hello!

I'm having what seems like the same problem as cuteblood talked about in her Jan 20th post, except I don't think calcium is the problem (at least in my case) because the white film only occurs when I boil my cup, and only after the cup is submerged in the water. When I take it out after boiling for no more than 5 mins, it looks chaffed, as though some of the silicone came off.
I have a lunette (or rather, had  one - I believe one of my housemates accidentally threw it out, so now I'm tragically back to tampons until I can afford to buy a new cup), and I was wondering if only lunettes have this problem, and if so, should I switch to a different brand, or is it really not a big deal? I quite like my lunette, so I would prefer to not switch brands. Is there another solution to the problem, like boiling with 50/50 water and vinegar?

please help!

Hello everyone,

I have a question about my MCUK. To clean it, I normally soak it in a 50/50 water/peroxide solution or boil it on the stove. To prevent it melting on the stove, I stuff it inside a metal whisk which I then place in the water. This works wonderfully, I don't burn my fingers when taking it out.

However, I'd like to stick it in the microwave from time to time, as the stove is mostly occupied by other people. But I daren't put the whisk in the microwave along with the bowl of water because I've heard that this can set the microwave on fire and I don't want that. But, I also don't want my cup to stick to the bowl in case I forget to check on it in time and the water evaporates...
Does somebody have an idea as how to solve this problem?
Thanks!

Hello everyone. :) I started using my small Divacup for the first time on my period over Saturday night. So far I really like it, but I do have some questions and would appreciate if anyone had any suggestions/answers/experiences/you get the point. :P
 

( My Q's )

 

Hey, so, yah I've only been using the cup one week, six days to be exact. And since my period ended Wednesday, I went to boil it last night. But as I was waiting for the water to boil, I started to inspect the cup. You know? First time user curiosity. And noticed that one of the holes specifically is starting to tear, already. Should the silicone really be tearing this soon? And it's not a small tear, and it's one of those kinds of tears that now that it's torn, it's gonna get much bigger very easily. It's also made the hole slightly bigger.
Has anyone else had this problem? I also noticed two of the other holes have very small tears as well.
All the tears are on the inside of the rim AND on the outside.

I just got my first cup a Femmecup and was thinking about boiling my cup. I would like to microwave it so I can use something that is disposable. Has anyone microwaved their cup? Is this a good way to steralize my cup?

Even though my cup is new, I am concerned about how many people might of handled my cup and I guess I was expecting something shiny and new, and my cup feels, kind of grainy/sandy. I might be paranoid, but don't want to get a yeast infection or something.

Hi everyone! I'm new to this whole cup thing and kinda excited about it. I never heard of them before a couple of my friends who don't know each other started mentioning them around the same time. At first I was totally squicked by the idea of sticking my hand inside and getting blood on me, but the more I read about it the more I'm like "it's just blood right?" and want to give it a try.

I've never really had a problem using a tampon, I've used super plus ever since I lost my virginity and never had a problem getting it in or anything. But since my flow is so heavy sometimes they would leak or soak the string, so I had to wear a backup pad most of the time which totally sucked! I hate pads and hate the feeling of wearing a diaper, so the idea that using the cup I could avoid pads altogether once I get the hang of it sounds awesome! I also want to make an effort to be more environmentally conscious and a reusable cup sounds like a great way to do that. And I'm on HBC (<3 the patch!!) so I get my period regularly, so being able to put it in before it starts (instead of having to use pads till it starts and then sticking in a tampon) would also be awesome because again, I really HATE pads!

Plus this whole community has made me feel awesome because you guys actually talk about this stuff, which most people around me won't do... I grew up with a brother and my dad, so I've never really had any guidance on periods at all from my mom, sisters, or anything like probably a lot of people did. Being able to talk freely about periods and vaginas here is a first for me LOL! For that I think this community ROCKS!




