Desogestrel pill vs Cerazette pill

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Desogestrel pill

£From £0.20/day

Cerazette pill

£From £0.24/day

Overview

Rated 2.7

353 reviews

Daily

Frequency

91% - 99+%

Effectiveness

None

Blood clot risk

None

Effect on fertility

Rated 2.6

396 reviews

Daily

Frequency

91% - 99+%

Effectiveness

None

Blood clot risk

None

Effect on fertility

Desogestrel pill ingredients

Main hormones in Desogestrel pill

Less-Androgenic progestogen


Cerazette pill ingredients

Main hormones in Cerazette pill

Less-Androgenic progestogen

What Lowdown reviewers say

33% somewhat negative

42% stopped periods

55% lost sex drive

43% no impact

45% no impact on skin

Cycle return

40% don’t know impact

32% somewhat negative

51% stopped periods

54% lost sex drive

44% no impact

41% no impact on skin

Cycle return

34% don’t know impact

Benefits: What this contraceptive can help with

Period pain

Period pain

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£From £0.20/day

Try it now

£From £0.24/day

Check out our latest reviews

Real life reviews from people like you

Desogestrel pill reviews

353 reviews

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

Desogestrel pill  

I have only been on this pill for around 2 months however my side effects have been so drastic in this time period. My mood is unstable and I have become more irritable and quick to be upset, as for periods they have been irregular and my cramps have been the same if not worse than before i started contraception.

Read more

Very negative mood

2 more effects

0 helpful

0 comments

Progestogen-only / Mini pill  
Used for 3 - 6 mo
20 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  2 weeks ago

Desogestrel pill  

it’s really good, like that there’s no estrogen and doesn’t make me feel like i’m going crazy. only annoying thing is the loss of sex drive but that’s something i work through with my partner


Decreased sex drive

0 helpful

0 comments

Progestogen-only / Mini pill  
Used for 3 - 6 mo
20 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  1 month ago

Desogestrel pill  

This was my first time using a hormonal contraception method and was given this by my doctor to start with. I persevered for 3-4 months but experienced continuous medium break through bleeding that didn’t show any sign of stopping. At this point my sex drive had disappeared and I switched over to a combined pill which I now have a much better time with.


Decreased sex drive

0 helpful

0 comments

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

Desogestrel pill  

I have only been on this pill for around 2 months however my side effects have been so drastic in this time period. My mood is unstable and I have become more irritable and quick to be upset, as for periods they have been irregular and my cramps have been the same if not worse than before i started contraception.


Very negative mood

2 more effects

0 helpful

0 comments

Progestogen-only / Mini pill  
Used for 3 - 6 mo
20 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  2 weeks ago

Desogestrel pill  

it’s really good, like that there’s no estrogen and doesn’t make me feel like i’m going crazy. only annoying thing is the loss of sex drive but that’s something i work through with my partner


Decreased sex drive

0 helpful

0 comments

Progestogen-only / Mini pill  
Used for 3 - 6 mo
20 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  1 month ago

Desogestrel pill  

This was my first time using a hormonal contraception method and was given this by my doctor to start with. I persevered for 3-4 months but experienced continuous medium break through bleeding that didn’t show any sign of stopping. At this point my sex drive had disappeared and I switched over to a combined pill which I now have a much better time with.


Decreased sex drive

0 helpful

0 comments


Cerazette pill reviews

396 reviews

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

Cerazette pill  

I had breakthrough bleeding every day for almost 6 months starting from the day after my first pill. Sometimes heavy like a period but mainly spotting but it never stopped. Eventually the nurse advised it’s probably not for me and told me to stop taking it. It gave me no other negative effects but I thought that was negative enough!


Top side effects not reported

0 helpful

0 comments

Progestogen-only / Mini pill  
Used for 3 - 6 mo
29 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  3 weeks ago

Cerazette pill  

Since beginning this pill I have been strictly observing my weight and other side effects. Other birth control methods were unsuitable for me as I experience migraines. So far, I have had minimal side effects and have not noticed any impact on my mood or weight. I have had some small spots appear on my chin, I feel my breasts have gotten a little bit bigger (but I have actually lost weight since starting cerazette). I have had irregular bleeding/periods as the hormones are settling into my system, which has been annoying for myself and for my partner but better than the alternative, which is the point in taking the pill anyway. So far I'm happy to have chosen Cerazette and hope this will continue.


Worse skin

1 more effect

0 helpful

0 comments

Progestogen-only / Mini pill  
Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
22 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  22nd Jun 24

Cerazette pill  

Was great for 2 years, no side effects. Then after 2 years was getting very irregular bleeding even though you get no periods on this pill. That is why I stopped using it.


Top side effects not reported

0 helpful

0 comments

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

Cerazette pill  

I had breakthrough bleeding every day for almost 6 months starting from the day after my first pill. Sometimes heavy like a period but mainly spotting but it never stopped. Eventually the nurse advised it’s probably not for me and told me to stop taking it. It gave me no other negative effects but I thought that was negative enough!


