Hullo! I'm Laurel, 16, virgin, etc etc. For Christmas I got a small Diva cup, which was very joyous. I have a really heavy flow and so I was always using tons of tampons. They have never really been comfortable for me, and always a hassle to carry around and buy.

So I attempted to get it in twice today. The first time I couldn't get it in at all, using the C fold. It wouldn't go in all the way and kept coming out. Then I found this lovely community, and some people mentioned that the push down fold was easier to insert. So I tried again in the shower using the push down fold and it went in fine (after about 5 tries...). The only problem was is that I don't think it popped open inside. It didn't feel very comfortable or suctioned. In the instruction booklet it says that you have to turn it 360 degrees. I found this really difficult to do. I couldn't get a good enough grip on the end to turn it. What is the best way to do this? Should I turn it while it is inside, or halfway out? I tried poking around the cup, but it was very hard to tell if it was suctioned, the walls of the cup didn't feel like they were spread out completely. When I removed it, it seemed like one side was still partially folded. Should it come out completely unfolded? 

Are there any folds you recommend that are small and easy to insert but suction well? I find the push down fold is so much more easier to insert and hold than the C fold. Does anyone else have problems with it? 

Obviously I'm very new at this and still getting the hang of it. I want this to work out very badly! Especially since my period is coming soon and I really don't want to use tampons. 

Thanks for any help you may have. 

Hey, I need a little help with my Divacup. I bought the smallest one but I'm still having trouble putting it in. I tried to insert it the smallest way I could put it but folding it in. I can get it in just fine but I have trouble pushing it up more. I already tried trimming the end a little but it still pokes out. I relaxed for  a while then tried again and again. It's my 5th time trying to insert it as far as it can go without feeling uncormfortable, but it won't go in... >_< Is this problem because I've never had sex or something else? I really want to use this but I feel that my money has gone to waste right now. I'm at the point where I'm about to cry.

Can anyone help me please????

Hey all,

Okay so I purchased a Diva Cup today. I'm 17 and a virgin so I got the smaller one... But I cannnnnott get it in. Like, I've gotten it pretty far, but I can't get the stem to be even with the opening of my vagina. I was literally screaming in pain, lol. I still hurt down there. Probably the most painful thing my vagina has ever had to go through. I need tips on how to get it in because I need to get the hang of this quickly! I'm going away for christmas and my friend wants to go to a water park and tampons dont work for me and I'm positive I'll have my period when we go so... I should have got my period like, yesterday but it hasn't come yet so I'm trying it before I have it. I did the 2nd fold the intructions said to use but honestly, it is KILLING me! :| Please help!

Also, I bought the soap stuff you're supposed to clean the cup with... could I use that for lubrication or is that bad since it's soap? Haha.

 Hey, i'm a 14 year old virgin and i got me period this morning it was my first time try the cup and i tried for like 30 minuets and it would not go in! 

any advice??

ok so now I can get it  in...but not far enough???

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.

Hello all!

I have been using my lunnette since march and love it. I am just having one small issue- i can insert it perfectly each morning and then i will take it out to empty it but then when i try to reinsert it it always gives me problems and is uncomfortable. does this happen to anyone else? Somedays i just insert it in the morning, empty it and then switch to cloth pads the rest of the day because of this. Is my vagina too tired? lol I just don't get it cuz it goes in so easily the first time of the day, but if i try to reinsert it then it gets uncomfortable. any ideas???

OK friends, I have to say, I'm the proud (?) new owner of a small diva cup! 
I told myself I wasn't going to rush out and buy a cup, but wait a few cycles to let my IUD settle in.  Yeah, so I didn't do that.
I tried it as soon as I got home, and had success!  I could hear it pop, and was very pleased.  I successfully inserted it twice that night, then put in a tampon, as I didn't want to sleep with the cup in quite yet.
So, day two, I attempt to put the cup in again, the same way I did the day before (c-fold).  Unsuccessful, several times in a row.  I try to twist it to pop it open, and...no luck.  So, I decide to put it away, and try again another day.  It's not day 3, and while I don't think it's completely open, it's not leaking, and is collecting fluid inside.  I still can't spin it though, and can feel a "dimple" in the cup from where it's not as "open" as I feel it should be.
I realize that my vagina isn't circular, so expecting my cup to feel the same inside as it does outside isn't really realistic.  But I don't feel like the cup feels like it should (if that makes sense to you).  Shouldn't I feel it pop, or at least feel the rim in some sort of round position?  Also, any tips for trying to twist it?  Mine just doesn't want to move!
Thanks!

