Following up on my somewhat effusive post from last week, a few more newbie thoughts on using the Diva Cup.

( Read more... )

( Some background )

( Becoming a Diva )

( The rave review bit )

( A Caveat )

I just finished my 2nd cycle and my DivaCup pre-childbirth is leaking leaking leaking.
-It takes up my entire vagina and I'm sure my cervix is in the cup
-I use it inside-out because it is too long for me even after i cut the stem
-I think I insert it properly every time
-I have no idea if i have a good seal but when i run my finger around the rim it has opened fully, i can't really grab the bottom and turn it because its inside out...at least it's difficult
-I love the cup it has made my period much less stressful but I still have to wear pad. Not a pantyliner... A PAD!
-It always leaks, light, heavy, moderate...doesn't matter, LEAKAGE!
-I REALLY want my DivaCup to work. I'm hoping that no one will tell me to try another size/brand because that's not feasible at the moment after going through all the trouble of convincing my mom to order this "soo groosss" [amazing] product for me.
-BTW im a 19 year old virgin dancer in Jamaica and at the moment I cannot swim or dance with it alone. So I'm kind of in the same position as i was in before i got it, which defeats the whole purpose of buying it in the first place.

PLEASE HELP!!! =]

So I'm finally on my period and using my Diva Cup. I thought I had it in there okay, but apparently it's not sealing, so I've got just a little spotting. I tried to turn it after inserting it, but I can't get it to turn. :/ All that happens is the base twists in my fingers, but the rim doesn't budge. I can't get my finger in far enough to test the seal. Any suggestions?

Not sure if any of you remember, but I posted last night (I think it was last night :/) regarding my Diva Cup and the trouble I was having with putting it in and taking it out. Well, I just wanted to let everyone know that I took all of your suggestions to heart, put them together, and voila! Today (and I'm still on my dry run, so I'm guessing it'll be even better once my period actually starts) I had very little annoyance from my Diva Cup. I put it in so that it was comfortable right away, and have figured out how to fold it when taking it out so that it doesn't hurt. I'm very excited by this, and just want to thank the mods of this community for having such a helpful place to come to regarding this stuff, and those who commented on my post and offered encouragement and suggestions. Thanks, you guys! ♥

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?

Just got a Diva Cup as a birthday present from my best friend, who has been using one for about a year now. She rants and raves about how awesome it is, and how my first period with it will be the best period of my life. My period is due in about two or three days, and I've been wearing the cup since yesterday, just for practice putting it in and removing it, and to make sure that it feels right and all that. I'm not sure if I'm doing anything wrong or if it's just a matter of continuing to practice, but I'm still waiting for it to be completely comfortable. Unlike tampons (which I have used until now), I can still feel it, especially if I tense my muscles (it's my quick and dirty test that I do to make sure I've inserted tampons correctly and comfortably, I figure it's transferrable to the Diva Cup as well). The issue is that it pinches mostly on one side, and it's the same side every time. I cannot for the life of me figure out why. I'm also a virgin, so I'm not sure what effect this has on how much I should or shouldn't feel the cup.

Also, does anyone else have discomfort with removing their menstrual cup? Once I've gotten up to the rim of the cup, I'm not quite sure how to make it small enough to be comfortable removing. It kinda just ... pops out, and it's rather painful. I don't want to squeeze the edges together because I'm afraid that, once I'm using it for my actual period, everything will spill.

Basically, I just need some help. I'm so confused and PMS is making me frustrated to the point of tears with this thing.

A few facts about me… I’m eighteen, and a virgin. I’ve used tampons for a few years now, but a friend told me about menstrual cups a couple of weeks ago and it sounded like a wonderful alternative.  Needless to say, I purchased a Divacup last week and it finally arrived yesterday.

Maybe this was a bad idea, but I tried to insert it last night. My period isn’t going to start for about a week and a half, but I was eager to try my new investment out.

To my surprise, it actually went in after only about three or four minutes of trying. The push down and seven fold didn’t work for me, but the c-fold worked fine, and as far as I know I got a good seal.

When I was convinced it was in right, I stood up and walked around for a minute or so, and I couldn’t feel a thing! Then I went back into the bathroom to remove it.

Here’s what happened… I squeezed the tip of my Divacup and slowly tried to ease it down and out. It didn’t feel like I had broken the suction yet, but I kept trying, and after maybe a minute it finally slid out.

