Progestogen-only / Mini pill vs Vasectomy
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Overview
Rated 2.7
1469 reviews
Daily
Frequency
91% - 99+%
Effectiveness
None
Blood clot risk
None
Effect on fertility
Rated 3.8
8 reviews
Permanent
Frequency
Over 99%
Effectiveness
None
Blood clot risk
Permanent
Effect on fertility
Progestogen-only / Mini pill ingredients
Main hormones in Progestogen-only / Mini pill
progestogen
Vasectomy ingredients
What Lowdown reviewers say
Benefits: What this contraceptive can help with
Period pain
There are no benefits that are recognised in scientific research or guidelines for this contraceptive
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Real life reviews from people like you
Progestogen-only / Mini pill reviews
1469 reviews
Used for 1 - 3 mo
29 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 1 day ago
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
Used for 1 - 3 mo
18 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 2 days ago
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
Used for 3 - 6 mo
30 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 4 days ago
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
Used for 1 - 3 mo
29 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 1 day ago
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
Used for 1 - 3 mo
18 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 2 days ago
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
Used for 3 - 6 mo
30 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 4 days ago
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
Vasectomy reviews
8 reviews
Used for 8+ yr
58 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 1st Jun 25
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
Used for 8+ yr
Lowdown user
🇬🇧 UK
• 5th Jul 24
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
Used for 6 - 12 mo
Lowdown user
🇬🇧 UK
• 5th Sep 20
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
Used for 8+ yr
58 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 1st Jun 25
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
Used for 8+ yr
Lowdown user
🇬🇧 UK
• 5th Jul 24
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
Used for 6 - 12 mo
Lowdown user
🇬🇧 UK
• 5th Sep 20
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
Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
Lowdown user
🇬🇧 UK
• 12th Jun 20
Vasectomy has been a very effective contraceptive for me. It is good because it has allowed my hormones to follow a natural rhythm. Unfortunately I have experienced depression(and severe PMS) as I would like to have more children(but my partner does not). This has decreased my libido significantly and made me consider using hormonal contraception to level out my hormone levels.
Very negative mood
1 more effect
1 helpful
0 comments
Used for 8+ yr
Lowdown user
🇬🇧 UK
• 20th Aug 19
As noted before, testicular pain/discomfort and testicles sensitive to pressure to the extent that rucked underpants could lead to quite severe pain. Gradually diminished over years but not completely. Testicles still more sensitive than should be. Did lead to reduction in enjoyment of sex as experience could be painful on occasions. Apparently quite a high side effect risk. Effective contraception method but took a few weeks to get the all clear.
Somewhat negative mood
1 more effect
2 helpful
0 comments
Used for 6 - 12 mo
Lowdown user
🇬🇧 UK
• 28th Jun 19
For women, this is the most natural contraceptive on the market. For me and all the other men, its mostly psychological, but had no side effects.
Very positive mood
1 more effect
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 1 - 3 mo
Lowdown user
🇬🇧 UK
• 19th Jun 19
Vasectomies are relatively safe for surgical procedures, but it is STILL SURGERY and as such has risks and side effects. In particular be aware that many of the side effects aren't really talked about. In my case I thought I was well educated about the procedure (I am a nurse) but it wasn't until after the deed was done that I learned for about 10% of men (numbers vary from study to study) the pain from surgery never entirety goes away. Most of the time (including in my case) it's pretty mild and you can still function, but it's always there and I was not warned about that possibility. As far as sexual side effects, there's a lot of misinformation out there so let me cover the basics: -You still ejaculate, and the amount is pretty much unchanged. However, the consistency of your semen does change--often runnier post-op. -You can still get someone pregnant for a few months after the procedure. Plan accordingly. -Officially there shouldn't be any difference in orgasm or sex drive. I must disagree. Orgasm doesn't feel the same at all, but seems to be slowly recovering over time. At 1 month post-op sex was actually pretty unpleasant to the point I just wasn't interested at all. I am at 2 months now and it's . . . pleasant again but still not what it once was. -The appearance of your genitals may change a little, particularly the way the testicles hang. Nothing major, but it can make you feel pretty self conscious. The surgery itself isn't too bad-- kind of like a root canal but more embarrassing. I'm still pretty recent post-op so I am hoping things improve, the side effects aren't unbearable but I do wish they hadn't downplayed them as much as they did.
Somewhat negative mood
1 more effect
2 helpful
0 comments
Used for 8+ yr
Lowdown user
🇬🇧 UK
• 2nd Apr 19
I had a vasectomy at the age of 31 after fathering two children. I didn't want my wife to be taking drugs for the rest of her child-bearing years - and I also didn't want the risk of another mouth to feed. My doctor tried to dissuade me on the basis that I may want children in the future. However, we went ahead and it was very straightforward, not all that painful and 100% effective. Ps: You don't lose your mojo!
Top side effects not reported
3 helpful
0 comments
Women's health, reviewed.
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