So anyway I had a few questions. First about size, I read the really great sizing post with the tables and stuff and tried to figure out what is best for me but I'm sort of overwhelmed by how many options there are! I can't find my cervix even with my finger all the way in (and I've had a 4 or 5 inch vibrator go all the way inside before LOL), so I think that means I have a crazy long vagina? So I figured the Diva cup is best because it is very long and has a large capacity for my heavy flow. Since I'm not a virgin but I am under 30 with no kids, I wasn't sure about which size to pick, I ordered the small one but now I'm wondering if I should have gotten the bigger one. Most of the posts on here seem to be about people having problems with the cup being too big so I feel weird because I'm worried about it being too small LOL! I'm sort of overweight too, and I don't know if that has any bearing on the size, I am a little worried about my belly getting in the way when I am on the toilet and have to reach down to pull it out but I guess that's not really a size question.

I also was wondering about cramps, since I usually get pretty bad cramps now that sometimes keep me in bed for a day or two a month. A couple people on here mentioned that it makes their cramps worse, so I'm sort of worried about that.

And also to boil it at the end of your cycle... I live in a dorm so I would probably be using the mug in the microwave way (since putting it on the stove means everyone, even the boys, sees what I'm "cooking" LOL). Do you guys have a special mug for it separate from the mugs you drink from regularly? What amounts of time do you put the water/cup in the microwave for?

Thanks so much for all your answers!




I have to say that I am super excited about getting my Diva cup and trying it since my period is due to start in just a couple of days! I ordered it from iHerb.com which was recommended on here a few posts back, and it is really cheap compared to other places! I got it for $21 using the referral code discount, including shipping! Since it's $35 at the store in town that sells them and I'm a poor college student I was pretty excited to find one for so cheap! Now I just have to wait for it to get here...

Also I am really excited about making my own pouches for my cup! I am a crafty sort of person and love to knit, so I am excited about being able to use my creativity for something other than making zillions of hats. If I end up making a knitting pattern for a cup pouch is it appropriate to post it here? :D


Thanks again everyone, this community is really great and I am excited to become a part of it!

Hi there,

I've been using my cup 6 months ago, everything works PERFECT =D
I use a boiling stainless steel casserole (not highest quality) and I get always the same when I finish boiling my cup (4 minutes boiling) let me tell you:

There is a thin white layer on the casserole walls where the water was boiling. And also there are small spots in the bottom of the casserole.

The only way to remove them is rubbing/scrarping hard with a brand new scourter, water and dish-washing soap.

The water in my zone is very hard (I live on a sea town)


I wish to know if anybody knows what's that white layer and specially that spots on the bottom!

I'm afraid about them, maybe they can be any kind of fungus or stainless steel degrade?

Another hypotesis: the thin layer is water minerals (like calcium) and the spots are the points where the air go up when boiling so there the thin layer don't appear.

Thanks in advance!!

NEW: I've taken photos today! So you can see it better:





* * *

Thank you everybody for your super-fast answers! Calcium in water seems to be the problem...
I tried to boil the cup with mineral water but it left a harder mineral layer.
I've clean the casserole with vinegar (as you suggested me) and it WORKS! I tell you how I do it: When I finish boiling the cup I get it out of the casserole. Then I add some vinegar to the boiled water, and leave it to rest a few hours. Then I wash it with clean water and the calcium has gone.
Thank you!! =D

Hello Ladies,
I just got my Diva Cup in the mail (really fast service from iHerb.com) and I was wondering how many of you sterilized it in boiling water, and for how long before you used it? I was hoping to do a dry run.

I dropped my Lunette in the toilet by accident as I tried to remove it. After rinsing it out with some of the soap that came with it, I decided to boil some water in the microwave for 5 mins., then pour the water over my Lunette and let it soak for a few minutes in a plastic cup. Is this safe to do?

Long time lurker, first time poster. Hello everyone!

I bought my Divacup back in August and have used it for two cycles so far - I *LOVE* it. Last cycle I went hiking and kayaking in Portugal, something that I never thought I'd be able to do while on my period. The advice and support of this community has really been invaluable while I've been learning how to use my Diva Cup.

