Cerelle pill vs Desogestrel pill
Need help choosing? Speak to a doctor
£From £0.20/day
£From £0.20/day
Overview
Rated 2.8
325 reviews
Daily
Frequency
91% - 99+%
Effectiveness
None
Blood clot risk
None
Effect on fertility
Rated 2.7
415 reviews
Daily
Frequency
91% - 99+%
Effectiveness
None
Blood clot risk
None
Effect on fertility
What Lowdown reviewers say
Benefits: What this contraceptive can help with
Period pain
Period pain
Try it now
£From £0.20/day
Try it now
£From £0.20/day
Check out our latest reviews
Real life reviews from people like you
Cerelle pill reviews
325 reviews
Used for 12 - 18 mo
23 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 8th Jan 26
The good thing about Cerelle is that it stopped my periods. However, it triggered an androgenic response for me so I gained weight on it, got lots of stretch marks (which I have never had before), experienced hair loss, experience increased and darker body hair, and it gave me bad skin, also seemed to be more irritable all the time. I have been changed to a combined pill now so fingers crossed everything gets better!
Somewhat negative mood
2 more effects
1 helpful
0 comments
Used for 3 - 6 mo
28 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 10th Dec 25
Ive been on cerelle for 2 months so far but that is long enough. My hair and skin are extremely greasy all the time, i’m so moody and I keep getting bursts of anger. I have food cravings too so I have gained some weight! Sex drive did increase slightly
Very negative mood
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 3 - 6 mo
20 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 5th Dec 25
I’ve been on 3 different mini pills over the last 6 months and I have bled every single day since. 3 months ago I was recommended to double dose and take 2 mini pills a day to try and stop the bleeding. (I was previously on the combined pill and loved it but not allowed now as history of migraines with aura) It made no difference and actually made them heavier by the last month. Doctors just kept trying me on a different mini pill hoping it would stop the bleeding, so obviously my hormones have been all over the shop, when I would change to a new pill I couldn’t stop crying. It felt like no one really cared until today I sat in the doctors and just cried saying I just want someone to listen to me. I am now considering the hormonal coil.
Somewhat negative mood
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 12 - 18 mo
23 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 8th Jan 26
The good thing about Cerelle is that it stopped my periods. However, it triggered an androgenic response for me so I gained weight on it, got lots of stretch marks (which I have never had before), experienced hair loss, experience increased and darker body hair, and it gave me bad skin, also seemed to be more irritable all the time. I have been changed to a combined pill now so fingers crossed everything gets better!
Somewhat negative mood
2 more effects
1 helpful
0 comments
Used for 3 - 6 mo
28 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 10th Dec 25
Ive been on cerelle for 2 months so far but that is long enough. My hair and skin are extremely greasy all the time, i’m so moody and I keep getting bursts of anger. I have food cravings too so I have gained some weight! Sex drive did increase slightly
Very negative mood
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 3 - 6 mo
20 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 5th Dec 25
I’ve been on 3 different mini pills over the last 6 months and I have bled every single day since. 3 months ago I was recommended to double dose and take 2 mini pills a day to try and stop the bleeding. (I was previously on the combined pill and loved it but not allowed now as history of migraines with aura) It made no difference and actually made them heavier by the last month. Doctors just kept trying me on a different mini pill hoping it would stop the bleeding, so obviously my hormones have been all over the shop, when I would change to a new pill I couldn’t stop crying. It felt like no one really cared until today I sat in the doctors and just cried saying I just want someone to listen to me. I am now considering the hormonal coil.
Somewhat negative mood
0 helpful
0 comments
Desogestrel pill reviews
415 reviews
Used for 3 - 6 mo
Lowdown user
🇬🇧 UK
• today
I was constantly bleeding and around the third month I started seeing a pattern emerging that essentially flipped my natural cycle: three weeks of bleeding, 4–5 days off, three weeks of bleeding, a couple of days off. It had a bad impact on my mental health, made me feel exhausted most of the time and killed my sex drive, ultimately leading to a breakup.
Very negative mood
1 more effect
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 8+ yr
30 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 6 days ago
When I was on it I was really pleased with how it was going. I felt balanced due to no periods and lack of mood swings etc. It felt great to not have periods and have that interruption on my life each month. What I didn’t realise until after I came off it after many years of using this pill, the implant and another pill previously was the affect it had had on my arousal/libido, I had always put this down to anxiety, but I feel very confident in saying now that having a true cycle has made a huge difference to this. When on the pill (especially the mini pill) I felt broken as to why I didn’t ever think about sex, but that changed almost instantly when I stopped. I wish I had known how much this would have impacted this. I would use it again, but I would be cautious of this change.
Somewhat positive mood
1 more effect
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 12 - 18 mo
18 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 6 days ago
I was so scared to go on this pill because of the mounds of negative stuff on it online as well as my own medical anxiety but it’s the best thing I ever did. Went on it at 17 due to heavy painful long periods and for the first like 6 months? I spotted every day. Which no isn’t ideal but it wasn’t painful. After those 6 months I have not bled or had any period since. My general anxiety has decreased so much after being on the pill and my overall mood. No side effects except maybe a small weight gain. Don’t let bad reviews put you off, this pill works for so many people, it changed me and my friends life for the better
Gained weight
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 3 - 6 mo
Lowdown user
🇬🇧 UK
• today
I was constantly bleeding and around the third month I started seeing a pattern emerging that essentially flipped my natural cycle: three weeks of bleeding, 4–5 days off, three weeks of bleeding, a couple of days off. It had a bad impact on my mental health, made me feel exhausted most of the time and killed my sex drive, ultimately leading to a breakup.
