moon_magick78
moon_magick78
07 November 2009 @ 01:26 am
Please look at this and give me your opinion
I was on the Diva Cup site today and found this statement on the homepage:

"Because of the intimate, personal nature of the product, we suggest replacing the cup each year.  We have not indicated, nor suggested, a ten year usage."

In your opinion,is this simply a means to sell more of their product? I can't see where my cup could have any amount of damage in just year that would constitute buying a new cup. It's sturdy, and I keep it cleaned with a no soap, fragrance free cleanser. MY opinion is...a well taken care of cup could last well over a year and as such if taken care of and cleansed properly wouldn't pose any more of a health risk after a year than it did when I bought it. What is YOUR opinion?

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zarahnator
07 October 2009 @ 11:25 pm
How do you tell when it's worn out
I use a small diva and have for about a year and a half? Maybe? As you all probably know Diva recommends replacing the cup yearly. I also don't see anything wrong with my cup it's hardly even discolored! They used to say cups could be used for up to 10 years if I am not mistaking. Anyway on to the point for all you long term cup users who have replaced cups what made you decide it was time for a new one? 
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betho32
betho32
16 August 2009 @ 04:12 pm
Throwing away the cup?
Hey!

My first diva cup got a little dirty, I didn't clean it as well as I should have! (tisk, tisk)  I got a new one afterwards, I like there is no risk of TSS with the diva and the convience of it, it is always there! I am cleaning it better now :) Now I am wondering how to do I get rid of my old cup? Do I put it in the trash or sent it back to Diva?

Also, is it ok if the cup has stains on it around the holes and in the stem?

Thanks for your help,
Beth
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Crystal
mutantmint
06 August 2009 @ 01:10 pm
Recycling Cups?
Hello everyone! I saw this post on [info]green_daily  about a place that recycles old or unwanted sex toys! www.recycleyoursextoy.com/index.html
So it seems like you could recycle a menstrual cup! I'm sure that a place like that would take a cup too, I don't see why not. Just something for people who's cup is getting tattered or those Divas that are ripped by the hole and can't get replaced easily.

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Deedee
onenalleternity
29 July 2009 @ 10:29 pm
Cups life span?
Hello, I joined this community two years ago, the same time I got my first Divacup. I tend to only change it twice a day, once in the morning and once at night. The plastic has become very dark and the stem has almost ripped off at the ridge where I use my nails to pull it out. I recently bought another mostly because I left my old one at University and was off to work at a camp all summer but I definitely needed to replace it. How long do people's usually last. Is there a way for me to clean it better? I used to put it in a cup of boiling water could that of killed the lifespan?
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flybane
27 July 2009 @ 06:28 pm
Article relevant to Hydrogen Peroxide cup cleaning?
I was messing around on Google and came across this article:

http://ats.ctsnetjournals.org/cgi/content/full/68/6/2123

in which a German team mentioned someone examining the surfaces of medical silicone objects disinfected with H2O2 and concluded that there was no damage: "Treated and untreated samples of silicone and polyurethane tubings were studied by scanning electron microscopy (AMR 1200; Fa. Leitz, Wetzlar, Germany). The surface was smooth; no cracks or surface alterations were found as a potential indicator of damage."

They simply wiped with H202, so I don't know about soaking, and I know that some people have expressed concerns, but this seems to at least indicate that it's not going to destroy your cup. I haven't had any problems with peroxide so far and it's one of the safer disinfectants out there, but will update if I run into problems.

Meanwhile, here's another page that rates silicone as having "excellent" compatibility with H202 at concentrations of 10%, which is at least more than 3 times what would be used for disinfecting.

http://www.ozoneservices.com/articles/004.htm
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Dina Clare
lintilla
24 May 2009 @ 09:27 am
Myths Propagated by the Cup Companies
As veteran cup users know, there are some things that are said by the cup companies that just aren't true. Maybe they're saying them to cover their butts. Maybe they're saying them to sell more product. Maybe they're just... saying them, and we don't really know why. Whatever the situation is, these myths can be off-putting for some potential users and can even make people think they're using their cups incorrectly when they're working just fine.

Here are some of the myths that I've seen.

Myth: You must replace your cup every year/every five years/every X years.

( Reality: You probably don't. )

Myth: You must use our branded wash/tablets to clean your cup.

( Reality: There are many ways to safely clean your cup. )

Myth: Your cup must sit at the bottom of your vagina, way below your cervix.

( Reality: Your vagina may vary. )

Myth: There are only one or two ways you can fold your cup when you are inserting it.

( Reality: There are at least eight different folds you can use. )

Myth: You have to rotate your cup to make it seal correctly.

( Reality: Rotating your cup is only one way to make sure it's sealed. )

Myth: You can't use any lubricant with your cup.

