if you have hemorrhoids, does your cup cause or exacerbate any problems with them?

probably tmi, my cycle is due in about a week and just wanted to know if anyone else has had problems here.

I am a new Divacup user. I just purchased it last week and used it for the first time last night. All went well so I decided to try it at work today. I didn't get it in right this morning and was having some leaking, so I decided to take it out and reposition it while I was at work. When I put it in it seemed to unfold, then as I pushed I felt the cup fill with air and the air push into my vagina. I know that air in the uterus can be very dangerous. I am wondering if there is anything to worry about with it pushing some air up there, then suctioning so it can't come back out.

Any thoughts? Has this happened to anyone else?

I am completely traumatized right now.

During intercourse with my husband I noticed that I was quite a bit wetter than normal. I didn't mind it until I also noticed there was a slight off odor along with it. I have had problems with BV in the past. The odor did not smell like it had before, but I assumed that was probably the problem.

Anyway, when I went to check a little closer on the off odor, what did I feel but the stem of my cup! Umm... my period ended over a week ago.

The smell was due to the poor cup being nearly full of cervical fluid. My husband confessed that the last couple of times we've had sex something didn't feel quite right. And now my cup is out (and I dropped it in the toilet from pure shock at it's fullness of non-menstrual fluid) and I'm wondering what sort of infections I've subjected myself to. I'm also rather horrified now that I know the source of my extra wetness and the smell.

So, has anyone else left their cup for several days by mistake? Am I going to die? How can I ever trust my cup again?

EDIT: My cup REEKS, and I think if I want to keep using a cup I'm going to have to buy a new one. Between leaving it in that long and dropping it in the toilet I am just completely squicked out at the prospect of using it again.

I need it in 10-15 days, and I think the LC I ordered on Ebay took longer than that the last time. Any idea where I can obtain a LC quickly? I'd love to try another cup, but the LC works so amazingly well for me that I don't know that I'd find another cup that I'm as happy with.

Hello!
Sorry in advance, this post is pretty long...

I just had a pretty awful experience with my cup.  I don't want to scare off future cup users or anything, but I'd like to know if anyone else has experienced something like that...

I've been using a DivaCup for about 3 years, and 3 or 4 months ago I switched to a Lunette.  I've been happy enough with the Lunette so far.  I got my period last night, so this morning, I put in my Lunette, and all was dandy, until later when I took it out and put it back in.

All of a sudden, it was ridiculously painful.  I figured, from posts here, that the cup was hitting my cervix.   TMI, but I tend to be slightly prone to constipation, and it was the same feeling (could it be that that feeling is from my cervix and I never realized?  I do eat a lot of fibre, after all).  

I tried to take it out, but I couldn't, it hurt too much.  It felt like it could be the suction that was making it painful (even though I usually never feel suction), but the weird thing is that the cup wasn't open, it was folded in half, so I don't know where suction came from?

I tried to move it around the release the suction, pull on it, do something, but it hurt too much.  I tried to walk around to give it time to open up, but I started to feel really sweaty (as can happen when one's in pain).  I kept alternating between standing, sitting and trying to get it out, but nothing worked, the pain was too strong, especially when I tried to get it out.  Then my hearing got all fuzzy, like I was under water, and I was shaking a lot, and I could tell I was about to faint. 

I don't know if the panic was enough, or if the pain stopped, or if I just got numb (I was completlely out of it, my hearing and vision were odd, I was sweating and shaking, I couldn't stand properly), but the cup, thankfully, came out.  I almost instantly felt better and lay down, and now all's fine.

Does anyone know what happened?  (I'm sure no one knows for sure, but if anyone has an opinion, I'd love to hear it.)  Was it the beginning of toxic shock syndrome?  Was I about to faint because the cup was cutting off blood flow or something, or because of the pain, or  just because I panicked?  (I have fainted once before, and it was after feeling VERY slight pain --a small cut on my arm--, so I'm not sure what happened then either.)  And the scariest thing: what would have happened if I couldn't get the cup out?  I would have fainted, and then what?  Would there have been permanant damage?

Should I stop using a cup?  I definitely won't use it again this cycle, but after?  I would be so sad to give up cups, but I definitely do not want to go through this again, and it's likely that I will be too stressed to put it in next time.  Maybe I should switch back to the DivaCup?
And a last question, I was thinking of getting and IUD in a couple of months, do you think this experience means I should leave my cervix alone for a bit?  I usually have a high tolerance for pain, but this doesn't seem like a good sign.

Thank you so much!

Hi-ho, hi-ho ladies, I've a couple questions for you knowledgeable people.

