Hello everyone, this is actually my first post here (I usually only comment). A little backstory: My first cup was the Keeper, which didn't work out too well for me (I didn't like the thick rim or latex material), so I bought a Lunette. It worked pretty well for me, but I had leaking when I got out of bed in the morning or the middle of the night, and I wanted a spare that I actually liked. I think that problem has since been resolved (the last period I had with the Lunette was leak-free), but I'm still glad I now have a spare cup to keep in my backpack.

I decided to try the Yukki because I was intrigued by the design that was similar to the Lunette, but it seemed to be made out of a material more similar to the LadyCup. It turned out, it's a little more "rubbery" or "plasticky" like maybe a Meluna or toy, rather than the smooth, frosted texture of the Lunette (haha maybe way too much detail there). If you look closely at the pictures, you'll notice it's actually made up of a bunch of small ridges (probably different than the LadyCup or Meluna). It has more friction when it comes to folding, and I feel that it stays in place better than the Lunette (never had ANY problems leaking on the whole period I tried it for).

( Read more )

I posted a while back about the Keeper/Moon Cup contest, and how I got an email message saying that I won… There were several winners, actually, I guess the more people that enter, the more people win. So I was informed that the cups would be shipped out on August 28th. So I’ve been religiously checking my mail… And it came today!

( Review And Pictures Here... )

Hello, gracious and helpful ladies of the menstrual cup board!

This is my second cycle using a cup. Last month, I tried the Keeper. It was fairly successful, except for one morning when I woke up in a bloodbath. The main issues with the Keeper were it was filling up too quickly on my heavy days (I was under the impression that you could go all day without emptying these things, based on my friend's experience, but I guess my flow is heavier than hers); it was hard to remove because it is small, stiff, rides very high inside me, and has no ridges on the base or stem to help grab and remove it; and sometimes it would leak when I went from lying to standing, which I attributed to the fact that its stiffness didn't allow it to move with me.

So this month I tried the Diva, and it was a disaster. It is so flexible, it never seems to open or stay open, no matter what folds I do. It's as if my vaginal walls are squeezing it shut. The blood simply bypassed it and came right out of me. Even when it did catch some blood, plenty leaked. After wrestling with it all day at work yesterday--I spent way too much time in the bathroom, rooting around in there and covered in blood--I gave up because I was going to the gym and needed something foolproof, so I went with a tampon. Then, later, I went out dancing with tampons. Well, dancing with my friends but you know what I mean. And it was such a huge relief, I have to say. I knew when I needed to change it because of that telltale bubbly full feeling, and it was so easy to do the crouch-in-the-nightclub-bathroom-without-touching-anything-pose while changing the tampon. And I thought, How on earth would I do this with a cup? Now, I know that theoretically one can put in the cup and go dancing and not have to empty it at all. But it doesn't give you that bubbly feeling when it needs to be emptied, plus if you don't want to touch anything and you are somewhere dirty, it's really not a good option.

This morning I put the Keeper back in for another try. Maybe I just need to use tampons on my heavy days and rely on my Keeper for the light days. And as for that Diva, I just don't understand how it works for so many women.

If you're in Minneapolis and thinking about getting a Keeper or a Keeper Moon Cup, tonight I noticed that there were a few in the clearance bin at Seward Co-Op (also a box of GladRags, but I didn't buy them because they had a print on them I didn't like). I think the cups were marked down to about $23 or $24. The clearance bin is in the corner of the frozen foods area.

(I'm not affiliated with Seward Co-op or the Keeper company and have no more information than I listed here.)

