Combined pill vs Progestogen-only / Mini pill

Sadly this pill effected my mood very very badly. During the 17 pills where the progestin used in it was at its highest I suffered extreme suicidal thoughts and couldn't get out of bed for several days. I realised it was the pill and immediately stopped taking it and my mood stabilised pretty quickly once it was out my system. Obviously we are all different and I think I'm quite sensitive to synthetic progesterone, I also already struggle with pms and very low mood before my period. That is actually why I was trying this pill to try and help my pms but it made everything even worse. So it might be fine for you but for me it was a massive no.

I changed which pill I was using due to problems with mood, and honestly, I don't think much has changed. I take the pill for 3 months at a time and have a break—the periods are a lot more variable in terms of side effects (some are awful but some are more bearable), but are definitely heavier.

i was on this pill for maybe 2 years or less, awful. i’ve came off it about a week ago and i’ve started a new one called lizinna. my sex drive decreased a lot , i was always agitated about everything that much it started affecting my relationship. i gained weight which was shocking as i have a fast metabolism and used to be skinny. i became very lazy and just wanted to rot in bed all the time . everything just annoyed me and i had terrible mood swings not recommended

Constant spotting throughout use. Skin had a few spots but generally felt less smooth, larger pores and oilier. Noticeable decrease in sex drive. More apathetic mood.

I was on this contraception for 12 months and didn't notice any negative side effects. I have heavy periods with pain and after a few months of using the mini pill these mostly stopped which was a great benefit. I have listed weight gain as a symptom however I would not attribute this to the pill and more to unrelated health reasons. Ordered through The Lowdown which I found easy to do. Where possible I prefer not to go through the NHS for cost reasons/hope those who really need their services get them and the Lowdown offered a great alternative.

First few weeks were lovely, no noticeable side effects. Then came the breakthrough bleeding which didn't stop for months on end and still continues to this day at a minimal level. Couldn't fault this pill otherwise but the breakthrough bleeding is a major inconvenience and almost defeats the point of being on a form of BC. Breasts became slightly more enlarged and occasional lower back pains. I just wasn't one of the lucky ones for which bleeding stops completely. Periods are much lighter though but more drawn out. My usual 4-5 days are now 7-9 and that's not counting the daily spotting. It's been good as a temporary measure but I'll be glad to be off Lovima when the time is right because predictable periods >>> unpredictable spotting.

This contraception has been great for me. I went on to stop my periods as I suffer badly with cramps and it did stop them. I haven’t noticed many physically side effects but I do feel my sex drive has been badly hit! I also think I am a little less joyous on this pill, nothing is wet yourself funny to me anymore!

went on this pill due to high blood pressure, and the experience has been very well. my periods skip a month then return lighter. the first month my bleed was longer but lighter, ever since then it has been lighter. my period cramps have reduced massively. few headaches and light sensitivity but has not occurred in a while. acne has be a little bit worse and oily but clears up after a bit. overall has benefited me and libido increased surprisingly 😊

I took this on and off during covid 19 then had a break then went back Oct 2023. The first time around it was amazing no unwanted side effects, very effective. I took a break because I was not sexually active. When I went back on it in Oct 2023 my experience was the complete opposite. The 1st month was fine then I had constant spotting for the nextnear 2 months I could not cope with it and eventually stopped taking it. Then my period did not show up for a month but eventually came back.

I have found desogestrel good over the last few months compared to my experiences with the combined pill however it has definitely affected my mood. I feel more negative than I would usually and less motivated to start/do things. I am hoping that this will level out as I am on it a bit longer. I have noticed that there is a difference even between the brands of desogestrel, when I switch my mood changes and it takes a couple of weeks to stablise again.

This is an easy and quick contraception method which I have found really beneficial to me personally. My periods have now essentially stopped, with very irregular periods now being the norm with my last period being over a year ago. Because of that, when I get a period it is only a few days at a time, whereas before they would sometimes last over 2 weeks. Menstrual pain such as cramps, lower back pain etc are also a lot more controlled. I still get these every month or two but they don't last for long and the pain has decreased massively although I do get breast tenderness more than I used to pre-pill. The downsides though do include acne which has had periods of improving/getting worse and weight gain. Overall though, I like the ease of this (mine is the 12 hour mini pill) compared to other options out there.

Seems like a good long-term option as it doesn’t have an increased blood clot risk! So far no major side effects but I’ve only been using it for a month so perhaps too early to tell

After a really rough time on combined pills (Rigevidon & Loestrin 30, both of which gave me horrific mood swings / changes to sex drive) I went on progesterone only pill Desogestrel/cereals and was on it for about 3 years. I had a great time on it it evened my moods out (I suffer from bad PMS) and it stopped my periods which was great. I came off it because after 6 years on the pill by age 22 I wanted to see if I was any different off it and wanted to go hormone free. However, I also came off it because after the Covid vaccines and during my 3rd year of uni my periods came back even though nothing about my pill had changed and I was having 2 week long periods every 2 weeks for about 6 months ☹️ went to the doctor and had ultrasounds / checks etc and everything was normal so the doctor said it might just be stress / my cycle settling into itself in my 20s post-initial puberty stage. That period of time was super frustrating and I blamed the pill for a lot of things. But when I came off it it all went back to normal ASAP and I have a very regular, trackable cycle now that I really appreciate especially as I look deeper into PMS/PMDD/anxiety and my cycle. I now use (male) condoms with my partner of 3 years and we both really like them. I’m very pro condoms particularly as a lot of women/girls are anti just from knowing boys don’t like them (I know I was). I actually way prefer it now and think they don’t have a big impact on either of us at all so totally recommend them if you are looking for a non-hormonal, non-invasive method of contraception (however I do acknowledge that being in a long term relationship may make this an easier conversation than it can sometimes otherwise be).