Lovima pill vs Desogestrel pill
Need help choosing? Speak to a doctor
£From £0.31/day
£From £0.20/day
Overview
Rated 2.7
7 reviews
Daily
Frequency
91% - 99+%
Effectiveness
None
Blood clot risk
None
Effect on fertility
Rated 2.7
359 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 £0.31/day
Try it now
£From £0.20/day
Check out our latest reviews
Real life reviews from people like you
Lovima pill reviews
7 reviews
Used for 6 - 12 mo
28 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 9th May 24
First few weeks were lovely, no noticeable side effects. Then came the breakthrough bleeding which didn't stop for months on end and still continues to this day at a minimal level. Couldn't fault this pill otherwise but the breakthrough bleeding is a major inconvenience and almost defeats the point of being on a form of BC. Breasts became slightly more enlarged and occasional lower back pains. I just wasn't one of the lucky ones for which bleeding stops completely. Periods are much lighter though but more drawn out. My usual 4-5 days are now 7-9 and that's not counting the daily spotting. It's been good as a temporary measure but I'll be glad to be off Lovima when the time is right because predictable periods >>> unpredictable spotting.
Gained weight
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 6 - 12 mo
28 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 2nd Apr 24
Lovima has essentially stopped my periods, with rare spotting for 1-2 days (hardly requires a pantyliner), but mostly these only come if I have been late taking a pill (less than 12 hours late but more than 6ish hours late). My mood is definitely slightly better, I noticed it especially after > 6 months. Less side effects than a combined pill so honestly would recommend.
Top side effects not reported
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 3 - 6 mo
21 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 24th Mar 24
I have found that the mini pill just doesn’t work for me. I’ve been on it 3-4 months and I thought by now I’d be used to it. I have been pretty much non-stop bleeding/spotting for around 2 months now and my mood has been awful. I am in the process of changing to the copper IUD as I’ve seen better reviews for this. Only positive I’ve found is that it covers me for 12 hours so if I miss one I just take it again when I remember
Somewhat negative mood
0 helpful
1 comments
Used for 6 - 12 mo
28 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 9th May 24
First few weeks were lovely, no noticeable side effects. Then came the breakthrough bleeding which didn't stop for months on end and still continues to this day at a minimal level. Couldn't fault this pill otherwise but the breakthrough bleeding is a major inconvenience and almost defeats the point of being on a form of BC. Breasts became slightly more enlarged and occasional lower back pains. I just wasn't one of the lucky ones for which bleeding stops completely. Periods are much lighter though but more drawn out. My usual 4-5 days are now 7-9 and that's not counting the daily spotting. It's been good as a temporary measure but I'll be glad to be off Lovima when the time is right because predictable periods >>> unpredictable spotting.
Gained weight
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 6 - 12 mo
28 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 2nd Apr 24
Lovima has essentially stopped my periods, with rare spotting for 1-2 days (hardly requires a pantyliner), but mostly these only come if I have been late taking a pill (less than 12 hours late but more than 6ish hours late). My mood is definitely slightly better, I noticed it especially after > 6 months. Less side effects than a combined pill so honestly would recommend.
Top side effects not reported
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 3 - 6 mo
21 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 24th Mar 24
I have found that the mini pill just doesn’t work for me. I’ve been on it 3-4 months and I thought by now I’d be used to it. I have been pretty much non-stop bleeding/spotting for around 2 months now and my mood has been awful. I am in the process of changing to the copper IUD as I’ve seen better reviews for this. Only positive I’ve found is that it covers me for 12 hours so if I miss one I just take it again when I remember
Somewhat negative mood
0 helpful
1 comments
Desogestrel pill reviews
359 reviews
Used for 1 - 3 mo
31 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 4 days ago
Was put on this to help with my severe period pains. It has helped but I'm not sure it's worth it with the side effects. I can honestly say I am depressed. I have zero motivation, zero energy, zero inclination to do anything I used to enjoy. My sex drive has disappeared it doesn't matter because I've bled for the majority of the time I've been taking it. I want to stop but my GP won't try me on anything else until I've been on this for 3 months.
Somewhat negative mood
2 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 6 - 12 mo
40 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 4 days ago
I have been taking Desogestral for just over 6 months. It took 3-4 months of irregular bleeding/spotting before my periods seem to have stopped completely. I do notice that I have had several occurrences of thrush along with weight gain/increased hunger, tender breasts and occasional period like cramping without bleeding. Mood overall has been slightly lower and feel like I am prone to pms symptoms still (teary, low mood) at the time I would have previously been due on. Had been off contraception for several years as combined pill previously contributed to anxiety/depression. Wanted something to control v heavy periods and not impact mood greatly and this seems to be working so far despite some unwanted side effects
Somewhat negative mood
2 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 3 - 6 mo
46 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 5 days ago
Awful , periods went on for 16-28 days over 3 months. Decided to stop taking this totally as it was awful. Don’t recommend at all.
