Noriday pill vs Desogestrel pill

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Noriday pill

£From £0.17/day

Desogestrel pill

£From £0.20/day

Overview

Rated 2.8

105 reviews

Daily

Frequency

91% - 99+%

Effectiveness

None

Blood clot risk

None

Effect on fertility

Rated 2.6

329 reviews

Daily

Frequency

91% - 99+%

Effectiveness

None

Blood clot risk

None

Effect on fertility

Noriday pill ingredients

Main hormones in Noriday 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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Real life reviews from people like you

Noriday pill reviews

105 reviews

Used for 1 - 3 mo
29 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  1 month ago

  •  Stopped using

Took this for 7 weeks and my mood has rapidly declined over the last two weeks. Any inconvenience that I’d usually be able to brush off or get over seems to leave my crying uncontrollably. Anxiety levels are higher than normal for me. The two periods that I had while on the pill were definitely longer lasting, would usually be 5 days max but last one was 8 days (although light towards the end). Stopping today because of the depressive thoughts

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Top side effects not reported

0 helpful

0 comments

Used for 6 - 12 mo
40 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  1 month ago

  •  Stopped using

Noriday worked well for me with regards to my mental health. I didn't notice any major change, unlike other progesterone only pills. However, I had UTIs constantly for the whole time I was on it. I've been off Noriday for a week and my bladder feels back to normal!


Top side effects not reported

0 helpful

0 comments

Used for 1 - 3 mo
26 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  6th Mar 24

  •  Stopped using

I've been on Noriday for 3 months now and it's been a more positive experience than Cerazette, but I am ultimately stopping because I want to have a sex drive again and I won't be sexually active for some months. This pill did balance out my moods a lot, I experienced less headaches, my periods were lighter and less painful but I did experience spotting as soon as it was my ovulation week through to my periods which I continued to get. I also experienced hair loss, my hair tends to shed any but it was noticeably more and even came out in a clump one time. In the future I'll be using condoms whilst I contemplate a copper IUD as I think hormonal methods just aren't for me.


Top side effects not reported

0 helpful

0 comments

Used for 1 - 3 mo
29 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  1 month ago

  •  Stopped using

Took this for 7 weeks and my mood has rapidly declined over the last two weeks. Any inconvenience that I’d usually be able to brush off or get over seems to leave my crying uncontrollably. Anxiety levels are higher than normal for me. The two periods that I had while on the pill were definitely longer lasting, would usually be 5 days max but last one was 8 days (although light towards the end). Stopping today because of the depressive thoughts


Top side effects not reported

0 helpful

0 comments

Used for 6 - 12 mo
40 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  1 month ago

  •  Stopped using

Noriday worked well for me with regards to my mental health. I didn't notice any major change, unlike other progesterone only pills. However, I had UTIs constantly for the whole time I was on it. I've been off Noriday for a week and my bladder feels back to normal!


Top side effects not reported

0 helpful

0 comments

Used for 1 - 3 mo
26 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  6th Mar 24

  •  Stopped using

I've been on Noriday for 3 months now and it's been a more positive experience than Cerazette, but I am ultimately stopping because I want to have a sex drive again and I won't be sexually active for some months. This pill did balance out my moods a lot, I experienced less headaches, my periods were lighter and less painful but I did experience spotting as soon as it was my ovulation week through to my periods which I continued to get. I also experienced hair loss, my hair tends to shed any but it was noticeably more and even came out in a clump one time. In the future I'll be using condoms whilst I contemplate a copper IUD as I think hormonal methods just aren't for me.


Top side effects not reported

0 helpful

0 comments


Desogestrel pill reviews

329 reviews

Used for 12 - 18 mo
31 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  2 weeks ago

  •  Stopped using

Overall after trying many different pills, this was the best, I started to have very depressive weeks so I stopped as I was afraid of some suicidal thoughts.


Top side effects not reported

0 helpful

0 comments

Used for 3 - 6 mo
20 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  1 month ago

  •  Stopped using

The only side effect I had on this pill was the irregular bleeding. It worked for the first 2 months and then I just bled for the next 4 months (until I stopped). I suffer from VERY painful periods and even when I wasn’t bleeding or it was really light I can recall having 3 huge pain episodes that would last a few days. The pill didn’t affect my mood, but the side effects did because I had to spend nearly all summer inside because of the anxiety and depression. Aswell because of the bleeding I lost interest in sex (again, not caused by the pill directly). Overall I’m disappointed this method didn’t work. If I didn’t have bleeding and unexpected cramps this would’ve been perfect.


Top side effects not reported

0 helpful

0 comments

Used for 3 - 6 mo
25 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  1 month ago

  •  Still using

Granted I suffer with anxiety and depression anyway but it was under control and I hadn’t had panic attacks in a year when I was off birth control. I started this in January and at first I felt great, I had more energy, little bit of bloating but that went and no changes really at all. By month 2 I noticed I was getting panic attacks again and felt very anxious in safe places/ around safe people where I have never experienced anxiety before. I am now on month 4 and it is worse than ever, I am irritable, angry, emotional, low body image, finding myself not wanting to do anything. I am coming off this pill now and trying another because I want to be myself again.


Top side effects not reported

0 helpful

0 comments

Used for 12 - 18 mo
31 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  2 weeks ago

  •  Stopped using

Overall after trying many different pills, this was the best, I started to have very depressive weeks so I stopped as I was afraid of some suicidal thoughts.


Top side effects not reported

0 helpful

0 comments

Used for 3 - 6 mo
20 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  1 month ago

  •  Stopped using

The only side effect I had on this pill was the irregular bleeding. It worked for the first 2 months and then I just bled for the next 4 months (until I stopped). I suffer from VERY painful periods and even when I wasn’t bleeding or it was really light I can recall having 3 huge pain episodes that would last a few days. The pill didn’t affect my mood, but the side effects did because I had to spend nearly all summer inside because of the anxiety and depression. Aswell because of the bleeding I lost interest in sex (again, not caused by the pill directly). Overall I’m disappointed this method didn’t work. If I didn’t have bleeding and unexpected cramps this would’ve been perfect.


Top side effects not reported

0 helpful

0 comments

Used for 3 - 6 mo
25 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  1 month ago

  •  Still using

Granted I suffer with anxiety and depression anyway but it was under control and I hadn’t had panic attacks in a year when I was off birth control. I started this in January and at first I felt great, I had more energy, little bit of bloating but that went and no changes really at all. By month 2 I noticed I was getting panic attacks again and felt very anxious in safe places/ around safe people where I have never experienced anxiety before. I am now on month 4 and it is worse than ever, I am irritable, angry, emotional, low body image, finding myself not wanting to do anything. I am coming off this pill now and trying another because I want to be myself again.


Top side effects not reported

0 helpful

0 comments

Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
29 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  10th Mar 24

  •  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
  •  9th Mar 24

  •  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

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