mini pill vs normal pill

[fairydust]

what's the difference between the mini pill n the normal pill????

mini pill is less effective - it is unlikely to stop ovulation, and works by creating an environment in the uterus which will hinder implantation. The normal pill tricks your body into thinking it is pg, so you won't ovulate. The normal pill completely removes your normal cycle. The mini pill affects your normal cycle, but doesn't completely remove it. Because of the diffs in effect, the mini pill is significantly less effective than normal pill. You have to take mini pill within 3 hours of same time each day - for normal pill it is 12 - so much easier to miss a mini pill. Some people are advised to you alternative methods of contraception in addition to mini-pill. Advantages of mini pill are that you can take it if have history of bad reactions to oestrogen/high bp/smoke etc. But mini pill is largely for people who can't take the pill for medical reasons. Mini pill is progestogen only, normal pill is oestrogen aned progestogen- I found mini-pill exacerbated PMT and depression in me, but everyone is different. Both pills are likely to help dodgy periods. With normal pill you get a period a few days after stopping the tablets - so if you want to try putting off a period coz of holidays/exams you should be able to. Mini pill is likely to make your periods lighter. Problem is of course that some things suit some people better so can only say things that you are likely/probable to find iyswim. Let me know if any further questions

my sis fell pregnant on the mini pill, so beware

The mini pill can stop some women ovulating, generaly they are older woment who's fertility is less. Women who do not ovulate on the mini pill don't get a period. The progesterone only pill is less effective even when taken correctly and the timing of the mini pill is vital.

I found the minipill a nithgmare, my periods were completely unpredictable, anything from 2 to 6 weeks, and sometimes very light some times very heavy, it was driving me mad. i'm not a cotrol freak, but I couldn't cope with it, evrytime I was late thuoght I was pregnant, spent loads on pregnancy tests (GRRR )

It also made me depressed, but it is highly subjective, but I would go for the combined pill, unless there was any medical reason not to choose it (it gave me migraines)

Hmmm... strange how it affects people differently. As I said on the other thread, I took the mini pill for 10 yrs without one pregnancy scare, while my SIL fell pregnant on it after about 8 months. She DID admit though that she forgot to take it because she'd had a few drinks that day. She was 38 at the time and I don't think she thought she'd fall pregnant that easily.

My periods have been very regular on the mini pill, I have never missed one although in the early days I got a bit of breakthrough bleeding but it only happened a few times. Mostly I can't complain about it at all. I got chloasma from the combined pill which was a TOTAL nightmare, it caused brown patches on my face which got worse in the sun and it was very hard to get rid of. After stopping the combined pill and using fading creams on my skin, the brown patches are long gone but it took AGES to get rid of them. I wouldn't go on the combined pill again for that reason.