Norgeston pill vs Desogestrel pill

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Norgeston pill

£From £0.16/day

Desogestrel pill

£From £0.16/day

Overview

Rated 2.7

49 reviews

Daily

Frequency

91% - 99+%

Effectiveness

None

Blood clot risk

None

Effect on fertility

Rated 2.6

326 reviews

Daily

Frequency

91% - 99+%

Effectiveness

None

Blood clot risk

None

Effect on fertility

Norgeston pill ingredients

Main hormones in Norgeston pill

Androgenic progestogen


Desogestrel pill ingredients

Main hormones in Desogestrel pill

Less-Androgenic progestogen

What Lowdown reviewers say

Benefits: What this contraceptive can help with

Period pain

Period pain

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£From £0.16/day

Check out our latest reviews

Real life reviews from people like you

Norgeston pill reviews

49 reviews

Used for 3 - 6 mo
51 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  9th Nov 23

  •  Still using

I was on Cerelle for 6 mths which was not working out for me as I had prolonged, frequent irregular periods on it. The doctor suggested changing to Norgeston and it has been great. I have been on it now for 5 months and my periods, although not regular (actually there has been a slightly longer gap between periods, which is nice) have been back to normal length of around 6 days long. In fact better than normal as I’d been getting very heavy periods possibly due to me being perimenopausal. I’ve got lighter periods now that don’t come as often with no bad side effects. Also, a good side effect is that I don’t get feelings of depresssion any more before my period like I used to when not on the pill. I did have a blip recently with bleeding - but it’s because I missed a pill and I bled for 20 days, so I asked my doctor and they told me to take 2 pills a day until the bleeding had stopped for 7 days and this has worked. I recommend this pill!

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Top side effects not reported

0 helpful

2 comments

Used for 1 - 3 mo
26 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  4th Oct 23

  •  Stopped using

This hormone made me suicidal. I was trialling it for 3 months as I intended to get the mirena coil but wanted to see how I reacted to the specific hormone before I had it more permanently in my system. All day every day all I could think about was killing myself. I felt miserable and severely depressed. I started getting spots on my face and chest, one of my breasts is still slightly larger than the other since taking and stopping this medication (past them being sisters not twins level of different). The low mood wasn't noticeable to me until I'd run out of the 3 months script and couldn't get any more for a while. Within days I felt miles better. My period had been stopped already by my cerazette usage, and it didn't return while I was taking Norgeston. Absolutely I would recommend trying Norgeston before committing to the Mirena coil, if I hadn't I'm not entirely sure I'd still be here!


Top side effects not reported

1 helpful

0 comments

Used for 3 - 6 mo
24 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  26th Aug 23

  •  Still using

I can’t describe how happy I am to have found this pill after being put on about 5 different combined pills, both types of coil and the implant and having horrendous side effects. The only side effects I’ve had with this was a little spotting when first starting, and now I have normal regular periods. My skin, mood, tiredness etc has not changed at all. This has the same hormones as the kyleena implant so maybe avoid if you’ve tried that and didn’t get on with it. Couldn’t recommend this pill enough if you’ve tried multiple methods and none of them seem to be working for you!


Top side effects not reported

4 helpful

0 comments

Used for 3 - 6 mo
51 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  9th Nov 23

  •  Still using

I was on Cerelle for 6 mths which was not working out for me as I had prolonged, frequent irregular periods on it. The doctor suggested changing to Norgeston and it has been great. I have been on it now for 5 months and my periods, although not regular (actually there has been a slightly longer gap between periods, which is nice) have been back to normal length of around 6 days long. In fact better than normal as I’d been getting very heavy periods possibly due to me being perimenopausal. I’ve got lighter periods now that don’t come as often with no bad side effects. Also, a good side effect is that I don’t get feelings of depresssion any more before my period like I used to when not on the pill. I did have a blip recently with bleeding - but it’s because I missed a pill and I bled for 20 days, so I asked my doctor and they told me to take 2 pills a day until the bleeding had stopped for 7 days and this has worked. I recommend this pill!