Just as it was coming out though, I felt a little pain and maybe a couple tablespoons of blood came gushing out. I stood up to clean it off of the toilet seat, pretty unsure about what had happened, but knowing that I didn’t just want to sit there in a pool of blood. And I don’t know… maybe I stood up too fast? But next thing I knew I had passed out right there on the bathroom floor.

I’m thinking I broke my hymen, and I was wondering if you guys agree. My parents were never open about sex (or genitalia in general), so I’m really quite ignorant about it all. Any insight on the matter?

Note: I’m Christian, and although I’m saving myself for marriage, I’m really not too worried about my hymen breaking (if that’s even what happened). My religion places more importance on the emotional aspect of sex than it does on the physical, and I’m sure a broken hymen isn’t going to matter much when my time comes. So to clarify… that’s not what worries me. I really just want to figure out what happened.

Thank you so much for your help...

Hi.  I've been thinking about getting a Diva cup.  I've used pads for years (I'm 25) and frankly I'm getting tired of using them during my cycles.  The nearly unbearable cramps for the first 2-3 days, overnight accidents, the constant changing (not to mention the feel of the "clots"), the odors.  You name it, I'm tired of it.  Especially when working out at the gym.  I sweat a lot, and using a pad during the first half of my cycle and just using the pedal machine is just awful.  Not to mention menstrual cycle using pads + public shower/locker room = no gym time for full week of cycle.

I could use a little help in selecting the correct size for the Diva cup.  I'm not very tall, at only 5'4", and I weigh over 150 lbs.  Which size would be the best for me?  Also, where can I find the Diva cup?  I read somewhere that some pharmacies have them in stock, but I'd like to be sure.

Lastly, how will I know I've got it in place correctly?  I know I can always get used to it while not on my cycle, but a good friend told me my body will feel a lot differently once my cycle has actually started.  Tips and advice much appreciated.  Thanks!

Because they were on sale for $25 at Lamb's Thriftway until tomorrow in Portland and what is up? The bag is a full third smaller, the fabric is cheaper and looks faded, they used yarn instead of ribbon for the tie and it felt like I was going to rip the bag getting the cup in. Also the pamphlet was folded incorrectly, it was folded into thirds longways first instead of on the short side. One or the other I could see being a mistake, both in the same box says bad quality control.

Hi everyone,

I have been lurking around this site for a few months now and finally decided to post.  My main concern for this post, is that I've been trying to order from Meluna all day and it takes my address, and allows me to pick the shipping option (there is only one, so I choose it) and then it goes to the payment screen which comes up blank, except for the continue button. If I click continue it tells me I haven't input any info so it won't let me move forward. I emailed the company but haven't heard anything back.  I would order from femininewear but I'm being picky and selfishly want the green cup :)  

I think once I order meluna I'll be on the right track. Like most newbies I had no idea before I came here that there were other cups and of course got the Diva. I've been working with it for a few cycles and experience a lot of discomfort when I wear it.  Sometimes not right away. I am a very small person, under 100 pounds, and not a virgin but not sexually active.  I think the diva is way too long, and think i might do better with the small meluna. That's the one my gut has always gravitated towards anyways, but I feel if that doesn't work, the small ladycup might be a good choice. Its a toss up between the small ladycup and small meluna. I'll probably try them both, if I can ever get an order in to meluna...

anyone have any suggestions?<input ... ></input><input ... >

I got the  diva cup last week. I had read a blog, that suggested "testing" it before your period, so i did, and found insertion, and taking it out very painful. today i got a light period and decided to try it again. I just couldn't get it to work. I folded it in both ways. it hurts to put it in. I tried turning it inside me and found this very hard. I tried putting it in and out 8 times. Several times I found it would move up inside me and be extremely hard to remove. I wasn't sure it was creating a seal so i did the thing the manual said and pressed a finger on the side of my Vagina. I found this also hard to do. there wasn't much room for my finger. The first few times I put it in I felt a very strong "fullness" inside of me. it felt weird. then after that it started just feeling painful. I could feel it when I moved and it pinched and hurt. I even watched a youtube video that used a wine glass to show how to put it in, and that didn't help. I thought I'd finally gotten it in right after watching the video and I left the house with my mom for an appointment. It hurt so terribly in the car I started crying. I had to stop at a fast food place and take it out. Right now my vagina is in extreme pain, and the cut hasn't been in for 5 hours. It hurts so bad that I cannot use a tampon. It burns and there is a sharp pain. also when I had it in I got terrible non period cramps. It's also hurting to use the bathroom. the burn is much worse when I urinate.