Hello, I'm new to menstrual cups and also to this community.
I purchased my first cup today, a size B keeper, since I am a virgin. I have also NEVER used tampons before. I've also never had a pelvic exam before. I'm 20 years old.
It took me two tries to get the cup in, and that had the typical initial pain but i was able to insert and remove it in only a few minutes. The part I'm not sure about happened after it was in. I experienced pretty severe lower back pain (imagine right at the top of your butt, on either side of your spine). And also a very pressing urge to pee. I took it out immediately and will continue doing short insert / remove sessions to see if I can angle it differently or place it higher to make that pain go away. But I haven't read about anyone else having back pain with the cup.
I guess my question is if there may be something going on up there that I should have checked out or talk to a doctor about, or is that typical or the result of some kind of user error? Or maybe I should just get a smaller one, which would be hard b/c they're expensive...

Thanks for any help or advice,
-LN

Hi Everyone,

I am a new user for the Diva Cup (I have the smaller size of the two) and this cycle is my third using it. The past two cycles everything was great except minor leaking and I pretty much fell in love and tried to convert all my friends haha :).

Anyways I just finished my third cycle with it but this time my vagina felt really irritated about the second time I put the cup it in. Also, it really hurt and was a lot harder to put the cup in (it pretty much felt like my vagina got smaller and was too small to fit the cup). I stuck through with the pain except for night time, when I used a pad. This was my first time using a pad since I got the Diva Cup and I have to admit it kind of felt like a defeat. 

The only difference I can think of from my last cycles is that instead of boiling it right after my period ended, this time I forgot and then rinsed it with really hot water for a couple of minutes at the beginning of my cycle. Do you think this has anything to do with it, as in I might not have killed all the bacteria or something?

Thanks for reading this and I appreciate the help :)

 

Hey everyone!
I am 17 and i tried using my diva cup for the first time tonight. I was really excited to use it, cuz i'm kinda a environmentalist and i love the idea of not throwing out any tampons or pads.
But I tried putting it in and it just wouldn't go in. it hurt SO MUCH! I am a virgin, so things don't go in there on a regular basis. But I have no problems with tampons at all.
The cup keeps popping open before it goes in, and so I just try and keep shoving it in there, but the pain is too much. even if I get it somewhere up there, I can't deal with it, I can't even move it hurts so much. Am I doing something wrong? Please don't tell me I'm to small to use the cup. I really want to use it.
I've tried to put it in probably around 15 times now, and have had no luck what so ever.
So Please any suggestions??
And I have tried relaxing my muscles

I picked up a box of the Instead soft-cups today on an impulse. Initially I was going to buy tampons, but after seeing the Instead's right next to my usual brand, and having heard wonderful things about the reusable cups, I decided to give them a try. I tried inserting them like the instructions said, but I can't seem to get it in right. Supposedly it's supposed to sit close to my cervix, but it's sitting very low and keeps leaking. I've seen the special folds for the reusable cups, but the plastic on the Instead's seems too firm to do most of those with. I was wondering if anyone had had any luck with a particular fold using the Instead soft cups?

I got a model 2 DivaCup today. I tried inserting it a bunch of times but it felt uncomfortable when I walked so I took it out. I bought the model 1 today to see if that would help. It's much more comfortable except it's still feels a bit uncomfortable. I can feel it a bit near my vaginal opening. Is that normal? I trimmed the knob off. I tried pushing it in farther, but it wouldn't go in any farther. Any tips? I spent $75 on them, so I really want one of them to work!! I'm 30 yrs old, no babies, petite, not that petite really matters. I'm on day 4 of my period, so my period is really light right now, although my flows are normally pretty light anyway after the first couple of days.