Top side effects not reported

0 helpful

2 comments

Used for 1 - 3 mo
26 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  4th Oct 23

  •  Stopped using

This hormone made me suicidal. I was trialling it for 3 months as I intended to get the mirena coil but wanted to see how I reacted to the specific hormone before I had it more permanently in my system. All day every day all I could think about was killing myself. I felt miserable and severely depressed. I started getting spots on my face and chest, one of my breasts is still slightly larger than the other since taking and stopping this medication (past them being sisters not twins level of different). The low mood wasn't noticeable to me until I'd run out of the 3 months script and couldn't get any more for a while. Within days I felt miles better. My period had been stopped already by my cerazette usage, and it didn't return while I was taking Norgeston. Absolutely I would recommend trying Norgeston before committing to the Mirena coil, if I hadn't I'm not entirely sure I'd still be here!


Top side effects not reported

1 helpful

0 comments

Used for 3 - 6 mo
24 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  26th Aug 23

  •  Still using

I can’t describe how happy I am to have found this pill after being put on about 5 different combined pills, both types of coil and the implant and having horrendous side effects. The only side effects I’ve had with this was a little spotting when first starting, and now I have normal regular periods. My skin, mood, tiredness etc has not changed at all. This has the same hormones as the kyleena implant so maybe avoid if you’ve tried that and didn’t get on with it. Couldn’t recommend this pill enough if you’ve tried multiple methods and none of them seem to be working for you!


Top side effects not reported

4 helpful

0 comments


Desogestrel pill reviews

326 reviews

Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
29 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  3 weeks ago

  •  Still using

Completely stopped periods. Noticed mental health effects and loss of libido quite severely after starting using this pill.


Top side effects not reported

0 helpful

0 comments

Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
35 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  3 weeks ago

  •  Stopped using

After being informed by my doctor that I could no longer use the combination pill, I felt pressured (and ill informed ) to move onto the mini pill. My sex drive was non existent and I it affected my mood dramatically. It was almost as bad as the implant side effects I had years before.


Top side effects not reported

0 helpful

0 comments

Used for 3 - 6 mo
28 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  27th Feb 24

  •  Stopped using

After I had my first child I was given the option of taking the mini pill while I was breastfeeding. Unfortunately for me I suffered with symptoms of vaginal dryness , erratic mood changes which led into post natal depression and experienced light spotting. I really didn’t like how the pill was making me feel and I just wanted to try a natural method whilst I continue to breastfeed. Which is why I started to use condoms and Family planning methods.


Top side effects not reported

0 helpful

0 comments

Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
29 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  3 weeks ago

  •  Still using

Completely stopped periods. Noticed mental health effects and loss of libido quite severely after starting using this pill.


Top side effects not reported

0 helpful

0 comments

Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
35 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  3 weeks ago

  •  Stopped using

After being informed by my doctor that I could no longer use the combination pill, I felt pressured (and ill informed ) to move onto the mini pill. My sex drive was non existent and I it affected my mood dramatically. It was almost as bad as the implant side effects I had years before.


Top side effects not reported

0 helpful

0 comments

Used for 3 - 6 mo
28 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  27th Feb 24

  •  Stopped using

After I had my first child I was given the option of taking the mini pill while I was breastfeeding. Unfortunately for me I suffered with symptoms of vaginal dryness , erratic mood changes which led into post natal depression and experienced light spotting. I really didn’t like how the pill was making me feel and I just wanted to try a natural method whilst I continue to breastfeed. Which is why I started to use condoms and Family planning methods.


Top side effects not reported

0 helpful

0 comments

Used for 1 - 3 mo
21 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  8th Feb 24

  •  Stopped using

I bled for 10 solid weeks. Sometimes, it would be very heavy and sometimes light, but I never stopped completely.


