI 29) and I am struggling to lose the weight with diet and exercise. Lately, I have had more bodily hair growth and am losing some hair on my head. Not many mood swings but definitely feeling angry most of the time. I am also struggling with a very low sex drive, which is starting to affect my marriage. I have an appointment with my GP, will try to switch to the combined pill to try.

This pill stopped me from getting pregnant and that was the only good thing about it. Constant spotting, sore nipples, and decreased sex drive. Now on norgeston and so much happier!

I moved onto Norgeston after trialling desogestrel for a few months (it gave me near constant spotting and super decreased sex drive). I was optimistic as levonorgestrel was the hormone I used to have in my combined pill and so far it’s been great for me - I do get periods, but these are regular and of a normal flow each month and thankfully my sex drive has come back.

honestly haven’t experience any negative side effects, it was a bit rough for the first couple of months but after about 8-12 weeks it settled and it’s been great, i gained a little weight but no more than about 7lbs so overall it’s been brilliant

I’ve been taking the pill since I was 17, I’m now 25 and have never had an issue with it! I’ve not had any side effects at all! It stopped my periods after about 2/3 months and has been smooth sailing since then. I find the ‘window’ in which you can take it without it being considered a ‘missed pill’ is also really reassuring if you suffer with anxiety! Would definitely recommend.

Been on this pill for about 15years its great i have no periods at all, i have no symptoms of periods etc and i have gained weight but i dont think i can put that down to taking cerelle haha all in all i love this pill and most importantly i havent gotten pregnant while taking it so its main job is done

I really tried to give it a chance and persevere despite a lot of breakthrough bleeding. My skin got worse. My mood/anxiety got worse. The bleeding never stopped. I would be spotting nonstop for 2 weeks, get a period (heavier bleeding), then no bleeding for ~1 week, and then back to spotting. I didn't notice any changes to my sex drive but the constant spotting was a huge deterrent. I am now switching to a combined pill.

Monitor your moods closely. Don’t recommend using if you’re not in a somewhat ok place mentally.

I started bleeding the following day and it was heavy

The chest pain was really awful, and that’s a big red flag. Even though a month might not seem like long enough to make a final judgment, the intensity of the chest pain and other symptoms definitely made me question whether this was the right pill for me. It's important to listen to your body, and in my case, the discomfort and pain outweighed any potential benefits. I would highly recommend discussing these symptoms with a healthcare provider to explore alternative options or further guidance