Top side effects not reported

0 helpful

0 comments

Progestogen-only / Mini pill  
Used for 3 - 6 mo
29 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  3 weeks ago

Cerazette pill  

Since beginning this pill I have been strictly observing my weight and other side effects. Other birth control methods were unsuitable for me as I experience migraines. So far, I have had minimal side effects and have not noticed any impact on my mood or weight. I have had some small spots appear on my chin, I feel my breasts have gotten a little bit bigger (but I have actually lost weight since starting cerazette). I have had irregular bleeding/periods as the hormones are settling into my system, which has been annoying for myself and for my partner but better than the alternative, which is the point in taking the pill anyway. So far I'm happy to have chosen Cerazette and hope this will continue.


Worse skin

1 more effect

0 helpful

0 comments

Progestogen-only / Mini pill  
Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
22 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  22nd Jun 24

Cerazette pill  

Was great for 2 years, no side effects. Then after 2 years was getting very irregular bleeding even though you get no periods on this pill. That is why I stopped using it.


Top side effects not reported

0 helpful

0 comments

Progestogen-only / Mini pill  
Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
32 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  13th Jun 24

Cerazette pill  

Took it for 2 years. It numbed and blunted my feelings and led to outbursts because I wasn’t aware I was feeling bad in the first place. Had a terrible effect on my ADHD and made my meds much less effective, leading to massive burn out. I was sooo depressed and angry, and couldn’t figure out why. I had a light period non stop!!! I started getting the worst acne, which I found out was hormonal acne. This was what prompted me to stop! And I’m so glad I did!!! Using a combined pill with some estrogen right now and it’s been a total game changer!


Very negative mood

2 more effects

0 helpful

0 comments

Progestogen-only / Mini pill  
Used for 5 - 8 yr
44 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  21st May 24

Cerazette pill  

I used this pill for my mental and physical health. I had debilitating periods for years along with servere mood swings. This has helped a lot along side using Sertraline


Somewhat positive mood

1 more effect

0 helpful

0 comments

Progestogen-only / Mini pill  
Used for 1 - 3 mo
26 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  20th May 24

Cerazette pill  

Was really anxious about taking these after coming off rigevidon however I’m pleasantly surprised. Minor spotting episodes during the first few months of taking but not bothersome. My skin and hair are oilier but not unmanageable. No more intense period pains or heavy bleeding.


Somewhat positive mood

1 more effect

0 helpful

0 comments

Progestogen-only / Mini pill  
Used for 12 - 18 mo
30 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  15th May 24

Cerazette pill  

I actually really loved the Cerazette mini pill. It basically stopped my periods, so pretty amazing because my period cramps are unbearable. I was really sad when I had to stop taking it but I just couldn't deal with the extreme acne it gave me. It started about 3 weeks after starting Cerazette and it vanished within a couple months of stopping it so I am 100 percent sure it was this pill. I have never before or since had acne at all (apart from when I was a teenager eons ago, but basically I am not someone who ever has it). I am waiting for a mini pill that will not give me acne, meanwhile I make due with the combined pill.


Somewhat positive mood

2 more effects

0 helpful

0 comments

Progestogen-only / Mini pill  
Used for 8+ yr
36 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  14th May 24

Cerazette pill  

I used Cerazette for 15 years and didn't really think about it, which is a testament to how few notable side effects I had. Worked effectively, and didn't hugely affect my appearance (skin or weight) which was very important to me when I began taking it at 21. However, I suffered from headaches / migraines almost weekly which I never connected to Cerazette until I stopped taking it, and since then they've gone completely (it's now been almost a year since I last took a pill). I've also got so much more energy, and my libido came back as soon as I got my periods back. Overall, if you can't take the combined pill and want a hormonal option, I really would recommend it, but be mindful that some side effects might come on slowly over years.


Somewhat negative mood

2 more effects

0 helpful

0 comments

Progestogen-only / Mini pill  
Used for 6 - 12 mo
26 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  10th May 24

Cerazette pill  

I was on this contraception for 12 months and didn't notice any negative side effects. I have heavy periods with pain and after a few months of using the mini pill these mostly stopped which was a great benefit. I have listed weight gain as a symptom however I would not attribute this to the pill and more to unrelated health reasons. Ordered through The Lowdown which I found easy to do. Where possible I prefer not to go through the NHS for cost reasons/hope those who really need their services get them and the Lowdown offered a great alternative.


Gained weight

0 helpful

0 comments

Progestogen-only / Mini pill  
Used for 6 - 12 mo
40 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  7th May 24

Cerazette pill  

I took this on and off during covid 19 then had a break then went back Oct 2023. The first time around it was amazing no unwanted side effects, very effective. I took a break because I was not sexually active. When I went back on it in Oct 2023 my experience was the complete opposite. The 1st month was fine then I had constant spotting for the nextnear 2 months I could not cope with it and eventually stopped taking it. Then my period did not show up for a month but eventually came back.


Top side effects not reported

0 helpful

0 comments

Contraceptive alternatives and comparisons

Compare the Desogestrel pill with other contraceptives

Compare the Cerazette pill with other contraceptives

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