Top side effects not reported

0 helpful

0 comments

Used for 8+ yr
35 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  7th Feb 24

  •  Still using

Hi


Top side effects not reported

0 helpful

0 comments

Used for 3 - 6 mo
30 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  26th Jan 24

  •  Stopped using

If you are prone to acne or have depression, I would it advise trying this pill. Started it August 2023 and by October I was very depressed, but it hadn’t occurred to me at that point that it could have been caused by this pill. After that depressive episode ended after a week to two weeks my mood has stayed generally low, also very emotional pretty much all the time and quicker to anger/become frustrated. Also began breaking out in spot in November and am still experiencing this now (January 2024), however I did only change from this pill to another two days ago. Have also experience a significant loss of sex drive, although that could be because I’ve been so down and sometime anxious. Finally, a last, weird one (that I can’t be sure was caused by this pill but would be very interested in hearing if anyone else has experienced this while on this or another hormonal contraception). In September last year I began to feel an aching exactly where period cramps are felt and thought it was just that, because of my body adjusting to this new pill. I then woke up a couple of nights later to extreme cramping in my lower abdomen and then almost passed out on the toilet. Tunnel vision, sudden pins and needles in my hands/arms, cold sweat over my entire body, etc. called 111 because I thought I was having some extreme reaction to the new pill, saw an out of hours GP who said it probably hadn’t been caused by this pill, which I accepted. Had, sometimes very, painful, aching in my lower abdomen after every meal then for a week after. Believed by the end it had to have been gastroenteritis. Fast forward four months and last weekend I had the same aching happen the day before, the following night I wake up again with the same extreme aching, then upset stomach, and finally the almost fainting spell again. It then continued in the same pattern as last time, with bad aching after meals for the next few days after. Like I said, I can’t definitively say those two episodes were caused by this pill but am truly hoping it never happens again now I’ve changed back to a combined.


Top side effects not reported

1 helpful

1 comments

Used for 6 - 12 mo
30 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  21st Jan 24

  •  Still using

The first three months were very positive, however, since then I have gained weight, become extremely emotional and my anxiety and mood changes increased. I had a heavy period every two weeks and spotting in between. I am now changing pills as advice from a doctor


Top side effects not reported

2 helpful

0 comments

Used for 3 - 5 yr
26 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  12th Jan 24

  •  Stopped using

I had been taking the mini pill for close to 3 years when I stopped taking it (which is actually today at the time of writing!). I've been on a pill of some kind for going on 6 years and was moved to the mini pill after getting migraines with aura. This pill initially was amazing, it stopped my periods completely, stopped my headaches and lifted my mood - the latter two had been negatively impacted by taking the combined pill previously. However, my symptoms took a turn and it's since caused me to come off hormonal contraception altogether. I went from having no period for 9 months to having totally irregular, long and drawn out periods that would literally last weeks at a time. I'd finish one and start another one a few days later and it really started to bring me down. My acne has also really increased in recent years, to the point that I am now too self conscious to leave the house without makeup. My sex drive decreased and I suddenly started getting vaginal dryness, which has impacted my sex life with my partner. Add to that the tender and enlarged breasts and general numb feeling and it's been quite the ride. I would say that I do prefer this pill to the combined pill - it made me feel more like me, and I think if the irregular bleeding had been less intense, I'd maybe never have come off it until wanting to start a family. But I just can't let this pill and its side effects bring me down anymore. Currently only day one into coming off it and actually excited to get my cycle back!


Top side effects not reported

1 helpful

0 comments

Used for 3 - 6 mo
20 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  12th Jan 24

  •  Still using

I’ve been on this pill for 4 months now and all round it’s been good. It completely stopped my periods from the beginning and I’ve not experienced any bleeding since starting. It’s not affected my mood or anything like that which is always a bonus, in my opinion this pill isn’t for those who suffer with or have a past with acne. My skin had completely cleared up before I started this pill and I’ve been suffering breakouts since the start - so I’m switching to the combined pill instead. I’d definitely recommend this pill if you don’t have a past with acne but if you do, maybe look into other methods as it could make it worse.


Top side effects not reported

0 helpful

0 comments

Used for 12 - 18 mo
19 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  7th Jan 24

  •  Still using

I take this to reduce pain and stop periods as I have suspected endometriosis, but it ended up improving my acne and got rid of PMS too. The first six months were pretty awful and I bled the entire time, it was recommended that I took a double dose with some ibuprofen for a few days, which stopped it and I haven't had a period since which is great! I highly recommend to anyone struggling with period pain, this pill significantly improved my quality of life.


Top side effects not reported

1 helpful

1 comments

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