I lost the unbleached cotton storage bag that came with my Mooncup. Is there any way to get another one without buying another mentrual cup? It doesn't need to have the Mooncup logo or anything- just anything with the same functionality would be great. I was given to believe that storing it in a plastic bag would be bad. So far, I've been storing it either on a cloth on my desk or in a cotton sock- but the residual detergent in the sock/dust in the air can't be good. Plus, neither method is terribly attractive.
Any suggestions? Thank you!

I've been using my DivaCup for about a year, and have been on HBC for about 4 years. I've never had unprotected sex and both my partner and I are STD free-untested but no symptoms. Last august I got switched to a low estrogen HBC(without me knowing, yay!) and developed a yeast infection-but, the thing is, my body has a really, really high pain tolerance, and is very adept at hiding infections, so I didn't know. It didn't really bother me, occasional itchies but it would go away before becoming a concern. I wasn't sexually active at the time, so I really didn't detect it.
A few months ago when I met my partner and became sexually active again it started really hurting and causing pain. After the first two or three times I couldn't have sex, it was too painful, and the yeast infection came full force. I treated it with Monestat one day (NEVER AGAIN), it was disgusting but seemed to work. After I got my next period- my first after switching back to my High Estrogen HBC-I got another yeast infection, not as bad as the first, though, but by now I had learned to spot the symptoms my body was trying to hide. I started using tea tree oil on my cup before insertion(Again, HIGH pain tolerance made this bearable, it barely hurt!) and it went away. The next period I used the tea tree oil the entire time and didn't get one. This period, however, I ran out-and was on vacation in a spot which isn't exactly well stocked. I had a little I used sparingly, but not enough to fend of a yeast infection. I managed to find a new bottle, but it was too late and the infection had set in. I used TTO and it BURNED like never before, really hurt, I couldn't figure out why. Today I got home and looked with a mirror-there is a sore just below my labia, which is what I'm assuming the oil hurt. It looks like a pimple-not a canker. But this is coupled with soreness of my vagina, made worse I think by having the cup in.
I'm sick of getting an infection after every period! Is there anything I can do about this? I soak my cup in hydrogen peroxide and water for a day or two, and boil it every few months-and lately after every period which is followed by a yeast infection. The infection seems to start when I start taking my HBC pill again after the week of placebos(which I don't take). The tea tree oil works, but ever since the stinging and sore I'm worried abotu using it again?
I'm planning on seeing a natropath, since my doctor will just prescribe me something to bandaid the problem, but is there anything I can do in the meantime?

Is there a list anywhere, or maybe one could be compiled, of softer cups (ie. LadyCup) vs. harder/stiffer cups (like the Diva)?  I'm looking for other soft cups (besides the Lady) to compare/have some options.

As well, for the stiffer cups, it'd probably be good to specify if the whole cup is stiff, or just the rim.  Any other details regarding the hard/soft aspects are welcome :)

Thank you!

just wondering if anything strange happens when you swim with a cup in. does it affect the seal or make leaks more or less likely to happen or anything? i think my august vacation is going to involve my diva cup...!

Just had my first period with my green ladycup, I have already been using a Mooncup (UK) for almost a year. I had a few dry runs with the ladycup before my period arrvied and didn't envisage any problems with it. To begin with it was fine but after using it overnight there seemed to be a lot of blood on the outside of the cup, it looked as if it had run out of the diagonal holes. Anyway, it hadn't leaked so I wasn't too worried. Throughout the following day I had a bit of leakage and although it wasn't much I would have been happier with a pantyliner if I'd been going out anywhere. 

Because I had never had a single tiny bit of leakage with my mooncup I decided to swap back again next time I emptied out. After a couple of hours I went to the loo and I had massive leakage from the mooncup! I felt like it was getting revenge on me for using another cup. It was really strange because there was plenty of blood inside it and absolutely none on the outside when I removed it so I don't know how it could have leaked, there was just no evidence. My mooncup has also been much easier to insert, pop and remove since I used the ladycup. Its all a bit spooky, its like my mooncup was punishing me by leaking then miraculously rectifying every fault I had with it to stop me using ladycup again. 

Anyway, what I'm really getting at here is does anyone find the direction of the ladycup holes to cause leaks? I know its only my first period with it but I didn't trust it enough to go to work with it in today, I went for my mooncup instead.

Also, does anyone else experience cup rivalry like this?

So after having to use alternative choices last month for my cycle, I swore that I would not do that again. I was not waiting another 3 weeks after they received my cup to get the replacement. I think it is really ridiculous to ask for email pictures or the cup back to get the process started. Then after 2 weeks to tell the customer to mail it in and wait another one to two months. So, I just cut the stem off and knocked the hole out that was left in by the manufacturer. I hope the crack in above the other hole will not get worse very fast. I am going ahead to buy the large lady cup with my next paycheck.

