Does the mini-pill affect your libido?

[prettycandles]

I've been taking it for about 8m and I find that I am now totally uninterested in sex. I seem to be neuter - like when I had depression. But I'm in perfectly good health: not depressed, not stressed, not overtired.

Could this be caused by the pill? Has anyone else had a similar experience (and did it go away, or rather come back, when they stopped the pill! )?

I was taking the mini pill from when DS was 3 weeks old until about 6 weeks or so ago (he's 10.5 months now) and found I had no interest in sex.

Have also just been diagnosed with depression as well though - been on ADs for a week now. Surprised myself (and DH) by being actively up for it this morning

I guess the ADs must be kicking in .

It may sound nonsensical, but I found that good sex really helped when I felt down. If my dh could get me going, that is!

bump?

you know what I often wonder about this?

I was on the mini pill for about 4/5 years before I had DS and definitiely noticed an increase in my sex drive increasing when I came off to get pregnant - thing was I got pg so quickly i just thought it was pregnancy hormones. Since going back on 6 mths post birth i noticed my sex drive has taken a bit of a dive. most of the time i couldn't really care less and never even think of initiating (although I enjoy it once DH gets me going!) and then for about a week each month will be totally up for it. Will be interested to see other responses to this. Read a quote the other day that really rang true for me "Having sex is like going to the gym - most of the time you really can't be bothered to make the effort but when you do you never regret it!"

i had a similar experience on the progestogen only pill - my sex drive defo increased pretty much as soon as I came off it. are you taking the pop coz you are still bfing? or have you had problems on the combined pill?

I started the mini-pill because I was bfing but in any case would never take the combined pill. Its a relief to hear that 'it' revives as soon as you come of th pill.

I don't htink I've ever heard that a loss of libido is a recognised side-effect of the pop (though I have a vague recollection that a Mumsnetter may once hav mentioned such a thing, but who?)

I wonder where I could find more info. If you google progesterone or any similar words you get such a mass of hits that it's difficult to sift through them.

There was a thread about this a while ago - I'll try and find it...I posted on that one as well.

I posted on that old thread too. I stopped taking it cos I was knackered (and no libido), since stopping it, about 2 months ago, I have been less knackered but still no libido. hard to tell what causes what as I'm still fully breastfeeding though.

Loss of libido is a common side effect of any progestogen-only contraceptive method, including the mini-pill, depo-provera injection, mirena coil and implanon implant. Unfortunately there's no way to tell who this side-effect will affect, so you just have to try the method to see how you get on. Luckily there are various brands of the mini-pill, containing different types and amounts of progestogen (the synthetic form of the hormone progesterone), so you can go back to your GP / family planning clinic and ask to change if you feel your libido has been affected.

There is a new form of mini-pill called Cerazette which can now be taken in the same way as the combined pill, i.e. it doesn't have to be taken at the exact same time every day like traditional forms of the progestegen-only pill, you have a 12 hour window period in which to remember to take it. Useful if you're a bit forgetful! You have to ask for this pill by name though as its quite expensive and is unlikely to be given to you as a first choice if you don't know otherwise!