Which pill should I ask for?

[ThreeRolls]

I'm 39, no risk factors for either combined pill or mini pill.

I want contraception, but I also want it to make my hormones steady all the time, so I don't have fluctuations, and I don't want any vaginal bleeding at all. I think both options can do all this.

I tried Rigevidon once when I was younger and it made me very slightly sad. I've never tried any mini pill.

Would you go for mini pill or combined in my position? Will talk to GP obviously but you only get a few minutes so want to be prepared. If you've tried both types, which did you find friendlier?

Combined pill- if you want steady you want mono phasic.

There are various different oestrogens and progesterones which mean different combinations depending on which pill you get.

Rigevidon is ethinylestradiol and levonorgestrel so if that didn’t suit you it might be that combination, or one of the hormones in it that doesn’t work for you.

mini pill is only progesterone, again which progesterone varies depending on brand.

I'd go for a combined pill for more control over your periods. Mini pills can cause erratic bleeding or no bleeding (cerazette stopped my periods). You could always run the combined pill back to back for a few months to minimise periods.

I also had no periods with the mirena coil.

The mini pill caused me to bleed every 2 weeks, but I don’t bleed at all on the mirena coil, so that could be an option for you?

I’ve tried them all over the years (endometriosis is fun 🫠).

Mini-pill (progesterone) made me break-out like a teenager.
Like you, Rigevidon made me fall off a cliff mental health-wise - I’ve never felt that depressed in my life.
About 5 years ago, I started Lucette (a combined pill, the same as Yasmin) and it’s been a god send! I have no negative side effects, I feel very balanced mood-wise and it keeps my endo symptoms at bay for the most part. On the advice of my doctor, I take 3 months worth continuously without a break, and then have a 4 day break at the end of that instead of the usual 7, which results in a very light “period”.
I’ll happily keep taking it for as long as I safely can.

Thank you so much, this is so helpful. I will look up Lucette/Yasmin and see if they'll work for me.

At 39 your age is a contraindication, meaning the GP will be wary of prescribing the combined pill, so the progesterone only (mini pill) is going to be the better option for you IF it’s the pill you want. The mini pill can cause some bleeding, which may settle down but it won’t suit everyone.

A mirena coil may work really well for you as a small amount of hormone is released in the area it is needed, and many women experience no bleeding with this. Talk to your GP or local sexual health clinic.

@blueberrymojito you are wrong. You can use the combined pill up to age 50 if you dont have risk factors such as high blood pressure, high bmi or being a smoker.

The combined pill is better at controlling periods than the mini pill

Thank you. Yes I have read they are not so worried about your age on the combined pill anymore, so long as you meet certain conditions (I do). It does sound slightly better than the mini pill in stopping periods, which is a main concern for me.

I am 42 and have been prescribed combined pill, the age is up to 50 now assuming no risk factors. I am on the Yasmin equivalent for pmdd and it helps. Idea is to switch to hrt eventually.