I don't understand what i'm doing wrong. the pain is unbearable. I am using model 1, and have never had sex. I've never had anything larger than a tampon inside me.

I really need help with this. Maybe my vagina is too small....???? I'm not even sure that's possible.

So, I'm on cycle 2 with my Diva. I'm gettin' the hang of things. My biggest problem was catching it before it overflowed and leaked on my heavy days (much better then the first round) and removal. Before I had to grab my stem and pull it down before I could get my fingers around the base to break the seal and pull it out. Now I dont' have as much problem. In fact, while the stem doesn't bother me (poking and such) I sorta want it gone. Should I? How much is too much (I'm considering totally cutting it off, it's more "in the way" this time around then anything else). I've read where some of you ladies have chopped off the stem or turned the cup inside out. Does it matter? I have to look again to check and see what turing it inside out does, however that idea itself isn't that appealing. The idea would be to get a rough idea what it would feel like without the stem, prior to actually cutting it off. What do you guys think? Suggestions, thoughts?

ETA: So instead of chopping it off, I tried trimming it up to that first groove. It feels much better. I guess it was poking me?? I dunno. It's hard to say in comparison with using tampons. It wasn't uncomfortable and much better then previous tampon experience so I really didn't know any different. The little trim did improve it.

Hey I have the small Diva Cup ( I'm only 15) and have a few problems. I can get it to work but as soon as it fills up to the 15ml mark it starts to leak. No  leaking whatsoever until 15mls then no more goes into the cup it just leaks out instead GRRRR.
Any suggestions would be helpful beacause I really need to get this sorted as exams are come up and I need to sit there for 3 hours without making a mess and a super tampon only last about 1 hour for me.

Also anyone else notice that after you empty the cup in to the toliet and flush that there is still a little bit of blood sitting right at the bottom? Know how to solve this ? ( got a younger brother I dont think he would like to find even a drop of blood in the loo).

One more problem wore it last night to bed with a pad back up, about 8mls went into the cup and then the rest into the pad. I have no idea why possible beacause I was lying down??

I need some help its just too hard.

I wanted to thank the members of this community. I know this is my first time posting but I have been lurking since this summer. I am 24-years-old and not a virgin. I struggled with pads and tampons my entire life. I eventually switched to OBs but even those leaked for me. I have known about menstrual cups for years but I was skeptical to their efficiency. My uterus is tipped which made me even more doubtful.

My first cup was the diva. At the time, I didn't know any other brands existed. I liked the concept of the cup, (actually seeing a cup in person is makes the whole idea much more disarming). But the Diva was too long, even after turning it inside out. It was also difficult for me to get it to pop open. Luckily, I found this site and discovered other cups existed. I eventually decided to get the Femmecup. (It seemed the easiest cup to get into the states.) I like the Mooncup UK and Lunette but I didn't feel like pestering my Swedish friend to smuggle a cup across the Ocean to my vagina. I knew I needed a shorter cup that was easier to pop open.

So far, it has worked out great! I received it in less than 2 weeks. With the shipping and handling only cost me 22 dollars. I was also happy with the no nonsense packaging.

Femmecup envelope.



Here is the bag it came in.



So far, I have had 2 leak free cycles with the Femmecup. I cut the stem completely off. It also tilts in the direction of my uterus. My cervix is on the left side. But it works! I could never see myself going back to tampons again. Sometimes I have to do a bit of a dance to make sure it is in correctly but I haven't had any problems so far.

I also wanted to thank you guys for the different folds. Most of these directions only illustrate the C and punch down fold. The C is never going to get into my vagina. The punch down fold doesn't always open. Learning about the 7 and Origami folds have saved my life. Without this community I probably would have gotten discouraged and gone back to tampons. I really wish that cups were taught in schools so girls would know they have more options. I also wish American women had more options for cups.