I've been a loyal Diva user since April of last year and I recommend it to everyone. One of my friends has expressed enough of an interest that I asked her, "if I bought you a cup for your birthday, would you use it?" She gave me a definite yes to "I would definitely try it". The problem is that she has frequent (or more accurately, persistent and nagging) UTIs and is wary of the friction and pressure that would be on her urethra. How would different cups generally affect this? Are some, like the squishier ones, better than others? Any pros and cons anyone can put on the issue would be great!

I've never had this issue and frankly, it's never even crossed my mind. Now, to segue poorly into my next question, since I don't want to go out and spend $30+ on just any cup for her like I did myself, I want her to be able to choose one she likes and thinks, based on the research she and I will do, will work out best for her. Are there any online stores that will ship to Canada that carry several brands of cups so I can just get her a gift certificate or something to avoid the immediacy of missing her birthday? The only brand that is readily available in person is the Diva.

Thanks!

Hi all,

This is my first time posting here.  I'm so excited that this forum exists!

I've noticed many of you post about menstrual cups reducing the flow of urine when you pee.  I have been using a Divacup (small size) for about five years, and over time, the slow urination problem seems to have gradually gone away.  I'm now able to urinate normally when wearing my Divacup.  However, I find that when I am NOT wearing my Divacup, I have trouble holding my pee long enough to get to the bathroom.  That's not to say I actually wet my pants, but sometimes a little urine leaks out and I have to make a beeline for the bathroom.  The whole situation is rather uncomfortable! I'm healthy and 26 years old, so it's probably unusual that I'm experiencing this problem.  I've lately been doing Kegels as often as possible to tighten the muscles down there, in hopes that it will help.

Here is my question: because menstrual cups tend to partially block the urethra, and therefore cause additional pressure on the unblocked part of the urethra as the urine exits, does it seem likely that with a long period of use, the urethra could actually become enlarged, thereby causing urinary incontinence?  I'm not looking for a concrete answer, but I would like to know if anybody else who is a long time menstrual cup user has had similar experiences.

The next time I visit my ob/gyn, I plan to mention this to her for a more "authoritative" answer.  :-)

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 recently bought a menstrual cup (Lunette), following all of the wonderful advice I received here, and have since used it during my most recent period. It worked wonderfully, and I am very happy with my decision.

I have since noticed the I have developed a hard lump on my cervix, just below the cervical opening. The appearance of the lump appears to coincide with my first period using my menstrual cup.

I have a doctors appointment in a couple of days to get this thoroughly checked out. I will be telling my doctor that the lump seems to coincide with my new usage of a menstrual cup and I'm afraid she will tell me to discontinue use immediately regardless of whether the lump is related or not.

I wanted to ask here first if any of you have experienced this before, or have heard of people developing lumps following use? My partner has suggested that perhaps it is a callous resulting from the suction of the cup, but I'm not so sure...

I'm, obviously, a little worried and any information you could give me would be greatly appreciated.

I've been using a size 1 Diva for years now. It's worked fine, I don't really leak, but the Diva does seem a little too long for me and I'm looking into shorter cups (I'm about to order a Selene, probably).

My question: 

I have a herniated disc in my back that I have been told will need surgery to correct. It doesn't hurt badly all the time (thank goodness), but when it does hurt it's BAD. I've noticed that sometimes when I have my Diva Cup in, my back pain intensifies incredibly. I'm not sure if it's due to regular old period cramps or if the cup is actually pressing against something inside me that is causing pain on my herniated disc. I don't remember exactly but I think it's between my L4 and L5 vertebrae. I'm not great with anatomy (I can't even find my cervix for certain), so this question might be really stupid, but is it possible the Diva is making my back pain worse? Has anyone else had this problem?

Anyone know if there is any information out there on whether cups can increase the risk of urinary infections? 

I've never used a diaphragm or cervical cap, but it's my understanding that they can press on the urethra and slow down the flow of urine, which can promote bacterial growth in the urethra, leading to infections. A menstrual cup seems like it could potentially do the same thing. Anyone have difficulty urinating when the cup is in place or have any experience with cups increasing the rate of infections?

I've been lurking here for a while now, and I'm pretty interested in cups - all the information and discussions here have been really useful. I'm a teenage virgin and slightly concerned about stretching. I know this has been asked before but I'm kind of making a point as well (ish).

Firstly, I think I would have issues with persuading my mum to let me use a cup. She won't let me even try a tampon because she swears that they stretch you out inside. She'll probably have even bigger problems with letting me use a cup.

