Hey all!

so I was on the bus home, finally having given up on ever seeing my femmecup, and planning how I was going to afford another one. I get home and in the letterbox is a parcel! for me! from the UK! WOO!

( so I took it for a test drive... )
I'm very happy XD

I have been using a Diva for years--I started with the size 1, and then got pregnant, and had my daughter, I used that size 1 for my first several cycles after I stated menstruating again. I accidently flushed it down the toilet :(
So I got a size 2 to replace it.

Within the past few months, the first couple days of my period are SUPER HEAVY--like overflowing the cup after a couple hours heavy...I have never experienced this before, I used to be able to wear the cup all day and emptying it only once or twice during the day.

Bottom line-- I think I need a different cup for my heavier days. I *LOVE* my diva, so something that is the most similar to that, but has a bigger capacity--what cup would this be?

Thanks!

( poll, cause I'm curious )

Can someone tell me what causes the diva cup to give me cramps? i'm on the pill so i usually never get cramps during my period.

Just so you guys know its my first time using the cup and up to now its been a disaster. at home i put it in and i thought it was fine till i felt it was leaking at school so i went in the bathroom and i had to go up in there and pull it out so my fingers were all bloody and it was just really messy. I put it back now and i think its fully opened. Let's hope..

Anyways the thing is that when i have it in theres barely any room for my fingers to turn it or to check if it's full open. my pubic bone is in the way

Update:

so after some helpful comments i re-inserted it this morning and it was good for 10 hours and it didnt leak. I think i finally got the hang of it. I was putting it in too low.

Hey everyone, just sharing my photos of the large Lotos Ladycup, and a few other things.

( Everything behind the cut here )

I'm really interested in trying a reusable menstrual cup, but I'm not sure how it would be possible with my allergies. I have a pretty serious skin reaction to silicone; prolonged exposure to the nose pads on eyeglasses or silicone bakeware gives me these terrible sores. I also have a mild latex sensitivity. Are there any cups that are made of a different material?

Thanks.

Hello all - new cup user here! Reading through the posts has been very helpful in guiding me through my first cycle with the cup, but now I need some advice!

The first cycle was not trouble-free, but it went well enough that I really want to get this right! After reading through the posts here, I had decided to go with the MCUK. I did some dry runs and cut the stem off completely - I def. do not need it. I am able to insert and remove it without any discomfort or pain, which is awesome. The first day of my period, I had some problems with leaking. I think this was mainly because I wasn't getting a good enough suction due to blood on the vagina walls. I think I solved that problem by stirring around the cup multiple times until it was drier and I could get a good enough suction going. I'll find out for sure next cycle.

My main problem, however, is that I have realized that my cervix is quite low during my period. When I stick my index finger in, I reach my cervix by my second knuckle! I never realized it was that low before. Consequently, the very end of the cup sits right at the entrance of my vagina, and I can often feel that it is there. Because the stem is cut off, it isn't painful, but...it's there. And that is a tad uncomfortable. This may have also contributed to some of the leakage problems when my period was heavier because I think my cervix was taking up some of the capacity of the cup.

So, I am thinking that I may need a shorter cup...I have been perusing the posts, and I think that maybe a Lunette might be a good option? According to the size chart it is three mm shorter than the one I have...would that make a difference? 3mm seems like so little, but on the other hand, I feel like it just needs to be a tiny bit further in and I wouldn't feel it...I also like that it has a larger capacity. My flow isn't super heavy, but I love the fact that I can wear this thing over night! But then spending more money, esp. since the Lunette seems to be a bit pricier, doesn't seem all that appealing either. Decisions, decisions. Opinions?

Hey Ladies!

So I've been using my Diva for, oh, 4-ish years, and it's starting to not seal so well. Probably mostly due to the itsy bitsy holes which I cannot clean out. I've tried it all: covering the top and squeezing water out, bobby pins, real pins, blablabla... and also, a couple of the holes are starting to tear a little. It's been a wonderful little cup, and I'll keep it going for a while yet, but I'm thinking that I might invest in a new cup for the day this one wears out, plus because it's fun to get a new cup. :-)

Now, I haven't actually been keeping up with the cup scene, except that when I got mine, there was Diva Cup, Keeper, Keeper Mooncup, Mooncup UK, and that was about it. Now there are a zillion different brands, cups, shapes, sizes, cours, textures, and everything in between. I'd like to try something new. Seeing as I've liked the DivaCup (the old one with the cursive writing on the inside and the itty bitty holes), what do YOU think would be a good new cup?