I entered that contest where you write a letter explaining your reasons for wanting to try a cup Keeper or Moon Cup US, and if they like your letter best, you win a free cup!  Well, I just checked my email today and-- I won!  YAY! :)

They said they are having another contest, starting on August 15th.  So if you are interested in trying one of those cups, or if you are not doing so good financially, and really want to try your first cup, here is a link to the contest (I had to browse this group to find it):

http://ultimatemoneyblog.com/my-review-of-the-keeper-menstrual-cup

Just sharing the good news, and encouraging others to go for it!  Also, I think its a good idea for anyone else who wins (I've seen one other person here who did) to let everyone here know, and add the link to your post  keep this awesome contest going for everyone!  This is such a great thing they are doing, gives cup users/fans something to strive for.

Hi ladies!

So remember the keeper giveaway contest link that someone posted? Well, I won the keeper! I love my DIva Size 2 (Even though I am 22, np, it fit much better than a size 1) so I am trying to decide what size to get.

If I have a large Diva do you think I will like the keeper or the moon cup better? Also, which sizing do you prefer for those of you that have a large Diva and it works well?

Thanks ladies, and a big thank you to who posted the link originally. They will be doing a new giveaway soon the website says!

Hi All! I have been happily using the Keeper for two cycles and thought it would be nice to have a spare. I bought a Diva Cup since they are so easy to find in the US.

I decided to give it a try this past Friday and COULD NOT GET IT OUT. I was mortified. I tried squatting, bearing down, laying down, etc... I could feel the stem, but it was *just* out of grasping reach (I admittedly have short arms and short fingers so that doesn't help matters any). I tried on 4 different occasions but had no luck. I finally had to swallow my pride and enlist the help of DH. He couldn't get it out either. He could feel the stem but couldn't get a good grip on it with two fingers. I finally decided to give up and go to bed. 
I tried again in the morning with no luck. Finally, after two more failed attempts, DH was able to get it out...poor guy.

With my Keeper, I am using the stem to remove it. I don't break the suction first. Someone on another board mentioned there could be "implications" from not breaking the suction first. What are the implications? Am I doing some kind of damage? I CANNOT reach the base of my cup to break suction first...I always use the stem for removal. Is this a problem?

Hugs
Helga

this is my second question today--i'm a new cup user. i really appreciate everyone's feedback!

sometimes i hear air escaping from my vagina. it seems to happen if i get up from sitting/reclining to go pee, and when i sit on the toilet, it leaks a bit. i feel around in there, and the cup is fully open. not sure what else to do. no matter where i place it, it does it's own thing once it's in. sometimes it seems to ride low, other times it gets sucked way up in there and i really have to dig in to remove it. either way, my vagina is always very tightly gripping it, so much so that it's impossible for me to turn it once it's in. so i don't think the problem is that it's too small for me....

last night i had a really, really messy leak--woke up to blood all over at 6 AM (i posted about this earlier).

my cup is a small keeper, btw, and i've never had a baby.

I just started using a cup (Keeper). I can finally get it in without a struggle (7-fold) and once it's in, it's comfortable and works fine (although I think it may be moving when I go from lying to standing, as I've read other people have that issue). A couple questions:

1) I had a MAJOR leak overnight. At 6 AM I woke up and there was blood everywhere. Do I just need to wear a pad, too, overnight on the heavy days?

2) I keep reading about "turning" it after you put it in. But as soon as it's in, it's so tight I can't move it at all--may vagina grips it so firmly.

Any tips? My roommate, the one who introduced me to cups, has been using hers for years and has never had a leak. I would love to have that experience!

Thanks!

So just been think about a few things. currently got my period and I've noticed that i tend to wear particular colours when i have it. Has any one else noticed this. My colour of preference during mensturation tends to be red. hmmm dont know if it's my way of telling "the world" or what, but I find it interesting.
now the other thing. I've been using cups for a few years now and have recently been using a new cup (lunette). I find when i wake up in the morning as i start to get up i start to leak. i had thought that it might have been coz it was full but when i take it out it isnt. does anyone else have this problem or know how to aviod that made rush to the toilet that i get? by the way it happened with my other cup too (keeper) but i have noticed it more with the new one

