Micronor pill vs Desogestrel pill
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Overview
Rated 3.0
6 reviews
Daily
Frequency
91% - 99+%
Effectiveness
None
Blood clot risk
None
Effect on fertility
Rated 2.6
363 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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Real life reviews from people like you
Micronor pill reviews
6 reviews
Used for 3 - 6 mo
Lowdown user
🇬🇧 UK
• 22nd Feb 23
I am currently on Norethindrone and i do not recommend it. I have been eating healthy and trying to stay active. I have gained a total of 7lb in the last 3 months. It does not matter what diet i am on. I keep gaining weight. I also got mild headaches in the beginning. My breast are super tender and they feel larger. My appetite has increased a lot from being on this pill. I am planning on no longer taking this mini pill.
Somewhat negative mood
1 more effect
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 6 - 12 mo
Lowdown user
🇬🇧 UK
• 21st Mar 21
This medication improved my skin and stopped my periods and I didn’t get pregnant so it definitely went above and beyond it’s job. However, I’ve gained 15 pounds thus far and it seems like thats continuing to go up. I will likely stop taking it soon for that reason alone. Otherwise, it’s been the perfect experience of birth control.
Gained weight
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 5 - 8 yr
Lowdown user
🇬🇧 UK
• 26th Sep 19
This has worked well for me for years, no side effects (I already had migraines) and it reduced and lightened my periods.
Top side effects not reported
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 3 - 6 mo
Lowdown user
🇬🇧 UK
• 22nd Feb 23
I am currently on Norethindrone and i do not recommend it. I have been eating healthy and trying to stay active. I have gained a total of 7lb in the last 3 months. It does not matter what diet i am on. I keep gaining weight. I also got mild headaches in the beginning. My breast are super tender and they feel larger. My appetite has increased a lot from being on this pill. I am planning on no longer taking this mini pill.
Somewhat negative mood
1 more effect
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 6 - 12 mo
Lowdown user
🇬🇧 UK
• 21st Mar 21
This medication improved my skin and stopped my periods and I didn’t get pregnant so it definitely went above and beyond it’s job. However, I’ve gained 15 pounds thus far and it seems like thats continuing to go up. I will likely stop taking it soon for that reason alone. Otherwise, it’s been the perfect experience of birth control.
Gained weight
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 5 - 8 yr
Lowdown user
🇬🇧 UK
• 26th Sep 19
This has worked well for me for years, no side effects (I already had migraines) and it reduced and lightened my periods.
Top side effects not reported
0 helpful
0 comments
Desogestrel pill reviews
363 reviews
Used for 6 - 12 mo
Lowdown user
🇬🇧 UK
• 1 month ago
I started the POP because I had a few migraines with auras on the combined pill and had to stop this. When I started the mini-pill my periods became very irregular. However, I went on the combined pill in the first place because of my irregular cycle so this may just be me. I have noticed my periods are lighter but I never had heavy periods anyway. I have had a few cases of spotting for 2-3weeks after getting my period but this hopefully seems to have settled now after 5/6 months and I get a 3-5 day light period. My skin flared up with bad hormonal acne about 3/4months after I started taking the POP and hasn’t gotten any better. Another reason why I went on the combined pill initially was to help with acne so I feel this has regressed since starting the mini-pill. Also, I have had some horrific cramping at random times. A couple of times has been a whole week of painful cramps but again this hopefully seems to have settled down a bit after about 7/8 months of taking the POP. Overall, I’m not happy with the side effects I’m experiencing, especially my skin, and am considering trying the hormonal coil, but will give it a full year on the POP to see if my body starts to settle.
Somewhat negative mood
1 more effect
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 6 - 12 mo
Lowdown user
🇬🇧 UK
• 31st Oct 24
I really wanted to like Desogestrel. Initially, my skin was the worst - so oily and immediately broke out in painful acne. This quickly subsided after about 2 weeks. For 3 months, my breasts were so enlarged and sore all the time. I noticed around the 3 month mark that I was experiencing vaginal dryness too. My periods have been totally irregular - since starting Desogestrel in May I've had 10 periods. Many of these were trigged by intercourse. The volume of blood and the level of pain was variable for every period, making it hard to predict. The final straw for me was I started losing my hair around the 5-6 month mark. My hair is noticeably thinner on top and the ends are ruined / look awful. The only positive for me has been that it made me more energetic and have a better / more even mood. It did has not affected my sex drive and I gained a negligible amount of weight.
