“3” by AnnaJo

Warning: This is completely based on my own experiences; please do your own research before trying different types of birth control. TL;DR: Sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG), which is anti-correlated with free testosterone, seems to predict how well I tolerate birth control. None of them does everything I want--I just want to be me without the painful periods smh. I started getting painful cramps in high school, but it was mostly manageable as long as I took some Tylenol within eight hours of my period starting. If I forgot, I was mostly fine, just in some pain. I would cramp for a few hours, and then it would subside. By the time I finished college, if I didn't take Tylenol[1] within that timeframe, I would be bent over in pain and nausea for a while, maybe half an hour, I don't remember anymore. It would drain me of all energy, and I'd be tired for another few hours. I almost always had irregular periods; I learned at the end of college that if I worked out 4 days a week, I could have a regular period that didn't hurt a ton. Then grad school happened. The summer before was [...] ---Outline:(01:37) Choosing a Progestin(02:29) Annovera (Feb-April 2023)(03:16) Yasmin (April 2023-Feb 2025)(04:42) Nuvaring (March-May 2025)(05:37) Natazia (May 2025-Present)(07:05) Nextstellis (March 2026)(07:57) Conclusion The original text contained 1 footnote which was omitted from this narration. --- First published: April 17th, 2026 Source: https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/EfvePeHnW2EajwH8s/3-years-of-being-on-birth-control --- Narrated by TYPE III AUDIO.