Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
General health

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

Original poster

Are you on the progestogen only pill cerazette? I have a few questions...

27 replies

Cornonthecob · 05/07/2014 16:30

AF arrived today (7 days early wtf?!) and I need to make a decision!

Nurse doesn't recommend the combined pill for me as I'm over 35, bit nervous to start as I've only ever been on the combined pill (pre dc).

Few questions:
In your first month of taking it did you;

  • have af?
  • breakthrough bleed?
  • breakout with spots?
  • gain weight?
  • have any other side effects? I.e cramping, bloating?

Has it also helped you with PMT symptoms?

Thanks so much

OP posts:
YourBrotherInLaw · 05/07/2014 16:32

I didn't stop bleeding for almost two months and I'm afraid to say I didn't stick with it after that to see what happened as I was severely anaemic and just felt dreadful. I got quite bad anxiety on it too, but that could have been to do with the anaemia. It didn't work for me at all and I know others who bled heavily on it too but others who swear by it.

[no help]

LadySybilLikesCake · 05/07/2014 16:36

It was fine for the first month, none of the above, but for the second and third I had lots of bleeding. I've been taking it since October and the bleeding has stopped but I have 2 days a month where I do bleed a little. I have spots, and I'm ratty more than usual. No cramps and the bloating stopped when I ditched bread and the majority of pasta. No weight gain.

Original poster
Cornonthecob · 05/07/2014 16:36

Omg sounds awful but very helpful! Did the pill cause the anaemia? Thanks

OP posts:
SummerSazz · 05/07/2014 16:41

I was on it for 10 years with never a period or spotting and no other effects. However it seems to be a very much 'marmite' pill and a fair few people seem to have adverse reactions to it - mainly bleeding/moodiness.

Have you searched on here for previous threads as they crop up pretty often?

thoughtsbecomethings · 05/07/2014 16:43

Been on it 8 years and no problems no breakthrough bleeding. Weight gain though. Thinking of giving my body a break from it so worried about poss withdrawal effects

kazzawazzawoo · 05/07/2014 18:20

I took it for 3 months and bled nearly all the time, although light. I was moody most of the time. I stopped taking it.

Harry1603 · 05/07/2014 18:23

I managed 4 days on it! By then I had stomach pains and couldn't stop crying. I spoke to my GP who said I could either give it 3 months to try and settle or go back on my old combined pill. Needless to say I've changed back and the doctor has said providing it don't get any problems I can stay on it until the menopause if I want - I'm now 39.

LadyStark · 05/07/2014 18:25

I have been on it for two years with no side effects - no period either. Didn't even have a 'settling in' period like I have with other pills.

Titsalinabumsquash · 05/07/2014 18:25

I have been on it nearly 2 years, nothing at all the first year, no bleeding, sporting, acne, weight gain. Then I had 2 months of non stop bleeding and after that went back to nothingness which is where I am now. Make of that what you will!

Casmama · 05/07/2014 18:28

I was on it for years with no bleeding but looking back I think it did cause some weight gain, headaches and loss of libido.

themonsteratemyspacebaragain · 05/07/2014 18:29

I managed 3 months on it. Bled normally but the side effects were awful. Depression, anxiety, weight gain and skin were absolutely horrific. Came off and was back to normal in a couple of weeks.

Also had a friend on it and she lasted a couple of weeksand had to come off it due to it giving her severe anger and emotional issues; again back to normal once off it.

Contacted a doctor to change and told them what happened and apparently it is very common with cerazette.

TheAbominableWoman · 05/07/2014 18:34

Works for me. Very light, regular periods. No weight gain (I lost over 6 stones while on it pre DC and have just gone back on it as the coil I had fitted post DC didn't work out for me and am losing weight again easily - not related to the Cerazette, obviously, but it doesn't affect my ability to lose weight). No spots. No adverse affect on mood either.

summertimeandthelivingiseasy · 05/07/2014 21:09

I tried it after coming off COC. I had breakthrough bleeding, no period, swollen labia, constipation (5 days transit!) and huge sore breasts. I tried a couple of ordinary pops and had the same, but no breakthrough bleeding. Gave up.