Somewhat positive mood
2 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 1 - 3 mo
Lowdown user
🇬🇧 UK
• 20th Oct 24
I was prescribed generic Desogestrel mini pill to treat my adenomyosis. I was only on it for a couple of weeks, but I couldn't cope with the symptoms. Daily bleeding and bloating but more worryingly, horrendous nausea, dizziness and migraines. Also had swollen tender enlarged breasts.
Very negative mood
1 more effect
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 6 - 12 mo
Lowdown user
🇬🇧 UK
• 1 month ago
I started the POP because I had a few migraines with auras on the combined pill and had to stop this. When I started the mini-pill my periods became very irregular. However, I went on the combined pill in the first place because of my irregular cycle so this may just be me. I have noticed my periods are lighter but I never had heavy periods anyway. I have had a few cases of spotting for 2-3weeks after getting my period but this hopefully seems to have settled now after 5/6 months and I get a 3-5 day light period. My skin flared up with bad hormonal acne about 3/4months after I started taking the POP and hasn’t gotten any better. Another reason why I went on the combined pill initially was to help with acne so I feel this has regressed since starting the mini-pill. Also, I have had some horrific cramping at random times. A couple of times has been a whole week of painful cramps but again this hopefully seems to have settled down a bit after about 7/8 months of taking the POP. Overall, I’m not happy with the side effects I’m experiencing, especially my skin, and am considering trying the hormonal coil, but will give it a full year on the POP to see if my body starts to settle.
Somewhat negative mood
1 more effect
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 6 - 12 mo
Lowdown user
🇬🇧 UK
• 31st Oct 24
I really wanted to like Desogestrel. Initially, my skin was the worst - so oily and immediately broke out in painful acne. This quickly subsided after about 2 weeks. For 3 months, my breasts were so enlarged and sore all the time. I noticed around the 3 month mark that I was experiencing vaginal dryness too. My periods have been totally irregular - since starting Desogestrel in May I've had 10 periods. Many of these were trigged by intercourse. The volume of blood and the level of pain was variable for every period, making it hard to predict. The final straw for me was I started losing my hair around the 5-6 month mark. My hair is noticeably thinner on top and the ends are ruined / look awful. The only positive for me has been that it made me more energetic and have a better / more even mood. It did has not affected my sex drive and I gained a negligible amount of weight.
Somewhat positive mood
2 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 1 - 3 mo
Lowdown user
🇬🇧 UK
• 20th Oct 24
I was prescribed generic Desogestrel mini pill to treat my adenomyosis. I was only on it for a couple of weeks, but I couldn't cope with the symptoms. Daily bleeding and bloating but more worryingly, horrendous nausea, dizziness and migraines. Also had swollen tender enlarged breasts.
Very negative mood
1 more effect
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 1 - 3 mo
Lowdown user
🇬🇧 UK
• 14th Oct 24
This desogestrol progesterone only pill was recommended to me during a specialist appointment for severe Menorrhagia, I also have endometriosis. On the first day of taking I did not notice any symptoms, on the second day my whole abdomen from side to side became painful, tender and swollen, same on day three and four progressively becoming worse. On day three and four I was getting pins and needles in both my hands intermittently. I felt nauseous on day two, three and four (this became constant from day three to four) and had some dizzy spells on both days too. I also experienced tender breasts from day 1 to 4. I exercise well everyday and noticed I was sweating more than usual and breathless after exertion, a lot more than usual. My sex drive changed because of the side effects I think. I stopped taking this medication after the fourth tablet because the side effects were so bad.
Somewhat negative mood
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 1 - 3 mo
Lowdown user
🇬🇧 UK
• 10th Oct 24
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
Lowdown user
🇬🇧 UK
• 9th Oct 24
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
Lowdown user
🇬🇧 UK
• 8th Oct 24
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
Lowdown user
🇬🇧 UK
• 25th Sep 24
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
Lowdown user
🇬🇧 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
Lowdown user
🇬🇧 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
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