Vaginal ring vs Combined pill

I was recommended the ring after suffering with irregular and heavy periods. I would describe myself as suffering PMDD before and now my moods are so much better. It's easy to insert, I never feel it, and easy to keep in (or briefly take out) when having sex. The ring is great and I recommend to everyone I meet.

The first few months weren’t awful, had regular side effects like nausea, anxiety & tiredness. The main function of the ring for me was to skip my periods & for the first 3 months it worked great. On my 4th ring a few days later I started to feel incredibly nauseous (I didn’t vomit) & the day after I started bleeding, I spotted every day for over a month & still spot every other day, I also had had a large sack of my uterus wall come out which is apparently a side effect when your hormones are unstable. My hips, pelvis, back and legs were aching to the point I struggled to walk. I removed the ring & had instant relief. The nuvaring has made it so I physically can’t have sex as it feels like my vagina is on fire as soon as anything’s inserted, when I took the ring out for a few days this went away & came back the second I reinserted it (it’s also irritated my partners penis). I don’t know if I’m just very sensitive down there or my body doesn’t agree with having a foreign body inside but this just simply hasn’t worked for me. It’s also difficult to get in the right position. My boobs have gotten bigger tho atleast but so has my tummy from the awful bloating!! Swapping to the patch today & hoping it works.

I have had the Nuva-ring for years. It's brilliant, no side effects, it gives the hormone dose at the point in my body I need it so I know less hormone is swirling around my body and going through my liver. Surely that's a good thing. I don't think GPs prescribe it here in the UK nearly enough as possibly more expensive than the pill? I was living in Europe after the birth of my second child, initially I was put on the mini-pill and immediately fell into a very low mood which I hadn't felt the weeks after the birth so knew it was the mini-pill that had effected me. I was taken off it straight away and it was suggested I avoid progesterone-only contraceptive as I am probably progesterone-intolerant (beware anyone on the Merina-coil - so many don't realise progesterone can give you depression). I was then given the Nuvaring which I have been on ever since. Oestrogen and me are happy bed fellows. I am also now on HRT which I can take with the ring. When my oestrogen levels dipped as I hit 50 yo the oestorgen in HRT once again lifted my mood. It's all trial and error but only we know what works and what doesn't.

This sent me nearly insane with my moods. I had no other side effects other than it made me nearly suicidal. I know you could say maybe it wasn’t the pill but I was fine before taking it, happy in myself, then after I had a mental breakdown I stopped taking it and suddenly felt like myself again. I’ve heard a lot of people say it’s been awful for their mood and I’m surprised they haven’t banned it yet

I’ve never had Thrush before and went on this pill 2 months ago and got it within the first 20 days of using it. I’ve also felt nauseas everyday since maybe the first week into it. Will symptoms subside? I really hope so. I havent bled but I was on the depo injection for the last year so its normal for it to take a while to bleed again.

My experience is overall positive. For the first month I had breakthrough spotting almost every day, it was light and painless, just a bit worrisome, but it settled in the 2nd month. I started taking Drovelis for painful periods, and I have to say that while they are shorter and lighter, it's not like it completely changed around. I used to take around 4 painkillers a day on my period, now I'm down to one: so it is a big change, but I can't say the periods are painless. In the first month I also had some mood swings, but I can't be sure if that's due to the pill. I'm writing this review because I was very scared of taking birth control after reading so many negative opinions, but overall it's a net positive experience. No changes to my weight, my libido is stable, overall it's nothing too scary.

I switched to this after using Yasmine (no problems with that, I just wanted to try a lower-dose estrogen pill). In the first year, all seemed fine, regular light periods, no break-outs, fewer mood swings, but lately in the past 6 months, I noticed my mental health worsen, my ADHD symptoms became stronger, my depression and my anxiety crept higher, and my libido slowly went non-existent. Also, my breasts (or rather my nipples), which were usually only swollen/sore before the placebo tablets, became constantly sensitive in a bad way. Now I am looking for a different pill.

I started taking Eloine after I had experienced depression-like symptoms on the two weeks before my period for around 3 months. It was really hard to deal with and I think I have very bad PMT or maybe PMDD? I also had horrendous hormonal acne that really damaged the way I felt about myself, this mixed with the pre period mood swings made me feel like I wasn’t myself anymore. I researched different treatments that can help both PMT symptoms and hormonal acne, so I gave Eloine a go. I started it in February and wow has it changed how I experience periods (not to be dramatic but it really has changed my quality of life too). I feel very little mood swings now, I just feel when my luteal phase starts but in terms of energy not mentally! I just feel soooo much better in myself. My only complaint is I’ve experienced slight breast enlargement - but I’m consistently working out to try and combat this. I’ve never really had issues with period heaviness or cramps, but I would say my period is a lot lighter but last a day or so longer than before I was on the pill. Overall, my PMT symptoms have been totally ushered away by Eloine, I’m currently seeing a dermatologist for acne who also says this will help alongside other treatments. Facial oil is very much reduced. If you are struggling with acne or mood problems, please know that you are not alone. My mum grew up dealing with this, and so did her mum. Unfortunately some people are just dealt that hormonal issue card but I would definitely recommend this pill, sometimes natural remedies just don’t scratch the surface of what you’re going through. You’ve got this!!! Things will get better and I’m rooting for you 🩷

Stopped the mini pill after 3 years and switched to the combined to see if my skin and moods would improve. My skin definitely has improved and is similar to my post-accutane skin I had before I started hormonal birth control. My mood swings remained awful. I took the packs typically back to back but on a couple occasions I had breakthrough bleeding so took a 4 day break. I never had a yeast infection/thrush before taking this pill but in the 10 months of taking the combined pill I’ve had about 7 cases of thrush. Doctors kind of dismissed me saying it must be something else but it’s the only thing in my life that has changed, must be the estrogen! Finally had enough of the recurrent yeast infections affecting my relationship and sex life as well as day to day comfort so decided to switch to the copper coil last week. Fingers crossed my hormones will balance out!

I’ve used Rigevidon on and off for years. It was great from my late teens to about age 25, my periods reduce to 3 days on this pill and are very light, with minimal cramping. When I hit 25, I really started to notice mood swings and complete loss of libido. Came off the pill for a while, then back on it, and am noticing the same symptoms again

I was on Microgynon 30 for almost 8 years and I never had any issues! I changed 3 months ago to the progesterone only pill due to my friend getting a blood clot from microgynon, and within a month I began getting spots all over my jawline! I have now had constant spots for 2 months. I will be going back to the pharmacy to discuss my options and potentially move back to Microgynon.

Absolutely legendary pill, I’ve been on a few others this one by far is the best. Haven’t had any changes in my emotions and most importantly not pregnant! And I really do push that to the test weekly. I was A cup before taking and now I’m pushing B cup so for me that’s great

Low mood, caused depression anxiety and lethargy