Thanks!

has anyone here used a large meluna? I'm trying to get a sense for capacity. I use a large ladycup and LOVE it, but it always starts to leak at about 2/3s of the way full or less because the damn holes are so low, so it's kind of difficult to judge by dimensions how much a meluna might hold in comparison. edit: I just checked and measured, and the ladycup only fills to 15-20 ml because of the holes. I love that thing, but still, what?

edit: I'd also love to hear from anyone who's used a large yuuki or fleurcup as these seem to be the highest capacity available. I have a ridiculously heavy flow and sometimes for a couple days I fill my ladycup in under an hour.

thanks in advance!

My Diva is leaking. *cries* This is a first for me since I learned to turn it inside out. I've been in and out of the bathroom all day with leaks. Luckily nothing major (only because I RUN as soon as I feel that bubbly feeling). Most of the time it was less than 1/4 full (once it was 6 or 7 8ths, but not full enough to have been leaking IMO), so I know it's not overfilling. I know it's opening all the way as I'm checking for fullness when I swirl, and I'm 100% certain it's not residual slobber. I'm not certain it's sealing (in some cases I know it wasn't sealed when I pulled it back out), but I can't figure out what else to do to make it seal, I've tried everything I know of. I know it is working to some extent as I'm getting some HEAVY flow in the cup (very clotty), what's leaking is thinner and looks more like plasma. Does this sound like a seal issue maybe that the big/heavy stuff is getting in but the thinner stuff is sliding by?

I've also had a VERY, VERY hard time getting my cup to open today. I get it open eventually, but it's like it's too tight to open all the way or something, it won't pop open just inside like it normally does.

So after about the 10th trip to the bathroom today I decided to check my cervix position (only the 2nd time I've ever done so and the first time I was not on my cycle). SHOCKER! *faints* It is almost RIGHT at the entrance to my vagina. Obviously, VERY, VERY low. I am 100% confident it's my cervix too (odd for me as I wasn't sure I was feeling the right thing the first time, but I know now that I was) as I felt the opening and I was able to feel all the way around it. How strange! Well, not strange as in anything unusual, just strange as I never really felt or understood it until now.

So what do you think is happening here? Is my cervix taking some of my cup capacity? Is my cervix sitting outside the cup (I don't think so, but I'm not sure)? Is it not sealing because of the cervix position? Any other possibilities?

I'm open to any and all possibilities and suggestions.

I am now more convinced than ever that the Diva is sooo the wrong cup for me due to the length and my cervix position. I may have to go with an even smaller cup than I thought (I just ordered a large MeLuna... I hope it's not too long as well).

How frustrating! Hey... can anyone tell me if it's normal or at least if it happens sometimes that the cervix position would vary from cycle to cycle? I'm just wondering how my Diva has been working for so long but all of the sudden it's not.. *shrugs*

Sorry for the novel. *blush*

Hello ladies!
I'm european, so I went for a fleurcup and I really like it. I had to trim the stern and it still pokes me sometimes. I saw that Meluna had the ball and ring stern options and I was really interested. I have a few doubts, though:

1. I'm never sure about the correct placement, I usually place it past my pubic bone and keep going until I can no longer feel the stern. This cycle I tried inserting it lower because last time it started going up my vagina. It still poked me, but I did it because last time it took me a while to locate and grip the stern.

2. Before that, I had the lousy idea of turning it inside out, because I saw menstrualcupinfo channel on youtube and she took it out by inserting a finger alongside it to break the suction, and hers was sternless. I couldn't take it out and ended up going to the doctor to have it removed. I guess I have a long vagina because today I tried to locate my cervix and I had my middle finger all the way in and had to press on my belly to feel the tip of my cervix. Will I be able to find and remove the meluna?

3. I also found out I have a really light flow. I keep my cup in for 12 hours and it only fills up halfway on my heaviest day. I wanted a small meluna for the lighter days to give my girly parts a rest from the previous poking. Do you think it's worth buying it? Do you prefer the ball or ring stern?

TIA!