You can stay on coc until 50, if your blood pressure is good, you are healthy, don't smoke (it is 35 for this), and have never had migraines (my nemesis).

frames · 05/07/2014 21:13

Had it for a year, nice break from periods, but now weight gain is getting me down, so going to go back to copper coil.

moonmrs · 05/07/2014 21:18

I bled lightly for 2 weeks after starting to take it, and then nothing since! One day or 2 of very very light spotting. Have noticed no side effects at all and I seem to get on with it well despite a lot of negative reviews. I am currently losing weight after having ds so hasn't been as issue for me. Have only been taking it since February so I'm possibly not very representative. I can only say that medication affects everyone differently, so there's no harm in trying it and if its not for you then you can explore other options.

kazzawazzawoo · 05/07/2014 21:53

I had very sore breasts all the time too.

kimlo · 05/07/2014 22:03

Ive been on it about 18 months I think. For the first 6 months I bled all the time, thats calmed down. Now I get periods that just appear when they want really, sometimes 4 weeks sometimes 6, and they are unpredictable either really light or really heavy.

To begin with it turned me in to the bitch from hell, I was angry all the time but now im back to normal levels of grumpiness.

to be honest I hate it but I havent got many other choices for various reasons its this, the coil or condoms so the best of a bad bunch really. On the other hand I know other people who love it.

jamtoast12 · 05/07/2014 23:51

I'm 36 and on the combined pill? Gp says it's fine and is happy to prescribe as long as not high risk. I do get migraines but I refuse the progesterone pill as I suffer with hair thinning and gp admits it can make it worse.

Original poster
Cornonthecob · 06/07/2014 12:21

Thanks for sharing your experiences, I think I might give it a miss.... the, side affects scare me and not worth the risk! The mood swings is something I don't need enhancing at the mo or weight gain or hair thinning..... yikes, glad I asked! Thanks again..

OP posts:
specialsubject · 06/07/2014 12:29

what happened to me or anyone else is utterly irrelevant. We are all different people with different body chemistries.

I've been on Cerazette for 3 years, got too old for Microgynon. No bleeding, no weight gain (never proven to be caused by the pill), no mood swings, no problems, plenty of hair.

that's just me. Might be you, might not.

MrsPinotGrigio · 06/07/2014 12:32

I'm so glad you started this thread, I thought it was just me! I've been on this pill for nearly 2 months & stopped taking it a couple of days ago because of the stomach pains & bloating which got worse every day. I have Crohns Disease & thought I was having a flare up but it's started to settle down again. No more hormone contraceptives for me.

VenusDeWillendorf · 06/07/2014 12:41

I managed a month on it.

The worst month of my life and I'm glad to be alive. First week was fine, but by week four I was a mess.

It gave me huge insight into depression and mental health issues. I never knew how people just couldn't "pull their socks up" and get on with life, until I was on this pill, and I was really, really struggling.

After I came off it I was absolutely fine. I would never go on it again.

PipkinsPal · 08/07/2014 18:13

I've had no problems on it at all, no mood swings, excess weight gain. Had a year break, periods all over the place, spots, miserable. Ended my relationship and went back on it. No spots, periods or misery (think my ex-bf was the cause of that).

However as a cost cutting exercise I have just been prescribed cerelle as it is cheaper than cerezette. Let's see if it is the same when I start to take it in a couple of weeks. Any difference I will be straight back to the Doctors.

unweavedrainbow · 08/07/2014 18:23

Been on it for 3 years and I've never bled. No weight gain, mood swings, nothing. It's brilliant :)

JWIM · 08/07/2014 22:05

Was on Cerazette, now Cerelle, for the last 10 years or so - now 51. No issues whatsoever. Had been on combined pill before that on and off for 20 years less ttc and 4 pregnancies. Hormonal contraceptives seem to work for me.

As PP have said it is what works for you.