Thanks!

T

Hi folks, another one having extreme difficulty getting the diva cup to work!

( Details. )

Has anyone got any suggestions at all? I'll try anything at this stage!

I'm having some issues with my folding technique using a Large LadyCup. I'm not having trouble with leaks so I'm sure the cup is around (o) my cervix, but every time the cup pops open it's hitting my cervix and hurts. I've only been able to use the punchdown fold successfully. I did try many of the other folds (thank you youtube video! big big help), but most of them are either not small enough for me to insert well and get placement right, or I can't even hold them long enough to get it in. The cup seems to be extremly poppy and tough to hold onto in the folded state. Will the cup ever get more plaible and willing to remain folded? With the punchdown, I've tried inserting with the folded part facing down and up and back (so the folded part would pop away from my cervix), but every time it opens, the cup edge brushes violently against my cerivx. Is this just something I need to get used to or are there any tips to get my cervix in the cup without it getting scraped and abused each time.

hey everyone! this is my first post to this community. I just had a period where I used a menstrual cup for my very first time - (I bought a Diva Cup at the local Mother Earth). I liked it a lot in comparison to tampons BUT I feel as though I would be much happier with something else, but with so many brand options I am feeling really overwhelmed. I thought maybe if I could tell you all some of my complaints you all might have some recommendations for me!

First off I need to say that I had no leaking which was great!

My problems: (with diva size small)

1. difficult for me to get in - I tried every fold imaginable and it still felt like I was jamming something up my vagina.

2. once I got it in I assumed it popped open (I did not hear anything or feel anything like my friend told me she hears when hers pops open) - I know it says to turn it once it is in, but it WILL NOT turn

3. It feels like it is pushing out against the walls of my inner vagina and gives me almost like a second area of cramps

Any suggestions?

This probably sounds lame but I am not sure if the stem is the cause of my discomfort or maybe I don't have the cup in right. I got my diva cup 2 days ago right as my cycle ended, kind of. I am having odd spotting off and on constantly due to coming off depo after 8 years. I only had a 2-3 day VERY light (almost never even needed a pad or tampon at all) during the time I was taking shots so this is like being a kid who got their period for the first time all over again.  Maybe 2 periods a year.

I am 26, sexually active for many years, and this diva cup (size1) feels HUGE. I can hardly get a finger in to swirl around it to make sure it is open, no turning, but I was able to get it back out and reinsert. The second time (currently) it didn't feel like much for the first couple hours but it is starting to poke? But it feels like it's poking the wall? Last time I took it out it felt like the cup was in crooked pointing to one side. Do you think what I am feeling is the stem poking?

I am using my Diva Cup for the first time, and it's been OKAY.  The first day I had some leaking, but today I didn't have any, however, while I was at work I kept freaking out that it was leaking so I felt like I wanted to hide in the bathroom the entire day!

I have a few questions:
1.)  I've read that some people have a problem with not being able to reach the cup when its inside them, my problem is the exact opposite.  My cup's stem almost sticks out, its an inch or two shy, does this happen to anyone else?  I don't want to cut the stem because I use it to insert it.

2.)  How do you really know that it's sealed?  I blindly insert it and push up, almost like a plunger and more or less hope it's okay.  I can't do the circle or turn thing to make sure its sealed.

3.) Does anyone else experience pain when using a menstrual cup?  The general area of my lady parts hurt whenever I use the cup.

4.) How do I get the cup to completely open once inside me, I kept feeling that one side of my cup was folded in?

I reaaaaaally want to be able to use my cup but I feel like giving up!  If anyone has any tips or suggestions please let me know!

Also, I am in a club, the ______ College Women's Center, and was planning on having a meeting where I lead a discussion about alternatives to one time use pads and tampons, anyone have any ideas as to especially important things I should cover?

