Estrogen obviously is very effective as a contraceptive, but it works as an abortificient (am I spelling that correctly? it's not a recognised word...) and comes with all the unpleasant, dangerous side effects of consuming the primary stress hormone. I know many women that have got progressively more emotional and depressed from taking this, but they never seem to think this could possibly be the problem. People just don't think.
Then there are progestins and progestogen. Progestogen - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
I've found it incredibly difficult to get to the bottom of how these differ to natural progesterone. It's actually quite pathetic that with so many people taking hormones that stop one of the primary functions of the human body, there isn't much information about what these substances are.
I mean, for example, the UK NHS website just says:
"The implant steadily releases the hormone progestogen into your bloodstream. Progestogen is similar to the natural hormone progesterone, which is released by a woman's ovaries during her period."
Progestogen is almost colloquial. It seems to just mean "yeaahhh it's a bit like progesterone and stuff. You can call it progestin if you want, it's all the same dude".
I've searched across the forum for a solution to this problem. Like I say, it seems such an important issue, and very little discussion is based on empiricism. It shocks me really, not so much the forum discussion, but the dearth of information online. People will go to extremes of getting all organic vegan quinoa, but then just take this pill that stops you being able to have a baby, and not think the slightest. They'll get all militant about someone smoking a cigarette outdoors 20 metres away from them, but not think about this pill. It's crazy really.
So there are several options. I personally have no interest in the solution (as a man), but for women out there, surely the esteemed Ray Peat Forum can rally their collective knowledge and work out what is a convenient, safe and effective approach to this conundrum. Here are the options as I can tell.
- estrogen only
- combined pill
- progestin only
- progestogen implant or pill
- copper IUD- is this comparatively safer? and more importantly, could i implant one rectally and never have to eat liver again?
- use of progesterone: i've yet to get any definitive answer on whether this really is effective. not only that, it's hinted that you may have to be meticulous with dosage and timing, and even then you may have to carefully place some in the vagina pre-intercourse. it sounds like a baby waiting to happen, and otherwise still a day-to-day headache. and perhaps the relaxant effects at doses required to prevent pregnancy make it prohibitive as a sustainable contraceptive?
- i saw some newspaper article for a smartphone family planning-esque approach, but it seemed to require daily temperature taking, and at the same time everyday when you wake up. if you get up at 7am in the week for work, and then at 10am at weekends, this could be really troublesome. perhaps i have not understood it properly.
ideally there would be some pill-style solution out there which works and does not cause the damage these other solutions do. perhaps it cannot be created. maybe we are biologically designed to not be allowed to tamper with fertility, and the consequences are inevitable with any approach.
Then there are progestins and progestogen. Progestogen - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
I've found it incredibly difficult to get to the bottom of how these differ to natural progesterone. It's actually quite pathetic that with so many people taking hormones that stop one of the primary functions of the human body, there isn't much information about what these substances are.
I mean, for example, the UK NHS website just says:
"The implant steadily releases the hormone progestogen into your bloodstream. Progestogen is similar to the natural hormone progesterone, which is released by a woman's ovaries during her period."
Progestogen is almost colloquial. It seems to just mean "yeaahhh it's a bit like progesterone and stuff. You can call it progestin if you want, it's all the same dude".
I've searched across the forum for a solution to this problem. Like I say, it seems such an important issue, and very little discussion is based on empiricism. It shocks me really, not so much the forum discussion, but the dearth of information online. People will go to extremes of getting all organic vegan quinoa, but then just take this pill that stops you being able to have a baby, and not think the slightest. They'll get all militant about someone smoking a cigarette outdoors 20 metres away from them, but not think about this pill. It's crazy really.
So there are several options. I personally have no interest in the solution (as a man), but for women out there, surely the esteemed Ray Peat Forum can rally their collective knowledge and work out what is a convenient, safe and effective approach to this conundrum. Here are the options as I can tell.
- estrogen only
- combined pill
- progestin only
- progestogen implant or pill
- copper IUD- is this comparatively safer? and more importantly, could i implant one rectally and never have to eat liver again?
- use of progesterone: i've yet to get any definitive answer on whether this really is effective. not only that, it's hinted that you may have to be meticulous with dosage and timing, and even then you may have to carefully place some in the vagina pre-intercourse. it sounds like a baby waiting to happen, and otherwise still a day-to-day headache. and perhaps the relaxant effects at doses required to prevent pregnancy make it prohibitive as a sustainable contraceptive?
- i saw some newspaper article for a smartphone family planning-esque approach, but it seemed to require daily temperature taking, and at the same time everyday when you wake up. if you get up at 7am in the week for work, and then at 10am at weekends, this could be really troublesome. perhaps i have not understood it properly.
ideally there would be some pill-style solution out there which works and does not cause the damage these other solutions do. perhaps it cannot be created. maybe we are biologically designed to not be allowed to tamper with fertility, and the consequences are inevitable with any approach.