And me? I'm not particularly worried about using tampons (heck, I've even tried two because we got some free samples from school...and they worked perfectly. But shhh my mum doesn't know about that.) Anyways, in terms of hygiene, cups sound way better. But with cups, I am slightly concerned about stretching.

I know everybody says that cups don't stretch you out and the vagina can go back to its original shape, but there are many stories about how people have had to stretch their vagina out to fit a cup in or that their cup has been easier to insert after a few months because they've got looser. Surely this means that they've been stretched out as a result of the cup and so the cup does stretch you inside? What do you think?

PS. I don't really know where to tag this except family & friends...

I want to start by saying that I love love love my cup and will continue to use it. I'll just be more careful next time.

See, usually when I'm about to get my period I'll start wearing my cup. My periods are never ontime so that means I might wear my cup for a week or more before I get it. But I do that incase it is ontime so I don't ruin my clothes. I used to do the same thing with pads.

The bad thing is that when my cup isn't filling with menstrual fluid I might forget to take it out and rinse it off. Usually this isn't a problem. I just wash it off when I remember. However this time something happened.

I had forgotten my cup for a few days. Lots of stuff going on and in the chaos I just forgot about it. I remembered when I started getting itchy and began to feel pain in my vagina.

So I took out my cup and sterlized it. But the damage had been done. I was itchy, swollen, in pain, and had a clumpy white discharge. I had never had a yeast infection before but I assumed that's what it was. I went to the doctor to be sure. He said it was indeed a YI and it was also pretty severe. He gave me medicine and it's helping thankfully.

Lesson learned. Don't let the cup stay in for a few days. Better yet, don't let it stay in for more than 12 hours (as everyone on here suggests). Next time I'll be more careful. TRUST ME! I'll be careful. I don't ever want to have this problem again.

Oh, I still haven't had my period. lol After the YI is cleared up I'll go back to using my cup.

Thanks to help from people on this list, I was able to get the hang of inserting and taking out the diva cup so it wasn't too painful to wear, which involved putting it in much higher than I had been.   However, with the cup higher, I think it pressed on my colon too much, and I don't think I'm going to be able to use it.  I have had chronic inflammation in my colon for the last few years..... was diagnosed with IBD (inflammatory bowel disease) about five years ago; my diagnosis has switched back and forth between Crohn's colitis and ulcerative colitis (it can be hard to tell them apart, but my doc leans towards Crohn's).  I'm not flaring, but I'm not in remission either .... have symptoms every day, but they don't hamper my life too much now (I was really, really sick a few years ago, including 18 days in the hospital)..... but the cup definitely exacerbated things, could feel the difference when I took it out, and it still hurts some 24 hrs later.

Just wondering if there's anyone on the list who has IBD focused in the large intestine and has been able to use menstrual cups.....    or others who tried and decided not to.  I didn't find anything searching under IBD, Crohn's etc.

I'm seeing my gi doc soon so will check in about it.....     I know some of what's in the mix for me now is fear because that's always there when you have a chronic illness that gets better and worse.......  and I am a little annoyed w/myself for taking more than baby steps w/the cup, as there clearly was a risk for me ..... I just wanted it to work......

thanks again.

I've read a few entries raising the question of cup suction during removal contributing to cervical prolapse and I wondered if anyone had any more info or personal experiences to share.

I ask because I recently found my cervix for the first time and it was quite low. I've used the cup for several years during which time I've also had an IUCD so I have tried and tried previously to find my cervix to check the strings with no luck. I'm hoping it is because I was incompetent then and not because my cervix position has altered...

I'm 16, a virgin, and I just got through a really great first cycle with my Lunette. ( Then all hell broke loose... )

So, is it even possible for me to get a yeast infection from a cup?

Before anything else I would like to mention that I love cups and  I've been using them for 3 years. But as I mentioned in someone else's post, I have a panic disorder and during some of my periods I have this violent irrational fear of TSS.

I know that the official statement is "cups have not been linked to TSS" but I know enough about statistics to be aware that absence of evidence doesn't  translate as a 100% safety, particularly when we are talking about something that is used only by a small percentage of women. I also know you can develop TSS from other causes than the use of menstrual products.

So, as part of my coping strategy against panic attacks I spent hours reading stuff online and found something very interesting at the Museum of Menstruation and some medical journals (I'm sure many people already know this but there might be others like me...), you can ask your doctor to perform an antibody test (anti-TSST-1) and if your results are 1:100 or over then it means your body is already protected against TSS regardless of the menstrual protection you use.