I understand the company has to be careful not to be scammed but I have dealt with many companies that will send the replacement first when sending email images back and forth with an envelope for the old item. At least that way the customer doesn't have to wait months when they have already bought a product in good faith. I am just beyond frustrated with the Diva company.

Hey guys! New user here!!
Just a little intro first: I'm 20, not a virgin and I've had no kids.

Anywho, I've been lurking around here for about two days now and am so happy that I happened to stumble upon this community. It's so informational and helpful. I've decided that I want a Pinkcup after reading about all the cups, and I am currently having a bid war, via ebay, for a S&L Multipack of the Pinkcup. I'm due for my period in about a week and a half, and assuming I win the product (we're at about $30 which is NOT bad for two cups, so I'm stoked) I was just wondering.. if you're in the US, how long did your Ladycup take to get to you?
Also.. I would like to hear some more pros and cons of the Ladycups. I understand they're a bit slippery, but it's nothing you can't overcome, right? Also.. Is the softer silicone in anyway better than the harder silicone?

Thank you :D <3

I am absolutely thrilled someone is making different stems! *sqeal*

http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=de&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fmeluna.eu%2F

Stumbled across this website:

http://www.busybusymomma.com/MC.html

Hi! So you guys may remember me from this post where I posted after I ordered my first cup, which was a DivaCup.

Well, I was really nervous about it but still excited at the same time. I ordered mine through Amazon and it got here on the last day of my period. So I decided to try it out.

 And of course my fears were confirmed! It just won’t go in. I followed all of the instructions and made sure I didn’t push up but back instead, and when I push it back I can get the very tip of it in, but no more then that. It just feels to tight and there is a lot of resistance there to where it won’t go in. I tried the C fold, even though I knew that would be to big, and I have been favoring the punch down fold but it’s still to big to go in!

 So, I was wondering two things, the first is there any other fold that can make it smaller then the Punch down fold? And also, is it really just to big for me? I checked the size charts and thought maybe I should think about purchasing a ladycup since it’s the smallest one I could see, but its $30! Considering I just spent $25 I was kind of dejected in buying another. Also, is there a really big difference in size between the DivaCup and the Ladycup? Or would I just have the same problems with another cup?

 Some help and thoughts would be great! Cause I really would love to make this work!

OK. This is my second cycle using a cup. I had a happy period in my fist cycle with the cup when I got used to my small Orange Cup. It leaked only the first day of my period because it was quite heavy. So.....I got a small Lunette Selene because I am petite and cannot use a longer cup than that. Lunette supposedly has a higher capacity than the Orange Cup but the size are quite similar....


OK So I start my second cycle with my sm lunette selene on my first two heavy days.... It leaked!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The first day that it leaked  I just thought I should adjust how to insert because it was hard to pop and I did not feel any suction. So the second day which is the forth of July (today) which I have to be at work 9 hrs. I had to remove and reinsert the cup while at work like 3 times because it won't stop leaking.  Then I had to go to a Jazz in the Park to picnic and watch fireworks  somewhere out of town where restrooms are...ick...! and it won't stop leaking. I checked inside and made sure that it pops but this cup is very squishy that I think if I move a little it will break the seal and it's probably what  had caused it to leak. I had no problem with leaking with my smaller orange cup at all :( It was such a hassel my blood was all over my hands. I took a bottled water with me but there were no place to sit it down so it was horrible.

Lunette selene did catch the blood about almost half of the cup but there are quite amount that leaks. I don't know what I was doing wrong. I don't know if the  cervix just sit inside the cup which takes all the space like most of the ladies hear might have experienced?? I can't tell because I cannot touch it when the cup's in because my finger won't fit.  This was not my concern at all about where the cervix sits with my smaller orange cup though, no prob at all. :(  It just seals its way in and I would be good to go.
Lady cups are just hard to remove but much comfortable to wear for me.

I really dont want to waste my Lunette Selene...How am I going to get it to work :(? I used punch down fold because it was the best one for my Orange cup and other folds are too large...Any better folds for Lunetter Selene? I can't seem to insert it with the Seven fold which I heard it works for a lot of people .

I am using my Diva Cup for the first time, and it's been OKAY.  The first day I had some leaking, but today I didn't have any, however, while I was at work I kept freaking out that it was leaking so I felt like I wanted to hide in the bathroom the entire day!