I got my Lunette in the mail the the other day YAY!! but it arrived on the last day of my period, DOH. so i gave it a try anyway and it went in like a dream, popped good and snuggled right in there, no-ice!! ;)
(PS i have been using a keeper b size but my new one is a lunette 2. got it for the extra capacity and good rep.)
so it came to taking it out and... that was a bit tricker. found it quite hard to grip and pinch in the base of it to release the suction and get it out. i got there eventually though. maybe it's just because its so new or something.
comparing the two cups(keeper b and lunette 2) was interesting pretty much the same diametre and length but the shape is different and the lunette holds way more than the keeper ever could. lunette is easier to clean too. 

I am still using disposables. Its been "the last straw" for awhile, I just don't know what to buy. I don't use pads, once in awhile panty liners. Right now I'm using o.b. tampons exclusively and they are just leaving me SO DRY. I have a bunch of questions.
1. Will a menstrual cup "stretch" me out? I am hearing mixed answers
2. What is the deal with the keeper/moon cup controversy? I really like the shape of the keeper, but don't want to support a company with unethical practices.
3. Thoughts on the diva cup? I am not crazy about the look of it, my aunt has one and really likes it.
4. Where can I find the best price?

I thought I would just get a diva cup, I thought that and keeper were the only options. But now I see there are a ton of brands and I just don't know anymore. ALSO, I'm in the US and not opposed to buying online.

Update: Thanks everyone so much for the VERY informative posts! I ordered a femmecup on ebay this week and am hoping it comes in time for my next period.

so I have been using menstrual cups for a few years now, been using a keeper. found out about menstrual cups from a magazine and feel in love with the whole idea, so i search, found one and got one. I dont know why more people done use cups they are great and i think they need to be advertised more or marketed more esp in aussie land!! i love em coz of their "green" aspect and it gives me so much more freedom. because of the type of work i do, i "use a tree" more than i do a toliet and a cup makes it easier when i have my period. i dont leave any rubbish behind or have to worry about taking some back with me, much easier!!

while i am happy with my keeper i thought i'd try/get a new one so i decided to go with the large lunette. am currently using a b keeper, but i think the extra capacity would be great and i think i can handle one slightly bigger too so i went for it and i am getting one off ebay. hopefully it arrives before the "next installment"

anyway nice work guys and a big shout out to all the aussie cup users!! yewww !!! :D

I was visiting Perth last month and popped into the Planet Ark store in Fremantle -- a good place for eco-friendly things, not all of which are ultra-expensive. As I scanned the shelves, what did I find? A menstrual cup sitting in amongst all the Natracare disposable panty liners and pads! In its own little box; I don't recall what the brand name was, offhand, but I'm reasonably certain it was a Keeper.

Quite blew me away! I've never even seen fliers for menstrual cups in any sort of organic/natural living store before, although quite a few sell reusable pads nowadays. Those of you Aussies here who live that way, they also sell nifty things like toothbrushes with replaceable heads, of which the price was identical to supermarket toothbrushes. An interesting little shop to pop into, and forward-thinking, if the menstrual cup (even if there was only one!) is anything to go by.

Hi all!  I'm new this whole cup thing.  I've been using Insteads since January and finally got the nerve to try a reusable cup.  My friend has had a Keeper for the past few years and loves it, so I picked one up at the health food store.  (That was before I found this site and learned all the nasty things about them.  I've since ordered a LadyCup large and am waiting for it to arrive)

I used my Keeper last month for the last 2 or 3 days of my period.  Then I used it during ovulation through the EWCM stage.  Finding a good stem length has been a challenge and I may still trim some more off.  But overall, I've been pleased.

I've been quite nervous about my first real "whoosh" with the Keeper.  I have a really heavy flow and have read the horror stories of removal and insertion and generally uncomfortable issues. 

Well, tonight, I had it in because I've been spotting in preparation for The Big Whoosh.  I started cramping pretty badly, so I knew my dear Aunt Flo was knocking at the door. 

