Possible answer to birth control!

Had to slap this up in a new topic. It's going through trials right now and so far shows every indication of being extremely promising. So far it promises that it is:

* Safe
* Cheap
* Reversible
* Quick
* Utterly reliable
* Long-term

Keep your eyes open, new info should be coming out soon.

Reversible inhibition of sperm under guidance (RISUG), formerly referred to as the synthetic polymer styrene maleic anhydride (SMA), is the development name of a male contraceptive developed at IIT Kharagpur in India by Dr. Sujoy K Guha. Phase III clinical trials are underway in India, slowed by insufficient volunteers.[1] It has been patented in India, China, Bangladesh, and the United States.[1] In the United States, there are efforts to get FDA approval under the name Vasalgel.[2]


AdvantagesSome of the advantages, according to Dr. Guha, are:

Effectiveness - There has been only one unplanned pregnancy among partners of the 250 men who have been injected RISUG[citation needed] — apparently due to an improperly administered injection. Out of the 250 men who have been injected RISUG, 15 men received the injection more than 10 years ago.
Convenience - There is no interruption before the sexual act.
Outpatient Procedure - Men can leave the hospital immediately after an injection and resume their normal sex lives within a week.
Duration of effect - According to Dr. Guha, a single 60 mg injection can be effective for at least 10 years.
Reduced side effects - After testing RISUG on more than 250 volunteers, neither Guha nor other researchers in the field report side effects other than a slight scrotal swelling in some men immediately following the injection, which goes away after a few weeks[6], though there are also unconfirmed reports of kidney problems (see Controversy section below for further details).[citation needed] Also, because sperm can still exit the body unimpeded, patients don’t experience the pressure or granulomas that can result from vasectomy.[3]
Reversibility - The contraceptive action appears to be reversible by flushing the vas deferens with another injection of dimethyl sulfoxide or sodium bicarbonate solution. (The sodium bicarbonate solution cannot be used as the solvent in the initial injection since it would neutralize the positive charge effect.) Although this reversal procedure has been tried only on primates, it has been repeatedly successful. Unlike in a vasectomy (see Blood-testis barrier), the vas deferens is not completely blocked, the body doesn't have to absorb the blocked sperm, and sperm antibodies are not produced in large numbers, making successful reversal more likely than with a vasovasostomy.

Interesting. I wonder if this is modeled after the use of Neem that has been used for many thousands of years in that region of the world. Will stay tuned.

My fertility is one of the things that I value about myself the most... I'd never undergo something like this. I just can't see any other perspective on the issue. Condoms work just fine for me.

My wife does not let me use those - apparently they rub her raw. How is this with extra lube? Um.....is that a safe comment here?
Well, now I got almost 100 of these things in my drawer which are only good for blowing balloons or pranks. Switching sub, what about natural and safe spermicides?

Amadean - It is messy but apparently works - a Natural Spermacide: Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Raw Honey, and Freshly-squeezed Lemon Juice. I do not know the exact proportions, though I think equal is a good place to start, but it should be mixed fairly fresh, and used EVERY time (applied to him). I learned this from a lady in Sweden who swears by this, although I have not used this myself.

Another thing: some people afterward can orally take REALLY high doses of Vitamin C (powder or supplements) but my system is too sensitive for this.

Hard to image what an oil-honey-lemon concoction would feel like lubricant wise through. I imagine things like this can not be used frequently - would hate for my wife to get yeast infections.

This formulation on its own would not give yeast infections. If that happens, then it is something systemic (and incidentally, I know how that is, I have been using herbs and homeopathy to unravel the core of the issue and it has taken a long time). Also, the lady in Sweden used it ALL the time. The only thing is a lot of towel and sheet laundry the way I see it hehe!

Lisa Allen wrote:Also, the lady in Sweden used it ALL the time.

That one made me laugh

Is this in combination with the "pull out" method? I have been using this for a while now but there are risks on reliance to this method naturally.

Haha, yeah I hear you ! I do not know, but honestly, I think the pull-out is always a good idea to add to the "plan" when things are dicey, I would just not rely on it entirely. Having a back-up plan (and a back-up to that, and a back-up to that, etc.) is the way to go, especially when using natural methods alone. I talk about this on this blog entry, I hope you enjoy this! http://wp.me/pEY6Z-4k and in hindsight, maybe I ought to address the pull-out method during that volatile time

Bradley Laughlin wrote:My fertility is one of the things that I value about myself the most... I'd never undergo something like this. I just can't see any other perspective on the issue. Condoms work just fine for me.

Hem... I think this sort of thinking may be behind the burgeoning over-population on the planet. This and "natural" birth control methods, and the myth behind "pulling out" in time. It only takes one pin hole in a condom at the wrong time. I have serious doubts about the efficacy of oils combined with honey and lemons -- it may work as a salad dressing, but I wouldn't use it as a family planning tool any more than the rhythm method or the afore-mentioned pulling out. (No one ALWAYS does that -- sexual excitement is a strong motivator to keep on doing what you're doing). No offense -- its just my two cents worth, but ALL of the above sound like recipes for unplanned pregnancies to me. My sister had three sons using the rhythm method! The procedure mentioned in the original post, however, sounds very interesting!

Deb, the Rhythm Method is known to be ineffective. This is not a natural method I would use.

I prefer to call it the "pull out" method. It has worked for me I guess because I have a disciplined timing, heh.

Deb, I have trained myself to be more open minded about these things (regarding the lube). I am not arguing for or against the recipe but I do agree in the to-be-safe assumption that it will not work.

Hem... I think this sort of thinking may be behind the burgeoning over-population on the planet.

There was no need for that. If she is fertile than she is either healthy or as Bill Mollison has said before "in a state of constant danger". The last part was regarding his observation of a necessity to produce offspring in developing nations synonymous with high fertility versus low fertility often found in developed nations.

myth behind "pulling out" in time

Nope, that is based in solid mathematics. I got millions of seeds in a small sample of my semen so if I decide to sow all my seeds in one hole (clever metaphor) there is surely more a chance for a sprout to come out. It is not a fail safe method and ovulation obviously increases these chances.

Well everybody has to do what they feel is best for them, and suffer the consequences when/if they screw it up, but I decided very early on that I was not going to risk spending my life pumping out babies. I had my two boys while still young, then at age 22 -- during the C-section I had to have for my second son -- I had a tubal ligation done at the same time. I have never worried about pregnancy since. It certainly has saved me a lot of time and trouble (not to mention money).

The really funny thing was that when I was making plans to have that done, I was required to go for a counseling session with my doctor before I could get "permission". I will never forget what the doctor said. This is an exact quote... "But you're still in your childbearing years!" My response... "Of course I am still in my childbearing years! I wouldn't need the operation if I wasn't!" Later, she gave as her reason for discouraging the operation, "What if the baby dies? Won't you want another one to take its place?" I told her it was not a puppy -- and that since I did not consider the baby replaceable, would have no need to do that. It was like pulling teeth to get control over my own reproductivity on my terms, but she finally signed the paperwork.

Deb, under your circumstances, I would have done likewise, really! I completely understand - I just had different circumstances and needed to do other things, and they were fully contemplated in every way. Learning is a process I guess!