I also use pads from party pants pads WHICH I LOVE, but I am trying to use the diva cup as to cut down on having to buy more and wash pads.  I started out using Instead Cups, which I think really helped.

I would love to be able to use my cup without fear of leakage or having to use a pad as well, and as today went well with no leaks I am feeling somewhat more hopeful.


Also, I am verrrry new to live journal, so forgive me for any mistakes and my lack of a photo/icon.

ps THIS COMMUNITY IS FABULOUS.

I have a story and a couple  questions.

This past Thursday I saw Wicked and my peroid hit right after the group of us finished dinner.  I didn't have anything with me for my period- and all those tampon dispensors in public bathrooms were empty.  I must have asked ten women for a tampon before I found one who had a tampon.  When I got home I saw that my diva cup wasn't where I left it- and took all of ten minutes to buy a new one.  I was freaking out-cause I don't have enough tampons for a full period around anymore.  And last night I found my diva cup.   When I found it  my friend dani was here- who thinks Cups are disgusting- and I was dancing and all excited about finding it.   I think Dani nearly vomited at my excitement.   SOOO!  I'll have 2 cups soon.  Wooo!  haha.

 

Anyway my question- When I put it in I feel pressure down there for maybe 15 minutes after its in.  Does anyone else feel pressure?  Or is it just me?  Is there anyway I can avoid it?
 
I don't know if anyone else can do this- but combined with mycycle.com I can tell where I am with my cycle by how my cervix feels- does that make sense and can anyone do that?

I hate those months when, no matter how many times I adjust it, I cannot get the cup in right. Happens about once a year.

Gah!

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!

Updates: My third day of dry run. I got over it easier than I thought. But here's the problem....It is poking me!!! And it's the smallest cup on market LOL. I am not on my period but I guess my cervix is always low. Should I cut the stem now? I feel it inside me just because of the stem. :(

Updates: Removal took forever because I don't want it to hurt like the last two, I managed to fold it when half of it came out. My only concern is when I DO have my period I do not know if I can fold it. Blood will surely spill out and probably every where on my hands, seat and perhaps my pants. (This is if I do i outside home)

Before I go into the question, I recently posted my first time (scary) experience with the cup. I am not planning to try it again for awhile because it hurts down there right now. What happen was I tried it again next day and the insertion was not that bad but still uncomfortable. The removal was painful,still, or even more.

Note that I could only insert one finger in there (after the first application I could fit two fingers more easily but still not manage to make use of it besides making the path way a bit wider)

I push the cup down with my muscle and tried to pull the stem when it sticks out. I break the seal with my index while holding on to the stem with my thumb and middle fingers. What happened was I had a hard time to get it out because my hymen was in the way which hurts like... I could not fold the cup while it's in there because if I let go of the stem it will go back in, plus I could not hold to the base instead of the stem because the base would be inside and I could not put three fingers in there. Only my index was pushing the cup to not make it seal. I could not take it out easily. I had to pull it knowing that it will hurt and there was no other way at the time. It came out creating a seal right when i was almost out and made a "pop" sound. OMG It hurts like I would never try it again...I really want it to work but I would need more time for it.

Today it is very sore and hurts all the time :( ...


Question for the future use

I think I have quite a heavy flow the second day.I don't think it's a good idea if I will be having to empty it when I am not home. If I use pads with it to help when it leaks and I cannot empty it, would that be OK? Or it's goign to make weird noise.

I have a small lady cup.

Hi,

I got my Diva cup back in December.

My first time trying it was unsuccessful, I tried a full two hours. I couldn't get even a little bit in before it popped open (like the corner was barely in). Suffice it to say it hurt, a lot. There was also a lot of bleeding, which really frightened me and I called it quits after that.

The next month I decided to try again, but, surprisingly, the area where it popped open still hurt and after a good half an hour I decided that I wasn't going to get it to work. I tried a ton of different folds, but they all threatened to (or did) pop open before I got them in, which scared me.

