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?

Thanks to the Diva cup, I've been more aware of my body, which might've saved my uterus or my life. (I'll find out Thursday.) 

I started using a cup a little while ago, because I had some heavy cramping, and found out that a resuable cup might help. It did! I was also able to get a good look of what was going on with my period, blood wise.  Turns out, I wasn't as regular as I thought I was, and there was some weird things going on. Any way, I freaked out and went to the hospital.  I found out that I had a growth on my overies, going up to my abdomen. I see the oncologist Thursday.  I've never been so anxious in my life.

So I got my IUD inserted today and I mentioned my menstrual cup to the NP. She informed me that it would increase my chance of expulsion and if I did expel, they would not be able to insert another IUD. She said that anyone who expels for any reason would be treated the same way. Their cervix would be considered "unfit" (I think that's what she said) and because the chance of expulsion again would be so great they wouldn't consider it. I told her if that happened I'm sure I could just drive to the next biggest town and get one there as I know that it's possible to try again as I'd heard of people doing it. I explained that I had researched the use of the cup and IUD together and though it may take more awareness and dilligence, I thought it was worth it, as well as worth the risk, as I love my cup so much. She was a little taken aback at first, but then shrugged it off and laughing said, "Don't try to come between a girl and her cup!"

I think she was pretty much against the cup, because she then told me how she has observed a higher rate of cervical cancer in those who use a cervical cap for birth control. I said, don't they use spermicide or something with those? I thought the spermicide being held against the cervix for 6-8 hours, or however long you're supposed to leave the cap on would be more troublesome than medical grade silicone. Besides the fact that she wasn't citing research or anything, but just her observations.

As a previous poster [on IUD_Divas] said, I will be putting my cup aside for about 3 months to let my body get used to the IUD and maybe let the strings soften a bit, then I plan on going back to cup use.

Just thought you guys might like to hear that story. It's amazing what trained medical professionals will tell their patients. Was she trying to make me think I'm going to get cancer from my cup?!

partially x-posted to IUD_Divas

1)I had a doctor's appointment a couple of weeks ago, and when the doctor asked what day my last cycle had started, I honestly couldn't remember. Even looking at a calendar I couldn't pin it down precisely. Back when I used 'sposies I usually remembered this stuff by recalling a particularly obnoxious time or place that I had to change my pad or tampon (is that normal?) and the fact that I just empty my cup twice a day in the shower and don't think about my period at all otherwise made it impossible for me to remember.

2)Related to the above, I've had two friends complain about their periods today and I found myself strangely unsympathetic! I realized I don't dread my period or hate having it anymore, and even though I know I used to, I didn't immediately understand why my friend saying her period had started should automatically elicit sympathy from me. That's not to say I didn't sympathize at all! I just didn't immediately recognize "my period started" as a complaint.

My intuition tells me that women who use reusable menstrual products "bond" with them in a way that women who use disposables can't! Here in this community I see women affectionately referring to "their Diva cup" or posting things like "I love my Keeper!". Maybe the same is true for women who use reusable cloth pads. Whereas when you use something you're gonna throw away, you don't give it much thought. Could this be a mental health benefit?

I wondered if anyone else had an interesting story behind switching to the cup or how they learned about the cup?

Hi group,

I just thought about this:  why do women's healthcare providers not suggest menstrual cups?  This came about because I have this condition, almost like an inflammatory process going on in the skin of my vulva.  Basically, the skin starts to thin when moist (i.e. when exposed to discharge for long periods of time, etc.)  I've had gynecologists and women's health nurse practitioners suggest that I only use pads at night and use tampons during the day to decrease the amount of time my skin is sitting on a wet surface.  But when I used tampons they always leaked (even when not full) so I always used pantiliners.  One doctor suggested that pantiliners are not good, especially on a daily basis, because they don't let the vulvar skin "breath."

I figure using a menstruation cup is better for the skin of my vulva, since it allows it to "breath" even when on my period (I always wear cotton panties).  But why hasn't one of the healthcare providers I've seen over the past 5-6 years ever suggested this as an alternative for me?  I refuse to believe they had never heard of menstrual cups. 

Anyone else out there think that cups are better for vulva skin health and integrity?  (I'm a nursing student, so yes, I use the terms skin integrity & skin breakdown) :P

A lot of women here believe that using a menstrual cup has made their periods lighter/shorter/easier. Mine has definitely become lighter and less painful since I got my Mooncup. I don't like to say it was the cup, but I've been taking the same contraceptive pill I'd been on for two years already when I got the cup and my diet, weight and level of exercise haven't changed a lot so it's a good contender.

In the interests of being more scientific I want to find out what proportion are having easier periods vs. those having more difficult ones (although as mostly satisfied cup users we're a biased sample). If you've just had one or two periods where you've noticed a difference, wait a bit before voting. If you've experienced a change that's likely to have been due to something else, like starting hormonal contraception, please sit this one out.

Volume of blood could be a difficult one since disposable protection makes it look like there's more, but I have much less blood now than in my first few cycles with the cup, so I've included the question.

Poll #1135467 How has your period changed since you switched to using a menstrual cup?
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 149

Length of bleed

Volume of blood

Pain and discomfort

I know I've seen people mention their periods being shorter in this community before. I've definitely lost a day or two off the end of my period since starting the Divacup and while I know this could be a coincidence, I'm sure I've seen a few other people say the same thing. I couldn't find anything in the memories on it, though. Why would this be? Does anyone have any ideas that make, you know, medical sense?

So officially, I've been through two cycles with my Diva Cup so far. The first period I got it was very trial and error, and I only used it about a quarter of the time - the rest was spent with fighting to shove it in, hacking the stem off, and yanking it back out to hack off more of the stem.  The second period I had was great with very few leaks (occasional user errors n.n) except for one very unpleasant experience I had at night (which I still think went over better with the Diva than it would have with pads or tampons). Today is the first day of my third cycle. I wanted to list my personal experiences for anyone who is iffy about the cup.

Erm, so I ran out of Cons. xD Seriously, I like to think I'm getting better with my cup everytime I remove her and then put her back in. I was actually excited for my period to begin a few days ago, and today when it did, I think it's the first time in my life I was ever happy to see the blood. I said a very perky "hello~!" to my cup when I pulled her out. ;-) My sole regret is that I didn't have a cup sooner, but then I think that it's only been six years with pads and tampons, and some of you went for twenty years, so I consider myself lucky. :-)

Anyone else have some experiences to share?