( Reality: Water-based lubes are fine, but they must be water based. )

Myth: The size guidelines are hard and fast.

( Reality: Not really. )

Myth: Menstrual cups can only be used when you're on your period.

( Reality: As long as you remove and clean every 12 hours or so, you'll probably be fine. )

This is by far not an exhaustive list, so if you can think of any other myths, please mention them in the comments!
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Lorien
blueberryeyes17
14 May 2009 @ 06:42 am
do I just have bad luck with cups?
My first two cups have developed cracks, and they are not trial color cups.

1. I used a Diva for 6 months and boiled it 5 mins after each period. After that time it developed a vertical crack along one of the holes and the company ended up replacing it for me even though it took many months. In the meantime I bought a Mooncup UK from eBay, and sold the extra Diva since I liked the MC UK more.

2. Today I noticed my MC UK has developed a horizontal crack along the outer rim, that's not touching the holes on either side of it (yet). I have had this cup about 10 months and only boiled it twice in that time because I was trying to NOT get a crack like I did in my diva. I haven't even used soap on it really, just hot water until all blood is gone. But surely it can't be hot enough to degrade the cup since I can put my hands in it without getting scalded.

Am I doing something wrong or do I just have REALLY bad luck? At this point cups are not very economical for me since I have a pretty light flow and it takes me many months to use up a regular $6-$8 pack of pads. I do NOT want to go back to disposables but this is really frustrating!
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virushuman
virushuman
22 April 2009 @ 12:40 pm
A 2nd reply from Diva Cup regarding cup lifespan
To follow up on my other post: community.livejournal.com/menstrual_cups/1661838.html , I wrote the Diva Cup people again.
</div>
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Missy Mae
mookyntay
22 April 2009 @ 08:53 am
4 year user
 Hi everyone!
I just joined. I've had a diva cup for almost 4 years now and it's looking like it might be time to buy a new one... but I'm wondering when I would know for sure it's time? It's a little stained - especially in the little holes. I have also heard that it could possibly last 10 years if  taken care of right by a friend who was madly in love with her keeper for many years.

Any thoughts? I saw the previous post about only using it for one year, and I feel like that is a little ridiculous.

Nice to see this thriving community!!
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virushuman
virushuman
20 April 2009 @ 12:16 pm
Email from Diva Cup regarding cup life.
 Inspired by the previous post where [info]radicalancient  contacted the founder of Alicia Cup, I decided to email Diva Cup and ask them directly why their cup is only recommended for 1 year versus the 10 years that they used to say. 

My email:

             "Hi there,
I am just writing to ask a quick question about the Diva Cup. When I purchased mine a while ago, your website claimed it could last up to 10 years with proper care. Now your website says it can last only 1 year. What is the reason for this large time difference? It is made with different materials now or something? I'm very curious.
 
Thank you,

Andrea "



Their reply:

"Dear Andrea:

Diva International Inc. has never indicated that any menstrual cup can be used for ten years. Often, information on the web is attributed to us because we are the most visible menstrual cup company worldwide. 

Under government regulations, we are obliged to consider all information that we have gathered in order to inform consumers on the of use our product. 

We have the most experience of any company in the menstrual cup category in the world . It is our understanding that there is no menstrual cup (made from either rubber latex or silicone) that would last ten years. The material would become compromised over time depending on the women's pH, as well as what was used to clean the cup and how it was cleaned.

Each woman knows when she is ready to replace the cup, but because of the hygienic nature of the product and based on our experience, our recommendation is that it is best to replace the cup once a year.


Regards,
Christi"


Now, am I totally crazy because I swear on their site when I ordered my Diva a long time ago they claimed it could be reused for up to 10 years with proper care. Sorry if this was discussed already, I tried looking in the tags but there were soo many entries I stopped after a while.
 
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Current Mood: confused
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cherry8blossom
11 April 2009 @ 03:08 pm
When to stop using your cup.
How do you know when to stop using your cup? Will it turn yellow, start leaking, or tear or something?
Also, how long have your cups lasted for? Has anybody made it to the 10-15 year mark? 
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Lorien
blueberryeyes17
03 June 2008 @ 04:54 pm
quick question
I've noticed a crack in my Divacup, that I have only used for 6 cycles. I only use water to wash it while I'm using it, with a 10 min boil at the end of each period. I looked through some other entries where this happened, but it took 2-3 years for others to notice a crack. Could I have a defective cup? Should I call the company about it? It's not leaking or anything, so I'm not sure if I should be worried or not. Thanks!
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Current Location: 04937
Current Mood: confused
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Stratyllis
stratyllis
31 August 2006 @ 12:51 am
Age of cups
This is inspired by [info]pembry's post.

How long should a re-useable cup be used before getting a new one? Does it matter which cup you use? Do some cups last longer than others?

Discuss.
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