I tried again the next month, but after that I just gave up and decided to go back to my tampons.

Does anybody have any advice, because I really don't want to give up on my Diva Cup, I'm going away for a year and don't want to fill a suitcase with tampons to drag around with me. Are Diva Cups good for long periods of travel?

Should I be concerned about the bleeding, as there was a lot of blood and pain?

(Also, I don't know if this is relevent, but I am a virgin.)

Update: So after reading comments I think I don't have the microperforate hymen. I Have a normal but "stubborn" one...talking about hymen with personality LOL


And the story begins...

My Ladycup arrived today. I don't have my period but I wanted to try it to get comfortable...

I tried two times...after starting out with my finger to get it open a bit more. I could not put two fingers in. I tried punch down fold...it was too large to go in there. I didn't have lube so I use water. It still couldn't go in.

Then I tried the triangle fold. This got a better chance but my hand started cramping. It did not go far in. I had to get ready to go to work so I stopped it there for then.

After work, I tried again, still using the triangle fold. I was  standing  with my legs far apart and pretty much relaxed. It got in OK but stopped when I got to the wider folded part. I tried it again and again until I decided to do it on the toilet.

I tried until I was close to getting it. I had to turn it around a little then it finally went in more. I continued to insert. It got more painful when I got to the wider part and until it totally went in. And when it did, it hurts like....OMG it was pushing its way in trying to open. I had to push the cup in higher...then the pain was gone. I stood up and nearly blacked out. I grabbed my stuff and tried to get to my bed because I felt nauseating almost vomiting; then everything was dark, and my ear just kind of shuts off I could not hear anything.

I lied down and it started to feel like cramping inside but very mild. It did not hurt any longer but I was feeling nausea and like going to faint. I rested and fell asleep.

I woke up about an hour later. At this time I didn't even want to bother getting it out but I had to. I inserted my finger in soon to found out that I couldn't find the stem!!!!

I had to sort of "dig" in and I could not find it. Then I notice that the surface where I am touching was the upper part of the cup!!!!!!!!! It was close to the rim. Then I felt the rim, it formed a seal on the side.

I dig and dig and dig!!! I was like this can't be happening to me. How am I going to get it out?

I tried to hook the rim open and take it out but it wont move.

The cup was in a wrong position. It kind of was in side way. I soon found the stem on the left side and the rim was on the opposite,

I still could not get a good grip on the stem because it was folded and squish to the side. I try to move the stem with one finger to get it in a right position. I could only put one finger in there so it was impossible. I could barely touch it.

I was not panicking but I was thinking that  I had to get a doctor to get it out!

I tried to put two fingers in there but it was not helpful because two fingers were really stuffed in there and I couldn't move them.

After 45 minutes I tried to push the cup at the rim so it gets to the right position. After pushing it quite violently it started to turn to the right side. I finally got got it positioned.

Now.. the next scary part....How it's going to come out.

I push with my muscle (Probably like giving birth) until the stem sticks out. The seal is still there. I had to use my finger to push the rim to break the suction. I pulled....

Now it HURTS!!!! I wanted to stop but I had to get it out. It was very painful to get it all out. I tried to fold it but the rim part probably came out fully opened. But thank goodness it's out!!!

I am relief now but I am very scared to try it again. I think I won't have problem inserting too much. But taking it out was very painful.

I do not think I ripped anything...which is good, I feel real sore down there though.  :(

Hello, everyone.

I got my Diva Cup in the mail last week. I had no clue when my period would start (I'm irregular), but luckily I started a few days after receiving it. I was so excited to try it out.

Now I'm just raaaaaging. I've tried inserting it every time I go to the bathroom. I've tried four different folds and several sitting/standing/squatting positions. All of them have been epic fail thus far.

( some info that's a bit tmi-y )

I am so frustrated. I know some people say it takes awhile, but I've tried at least 3 times a day for the past 4 days and I feel like I should be somewhere further than wanting to throw the damn thing at a wall.

Advice? All comments are appreciated!