Withdrawal or pull out method vs Progestogen-only / Mini pill

I came off the combined pill around 4 years ago after trying many different pills and never quite feeling myself/having terrible clots in my periods on breaks. I'd been told by drs it was the only way to have safe sex from pregnancy and felt i had no choice. The good old fashioned pull out method has been my best friend ever since! Once i spoke to a very wise nurse who told me that i could try the natural cycle way or rely on pull out cleverly. Now i want to say that this isn't for everyone. I have been in a healthy long term relationship with someone i trust and with whom we communicate during all aspects of sex. Because of this we have been able to have all kinds of sex (including penetrative) without any pregnancy scares. My partner is a cis man and i a cis women, and the secret is FULL COMMUNICATION. If he is close to cuming he stops (NEVER ACTUALLY RELY ON PULLING OUT AS YOU CUM NO NO). It's about calming things down on his end when he thinks he'll climax. that means pulling out and moving to oral etc for a while before going again. Normlly this means i get a whole lotta love while he calms down so BONUS!! POSITIVES - I often cum first as it means i always get to cum as he can keep going and we are not relying on one way to have sex. I feel myself! We are more experimental and go on for longer. Its about trust so things feel more intimate, it has led to better communication and much better forplay. This means i cum more often. Knowing my own cycle and getting to know how my body and hormones work. Having sex slowly and sensually, with my pleasure and his both being taken into account due to the fact you can't just have full penetrative sex without thinking. NEGATIVES- he obvs can't cum in me. he doesnt personally feel sad about that. When finally he can't be in me anymore he has to cum using other ways to finish. It means it can be a bit stop and start (personally i think this is fun). You do have to be more careful. THIS IS DEFINITELY FOR PEOPLE WHO KNOW THEIR SEXUAL PARTNER WELL. ITS ABOUT TRUST. You can't just bang it out like in the movies haha! I do pregnancy tetss every 3 months just in case pre cum has snuck in (it's very unlikely this gets you pregnant especially if your partner is aware of this. but worth thinking about) Overall, Chefs Kiss - but i do sometimes miss he cumming inside me ! BUT WON'T GO BACK

Only used it on occasion and normally alongside another form of contraception. I don't really recommend it as it feel risky

The withdrawal method is really not for everyone. But me and my partner prefer to not use male condoms and I use my Flo app to track my ovulation and period which helps me gauge when is the best time to use this method. As I’m not trying to fall pregnant again right now, and I don’t really want to use any hormonal contraceptives, this method has definitely worked for me but can only work if your willing to take control with family planning.

I have been on Cerazette for 4 years now. Initially, I had headaches, breast tenderness and mood swings. These symptoms subsided after 3 months. My periods became very irregular and then stopped altogether. Although my doctors deny this all the time, I feel like the pill caused excessive weight gain. Yes, I have had circumstances that affected my life but the weight gain was dramatic. In the first year alone, I gained 15 kilograms. After 4 years, I am up to 25 kg extra weight (BMI 29) and I am struggling to lose the weight with diet and exercise. Lately, I have had more bodily hair growth and am losing some hair on my head. Not many mood swings but definitely feeling angry most of the time. I am also struggling with a very low sex drive, which is starting to affect my marriage. I have an appointment with my GP, will try to switch to the combined pill to try.

This pill stopped me from getting pregnant and that was the only good thing about it. Constant spotting, sore nipples, and decreased sex drive. Now on norgeston and so much happier!

I moved onto Norgeston after trialling desogestrel for a few months (it gave me near constant spotting and super decreased sex drive). I was optimistic as levonorgestrel was the hormone I used to have in my combined pill and so far it’s been great for me - I do get periods, but these are regular and of a normal flow each month and thankfully my sex drive has come back.

honestly haven’t experience any negative side effects, it was a bit rough for the first couple of months but after about 8-12 weeks it settled and it’s been great, i gained a little weight but no more than about 7lbs so overall it’s been brilliant

I’ve been taking the pill since I was 17, I’m now 25 and have never had an issue with it! I’ve not had any side effects at all! It stopped my periods after about 2/3 months and has been smooth sailing since then. I find the ‘window’ in which you can take it without it being considered a ‘missed pill’ is also really reassuring if you suffer with anxiety! Would definitely recommend.

Been on this pill for about 15years its great i have no periods at all, i have no symptoms of periods etc and i have gained weight but i dont think i can put that down to taking cerelle haha all in all i love this pill and most importantly i havent gotten pregnant while taking it so its main job is done

I really tried to give it a chance and persevere despite a lot of breakthrough bleeding. My skin got worse. My mood/anxiety got worse. The bleeding never stopped. I would be spotting nonstop for 2 weeks, get a period (heavier bleeding), then no bleeding for ~1 week, and then back to spotting. I didn't notice any changes to my sex drive but the constant spotting was a huge deterrent. I am now switching to a combined pill.

Monitor your moods closely. Don’t recommend using if you’re not in a somewhat ok place mentally.

I started bleeding the following day and it was heavy

The chest pain was really awful, and that’s a big red flag. Even though a month might not seem like long enough to make a final judgment, the intensity of the chest pain and other symptoms definitely made me question whether this was the right pill for me. It's important to listen to your body, and in my case, the discomfort and pain outweighed any potential benefits. I would highly recommend discussing these symptoms with a healthcare provider to explore alternative options or further guidance