To ask for people's experiences of the mini pill

[janicegarvey]

I am 43 and started the progesterone only mini pill 2 months ago to help with heavy painful periods

Started taking it a week after I'd finished a period then had a period for approx 5 days. It was lighter than my usual ones and not painful which was great. Then I did not have another one for 5 weeks. Again, nice and light and only for 5 days which was so much better than when I wasn't on the pill . So I was hoping this would be the pattern or that they might even eventually tail off as have heard this can happen

But now I am bleeding again (again, lightly) only 12 days after the first day of my last one 😩😩

Is this normal ? And does it usually settle down ? I have health anxiety so trying not to freak out.

Absolutely terrible. It caused anxiety, nausea, and made me very short tempered. I felt far from the normal me if that makes sense. Once off it, I felt wonderful! The only positive was no period.

I've been on it since April to try and address continuous bleeding. I don't think it's done much but when I did forget to take it for 36 hours I had a terrifyingly heavy bleed so maybe it's doing more than I think. Waiting for fibroid surgery or some kind of ablation now.

Oh gosh that's awful I hope you can get your appointment soon 😞

I feel like this apart from the nausea and no periods 😩

I wanted to come back and update incase anyone is looking for advice on this

So I'm feeling much better and my anxiety and moods have calmed down a lot

My last "period" was 34 days after the one before and only lasted 2 days and was super light . So I'm really hoping they could be tailing off 🤞🏻

And I am tentatively hoping side effects are settling 🙏

I went on it after having LO. First 3-4 months no period, lovely! Then I got one, but at least light, and two weeks later another, and 10 days later another. Eventually it all blurred into a continuous spotting/light period issue. After a 48 day cycle I saw a nurse at GPs who said it's a common problem with the minipill and they all do it, so changing brand doesn't help.

I stopped and immediately the bleeding stopped. Massive relief. My periods returned to monthly normal.

We are now looking at a vasectomy as I can't take full pill!

I stopped it - it gave me migraines, bad ones.
on the regular pill bleeding stopped completely, after birth GP put me on mini pill and I never really got on with it.

I hated it and came off after a few months of completely unpredictable bleeding

Feel so lucky to have had no side effect and no bleeding for a year on this! Hope you get the same now OP.

Ahh that's great .

It seems so mixed for people

I had constant spotting/light bleeding and then became pregnant.

Then had the mirena coil which was brilliant. After 6 months had no periods atall , this carried on for 11 years, right through menopause, until I had it removed.

Ahh that's interesting I'm hoping to switch to the mirena soon

I had spotting and a light period for the first two months and then NOTHING! I've had no bleeding for nearly 3 years now and it has changed my life.

I used to be throwing up and dizzy from period pain and now I don't even have tampons in the house.

Amazing amazing.

I take the Hana pill.

I'm waiting to switch to mirena. I was on the mini pill before DS with no issues but since having him I've had irregular cycles, spotting, long periods etc. I've taken 10 packets now so I think it's unlikely to settle back down to a standard monthly cycle. I'm a bit nervous about the thought of something being put in and staying there but I don't think I've got much choice.

I take Desogestrel too. Love it. Have had only 2 periods in 10 years.

I'm 42 and started the regular/combination pill at 36 due to horrendous heavy periods and pain. Worked like a charm and kept my acne at bay as a great side effect (whoo-hoo!). Once I turned 40, doc said my age made the combination pill a contraindication, so started on the mini pill. Back now to heavy periods and clotting. The only difference is I'm not losing so much blood I feel faint(as I did before). I'd love a hysterectomy but can't afford it (I'm in the US and have no health insurance), so stuck with this until my body finally decides to go into menopause.

I got pregnant on it somehow, and didn't know for ages as it also stopped my periods. Was a bit of a shock having a scan and being told I was 16 weeks.