I have a few questions:
1.)  I've read that some people have a problem with not being able to reach the cup when its inside them, my problem is the exact opposite.  My cup's stem almost sticks out, its an inch or two shy, does this happen to anyone else?  I don't want to cut the stem because I use it to insert it.

2.)  How do you really know that it's sealed?  I blindly insert it and push up, almost like a plunger and more or less hope it's okay.  I can't do the circle or turn thing to make sure its sealed.

3.) Does anyone else experience pain when using a menstrual cup?  The general area of my lady parts hurt whenever I use the cup.

4.) How do I get the cup to completely open once inside me, I kept feeling that one side of my cup was folded in?

I reaaaaaally want to be able to use my cup but I feel like giving up!  If anyone has any tips or suggestions please let me know!

Also, I am in a club, the ______ College Women's Center, and was planning on having a meeting where I lead a discussion about alternatives to one time use pads and tampons, anyone have any ideas as to especially important things I should cover?

I also use pads from party pants pads WHICH I LOVE, but I am trying to use the diva cup as to cut down on having to buy more and wash pads.  I started out using Instead Cups, which I think really helped.

I would love to be able to use my cup without fear of leakage or having to use a pad as well, and as today went well with no leaks I am feeling somewhat more hopeful.


Also, I am verrrry new to live journal, so forgive me for any mistakes and my lack of a photo/icon.

ps THIS COMMUNITY IS FABULOUS.

ok, I'm one of the smaller vagina people with low cervix, etc.... I haven't been able to get the ladycup or diva to work. I'm going to still try the lunette when I have time. I haven't given up yet but have trouble inserting. Was wondering if Insteads would work better as they go in slimmer? Although I know the insteads are really long. Have any of you smaller people had success with Insteads? Also, what is the slimmest fold for ladycup and lunnette. 7 fold, extreme 7, and C don't work for me. Thanks for any help.

So, I am happy with my reusable menstrual cups but I really want to try the insteads because I think they might by convenient for keeping in my car/backpack, etc. However, I don't know where I can find them. I thought I read on here that someone bought some at Target but when I went to our local one, I didn't see any. So, are they available at Wal-Mart, Longs Drugs, or anywhere else?

Thanks!

Hey girls,

First, i'm from Austria and therefore could have a kinda bad English, i'm sorry :(

After stalking your website for quite a while, I've ordered a Size B-Mooncup from Ebay and i'm waiting for it to arrive. :D

But I want to ask you girls a few question first:

1) How does the stem cutting work? I've got little to no fingernails at all due to massive nail biting, and so i'm afraid i can't pull out the cup if i only leave half a cm of the stem. Do you need fingernails at all?

2) I guess it isn't compatible with tampons, so will i have to buy some pads when using it for the first time? I'm afreid of leaking :(


3) How does cleaning work? I haven't ordered any of the cup cleaning products. Should i do this, or are there any other products i can buy in normal stores?


Thanks in advance!

So recently I've been building up my collection of cloth pads and I just bought a menstrual cup off of eBay (yay BlueCup!). It's going to be my first menstrual cup ever and I have an IUD which I'm a little wary about. I have yet to go for my initial check-up because I'm waiting for my first period which is taking for-frickin' ever! Anyway....

My mom, sister, and limited friends who I've told are like absolutely disgusted by the idea of using a menstrual cup or cloth pads! I don't know how to present these two methods of menstrual leakage protection to them in a way that does not gross them out. I want them to support my decisions to be eco-friendly. Ever since my IUD and coming across these communities I've become more open to the idea of other forms of period protection and I think it's great! However everyone around me doesn't seem to think so. My boyfriend's jaw just dropped and freaked out saying "WHAT IS THAT?!?!?!?!?!" when I told him I was getting a menstrual cup. Quite funny, but he's a guy. It just really hurts that my family and friends don't even like the idea.

What should I do to tell them it's not a bad thing? 

This is my 9th cycle with the Lunette size 2. Overall, it has worked nicely for me though I hate that on my heavier days it seems I either have to wear a disposable pad or liner. I bought this so that I could get away from that completely. To achieve this, I decided to start doing Kegel exercises. A few days before this cycle started, I noticed that inserting the Lunette was a lot easier than before. It would almost slide in, which was great! Would Kegels contribute to this or is it just my vagina getting used to having a menstrual cup in it?

Where can I buy a Lunette or Lunette Selene in Canada? I'm fine with online or in store. I'm in Ontario.

Fleurcup responded to my email asking when their cup would become available in the United States. Here is the reply (translated from French):

We thank you for the interest you have expressed in the menstrual cup Fleurcup. The commercialization of the Fleurcup in the United States is not planned at the moment. Please consult out internet site www.fleurcup.com from time to time; all the information on the subject of countries that we deliver to is there.