I've looked on the archives, but I couldn't find any advice on these three questions for you lovely ladies:

1) Time between emptying: The DivaCup (and most other brand) website says that one can wear the cup for up to 12 hours at a time. Why the limit? Is it just a leakage thing, or are there health risks associated with wearing cups for too long (as +12 hours)?

2) Boiling damage: The DivaCup is made out of silicone, which seems like a pretty inert material. The first time I used it, I tried to sterilize it by boiling it on a stove. However, I got a little distracted (whoops!) and when I finally turned off the stove, it had been sitting in boiling water for about 20 minutes. It looks/smells fine and has the same texture/springiness as it did before boiling, but I'm still a little worried. Can silicone be damaged by boiling it for too long?

3) Spinning: I use the "labial fold" (http://community.livejournal.com/menstrual_cups/769444.html) which has never given me any problems with popping open. I usually feel it as a very bodily *thud* in the center of my pelvis, and if I don't feel it then I know it hasn't popped open yet. However, I read about a lot of people "spinning" their cups once it is inside. How does one do this, and what is the purpose? Is it to make sure that the cup is open, or is it to check the seal? I've tried grabbing the stem of the cup and twisting it, but when I let go it springs right back and the cup itself doesn't seem to turn. How do you spin your cup?

Thanks so much, ladies. :D

I've been reading this community for a while now and gather that as far as sanitizing goes, some of you boil your cups, others use other methods, and the rest pour boiling water over them. I have a concern about the latter, because someone here mentioned that pouring boiling water is not the same as submerging something in water that's truly boiling, because only the latter really kills bacteria. I know you will defend that and say that so far it hasn't caused any  harm... But what if, god forbid, the harm just hasn't reared it's head yet? Or am I just being paranoid... ?

That's my concern because I like boiling the cup as a sanitization method, but am not sure I want to get a separate, clunky pan just for that purpose (I'm squirmish). On the other hand I'm not convinced pouring hot water over the cup really works.......

I don't understand how to boil my new cup, if in a pan full of water it drops to the bottom. This will surely cause it to burn. How do you gals do it? Do you turn it upside down and hold on to it by the end? (neat way to learn how a diving bell works)

I have question: I boiled my cup in a stainless steel pan. I left it for about more than 15 minutes. I don't think it melted (the shape is ok), but the pan now has a white "scar"/residue where the cup stayed on the bottom; and the cup is tacky, no longer smooth, but otherwise kept the shape and looks normal.

So, is the cup still safe? Does silicone give off toxins if it "melted" for a little while? Is the pan safe for use? Should I have used a telfon pan? Anyone had this problem before?

Hi to all!

First day at this community and as a user of DivaCup, I actually received today by mail. My period was 12 days soon, that means that I haven't had the opportunity to do a "test run": I'm giving it a REAL try xD. Well, I'm not used to it yet, it seems I have had some problems with inserting it and I don't get to have the thing inside correctly, but well, I'm not worrying already, I have read a lot on menstrual cups and I know that it's odd to start on my period days.

My first question is related cleaning. As I have read everywhere, it is recommended to wash my hands and the cup with warm/hot water. Is it really important? I mean, now it's summer and I'm not worried since cold water is actually pretty warm xD. But when winter arrives, I'm a bit afraid this becomes a problem. We don't have a really hard winter, we never reach 0ºC, but water is still cold and it takes around 10 minutes to get the water warmer work. That's too much time and too much water and gas wasted and I'm not very happy with that idea :/

Last question is about boiling. I have also read that many of you buy a pan only to boil the cup. I was thinking in using just a normal pad, of course after cleaning very well the pad, and also the pan itself after boiling. We're talking about normal pans here, like, the same that I'll use to warm milk, for example. Is there any danger? I live with my boyfriend and his parents, even if I boil the cup for long enough, clean it propertly before boiling it and of course clean the pan after, would it still be... like... "appropiate"?