Very negative mood
1 more effect
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 8+ yr
30 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 6 days ago
When I was on it I was really pleased with how it was going. I felt balanced due to no periods and lack of mood swings etc. It felt great to not have periods and have that interruption on my life each month. What I didn’t realise until after I came off it after many years of using this pill, the implant and another pill previously was the affect it had had on my arousal/libido, I had always put this down to anxiety, but I feel very confident in saying now that having a true cycle has made a huge difference to this. When on the pill (especially the mini pill) I felt broken as to why I didn’t ever think about sex, but that changed almost instantly when I stopped. I wish I had known how much this would have impacted this. I would use it again, but I would be cautious of this change.
Somewhat positive mood
1 more effect
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 12 - 18 mo
18 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 6 days ago
I was so scared to go on this pill because of the mounds of negative stuff on it online as well as my own medical anxiety but it’s the best thing I ever did. Went on it at 17 due to heavy painful long periods and for the first like 6 months? I spotted every day. Which no isn’t ideal but it wasn’t painful. After those 6 months I have not bled or had any period since. My general anxiety has decreased so much after being on the pill and my overall mood. No side effects except maybe a small weight gain. Don’t let bad reviews put you off, this pill works for so many people, it changed me and my friends life for the better
Gained weight
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 1 - 3 mo
18 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 2 weeks 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 6 - 12 mo
21 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 1 month ago
I’ve been using Desogestrel for over 6 months now it’s the first pill I tried as I didn’t like the fact that the combined pill affected your blood pressure. I struggled with heavy periods, cramping and always hated when my period came around as I had to use heavy flow tampons/towels continuously for 5-6 days. Since going on the pill I haven’t noticed any unusual side effects I take it in the evening at about 9pm I wouldn’t recommend it if you have spot prone skin as I didn’t originally I haven’t noticed a difference other than small breakouts before my period is due however I know it can make others worse if you already have spots. It hasn’t changed my weight at all however it does increase your appetite so as long as you keep on top of it stay active and eat healthy it shouldn’t affect you either. I’m very sexually active with my partner and so far we have had no pregnancy scares and we don’t use condoms. Overall the pill has made my periods much lighter I tend to either not bleed or bleed very little and I no longer have any cramping. It does cause breakthrough bleeding occasionally so if you want to stay regular I wouldn’t recommend this pill. I’m really happy with my decision to go on this form of contraception,
Very positive mood
1 more effect
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 1 - 3 mo
18 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 29th Jan 26
Completely ruined my skin and gave me awful acne after already suffering with it for years. Also gave me horrible headaches and migraines. Would never recommend this to anyone.
Somewhat negative mood
2 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 1 - 3 mo
43 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 28th Jan 26
Been on Desogestrel for just over 3 months now, started October. Had a good run with no side effects until 6th Jan and have been spotting ever since with no sign of it stopping. Told by nurse it can take 3+ months for body to get used to it. Also have a big increase in spots on face, majority chin and neck but can be all over which is really annoying. Lower back pain and some cramps experienced also. Unsure how long I’ll leave it before asking GP to change as spotting everyday is a little annoying.
Worse skin
1 more effect
0 helpful
1 comments
Used for 1 - 3 mo
35 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 20th Jan 26
Hi everyone, I’ve been on Cerazette since October. Before that I had a Mirena coil, but I was bleeding constantly and had it removed after 10 months. First month on Cerazette was great period on time, only 4 days. Since then it’s been a mess: weeks of spotting short breaks a few days of bleeding then spotting again now spotting again with very sore breasts, which feels like another period starting My GP says to wait 6 months for things to settle, but I was told the same with Mirena and it never improved. I can’t use other hormonal methods and coils don’t suit me, so I’m really stuck. This constant bleeding/spotting is physically and mentally exhausting, and it’s affecting my relationship too. Did anyone actually see improvement on Cerazette? If yes, how long did it take? Or did you eventually have to stop? Thanks for any honest experiences.
Increased sex drive
1 more effect
2 helpful
1 comments
Used for 1 - 3 mo
20 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 30th Dec 25
it has helped massively with my cramps which is the reason i was put onto it. my tender breasts and spotting are what i have struggled with the most
Somewhat negative mood
1 more effect
0 helpful
3 comments
Used for 12 - 18 mo
42 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 17th Dec 25
My overall experience on this pill was a very negative one. I was on this pill for 12 months. I'm hoping to switch to the coil in January, still deciding which one, the copper or Mirena. I am 42 years old. On the mini pill I was emotional, very irritable and anxiety was through the roof. I could be okay one minute then the next I could flip a switch and be kicking off over minor things. I had racing thoughts most of the time which led me to be crying and causing my anxiety to be out of control. The spotting and breakthrough bleeding were horrendous which led to heavy clotting and sometimes it would happen unexpectingly. Sex most of the time wasn't happening due to this. The stomach cramps are so painful and because of this I felt unmotivated to do any hobbies and lost interest. I describe my hair as fine but I noticed it started to really thin and fall out which has led me to have low self-esteem and not wanting to engage in social events.
Very negative mood
1 more effect
1 helpful
0 comments
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
Slide into our DMs
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