So I guess we'll just have to keep checking. Doesn't sound like it will happen anytime soon though :(

(This will be my last post for a while, I swear! lol)

i've been following this site for a while before purchasing my diva cup... hopefully someone will have a tip for me because i haven't seen anything much about the problem i'm having.

okay. so according to the directions that came with my diva cup, if you get a seal, the cup *can't* ride up. not the case!! no matter how shallow i put it in, my vagina sucks it up so it's so far in i have huge problems getting it in.

i know it's sealed because:
- i can hear the whoosh of air as it seals
- it's not leaking (at all - i have to say this is wonderful!!)
- it has huge suction when i go to take it out, have to squeeze and tug and pull, etc

anyway, i was using the punch-down fold and trying to it position it so the stem was just outside of my body and i could feel it easily... guaranteed within 5 minutes it was so far in there i need to dig waaay inside to even find the stem and getting a grip of it was almost impossible.

had that a few times, then tried putting it in just barely using the c-fold (the stem AND maybe 1/4 to 1/2 of the base were visible from the outside using a mirror). that was fine while i was standing up but when i sat down - vagina sucked it up again!

it's really comfortable when it's so far in there - my problem is it's so hard to get out and i'm kinda worried if i leave it in more than a few hours i won't be able to get it out.  the only thing i can think of is that maybe i should put a hole in the stem and put a string through like a tampon, just in case?!


i didn't have this problem on my "dry runs" before my period so i'm assuming it has to do with my cervix moving, or just because things are slippery down there. any tips would be appreciated!! it is pretty awesome that it doesn't leak AT ALL... just want getting it out of my body to not be a 10-15 minute procedure!

My second cycle ended last week with less success then the first with the Femmecup.
It just leaked so much. Even after a few minutes it was already leaking! And so for sure after 2 hours or less I was in the bathroom. I must have tried so many different times reinserting it and a bit different every time to try to get it right with No success!!!

This must be the wrong cup for me... or am I just putting it in wrong all of these many times!!>??
I tried the C-fold and that is the only fold but I tried straight, I tried toward my back, foot on toilet, sitting down... anyway... I guess it is not the right cup for me.

With regards to the size of the F-cup, do you think this means my vagina is longer or shorter? And which do you recommend I try next!?

Thanks.

I want this to work... but this last experience was very frustrating! to say the least!

Hello from Russia! :)
I'm not very good at English but I can't find russian-speaking cup-user who could answer my questions... So I hope you will forgive me for my mistakes :)
I've been using my Mooncup UK for 5 periods and I still have some troubles with leaking.
I'm 25, no kids, sexual active. I use a small size - "B".
It works, and sometimes it works perfect, but another time it leaks just like there's nothing inside at all.

I tried to insert it in different ways:
- low, right next to the entrance of vagina - works, but I fill it and the stem pokes me.
- higher, towards my cervix - but when it is inside, I can't say if it is around my cervix or not... how can I check it? So it usually leaks when inserted like this - means that I do something wrong?

I could wear it low, but in time it rides up anyway, and sometimes not to my cervix - so it starts to leak a lot.

So how do you think what should I do?
Try to incert it around my cervix (but how can I do it?) ?
Or shoud I try a wider/longer cup that wouldn't ride up in wrong direction when inserted?
I should add that my Mooncup "B" seats very tightly, I can hardly insert a finger to check the suction.
And my cervix is not low during my period (about 6-7 sm).

So I went ahead and ordered a Divacup since the small Mooncup US that I originally got has such a low capacity, and when it came in the mail the other day I did a dry run and it seemed to fit pretty well. Problem is, I just noticed there is a crack in it above one of the holes, and in fact none of the holes seem to have been punched out very well. From what I've read here, Diva customer service kind of sucks and it may take months for them to send me a replacement. Well, my husband and I are going on a camping trip in a couple weeks which happens to also coincide with my period, and I don't want to have to be emptying my Mooncup every few hours the whole time. So I'm not sure if I spend another $25 on a new Divacup (which who knows, could also turn out to be defective!) or just tough it out with my Mooncup (because hey, it would probably still be better than pads and tampons). But I can't make up my mind what I should do. What do you all think? Another issue is that I don't want to wake up in the morning having leaked all over the place because the Mooncup overflowed! Bringing disposable pads and tampons is out of the question, and the idea of buying some cloth pads for this one trip doesn't thrill me either.

I am really irritated with the Diva company for sending me a defective product. Argh!