After I got home, I went to the restroom and was surprised to see that my back-up pad was clean.  So was the TP when I wiped.  (I always leaked a little with Instead)  So, I removed the cup.  Whoa, Momma!  It was filled to the first measuring line.  I hadn't even realized when The Big Whoosh began!

I have to say, I was pretty proud of my first removal with measurable fluid.  Not even the slightest hint of a CSI reinactment.  ;)

Insertion was a bit tricky, though.  My cervix appears to be quite a bit lower right now. 

I have to admit, I'm pretty nervous about tomorrow.  I'd rather have The Big Whoosh day on a weekend, at home, where I can be as CSI as I need to be and not worry about scaring my poor, unsuspecting coworkers.  I have no idea how long I'll be able to go between emptying.   I guess I'll learn a bit through the night tonight.

Is it crazy to be nervous and excited about this?? 

Hi all! I just wanted to throw out a brief note that I've finally found MY cup. The cup that is the perfect fit, comfortable, with no leaking. After 10 years of using cups, I had decided it wasn't ever going to happen, but it did. So here's my history, in case it helps anyone else decide on which cups to get.

Cups, in order of ownership/use.

(1) 2000: The Keeper, both sizes. This was 10 years ago, when The Keeper company was the only cup company around, at least that I knew about. I fell in love with the concept of the cup, although I wasn't fond of the Keeper itself. It was uncomfortable and I found cutting the stem, even all the way down, made it worse. I bought another one, the larger size since the smaller one leaked, and vowed to never cut the stem of cups again. The larger size did help with leaking. I developed an allergy to latex after using the Keeper for a couple of years, so I went back to tampons for a year or so until...

(2) 2004 or so: Diva: I was thrilled to find a menstrual cup made of silicone. I could return to menstrual cups again! My experience with the Diva was not pleasant, but it was still better than tampons and since I had no allergy to it, I could use it. Unfortunately, the stem was very pokey and uncomfortable, and the irritation usually resulted in a yeast infection following my period. After what happened with cutting the Keeper's stem though I refused to cut the Diva's stem. Additionally, the suction was unbelievable, and very uncomfortable, not to mention painful for removal. I got both sizes, and found the larger one resulted in less leaks, as with the Keeper. I was disappointed, and used the Diva off and on for 4 years, alternating with tampons because of this discomfort, until...

(3) 2007: Lunette (the larger size. They didn't have the smaller size out yet when I bought mine.) Why didn't I buy the Lunette sooner?! It was WORLDS better than the Diva! Not only did it fit much better because it wasn't so long, it leaked way, way less and was far more comfortable thanks to the flat stem. It still poked a little, but not nearly as bad as the others. The suction was also far less powerful, and it was just a better designed cup all around. I vowed that I would only buy flat stemmed cups from that point on. However, the Lunette was a LITTLE big in a way that it constantly made me feel "full" or like I needed to pee, only when I tried to pee, it seemed my "pee tube" was squished and it was difficult to pee. Also, when needing to poo, with all cups I found that they got in the way of pooping comfortable so I had to remove them before and put them back in afterwards, but the Lunette was especially bad with this. Even though it leaked far less than the Diva, I still always had pink toilet paper when I peed and very, very light spotting on my underwear. I chalked this up as being normal and nothing to really be concerned about.