Hi everyone!
I just wanted to post that I just ended my first cycle using the DivaCup and I really do love it. It was a rough couple of days trying to find out which fold worked best for me and I had some soreness, but reading the post I realized I could use some lube...so I'm going to go get some (water based) in time for my next cycle. I've tried the C fold, punch down fold (which was my favorite until I discovered the extreme 7", The seven fold and my new favorite which I mentioned...the extreme seven, it opens easily with minimal "suckage" LOL some of the folds wanted to latch on to anything in it's path including the sides of my vagi LOL not too pleasant. I'm AM assuming that the extreme seven (haven't seen a pic) is the same as the 7 fold but folded allll the way over to the left side of the cup and down...almost like the cup is folded into a triangle??? anyway whatever I just explained...works wonders. 
Ok, so I love my cup and I had a wonderful period and now that it's the end..I knew I wanted to disinfect it. However, I did NOT want to have a special pan and spoon just for the occasion. Seems like a lot to me. SOOO I thought and I thought and finally said "hey wait...I keep all my old butter containers for left over, I wonder if my cup would fit in one of those, then I could fill it with water, throw my cup in and put it in the microwave for about 3 mins"...so I tried it and it works!!! I've posted pics just so you can get the idea, then you don't have to deal with a spoon and big bulky pot just to boil your cup. I rinsed the container out after use and will keep it to use over and over again and it dosn't take up much space at all (on top of my medicine cabinet in the bathroom). Anyway, I brought the water in the container to a boil in the microwave with the cup in it and the lid of the container resting just on top....VERY CONVENIENT!!!
Thought I would share that with you ladies.
Enjoy!
Jessica









P.S. good way to recycle your plastics. I use things like this for just about everything...I just found a new use!!! LOL

Hey! ;]

I'm new around here and actually, just received my first menstrual cup, a size 2 Divacup. I've (luckily) gone 2 years period free and as soon as my little girl hit 13 months, my period smacked me -- hard. I've always used tampons but during my pregnancy I was learning more and more about my body and realized that half the issues I had during menstruation were related to the products I was using. I've switched from disposable pads to homemade (mmm, so soft!) and wavering between the Divacup and Sea sponges (like tampons, but not). Finally I chose the Divacup, but now I am worried and so I come to you all!

During my pregnancy the OB told me I had a high, tilted cervix and now I'm wondering if I will get the right fit with the Divacup. Will I be able to position it correctly? Will it leak? How will I know if the fit is right? Will I need to spend an hour, sitting over the toilet, inserting and reinserting it? I'm feeling a bit of anxiety all of a sudden. Lol.

Any help is appreciated ;]

I am so happy to have found this group!  I need some help.  I have worn my Diva-2 for two cycles already and I'm having issues with leaking.  Insertion and Removal is not a problem at all, but I start leaking when the cup is only 7.5ml full!  I know the Diva Large can hold a lot more, but I can't figure out what is going wrong.  I am over 30 and have had one vaginal birth.  My cervix is low and tilted(~50mm from vaginal opening).  I have turned the cup inside out and it helps delay the leaking from 4ml to 7.5ml.  I do have a heavy flow the first 3 days, but I know that this cup is supposed to hold a lot more than this.  I'm having to remove every hour on the first 3 days which is very inconvenient.  I first thought about switching to a different cup, but don't have many choices since I live in the US and capacity wise there isn't much choice left!  Any help, tips, or thoughts would be greatly appreciated.   I'm not ready to give up and I really want to make this work:)
Thanks,
Ali

 I was just wondering if someone could help me (personally) compare the large Diva Cup with the Fleur Cup? Is there more than size to the fleur cup? 
I have a large Diva Cup but after looking at the review that Melissa put up about the fleur cup, I'm really interested in getting one, I'm just a little concerned about capacity/comfort. 
If you could help me out, I'd appreciate it, thanks!

Hi all. This is my first time using my Diva Cup, size B and I have a couple of questions.

( Capacity, Leakage, and Holes )

Thank you for all your help!

Does the Diva Cup only come in the box or is their another packaging for it.  I was really interested in menstural cups and wanted to try one out.  I orderded a Diva Cup on ebay for only $15 but it did not come in the box that was pictured on the listing.  It came in a plastic package with the Diva Cup label on the top.  The label has the logo as well as a certification #.  It also has the Diva International Contact info.  The cup itself is sealed in a smaller plastic bag.  It also came with the cloth pouch and the pin as well as the instructions.    Is this a real Diva Cup or a good  Made In China knock off?  I need to know before I put this in my body.  Thanks!!!

