To ask your experience of the mini pill (desogestrel)

[purpletablet]

I’m 38 and have been put on desogestrel to help with pms symptoms. I started it on the first day of my last period. I’m now on day 26 of my cycle and I’ve bled every single day since I started. It ranges from light spotting some days, to feeling like a period and I’ve also had days where I’m having clots and flooding.

Has anyone had similar and how long did it last? Should I be persevering or speaking to my gp?

Iv been great on it not had a period since I started it but what you're describing is how I was on the implant. Birth control is completely different for everyone. I would have it 3 months to see if it settles first if not change to something else.

When I first went on it, my period entirely stopped. I still take it.

When I started losing weight, I bled every day. I've noticed now that I bleed whenever I am in a calorie deficit. Doctors can't explain it (and don't really care). Takes about a week or two of eating more for bleeding to stop.

I lost any sort of period eventually as I became malnourished and unwell, but that's besides the point.

This pill does the weirdest things when it comes to bleeding.

I was out on this post partum and hated it. My postpartum bleeding had finished but then once I started taking this pill I bled again so randomly. Like it would be light bleeding for a few days, then stop, then just randomly bleed again for a day. It was so annoying.
I came off it and went on the pill I’d been on pre pregnancy and everything went back to normal. I wouldn’t take Desogestrel again.

I take cerezette (desogesterel) and have been on it for a few years now. I take it because my periods were horrendous, heavy, painful and long. I had one that lasted 6 weeks and needed progesterone to stop it. Cerezette stopped my periods. It has been fantastic. That said the couple of times I have been given a different brand (same drug), I get breakthrough bleeding throughout the month. Brand shouldn’t matter but it does for me (and others).

Haven’t had a period since I’ve been on it (6 years). Works perfectly for me. But if it doesn’t work for you go back to the doctor.

I've also taken Cerazette for more years than I care to remember! ..... not had any bleeding or side effects so as previous PP said , if it's not working for you go back to the GP.

I had 6-8 weeks of bleeding on and off when I started but it settled and now I have minimal bleeding. Maybe a couple of very light days every 6 months or so.
I was told (and anecdata from friends agreed) that it takes up to 12 weeks from taking it to settle stuff down

I’ve taken Desogestrel for about 10 years. I was experiencing heavy periods, flooding and was anaemic, GP said this was perimenopause. This pill has been amazing for me. No menopause symptoms and eventually my periods stopped. I am 53 now.

It was great for not having periods. But my libido sank without trace. Maybe that wasn't the desogestrel, but the man I was married to. I'm not in a relationship, and not the type to have casual hook-ups so I knocked it on the head. I'm going through peri so my libido is up 🥳 but the equipment doesn't quite work. Sigh.

Honestly, I hate it. Loads of bleeding and huge mood swings. Can't take the combined pill (which has always been great for me) when breastfeeding, so pretty stuck for now. Will be coming straight off the minute I can, though

I’ve been on it for years, zero bleeding/have possibly sailed through the peri/menopause, no symptoms. It might just not be the right one for you.

Been on it nearly two years and not had a period since. I think I it suits me well, but if you’re symptoms do t settle I’d ask to try something else.

I also bled almost continuously while on it. After 8 months it 'settled down' to bleeding every 2 weeks. After two years of it not changing I just came off it – it was having too much impact on my life and I'm not dealing with shit like that!

It stopped my periods completely but affected my mood badly. I changed to the combined pill.

I tried it for 3 months in the hope it would stop my periods eventually. I bled nearly every day. Was incredibly annoying and wish I’d given up sooner

I had bleeding on and off for the first couple of months after starting but I can't even remember when I last had a bleed now it's been so long.

'I tried it for 3 months in the hope it would stop my periods eventually. I bled nearly every day. Was incredibly annoying and wish I’d given up sooner''

Exactly the same for me

constant bleeding or spotting for 3 months before I gave up on it. Horrible

I bled every day on that damn pill for weeks on end, combined with horrendous mood swings. Your body isn't designed to bleed for weeks on end and it was taking its toll on my mental and physical health. GP just said oh well keep taking it it might settle down. It did not. Wouldn't touch it with a barge pole again.

On the plus side it was a very effective contraceptive because I couldn't stop crying for long enough to have sex with DH.

I took it for a year and bled every single day.

I’m on Cerelle and have been since late 30s (44 now). It’s been great, no complaints. I much prefer it to the copper coil, which I had for a few years before. But I was also on the combined pill for 18 years with no issues. A little bit of bleeding to start is very normal.

I’m 30 and have been on desogestrel for about 3 years now. I was on the implant before that but they refused to put it in again after I passed out.

Its been great for me! No mood swings or anything, no periods (maybe one random one every year or so), barely any side effects I can think of. Maybe a bit of weight gain/appetite gain but that could also just be stress.

I was similar to you with the implant which is also progesterone only. Had periods for weeks. Maybe try something else.

Go and see your Gp/nurse. I had this issue, I was ready for packing it in. In tears. my nurse practitioner put me on a short course of norithisterone. It was a game changer. Never looked back. I always say it was the best thing that ever happened. Once I got over that initial bleed.

Well, he's 8 years old

I had very irregular periods and broke out in horrendous acne while on cerazette.

A few years ago I changed to a combined pill called Lucette instead. All my PMS symptoms disappeared, I have a really light “period” if I take a pill break (usually I take packs back to back so no period!), and my skin was completely cleared up within a couple of months.