(4) 2009: Mooncup UK: I'd felt drawn to the Mooncup UK since before I found the Lunette. But I never got it because it was so widely known to be small, even the larger size, and not hold much. I'm a heavy bleeder, so I figured it would not work for me based on capacity. But starting around September or so of 2008, my Lunette began refusing to go all the way in, and began to easily get pushed out. I discovered it was because my cervix was riding lower during my period than it ever had, and by January of 2009 I realized that it wasn't going to return to it's previous state. So I decided to get a Mooncup to try, because I was not about to give up cups. I got the larger size, for obvious reasons. When I tried it for my first cycle, I left the stem intact, and it present the same problem with discomfort as did the Diva and Keeper. It wasn't going to work because of the stem, but I noticed that was the only way it was uncomfortable... I couldn't feel it inside at all, and could pee AND poop comfortably without removing it! I also noticed it had no leaks at all - not even a pink tinge! So I decided I had nothing to lose and cut the stem down until eventually it was completely gone. Not even a ltitle nub... it's almost concave where the stem used to be (once I file down the edges it will be perfectly smooth probably). The first day I wore it with the stem completely gone, I heard angels sing. I can't even tell I have it in. I can pee and poop with it in just fine. And NO leaks. AT ALL. It's like I don't even have my period. Maybe this is just a freakishly lucky cycle with my period, but I'm staying with positive thinking that I have just finally found the cup for me.  It makes me really sad that MooncupUK decided to stop shipping to the US just when I discover that this is my cup, and I hope that when it comes time to replace it, it isn't going to be difficult to obtain another one. For this reason, I disrespect The Keeper company even more than I did before.

Hope this helps someone!

Edit: Forgot to add info that might help. I am 29, and have never been pregnant or had children. In 2000 I was 20, and since I was 29 when the Lunette stopped going all the way in half the time, it probably has to do with body changes around 30. So when you hit 30 or so, it may not even be a size issue with cups but merely the shape or even the holes, etc.

Hey ladies. Final update on my discussions with the Keeper company, and it's not much of an update. If you don't know what I'm talking about, click here.

I had some sources from the legal battle and info about the boycott forwarded to Ms. Crawford and, surprise surprise, she never called me back.

I sent another email a couple days ago letting her know that I was leaving the country on the 25th and can no longer be reached on my US phone after that date (which is true), so if she had any intent of speaking with me she needed to call me back soon.

I would have called her, but she called me on a private number. Again - surprise surprise.

So, it is now 15 minutes into March 24th, and still no call. I suspect I won't be getting one before I leave, so I guess this is the end of our discussion.

To recap, it was basically me citing all the things I've read and researched, and her fervently denying it ever happened as though I should take the word of the president of an unethical company over public legal records.

*sigh*

I tried.

Love,
Cassie

Okays so i'm 18, have been havign sex since i was 15 and only use tampons, so i'm not concerned about the whole fitting a cup in my 'giney bits, however i'm stilla c bit concerned about trying it out. I've heard they're great but i'm still a bit dubious.. I have a few questions and hope that someone can help me.
1] where can I get one, that's not online. I dont' have a credit/debit/visa so i'm stuck as to how to pay for one online.
2] Should I trust ebay sellers? 
3] Honestly, how easy are they to use? Ir emember first using tampons took getting used to so i understand that this would too however people make them sound so easy that i wonder sometimes.
4] I've read that they smell. How bad is it? And how long is it before they start to smell?
5] Has anyone had problems with suction and leaking? 
6] How long can they be left in for? and is there a risk of TSS with them liek with tampons? 

I really would liek to try them out especially if i can leave it in and dont have to change it every 4 horus liek they suggest with tampons. sounds great for over night aswell. no more bulky pads [yuk].. Also, what's the best brand? 

I'd just like to quickly post this link: www.gurl.com/findout/guides/articles/0,,716773-1,00.html

It's a history of menstrual products, and it mentions cups twice, both times pretty thoroughly. I thought the community might like it.

Hey ladies. The president of the Keeper company DID call me (her name is Ms. Crawford).

If you don't know what I'm talking about, click this.

Unfortunately she did so while I was out, so we had a limited discussion about the MoonCup fiasco, and she told me she would call back Saturday or Sunday... which so far she has not.

But this was the gist of the conversation we DID have.

She almost acted like this was the first she'd heard of it. Which is impossible, because I have public legal records of disputes they've had in court. She kept saying things like "it must have had to do with them not being FDA approved," and I kept saying "no, they have been prevented from shipping because of copyright issues WHICH YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR."