I have read hundreds of posts here trying to figure out what the problem is as my Diva hurts me even though I think i have it in correctly. I am a new cup user, having the divacup for the second month. I have sz 2 as I have given vaginal birth once and am 37 yrs old. The problem is that it is VERY uncomfortable, causing really bad cramping & soreness, pressure and a feeling of suction inside me.  I can't do anything but sit or lie down when I have it in....walking is not comfortable as i feel the pressure/suction constantly. It is a relief when i take it out...a big bummer as i want this to work for me!

Insertion goes ok, i feel it pop open and I do NOT leak, therefore leading me to believe i have it in correctly. I am not usually able to spin it, but I have slid my finger around it to make sure it's open. I've re-inserted it many times to try and make sure it's in the correct position... I really can't imagine that i have that many options as it pops open as soon as it's inside me and is suctioned in pretty strong. If it was in the wrong place, i would think that would cause leaking as i do bleed quite heavily. 

I did discover that my cervix is VERY low, just about exactly the same length as the diva flipped inside out. So, it seems the divacup has to be in contact with it, or at least causing the major pressure and discomfort. I'm not sure how I'd get around this since my cervix sits so low. 

I've spent hours reading entries in this great forum and have tried everything i can find: I trimmed the stem with so-so results - it still bothered me so i flipped inside out. This DID help, but the internal pain/discomfort is still there. I have worn it for 2 nights now and several hours during the day. I do have a very sensitive body so i'm wondering if I will not be able to use a cup, especially with my cervix being so low?  The first night felt like my body would never relax with it in... I had the constant feeling of my vagina wanting to push it out (very clenched muscles), and it continues to feel like that many hours later. I realize this particular issue may have to do with me getting used to it, but that is minor compared to the pain i feel from using it. The cramps were so bad on the first day that i had to take it out and was sore for hours later.

I'm hoping someone may have some answers for me as to why this is causing me so much pain! Thankyou ahead of time!

 Hey everyone,

Last week I went to my midwife/gyno appointment, first one I've had since starting to use the Diva. I brought up issues I had with irregular periods, and then said I know I'm not bleeding excessively because I use a cup and can see how much there is. To which she responded "Oh good, so you have a pretty good idea of how much there is every month" as though she hears about women using them all the time. So yay! Medical support! She feels they are perfectly fine to use with an IUD too. 

Then she had me get an ultrasound to just check and make sure everything is okay with my Paragard because of the weird periods. They send us to a radiologist to have them done, and I had a student in the room when the tech did it. Once she got started, she turned to her and said, "Now see, that is PERFECT IUD placement, that's what we like to see." So that means I have had completely successful use of a Diva with the Paragard. 

So after all the tests she had me do, she concluded that it's just all the stress I've been through this past year and nothing more. 

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? 

hey ladies!

I started with a small diva and I could never get it to open right, so it leaked constantly, but then I grabbed a large ladycup off ebay and I LOVE it.  it's one of my "desert island" possessions and I totally tend to forget that I'm gushing like a grievous injury in a B movie when I use it.  but for a couple days, my flow is just TOO heavy and I still end up having to empty it every couple of hours.

the cup (ladycup) never fills the whole way, maybe more like 3/4ths before it leaks, and I always figured it was my cervix taking up space in it.  but as I was looking over the size comparison chart and pictures of the large meluna and then my large ladycup, I started to think maybe it leaks at that point because the holes are so low.  the large meluna looks a little alarmingly long, but it looks like the holes are up close to the rim and maybe I'd have better luck with it on my heaviest days?  does anyone have an approximate realistic capacity for it yet?  I couldn't find that information anywhere.  I also read it was a little stiffer, which is sort of setting off alarm bells in my head - stiffer + longer = diva and the diva did NOT work for me.  hmh.  what do you girls think?

if I go for it, I'm totally waiting till november so I can get the bright green.  something about a menstrual product in my favorite obnoxious color kind of makes the cramping and headaches and targetless rage worth it.  well maybe not really, but I think knowing that my favorite color is indirectly saving my pants from a tsunami will still satisfy me in some strange way.

thanks in advance!  you peeps are wonderful :)