Ok, 3 days ago I bought myself a Diva cup from an organic food store. I had some trouble with leaking and painful removal, but lurking around on here has helped and I'm slowly getting the hang of it. But...today I managed to get my cup out without going "Ow ow ow OW! Aaaah," and then accidentally dropped it in the toilet. Ew. Washing it thoroughly with non anti-bacterial soap and warm water will make it ok again, won't it? It was the toilet in my house, not a public restroom, but still. I read the directions and it said to not use anti-bacterial soap because it could damage the silicone, but the thought of germs lurking on my cup freaks me out.

Well I was looking at MeLuna's site today to see if the new colors came out in large, and i seen this
http://meluna.eu/binden-6.html
I guess they have cloth pads now?
UGH of course the colors didn't come out yet =(

many thanks for lounalune and judith for making it happen. here are some pictures and my thoughts so far.

( fleurcup )

it's a lot smaller than the small diva cup (as shown in the comparison photo). the only thing that surprised me is that the end is real squishy. i thought i was going to break the suction inserting it. they say that the cups are "hoop skirts" but i'd say the fleurcup is more of a bell shaped cup. the fleurcup isn't as wide as the diva cup but i couldn't even get up to the rim when i checked. there wasn't any room in there for the cup and a finger. i think this is due to the shape and i'm just not very big down there. it's a lot more comfortable than the diva cup in that aspect. i haven't had to empty it yet (yay for getting my period a few days ago so i could try it out right away) but so far i'm very happy with it!

Of course, like the letter says, there is still some more red tape to take care of, but it's on its way. I absolutely love my large Lunette, and I can't wait to get my hands on a small one! Now maybe the Fleurcup will be next!

Sorry to spam, I was just excited!!

First person to respond gets it, preferably someone who is serious about getting a Ladycup.

::Edit:: Taken!

A few weeks ago someone posted this http://community.livejournal.com/menstrual_cups/1951817.html - it was about wearing a menstrual cup if you were in hospital and how would the staff know that you were wearing one.
I have been thinking about this and wondered if something like this would be appropriate http://www.totalmerchandise.co.uk/products/details/Two-and-Four-Tone-Silicon-Wristbands
I am thinking of ordering some as promotional items for my website, if you think they would be of use. I would have my website on there and maybe something like "menstrual cup wearer" on it.
What do you think? Would you wear one while you were wearing a cup, just in case? Would you wear it all the time?
Do you like the text or can you think of something better.
I'm thinking of ordering 1000 and selling them for £1.00 or free with any menstrual cup. They would be 2 colours, the colours in my new logo.

I'm just asking for feedback rather than waste my money.
Thanks

Teresa
http://www.femininewear.co.uk
Reusable menstrual products
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Feminine-Wear/262280740292

I'm trying my first Instead today, just out of curiosity. I REALLY, REALLY don't understand the concept.

I just wanted to share. I'll post my findings as I go. :-)

This is more for information than anything else, but if it helps anyone else that's a bonus. I've been on warfarin (a blood thinner) for about a month now for blood clots in my leg, lungs and brain. Apparently as a woman of menstruation age I should have been informed this would make my periods 'living hell', or the medical equivalent of that, I wasn't. To be honest it wasn't that bad, all I found was that I had to empty my cup more often and I was a bit more crampy (and cranky) than usual.

However, I was talking to another girl about the same age as me whilst I was in hospital who said that she was unable to go out pretty much during her period whilst on warfarin as she was constantly paranoid about leaking because tampons weren't absorbing enough and she was allergic to the sticky stuff on pads. So I told her all about cups, and now the nurse who runs the warfarin clinic is going to recommend cups to 'women of a menstruation age.'

I just got an email informing me that the Lunette is now FDA approved. :)


~M

So, I posted last month and said that I was anxious to use my Diva Cup and not feeling to sure of myself. Well when my last cycle came it was just spotting, not enough to contemplate using the cup. I did try the cup out though and put it in/walk around/take it out and just try to familiarize myself with the cup.

It was alright but after about 30 minutes it seemed as if the cup were just coming further and further down. I could feel it slipping out of place, to the point that it was uncomfortable and I could easily grab the entire end of the cup. I have no clue why but it didn't seem to be working!


Today is the second, and slightly heavier, day of my period and so I decided to try the cup, again. I did the C fold, slid the cup in as far as I could and then pressed my fingers against the stem to make sure it was as far up as I could get it. I then used my kegels to make sure it was in properly and not going anywhere. It feels like it's in there properly and it's not really "uncomfortable" but when I walk or sit in a certain position it feels as if I have a too large tampon trying to work it's way out.