Very negative mood
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 1 - 3 mo
31 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 4 days ago
Was put on this to help with my severe period pains. It has helped but I'm not sure it's worth it with the side effects. I can honestly say I am depressed. I have zero motivation, zero energy, zero inclination to do anything I used to enjoy. My sex drive has disappeared it doesn't matter because I've bled for the majority of the time I've been taking it. I want to stop but my GP won't try me on anything else until I've been on this for 3 months.
Somewhat negative mood
2 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 6 - 12 mo
40 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 4 days ago
I have been taking Desogestral for just over 6 months. It took 3-4 months of irregular bleeding/spotting before my periods seem to have stopped completely. I do notice that I have had several occurrences of thrush along with weight gain/increased hunger, tender breasts and occasional period like cramping without bleeding. Mood overall has been slightly lower and feel like I am prone to pms symptoms still (teary, low mood) at the time I would have previously been due on. Had been off contraception for several years as combined pill previously contributed to anxiety/depression. Wanted something to control v heavy periods and not impact mood greatly and this seems to be working so far despite some unwanted side effects
Somewhat negative mood
2 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 3 - 6 mo
46 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 5 days ago
Awful , periods went on for 16-28 days over 3 months. Decided to stop taking this totally as it was awful. Don’t recommend at all.
Very negative mood
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 3 - 6 mo
20 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 3 weeks ago
I started taking the minipill about 6 months ago because of my really heavy and painful periods. And the first three months I still had my period, but it did get a lot lighter and less painful. The last 3 months I've had no period except for a week of spotting. My mood has become more stable, I used to become almost depressed before my period. I do however become nauseaus a lot faster especially if I'm stressed, I have lost 5 kg almost because of that. I don't think this is the best contraceptive, but I do like that it only contains one type of hormone and that I don't have my period anymore. But I'm not planning on taking it for a very long time.
Somewhat positive mood
1 more effect
0 helpful
1 comments
Used for 3 - 6 mo
22 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 13th Aug 24
Started this pill as I had horrendous migraines on Rigevidon. Was excited to start the mini pill and to not have bleeds in between pills but was I wrong. The first 5 months I’ve had random bleeding- which I expected (but not for over a week straight) I’ve also been heavily dizzy, nauseous and have had 0 sex drive which has affected my relationship heavily.
Somewhat negative mood
3 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 8+ yr
32 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 6th Aug 24
Hugely helped with period pains (no periods!). Has evened out any emotional changes - I feel very stable. No nausea like with the combined pill. Lost weight (as well as boob!) but unsure if that's compared to when I was on combined pill or baseline.
Somewhat positive mood
1 more effect
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 1 - 3 mo
18 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 17th Jul 24
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
Used for 3 - 6 mo
20 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 16th Jul 24
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
Used for 3 - 6 mo
20 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 30th Jun 24
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
Used for 6 - 12 mo
25 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 26th Jun 24
This is the first time I’ve tried the mini pill after using the combined pill since I was 15 (until 18), the hormonal coil (18-22) and then experiencing my adult body for around 3 months with no hormones. After this contraceptive break, I fell pregnant and had a really rough abortion. After this experience I was terrified of this happening again and noticed my weight had increased due to pregnancy and my moods were really up and down in the last 6-8 weeks. After speaking to a doctor I got given this pill due to optical migraines and high risk of stroke. It was fine for the first few weeks and got used to it very quick, however, I noticed an insane decrease in sex drive. I never think about sex now and it’s really hard to get in the mood, this had led to me getting too in my head during sex and ruining it for me, a constant cycle!! Recently I’ve also became really irritable and short tempered which is very out of character for me. *Really important note* that I’ve not seen in many reviews!! After a quarterly checkup with the nurse she told me this pill is one of the worst for weight gain!! Saying that basically no matter how much of a calorie deficit you’re in/how active you are, you’re going to gain some weigh. Wasn’t informed about this prior to prescription. For context I was 69kg prior to taking this pill and in 6 months I’ve gained 11kg without changing my diet and increasing my cardio and general exercise. Apart from this the pros are no periods, very minimal cramps. I’m leaving this (very long) review to help anyone else who’s using this or considering it, like other reviews say, it really depends on you and unfortunately you’ll never know how these things affect you until you try. To help some sisters out, I’m now considering the copper coil as I’m missing having periods (sounds crazy I know) and really want a non-hormonal option
Somewhat negative mood
3 more effects
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