Hormonal coil (IUS) vs Progestogen-only / Mini pill

I started it after changing from the copper coil. Having previously had no issues with the mirena coil i thought this would be fine but instead i got constant spotting, bled after sex, had a painful and irritated cervix and lost my sex drive.

I have pmdd, I could not track my cycle with an iud fitted, it helped initially then made me so much worse. I seen 3 doctors who didn't help, I'm now treating holistically, tracking my cycle and tailoring my food, lifestyle, exercising to my cycle and Somatic healing.

This was the first coil I had put in and the process itself was okay but felt very woozy and nearly fainted on the way home. Overall it was not a pleasant experience! I have since swapped to the copper coil and this process, whilst not fun, went a lot smoother! I had the hormonal coil removed primarily due to it's effect on my mood (feeling very low a lot of the time) and big drop in sex drive. It's worked very well for many of my friends but really just didn't suit me!

I had to switch from the combined pill to the mini pill following a bought of migraines with aura. At first, it was great - I didn’t get periods, I felt good, I wasn’t worried about strokes etc. However, after around 6 months of my body getting used to it, my periods came back, extremely irregular (I.e. 3 periods in one month), my mood and mental health had significantly declined, and my skin is absolutely terrible.

I actually really loved the Cerazette mini pill. It basically stopped my periods, so pretty amazing because my period cramps are unbearable. I was really sad when I had to stop taking it but I just couldn't deal with the extreme acne it gave me. It started about 3 weeks after starting Cerazette and it vanished within a couple months of stopping it so I am 100 percent sure it was this pill. I have never before or since had acne at all (apart from when I was a teenager eons ago, but basically I am not someone who ever has it). I am waiting for a mini pill that will not give me acne, meanwhile I make due with the combined pill.

Generally a good pill but I am bleeding every week on it which is it’s main downside for me

Switched to this after not liking the combined pill side effects. After a few months of using it and having very irregular periods I noticed my skin and hair became very oily, needing to be washed daily. My hair also became thinner. I decided to stop this pill and look for an alternative.

I used Cerazette for 15 years and didn't really think about it, which is a testament to how few notable side effects I had. Worked effectively, and didn't hugely affect my appearance (skin or weight) which was very important to me when I began taking it at 21. However, I suffered from headaches / migraines almost weekly which I never connected to Cerazette until I stopped taking it, and since then they've gone completely (it's now been almost a year since I last took a pill). I've also got so much more energy, and my libido came back as soon as I got my periods back. Overall, if you can't take the combined pill and want a hormonal option, I really would recommend it, but be mindful that some side effects might come on slowly over years.

Overall, I was happy with this pill. I am not currently on it as I'm in between prescriptions and its been difficult contacting my doctor. However, the last week without it has made me realise how I was benefitting from it. I used to get mood swings quite often which disappeared when on this pill. The first month, my mood swings were still there like before and I found that I was more likely to cry over small things but this went away after the first 4 weeks. Before, I would also get medium pain cramps that lasted nearly the whole day for about 2 weeks on and off every month. This went down to small cramps for an hour maybe one or twice a month which was definitely a positive. I did get one or two more spots on my face which was annoying as I've struggled with my skin for a while and was finally starting to clear it up before starting the pill but this wasn't a significant impact because I was used to my stubborn skin. I also got spots on my back and chest, but these started going away again after about 6-8 weeks. The main impact I had was my period. It went from being pretty regular and heavy for 6-7 days every month to a very light period (ranging from light/medium to basically only spotting) that lasted for 3 weeks. Although without cramps and because it was so light it didn't impact me much (it was more an inconvenience). After this, I wouldn't get my period for over a month (about 5 weeks) and then it started again. I understand that this is what would put most people off getting the pill and it was what I had been dreading the most but I realised that it wasn't as bad as I thought as most days I could get away with just a panty liner rather than an actual pad or tampon (and it reassured me I wasn't pregnant).

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!