Progestogen-only / Mini pill vs Patch

I really wanted to write about my positive experience as most people write reviews when they have a negative experience, for me the Cerazette has been really good, it improved my feeling of being in balance and lessened mood swings, it did not effect my libido, in fact in the beginning I noticed a higher libido, but most importantly I suffer from migraines with aura and since I started taking this a month ago I didn’t have an intense migraine, just one or two mild days and I normally have 2/3 days per week so in a month 8 at least. The only negative things are not too bad: I have very tender breasts which became a bit bigger but I heard this might go away after 3 months or so and I got a little bit of acne but nothing too crazy and this also usually settles after taking it consistently for a few month. All in all for me it’s truly been life changing.

The first 3-5 months were a bit rough, having sex would cause me to get a period and sometimes was painful. I also was definitely more emotional than before. It all calms down over time, I’ve been on it for almost 3 years now and it was the best decision i get very occasionally spotting and cramps if i miss a pill or two but overall I like it

Went on the mini pill at 16 for 3 years. The first 9 months I bled pretty constantly (no cramps at least) then bled randomly most months. Bleeding was usually light and unpainful. My mood swings were awful and my skin broke out and got so much worse (quite discouraging after being on accutane). Didn’t notice any weight gain or other side effects. I later changed to the combined pill to try and help my skin but this caused other issues (high blood pressure, recurrent yeast infections) so last week I got the copper IUD! Would not recommend. As a 16 year old the doctor did not give me much information about my choice and the impact it would have on me. She just said “if you trust your boyfriend you don’t need to use condoms now” …

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

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.

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.

Been using the patch for 1 month now. The first 2 weeks weren’t great, I was having intense mood swings and irritability which was not like myself. I also experienced headaches during the first 2 weeks which now seem to be a lot better. By the third week things started to settle and my moods became better and less intense. On the patch free week I experienced bleeding and stomach pain (similar to a normal period) I’ve also noticed my skin has gotten worse as I very rarely get spots but have had quite a few breakouts since beginning the patch. I haven’t noticed any weight gain but slight breast enlargement. Overall, I would recommend the patch due to quite a lot of the side effects being temporary and as someone who struggles with contraception this has been the best one so far.

I went back on the patch a few months ago as it's probably my most preferred form of contraception (I'm often not on any and am reluctant to use anything but needs must). I actually have fallen pregnant on the patch in the past and have a 5 year old son to show for it but so far this time round it seems to be doing the job. Pros: It's so easy to use, changing once a week is so much easier than trying to remember a pill each day. I usually use the whole pack back to back so appreciate less frequent periods. It stays put with no issue at all. Cons: My moods have been awful, to the point I feel quite depressed some of the time, I'm crying a lot and not coping with challenges very well as I normally would. My periods are generally heavier, I have a couple of days of constantly leaking through tampons in a very short space of time. I'm getting headaches quite regularly which won't shift with painkillers. Also feel nauseous quite often. This month have started breakthrough bleeding after just a couple of weeks since last patch free week. Overall, not loving it at the moment. However I've had such bad experiences with other forms of contraception that I still think this is the best of a bad bunch. Really rate the convenience of it. No noticeable difference to weight or skin thankfully.

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.

Having tried 12 birth control pills previously that nearly all had intolerable side effects for me, mostly making my IBS worse, I decided to try a non-digested birth control method and settled on the Patch. It took me a few tries to get used to applying it correctly and for the first 2 weeks I had very light daily spotting. Now having been on it for 4 months, I am so happy I tried it. I have gained weight and I have definitely noticed an increased appetite but for me the lack of other side effects is 100% worth it. It has had no impact on my IBS, my skin is the clearest it's ever been and I love the convenience of using it weekly. I currently use it continuously because I've always had heavy and painful periods. Every 2 months or so I do have a few days of spotting/ bleeding but it's not heavy or painful and then I have no bleeding for another few months. I did notice a little increase in my Anxiety but I take antidepressants so I can't say how much it affected my mental health. My boobs have gone up a cup size but not that noticeable as I was only an A cup before. Overall I couldn't be happier with my experience so far, it's definitely the best I've tried yet. definitely recommend if you're sensitive to the pill/ digested birth control.

Overall positive experience. The longer Ive been on it, the more irregular the periods have become. I often use the whole cycle before having a break rather than the 3 doses