And that's it ^_^. I've found this community REALLY helpful, I must thank you all for all the experiences and advices. And thanks also in advance for the help. I suppose I'll post again when I get used to my Diva :)

Kisses!
*Ami*

P.S.: I'm really sorry if my English has any mistakes >< I hope everything is understandable though.

Hi,

I am just wondering as a lot of people boil their cups.... is there anyone who rinses/soaks their cup with cold water first before sterilising it and has never experienced stains?

so, i just got my pretty pink (it was worth the extra $5) ladycup, and put it in (easy!) and wore it for a full day (couldn't feel anything!!! amazing!) as a test run . . . it seemed sealed, all was well, but it was a test run (i don't have my period right now) . . . .

if it works as well as it seems it's going to, i plan to tell every girlfriend i have about cups! why don't more people use them????

of course, my only slight fear/question is:

i bought some pads (which i haven't used for years) to wear the first days i use the cup while i have my period, in case of leaks. when/if they leak, do they leak like a tampon or do they, well, dump out all of the blood? if so, would a pad be able to absorb it all? i can't imagine that they could leak that much, it would be tragic and hugely embarrassing . . . just want to check so i know what to plan for.

also, what do you do if you need to change it in a bathroom stall? how does that work?

also, cleaning - you have to boil it post-period, correct? (for the silicone) . . . but during, can you wash with soap and water?

thanks! again, i think i'm going to love the cup, seems amazing thus far!

ps - thanks for everyone who applied to my post with advice about which kind of cup to get - i read a lot of posts and settled on ladycup in a size small - i'm 33, no children, thin, with light flow. it seems to fit well. i bought directly from ladycup - may be a bit more $, but they offer free exchanges if you accidentally bought the  wrong size . . . .

Hello, everyone, 

I've been occasionally watching this community since last spring, when I bought myself a Lunette cup. Unfortunately (then again, maybe not) even one and a half year's regular use hasn't really given me case for membership in support groups. I haven't had a single problem that needed solving, nor suggestions for what to do when there's a problem, since I haven't had any. I can only conclude that my parts and periods must be smack dab in the middle of the bell curve. One issue arose earlier this evening, however.

I used to be a lurker on this community but haven't even had the time to be that for a while, however, I wanted to pop back on here to say how pleased I am to have my Mooncup and to pass on a tip/thought.

I recently found myself having to use tampons for a few days as I was without my Mooncup (I may possibly have boiled it dry by mistake!) and what a nightmare - they were useless! I was changing them every 2 hours at least and between those times, I was constantly wary of leaks - I wouldn't consider myself a particularly heavy flow person. And then there's what to do with the used tampon/applicator; I'd forgotten about having to decide if you can throw it down the loo (let's face it we all do/did it!) or if you need to put it in the (usually not very) sanitary disposal bin. And that's without having to think about all the other hassles with tampons like actually remembering to carry some around with you!

I was overjoyed to be back using my Mooncup yesterday evening. I'm back to only having to worry about it twice a day and my (and my office's) drains are once again 'safe'!

One quick tip/thought - I'm 32 and have given birth twice vaginally (although admittedly both times pretty quickly and with very tiny babies) but I am finding the smaller B-size cup far more comfortable than the larger A-size cup that I assumed I'd need by now. I certainly don't seem to be having any leaking issues. I just say this in case anyone else thinks that they should probably be on the larger one but it feels a bit uncomfortable, don't assume that the smaller one would be too small based on their age or how many babies they've given birth to.

Oh - one last thing seeing as I'm here... be warned that Mooncups *can* dislodge coils - mine did and I thought I was being fairly careful. Of course, it might not have been the Mooncup but the suction was pretty strong at times so I think it may well have been that.

Does anyone know if I can boil my Diva Cup in the microwave? I want to, but I'll use a pot if I must.

Hi- I'm new here.

So, I was boiling my keeper, but I must have accidentally left it going for too long- it looks like I burned the rubber. Do you think it's still safe? Or might I have released some bad chemicals from within the rubber?

Thanks!

Hello, ladies.