I feel better already just knowing that I can ask for a simple test and stop worrying for good... well, apparently not *that* simple since not every laboratory can perform it, but at least there is a way of knowing...

I'm just wondering something that I'm kinda worried about. My cervix is pretty high up and I have to pull on the stem a bit to get it down enough to pop the seal. My worry is the suction. Do you think it's bad for my cervix to be pulling it down like that? Because I can feel the suction when I pull it down. The cup works great for me but I'm worried about this.
Any help would be appreciated.

I am in my anniversary period with my cup, but that isn't what this is about. This is about people being stupid about cups.

( Sigh. People. )

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

Hi everyone, I've been reading the posts on this forum (such a great community!) and I'm considering getting a menstrual cup. I'm 25 and not a virgin. But I also have IBS and trouble with my bladder, and I am wondering whether a menstrual cup could make these problems worse? During my period I already feel a fair bit of pressure down there. Has anyone had experience with this before? I'm considering getting a LadyCup (large) because I heard they are quite soft and I thought that would mean less pressure and more bending with the body. What is your experience with this?

I was also wondering if anyone knows which (if any) of the menstrual cups are tested on animals. I've heard some of them might be. I know the Lunette and MiaCup aren't, but what about the others?

Has anyone had problems with tiny bumps developing on the inside of a menstrual cup?

I've been using the Keeper for about five years, and within the last six months I've noticed that there are tiny dot-like, raised bumps on the inside bottom of the cup, where the blood rests. I've tried cleaning the cup with an old toothbrush and various solutions of diluted vinegar, baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, and diluted tea tree soap. The bumps seem permanently attached, and I can't even scratch them off with a butterknife.

Are these damage or degradation to the surface of the rubber? Or bacteria becoming embedded? My cup doesn't smell terribly, just a bit of "female" sort of smell...


By the way, this is a great resource! Found the answers to a couple other questions already!

Apologies if there was an easier way of doing this, I'm still fairly new to LJ.

I just wanted to make clarify the recent post about menstrual cups and endometreotis.

I just noticed leitadlifi's post with the link to this website article: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/27320.php
Got me interested as I'd never heard of this. After sifting through the many comments to the original post,I found the below pasted post from </a></b></a>northstargirl which I thought I'd just copy and post here so it's easier to see for anyone wanting the response to that article. Sure many of you were interested - i was!!!!!!!

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So this is my first entry. I've been using a keeper for about 6 or 7 months now with ups and downs. My husband found it on the internet bless his heart. He suffers right along with me. Very heavy periods, rotten p.m.s, many, many pads per month and don't even bother with tampons.
I waited with bated breath for my keeper to arrive having read all the success stories. Actually being able to leave the house without fear of flooding! Oh the joy!  It arrives with days to spare and off we go. Way too over confident in it's ability I went pad free and lucky I was at home. Ok so maybe I didn't put it in right? More attempts and 7 cycles later I still have 'leakage' which I have learned to live with. One to two pads a day is way better than 5 or 6. I found the '7' fold to be more successful. The first two  days of my period I seem to be emptying it around 4 times a day and then it tapers off. I wouldn't go with out one now. It's given me much more confidence to go out on 'those' days and most of the time it's out of mind out of sight. Now for the bummer...... I'm pretty sure I have an irritation to latex after reading other journals. Thrush like symtoms appear during my period and continue for a week or so after. Itching, burning and very sensitive around my genital area with tearing skin.  Thinking back I always blamed the pill for giving me thrush but once hubby had the snip - no more condoms, no more pill and no more thrush. Could have been the condoms.
Usually the week after my period is 'on' week and these symptoms have put a dampener on that. Poor husband wants to trade me in for the updated model.  So after much reading I have ordered the silicon Moon Cup. Just finished my cycle so I wont be able to test it when it comes so I'll wait patiently..........

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 just had my first dry run with the Lunette (smaller size). This is not how I wanted my first trial to turn out :( I used lube (but not inside the vagina too), the punch-down fold and was able to get it in. (never thought I'd get it in!)

Taking it out was a different story... I wanted to get it out because I read a horror story of a woman almost losing it inside of her and her husband had to get it out for her... But actually that was an Instead cup.

It didn't want to come out, but I could tell it didn't pop open. So I bore down, grabbed the end and just tugged it out as strongly as I could. It poped open on the way out, and there was *eek* blood on the cup, even though it's not my period. The blood was not bright red, but maroon, which means that I injured myself perhaps the moment I started pulling on the cup. Wth?

Is it ok to bleed with dry runs? Could there be permanent damage?