I have pretty short sausage fingers and my cervix is very high and tilted. I can't reach my cervix, even if I lay down or squat, it's just too far and my fingers are too short. So I can't really use my fingers to gauge where the cup is in comparison to my cervix. I'm at a loss here. I can't use tampons anymore because my periods are becoming unbearable with them and I hate using my cloth pads alone. I know there's the option of using sea sponges but I'd like to get the hang of using this cup.

Do I need a new cup? What am I doing wrong? Is it the fold? Help! TIA.

I have just had an idea!

Well, I don't know how great it is, but hopefully you ladies can tell me.

I totally want in on cup activism. Really. I hang out on all sorts of women's health boards, and the most common thing I see besides "amipregnant" is "tampons are driving me insane."

America, Europe, and Australia all have activism groups, but here in NZ, I haven't heard of anyone informing about cups. I'd like to do something about that.

Now, we have some very talented ladies who have tackled, in particular, the environmental aspects of why cups are awesome.

But I'd like to tackle the health benefits, and this is where my idea comes in.

So, I smoke. Quite a lot. So sue me. And of course, cigarettes have the "Smoking --> bad shit" warning on them.

I was idly looking at my pouch as I was rolling a cigarette, and I thought to myself, "Heh, ya know, it's kinda funny that tampons have the same sort of warning on them."

And then it struck me. It's one thing to have a warning like that on cigarettes - the fact that smoking is bad for you is well-publicized, and you can choose whether you put the cig in your mouth or not.

However, as far as most women know, tampons are the only option if you want to do anything even moderately active, or involving water. Because of a lack of awareness, they are virtually forced to use tampons.

The CDC has stopped tracking the rates and risk factors of TSS, despite the fact that the death rate has been rising. Cases from my home state, Minnesota, tripled from 2000 to 2003. Rates in California doubled in one year (2002).

And yes, the CDC isn't paying attention. This could be because of some shady business, but who knows. The fact is tampon companies KNOW that no one is paying attention, and they may be paying even less attention to the safety of their products, which may be producing higher death tolls.

Tampons are required to carry a warning about TSS, that tampons cause it, and that it's deadly. Just like cigarettes.

People know they have a choice about smoking. But due to massive efforts on the part of tampon companies, most women don't know they have a choice about tampons. They are being forced by ignorance to continue to use a dangerous product (obviously, TSS being only one of the side effects tampons can, and does have).

So, I had an idea. Basically, point out this concept in a brocher about cups, with a picture of a cigarette warning label besides a tampon warning label (Does anyone know if they're printed ON the box? I haven't owned tampons in ages...) with something like "Is this something you want in your body?"

It's rather in-your-face, but I think it's a valid point, and I think that when something which is safer and better than its predecessor comes out, people are entitled to know about it and make the choice, rather than being kept in the dark.

Thoughts?

Love,
Cassie

EDIT: Some have pointed out that, if I wanted to pursue this, it would probably be best to do so without mentioning cups as it may cast suspicion on my motivation.

I think perhaps this is a wise idea. So, this is quickly losing context as far as menstrual cups go. Shall I take it down?

Yay! Thanks to all who've helped me along the way. I got a double package (1 small, 1 large) for the LadyCup this evening through eBay (though it was quite a ride to end up with the winning bid). I can't wait to start getting the hang of it and in time using it during cycles. Again, thanks to all who've helped me narrow down my choices and all. :)

I've been using my old school Lunette (back when they made just one size) for a few years now and I spot with it. I'm wondering if it's because the silicone is quite soft and squishy. Has anyone else had spotting/leaking end with a switch to a stiffer cup?

Thanks!

As the holiday season approaches I'm thinking about asking for a certficate to get a new menstrual cup. I'm currently using a small diva cup, and I don't mind it at all.

My big problem is that it is just too long. In the span of one day I barely fill the cup up the first line which is i believe is 7.5 ml. I cut the stem off but when i sit down i can feel the stub of the stem sticking out. It's kind of hard to get it to pop open but that is really not a huge issue.

I really like the flexibility of the diva cup, the suction is fine, and I can use it without having it leak. It's just too long.

I I was thinking about getting a MeLuna because it is smaller but it doesn't look like it would as flexible as I would like it to be.


Any suggestions? Let me know if you need more information to make a suggestion!
I would really love suggestions from people who have used the diva cup and other cups, but all suggestions would be appreciated!