I know the DivaCup people say that you shouldn't use hydrogen peroxide or vinegar on your cup; they also advocate boiling for only 2-5 minutes (which might lead one to believe that boiling for longer periods of time is harmful).

Personally, I'm inclined to believe this is all bunk; I've had my cup for two years, have soaked it repeatedly in vinegar-and-water and peroxide-and-water solutions, and have boiled it often (sometimes several times per cycle!) for 10-20 minutes, and have never noticed any problems with the structural integrity of the cup.

But then again, just because I've never witnessed it doesn't mean it's impossible. I know people have experienced general deterioration of silicone cups before...so I guess my question is, did you have a silicone cup which deteriorated, and you believe that it was caused by the use of vinegar and/or peroxide and/or excessive boiling? Comments on cup deterioration attributed to other causes are welcome, as well.

Finally, people who have used any of these methods without any negative effects on the cup are welcome to comment, too.

<LURKER DELURKING>
Hi

I have been using the MoonCup, UK almost solely for the last 18 months and I have to say I love it. However I was just wondering. Is it ok that I use boiling water straight from a kettle and baby steriliser? Its just I don't have a way of boiling the cup at the moment.

thx Girls

so, after much time of not posting...  this month's cycle, i found myself with a stinky cup.  it reeked when i took it out during my shower yesterday to clean...  i briefly remembered something about vinegar and after reading, here is what i did to get rid of the smell.

i put some white vinegar, sea salt, and water into a pot.  Just a splash of vinegar would do, not too much, you don't want your cup to smell like vinegar do you?  after it boiled i put the cup in and kept an eye on it.  i think i let it boil for 10 minutes, occasionally moving the cup so it won't melt on me.

afterwards, i put some excessive amounts of baking soda into a cup and poured in some of the hot water and put the cup in.  swished it around and let it sit.  i added more baking soda and waited some more.  after 5-10 minutes, i took it out and rinsed it.  the baking soda made it feel gritty..  then... sniffed.

it smelled pleasant.  actually, the pleasant smell could be the soap i used after i took the cup out but the scent of whatever bacteria overpowered the floral scent of dial.  but after 'killing' off the smelly bacteria, the floral scent was able to come through.

yep, hope i was able to help someone :)

hot water, salt, vinegar, and baking soda.  i also contemplated rubbing alcohol if the smell didn't go away.  but maybe next time :)

So I went to the gyno today, and it turns out I do have a yi and have probably had one for some time now. I want to make sure my cup is clean and won't re-infect me for next week's period (if I manage to get rid of my infection by then). I've been reading up on the posts on yi's and have gathered that boiling is my best option, followed closely by vinegar soaks.

Do both of these options effectively kill active yeast and yeast spores? Now how about the pan that I'm boiling it in... will there be leftover yeast/yuckies in there? Is it necessary to clean the pouch as well?

I got a one dose oral pill and an ointment from the doc, but I think I'm going to go the natural route first and try yogurt/garlic.

Anyway, any advice would be wonderful!

PS) I've managed to get three people onto cups!! I bought my sister one for her birthday a few months back and she loves hers! My Mom and my friend were both SUPER grossed out by it, and both are now anxiously awaiting their period to give it a try!! Keeping my fingers crossed that they love it too!

Think about it... women go through about 6800 disposables in their lifetime (according to Gladrags) so through the support of this community, I switched to a cup, as did three others = 27,200 disposables diverted from the landfills thanks to everyone here!!! (Just some 1am trivia for you!!)

I wonder why you are not supposed to boil the keeper? Is the natural rubber going to age more quickly if you do? I even emailed the keeper customer support a long time ago, but never got an answer.

Anyway, today I boiled my keeper just to see what happens. Nothing! It actually smelled better and retained its circular shape it had lost when it was squished in the mail. I guess the lesson is: if you have to, you can boil the keeper occaissonally!

And one more question: has anybody managed to fill the keeper above the airholes? Because mine always starts leaking when it reaches that point. Sometimes just a teeny bit, sometimes a lot, but it always happens...

TIA!