Desogestrel pill vs Cerelle pill
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Overview
Rated 2.7
421 reviews
Daily
Frequency
91% - 99+%
Effectiveness
None
Blood clot risk
None
Effect on fertility
Rated 2.8
326 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
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Check out our latest reviews
Real life reviews from people like you
Desogestrel pill reviews
421 reviews
Used for 1 - 3 mo
34 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• today
I started taking desogestrel for Endometriosis symptoms, I was having a lot of fatigue and thought I would try altering my hormones. I saw on the packet that the pill contained lactose but after a google search I was fairly confident that it was a low enough level to not affect me too much (I have had quite a lot of gut symptoms due to Endo and eliminated a few foods, lactose was one of them). After being on the pill for 3 months I was sure that the lactose has been causing some significant side effects, including less control over my bowels. Through an e-consult, I requested a version of the pill that didn't contain lactose. It turns out that there is not one single oral contraceptive pill that does not contain lactose! This is unbelievable to me and I believe there should be more awareness of this.
Somewhat negative mood
3 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
24 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 14th May 26
Not a good experience, lots of weight gain, more emotional/moody. cant wear contacts anymore
Somewhat negative mood
3 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 3 - 6 mo
29 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 5th May 26
I’d been off contraception for years and I wanted to go back on it as in a relationship and not TTC just yet. So far it seems to be okay th first 2 months was where i experienced most my symptoms mainly have settled sort from sex drive, headaches, no periods they still exist on month 5.
Somewhat negative mood
2 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 1 - 3 mo
34 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• today
I started taking desogestrel for Endometriosis symptoms, I was having a lot of fatigue and thought I would try altering my hormones. I saw on the packet that the pill contained lactose but after a google search I was fairly confident that it was a low enough level to not affect me too much (I have had quite a lot of gut symptoms due to Endo and eliminated a few foods, lactose was one of them). After being on the pill for 3 months I was sure that the lactose has been causing some significant side effects, including less control over my bowels. Through an e-consult, I requested a version of the pill that didn't contain lactose. It turns out that there is not one single oral contraceptive pill that does not contain lactose! This is unbelievable to me and I believe there should be more awareness of this.
Somewhat negative mood
3 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
24 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 14th May 26
Not a good experience, lots of weight gain, more emotional/moody. cant wear contacts anymore
Somewhat negative mood
3 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 3 - 6 mo
29 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 5th May 26
I’d been off contraception for years and I wanted to go back on it as in a relationship and not TTC just yet. So far it seems to be okay th first 2 months was where i experienced most my symptoms mainly have settled sort from sex drive, headaches, no periods they still exist on month 5.
Somewhat negative mood
2 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Cerelle pill reviews
326 reviews
Used for 1 - 3 mo
20 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 3 weeks ago
This is my second time using Cerelle and I’m about a month into it. The first time, about a year ago, I decided to stop using it because I was constantly bleeding. However this time round my periods seem to have stopped all together.
Worse skin
1 more effect
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 1 - 3 mo
20 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 3 weeks ago
This is my second time using Cerelle and I’m about a month into it. The first time, about a year ago, I decided to stop using it because I was constantly bleeding. However this time round my periods seem to have stopped all together.
Worse skin
1 more effect
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
Used for 3 - 5 yr
28 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 29th Nov 25
Somewhat positive mood
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 1 - 3 mo
28 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 19th Nov 25
I went on for 2 weeks, my skin went so oily and congested week 2. Constantly felt tired falling a sleep in the afternoon and unbelievably hungry. Probably gained 7 pounds in 2 weeks. But my skin was the worst part, it became unbelievable oily. It did chill me out but provably too much, i dont like to feel tired every day.
Somewhat negative mood
3 more effects
1 helpful
0 comments
Used for 3 - 6 mo
25 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 19th Oct 25
I have been using the pill for around 6 months and I keep getting irregular bleeding whilst taking the pill. I take my pill everyday but somehow seem to bleed anyway it’s not spotting as people say it’s heavier like a normal period. It changed my mood within seconds and keeps giving me my Period every 2-3 weeks.
Somewhat negative mood
1 more effect
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 12 - 18 mo
30 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 29th Sep 25
I had break through bleeding most weeks for my first 6 months of this pill, then everything was great, however for my final 5 months of the pill I bled again every single day. I decided to come off as it was negatively effecting my mood from the bleeding and also felt zero emotions towards sex or excitement - just felt generally 'meh'.
Decreased sex drive
1 more effect
2 helpful
0 comments
Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
28 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 24th Aug 25
Great pill been on and off twice for a few years, no side effects bar really really really tender and sore and sensitive breasts. I have such bad health anxiety and honestly this had my questioning if I needed to go to the doctors because of the scary big C that’s how sore and tender my breasts have been, can’t even lie on them.
Somewhat positive mood
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 3 - 6 mo
17 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 13th Aug 25
I was taking the contraception to stop painful periods or although I wasn’t any physical pain, my mental health went in freefall.
Very negative mood
2 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
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