EDIT: Okay, so I emailed iherb.com about the problem since I didn't expect a reply from the Diva company, and they said they would issue me a full refund. I don't even have to send the defective cup back to them. Also, they replied to my email in less than half an hour. Wow! Iherb officially rocks.

Hey, new user here :)

My period snuck up early this month so the nice little LadyCup I ordered arrived the exact day after it was over. But I just couldn't wait, so being a science nerd, I ran to the autoclave (hey, it said to sterilize it, right?) and now I'm taking this as opportunity to get my usage perfect before the date comes next month, and I have just a couple questions.

First of all, I dry-run wore mine all day yesterday at college, through my back-to-back for 12 hours classes, and unlike tampons, I never felt any kind of discomfort, even though it is the large size (it is so not that big). If the bleeding goes well, I will never look back. I stalked this community for a long time before buying, and I just wanted to say thank you :)

Somewhere on here I remember someone posting a link to a youtube video demonstrating different folding techniques. I can't find it! So if someone could link me, that would rock. Nevermind. One more second and I would have found it...

I didn't have any trouble removing it like a lot of LadyCup users seemed to... Except that it was a little uncomfortable through the opening. Are you supposed to fold it when you pull it out too? If so, what fold are you supposed to do? I can't very well be doing origami in my vagina.

Thanks ladies!

Hello Ladies!

I've been lurking in this community for a while, but never actually posted. Quick about me: 27, no kids, on the heavy side, low hanging cervix. Or I think it's low, it's around 1.5 inches(4.5cm) from my outer labia during my period. At any rate, I've been using cups for around 3 years, and of course, I love them! I even accidentally converted a friend just by virtue of raving about the awesomeness of my cup.

My first cup was an Mooncup UK, size "b" or the small one. I've cut the stem all the way off, but occasionally I can feel it anyways. Usually only if I'm riding my bike. I assume this is because when I'm on my bike everything gets compressed, except the cup. I also constantly had problems with even the tiniest organic applicatorless tampons poking me, too. But that didn't bother me. It was always easy to insert and remove for me, popped right open. Taking it out I would just grab the base and yank, suction be damned. I didn't care about an extra cramp from the suction. xD

But then, about 6 months ago, I got a copper IUD. This changed things, I used my cup for my first cycle after the IUD was inserted. I had tried using pads, but I just couldn't handle it. I had honestly forgotten how disgusting and uncomfortable they were. But then I quickly discovered the joys of overflowing a cup! I have a light flow compared to most of my women friends, so I never had that problem before. I was emptying a completely full MCUK every 2 hours. Not good! So I went shopping. Thanks to the lovely comparison charts on this community, I opted for a small Lunette Selene. Now I can get away with 4 hours on my heaviest day before it overflows. I can live with that. The Lunette is harder to pop open compared to the MCUK, but there seems to be less suction. At least, after the IUD I tried to be careful of the suction with my MCUK and it took a lot longer to break the suction and remove than the Lunette. I've also cut the tab about halfway off my Lunette, and I haven't had the poking problems I had with my MCUK. For some reason, though, my menstrual blood often seems to have a smell from the Lunette that I never noticed with my MCUK. I have no idea why that is, but it's not horribly offensive nor does the smell linger on the cup, so I'm not worried.

But, this brings me to this period! My period was dragging its feet and was refusing to come. I was getting red dribble for a couple days and I finally said, "enough is enough!" and bought some fresh parsley. I've found parsley tea and a parsley pessary work wonders to make a late period show. And because I *was* dribbling a little bit of blood, I didn't want to just insert the parsley and leave it, It would have leaked! So I stuffed my Lunette full of parsley and inserted it. I hardly have to fold either cup for insertion, so the fact that it was full and not easily squishable didn't bother me. The parsley stuffed cup wasn't in terribly long, maybe 4 hours. I was worried the cup hadn't sealed, being so full of fresh parsley leaves, and would leak. I also had some parsley tea that day and lo and behold the next day, the floodgates had opened! So, good. Then I had to empty my Lunette a bunch, and one time while doing so, I noticed that funk I mentioned earlier. After rinsing my cup off (I don't use soap anymore except for right at the end of my cycle before boiling) I sniffed it, to make sure the funk hadn't lingered. And I could still smell the parsley from the day before! It sure smelled nice and fresh. I was surprised. But I'm wondering if anyone has ever thought to use parsley to get rid of smells on their cup? Perhaps stuffing the cup full of fresh parsley and then boiling? Or allowing it to soak in warm water? Is that insane? I know parsley is recommended as a breath freshener after eating, but maybe it would work as a cup freshener, too.

Mods: I tried to tag it, but if I left any out or tagged incorrectly feel free to fix that. Sorry!