Vaginal ring vs Progestogen-only / Mini pill

Things started out really well. No side effects and I didn't take ring breaks so no periods. My skin got less greasy so I got fewer spots, and I had 3 months blissfully free of painful period diarrhoea. Sadly after 3 months I started to get breakthrough bleeding every day and minor versions of my old period symptoms like back pain, cramps, and digestive upsets started to flare up. I tried removing my ring but that just made it worse and within 4 hours I was having a bad time on the loo and put a new ring in just to make it stop. The new ring helped, but now I feel kind of trapped having a constant mini period all the time with no alternative since the only pill that worked for me in the past has been discontinued, and progesterone only contraceptives have never agreed with me, so nothing else seems as convenient as the ring. All in all, bit of a mixed bag.

Switched to the vaginal ring after using the pill. When first trying it I could feel some pressure in my lower abdomen but this feeling passed after 1 day and havent had it again since using it. The first 2 periods I had were shorter but heavier than usual but after each period (basically the break week) each period got lighter and my 3rd period was lighter than my usual. Apart from that no other side effects - the above ones I experienced I would say linked to my body adjusting to a new contraception (similar to the pill where they tell you the first 3 months you may experience some side effects). I dont feel as moody as when I was on the pill and the great thing is I dont need to remember to take something everyday so the peace of mind is an additional benefit.

I've been using the ring for almost a year now and so far it's been working rlly well for me. I pretty much forget it's there when it's in and its rlly easy to change. It's the first hormonal contraceptive I've used so I was extremely apprehensive about it but slowly I've got used to the idea and now it's just a normal part of my routine. The side effects I've experience are minimal and very manageable. A slight decrease in sex drive particularly a couple of months in, and a very slight increase in weight but both are managable and Ive gotten used to. My periods are really regular and I have very little period pain which is great. I would really recommend giving this method a go, overall I'm very glad I did.

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).

My periods were only irregular/spotting for the first 4ish months while my body was adjusting to the hormones, after that my periods became regular again and lighter than before too. I also believe this mini pill has not effected my mood, breasts or weight.

I experienced some negative side effects when I first went on the pill (mood swings, headaches), both this time around and previously, but they dissipated/softened after a few months. My migraines have increased in frequency over the last 12 months, but I have been a migraine suffered since puberty.

I switched to the mini pill due to lack of blood clot risks. Everything was fine for first 3-4 months, then I got severe acne. I didn’t recognise myself. Doctor recommended I switch back to combined pill.