To ask you about your mini pill experiences good or bad please.

[Ilovechocolatetoomuch]

Hi
I’m nearing 40 and my periods where getting stupidly long. My gp suggested the mini pill, certazine.

So far I have had the heaviest period of my life lasting over a week showing no signs of stopping.

Does anybody have any experience of this? I’m only on it to try to make my periods lighter so far it’s been a disaster. Oh and I’m covered in spots I haven’t had for 10 years 😓

Loads and loads of bleeding, longest bleed was almost 5 weeks solid. I stayed on it 6 months at the GPs advice that it would settle down. It didn't. Also put on weight and lost my sex drive altogether. Horrendous experience and wish I'd listened to my body and stopped sooner. I'm embracing the heavy periods now though where as before I was desperate for them to ease up. Heavy but at least it's only for 4-5 days a month.

Having heard some of these stories though it would have been useful to know that the constant period may end! I can't remember how long I stuck it out for now.

It made me bleed constantly..and then I got pregnant. So not the best experience.

I've been on it for 2.5 years. Haven't had period since I started taking them. No other side effects. Only annoying thing is to remember to take the pill. I was on IUD before so it took a while to remember.

I bled non stop on it aswell. Tried the depo injection also bled loads on that aswell. Tried the combined pill (can't remember name) and my skin was horrific so changed to dianette which cleared it right up now on a one called gedarel. On all the combined pills I have no sex drive at all which was not like me before hand. don't want the implant so I'm thinking about what to do next. Would really like a break from all contraception but not ready to be pregnant just yet.

I hated it. My mood plummeted almost immediately and I was convinced I had postnatal depression. My DH suggested stopping the pill and I felt so much better about a week after stopping it.

I now have a copper coil, which suits me much better.

Been in it for about 7 years now after switching from Marvelon

Much better sleeping and no periods at all. Yippee

I'm 46 and took it last year to reduce my v heavy periods. They reduced to nothing immediately, BUT, I gradually started to feel depressed to the point I did have very dark thoughts, my libido vanished and I didn't even want to hug my DH. My hair fell out. I didn't get along with it all and thankfully a week or so after I stopped it, I felt better.

I have been on it for about two years, I had a stinking headache for most of the first six weeks and nearly came off, but then it settled down and I love it, my periods were incredibly heavy, which led to very low ferritin levels... i don’t get periods at all anymore, which is bliss! Probably worth a go, you can always come off it again.

I'm on the mini pill because I'm breastfeeding
And have put down my greasy hair, spotty skin, absolutely zero sex drive, mood swings all down to having kids

Oh 😭 maybe it's the mini pill
Bugger

I liked it, never had any bleeding on it and my skin was lovely.

I took Cerazette for 5 months after dc1.
No problems, no periods (but I'd rarely had any anyway).

Took it again after dc2.
Got horrendously depressed to the point of suicidal. All depression vanished within 48 hours of stopping it.

Low mood is a common side effect, just we weren't considering it seeing as I'd been fine on it before.

Oh wow, a real mixed bag then.
I remember going on microgynon when I was 18 ( many many many moms ago) I bled for a month then got into a regular cycle.
I guess I will stick it out for a few months and see what happens.
Thanks everyone

I've been on it about 6 months now for horrid heavy long periods (I'm
46). My periods are more manageable but erratic - still think I'm bleeding a similar amount of time just not as heavy (I can leave the house). Definitely put on weight - about half a stone! My skin is horrific - boils over my back. To be honest I'm thinking about stopping!

I found that mini pill evil. I was a mess. Ended up taking meds for excessively heavy bleeding

I take cerelle. I love it. I had a rough 8ish weeks at the start with spotty skin, bleeding and murderous rage, like the Hulk but more prone to tears.
However, once that wore off it was brilliant. I'm a nurse with a speciality in contraception and for me its got a good safety profile and its by far the easiest method to use.

Have been on Noriday for about 8 years. No problems at all. Still get periods but entirely manageable. No pregnancies despite the fact that it is supposed to be slightly less reliable than the combined pill.

Zero libido. None. Was also convinced I'd never had one.

A relief to stop it.

What I didn't realise when I went on the mini pill while breastfeeding is that there are actually two main types of it. The more modern pills work best for most people apparently, and are usually what are prescribed. I found them horrendous to say the least. With dc2 I told gp I didn't want it again, but was persuaded to try the older type pill. Absolutely fantastic, no issues at all. So if what you're on isn't working you might want to ask about swapping

I’ve taken cerazette for 9 years. I love love love it. Not had a period for 9 years, no more pmt, skin perfect, no other side effects. I feel so lucky it has worked so well for me.

I took the mini pill for 5 months (I think cerazette but was a long time ago so can't remember). I bled every day for those 5 months, and I don't mean spot, I mean proper red blood.

I stopped taking it 😂

Have you taken any progesterone only contraceptives in the past? Every single one I tried I've had the same problem with prolonged bleeding (implant, mini pill, Mirena) so the side effects for me have been similar for all. Might give you an idea of how you'll react to it.