Progestogen-only / Mini pill vs Combined pill

Need help choosing? Speak to a doctor
Progestogen-only / Mini pill

£From £0.22/day

Combined pill

£From £0.16/day

Overview

Rated 2.7

1469 reviews

Daily

Frequency

91% - 99+%

Effectiveness

None

Blood clot risk

None

Effect on fertility

Rated 2.8

2718 reviews

Daily

Frequency

91% - 99+%

Effectiveness

Increased

Blood clot risk

None

Effect on fertility

Progestogen-only / Mini pill ingredients

Main hormones in Progestogen-only / Mini pill

progestogen


Combined pill ingredients

Main hormones in Combined pill

progestogen

oestrogen

What Lowdown reviewers say

32% somewhat negative

43% stopped periods

49% lost sex drive

44% no impact

46% no impact on skin

Cycle return

39% don’t know impact

31% somewhat negative

47% lighter periods

46% lost sex drive

48% no impact

43% improved skin

Cycle return

37% don’t know impact

Benefits: What this contraceptive can help with

Period pain

Acne or bad skin

Heavy periods

PMS and PMDD

PCOS symptoms

Period pain

Try it now

£From £0.22/day

Try it now

£From £0.16/day

Check out our latest reviews

Real life reviews from people like you

Progestogen-only / Mini pill reviews

1469 reviews

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

Cerazette pill  

I have PMDD and took this medication with hopes it would make reduce or alleviate my physical and mental symptoms. I started taking cerazette and noticed I was very tired, so switched from taking it in the morning and took it at night time. I continued to be really tired and would need to nap almost every day even though I typically sleep for 8 hours or more a night. I noticed my mood become low, I felt numb and my libido was really low. I wanted to stop the pill at 1 month but pushed through but at 2 months I decided to stop as the fatigue and my low mood were interfering with my quality of life.

Read more

Very negative mood

2 more effects

0 helpful

0 comments

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

Desogestrel pill  

I wanted birth control to calm down or stop my painful periods. I was put on denestrogel as my gp wasn't comfordable putting me on oestrogen due to migranes. the first two weeks were great, then i started getting cramping but no bleeding. all that i saw was brown discharge for another week before i started bleeding. i didnt stop bleeding for the three months I was on it. completely ruined my sex drive as I was bleeding all the time and all of my underwear got ruined. I couldnt use a pad or tampon as the bleed wasn't heavy enough. it really started to affect my mood that i stopped taking it halfway through my third month on it because i was getting so distressed was really dissapointing as I saw so many good reviews on it and loved that it had a 12 hr forgetfulness window.


Very negative mood

1 more effect

0 helpful

0 comments

Progestogen-only / Mini pill  
Used for 3 - 6 mo
30 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  4 days ago

Slynd pill  

Gave Slynd a go as I struggled with headaches and migraines with Cerazette and Cerelle. Slynd has been good in terms of not increasing any headaches which has made a change, however have suffered with breakthrough bleeding constantly since beginning it 5 months ago. It always happens between day 7-day 12 of the pill, never on the placebo pills, which is rather irritating. During this time I am normally hormonal as well, as if leading to my period, so can be very irritable. All in all, an ok pill but just hasn't worked out for me.


Somewhat negative mood

0 helpful

0 comments

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

Cerazette pill  

I have PMDD and took this medication with hopes it would make reduce or alleviate my physical and mental symptoms. I started taking cerazette and noticed I was very tired, so switched from taking it in the morning and took it at night time. I continued to be really tired and would need to nap almost every day even though I typically sleep for 8 hours or more a night. I noticed my mood become low, I felt numb and my libido was really low. I wanted to stop the pill at 1 month but pushed through but at 2 months I decided to stop as the fatigue and my low mood were interfering with my quality of life.


Very negative mood

2 more effects

0 helpful

0 comments

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

Desogestrel pill  

I wanted birth control to calm down or stop my painful periods. I was put on denestrogel as my gp wasn't comfordable putting me on oestrogen due to migranes. the first two weeks were great, then i started getting cramping but no bleeding. all that i saw was brown discharge for another week before i started bleeding. i didnt stop bleeding for the three months I was on it. completely ruined my sex drive as I was bleeding all the time and all of my underwear got ruined. I couldnt use a pad or tampon as the bleed wasn't heavy enough. it really started to affect my mood that i stopped taking it halfway through my third month on it because i was getting so distressed was really dissapointing as I saw so many good reviews on it and loved that it had a 12 hr forgetfulness window.


Very negative mood

1 more effect

0 helpful

0 comments

Progestogen-only / Mini pill  
Used for 3 - 6 mo
30 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  4 days ago

Slynd pill  

Gave Slynd a go as I struggled with headaches and migraines with Cerazette and Cerelle. Slynd has been good in terms of not increasing any headaches which has made a change, however have suffered with breakthrough bleeding constantly since beginning it 5 months ago. It always happens between day 7-day 12 of the pill, never on the placebo pills, which is rather irritating. During this time I am normally hormonal as well, as if leading to my period, so can be very irritable. All in all, an ok pill but just hasn't worked out for me.


Somewhat negative mood

0 helpful

0 comments


Combined pill reviews

2718 reviews

Combined pill  
Used for 3 - 5 yr
26 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  today

Yaz pill 🇺🇸  

I was very depressed on Yaz Pill, crying every morning and some days didn't want to get out of bed, I gained water weight for the first 6 - 8 months. I did have an increased sex drive on Yaz compared to my current pill.


Very negative mood

3 more effects

0 helpful

0 comments

Combined pill  
Used for 12 - 18 mo
26 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  today

Femodene pill  

I switched from Yaz Plus to Femodene to help regulate my moods as I was quite depressed on Yaz plus. Femodene helped control my depression a bit but I had mood swings more often. I never really gained any weight or water weight on femodene.


Somewhat negative mood

2 more effects

0 helpful

0 comments

Combined pill  
Used for 6 - 12 mo
25 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  1 day ago

Yacella pill  

,,,


Somewhat negative mood

2 more effects

0 helpful

0 comments

Combined pill  
Used for 3 - 5 yr
26 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  today

Yaz pill 🇺🇸  

I was very depressed on Yaz Pill, crying every morning and some days didn't want to get out of bed, I gained water weight for the first 6 - 8 months. I did have an increased sex drive on Yaz compared to my current pill.


Very negative mood

3 more effects

0 helpful

0 comments

Combined pill  
Used for 12 - 18 mo
26 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  today

Femodene pill  

I switched from Yaz Plus to Femodene to help regulate my moods as I was quite depressed on Yaz plus. Femodene helped control my depression a bit but I had mood swings more often. I never really gained any weight or water weight on femodene.


Somewhat negative mood

2 more effects

0 helpful

0 comments

Combined pill  
Used for 6 - 12 mo
25 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  1 day ago

Yacella pill  

,,,


Somewhat negative mood

2 more effects

0 helpful

0 comments

Combined pill  
Used for 1 - 3 mo
18 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  2 days ago

Levest pill  

switched from a minipill to a combined pill loved it as my periods stopped and i didnt gain any weight although i was taken off of it as i experiance migranes and wasn't supposed to be perscribed it i did notice i was more sensitive and emotional whilst on it


Somewhat negative mood

1 more effect

0 helpful

0 comments

Combined pill  
Used for 3 - 6 mo
19 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  5 days ago

Drovelis pill  

Experienced breast tenderness and growth. Reduced cramping. Reduced sided effects compared to alternative oral contraceptives


Very positive mood

1 more effect

0 helpful

0 comments

Combined pill  
Used for 3 - 6 mo
18 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  2 weeks ago

Yasmin pill  

During my first month I’ve had severe breakthrough bleeding that was heavy and lasted for 3 weeks, during the 3 weeks I was very emotional and paranoid. After the breakthrough bleed I developed two large spots on my lip and cheek (I never had this issue nor acne). Over all the pill hasn’t done much for me so far other than making me very paranoid about the side effects.


Somewhat negative mood

2 more effects

0 helpful

0 comments

Combined pill  
Used for 3 - 6 mo
17 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  2 weeks ago

Yasmin pill  

utis


Worse skin

0 helpful

0 comments

Combined pill  
Used for 1 - 3 mo
29 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  3 weeks ago

Rigevidon  

I actually find this to be pretty good, very few side effects, but the increased blood clot risk does concern me.


Top side effects not reported

0 helpful

0 comments

Combined pill  
Used for 3 - 6 mo
37 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  3 weeks ago

Eloine pill  

Started off well on this pill, good for PMS management. Had bleeding for weeks and breasts got bigger and were painful. Some of these effects subsided after a few weeks. On my 3rd pack i noticed i wasnt full after meals and was constantly feeling hungry and thinking about food. This continued through the fourth month. I have definitely gained weight and clothes not fitting properly, which is an unacceptable side effect for me personally.


Somewhat negative mood

1 more effect

0 helpful

0 comments

Combined pill  
Used for 6 - 12 mo
28 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  1 month ago

Rigevidon  

It is a balancing act, but, overall, I am happy with the results. I take the pill back to back as my cramps were so bad that they were effecting my personal and work life terribly and I could no longer stand the pain. Unlike other pills I have tried before, this stops my periods. After 3 or 4 months I get heavy spotting and take a break for 7 days which sorts it out - the breaks are fine with only mild cramping and nothing like my periods before. It has saved my ability to work. I have had negative side effects - weight gain and mood. I have no history of depression, anxiety or struggling to process things until I started taking this pill but I now struggle with these things most days. Compared to the pain, for me, the impact on my mental health is a trade off I've accepted.


Very negative mood

1 more effect

0 helpful

0 comments

Contraceptive alternatives and comparisons

Compare the Progestogen-only / Mini pill with other contraceptives

Order online

Order online now

Use our online prescription in under 5 mins

  • No GP appointment needed

  • Free standard delivery

Speak to a doctor

Not sure yet? Speak to a doctor

Schedule an appointment now

87% of women are happier with their contraceptive choice after speaking with one of The Lowdown's doctors

The Lowdown Footer

Women's health, reviewed.

Get the best women’s health info in your inbox

You are signing up to receive The Lowdown's latest findings and news in women's health. Your data will be used in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie policy

Built by doctors and experts

Our tools are made by medical professionals for your peace of mind

Our website uses affiliate links and we may earn a small commission if you click on them