I've read up on this. I am quite sure it has nothing to do with the FDA, otherwise the Lunette, FemmeCup, etc, would all be banned as well.

She kept saying they've used the trade name for years, which is just flat out untrue. The Keeper MoonCup wasn't released until several months ago. MoonCup UK has been around for years upon years. I don't know if she was implying that since the Keeper company is older than MoonCup, they can just take whatever name they want? I don't get it.

I felt like the conversation just went in circles and she used a different straw man every time. She asked me for some sourcing, so I sent her the link to the legal dispute, the boycott post from this community, and the letter one of the members of this community got from MoonCup UK in regards to this issue.

Somehow I don't think she's going to call me back.

Any hope I had of having a real discussion about this has kind of gone out the window.

So, I'll let you know if I get a call back, or anything interesting happens. But as it stands... pretty much what I expected.

Love,
Cassie

I wrote an email to the Keeper company expressing my disappointment with the whole MoonCup shenanigans. I also said that as a result of it I wouldn't be buying their products, and would be sure to inform others in the market for a menstrual cup of their actions as well.

And this was the very interesting and unexpected response I got back a few days later:

"Thank you for your email and the information. The president of The Keeper Inc. would like to speak with you. Would it be possible to reach you via phone? If so, may we please have your contact information."

Wow. Wasn't expecting that. I wrote back that I would be more than happy to talk with them. I'll let you ladies know how it goes.

Love,
Cassie

EDIT ( My first letter - a bit long-ish. )

EDIT: Well, seems that I've been bumped to the front of the email line since my first letter. Took them 3 days to respond to the first one (which really isn't that bad, and I'd not expected any reply at all), but they've just sent me another saying that my number has been passed to the president of Keeper Inc. whose name is Ms. Crawford. Not sure if I should expect a call today or not, but my phone is turned on. :)

I have a DivaCup, and I love it. I just recently got to use it on my period (today's the first day!). I cut off the stem completely and inserted it when I had a little spotting last night, and when I woke up, I had a full cup. No leaks, though my feminine moisture (whatever you call it) bypasses the cup like it's not even there. I thought it was a leak, but it was just, you know, the clear stuff. Anywho, I've been thinking about getting my 13 year old sister her first cup. She hasn't started her period yet, but I wanted her to have a cup ready as an option. She knows all about cups, but isn't sure which one she wants. I've heard that just about every cup is good for beginners. I'm leaning towards LadyCup/ColoredCup, or even the Femmcup. What do you ladies think? I think I'll do a poll for this one, but comments are welcomed lots!

Poll #1360883 Beginner's Cup Poll
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 102

What cup do you think would be best for a first-time cup user?

Unfortunately, the Mooncup is no longer available in the U.S., and I don't feel like Houdini-ing one out here, and Keepers and Moon Cups aren't an option. Grrr.

So I apparently have... umm... a high cervix. Or a long vagina. Not sure how else to put it. Ironic since I'm only 5'3"... I'm abnormal! :)

About 5 years ago, I started using Instead cups. They were easy to insert, comfortable, never leaked, but were almost impossible for me to take out because I had a horrible time hooking my finger over the rim to pull them out. Yes, I bore down and tried every position imaginable, but still had trouble. A couple of times after 20 or so minutes of trying to get one of those suckers out, I really thought I was going to have to get someone to come into the bathroom and help me. I even emailed the company to see if anyone else had this problem, but they sent me a not-helpful form response.

Two or three years ago I started using The Keeper. Again, it's comfortable, no leakage, but even though it's better than Instead because of the elongated shape and the long stem, I still have trouble taking it out. It's ironic to me to see that almost everyone trims the stem and some wish it were even shorter than that... I would be fine with the stem being a little longer! I often have trouble pulling it down enough to pinch the cup and break the seal, leading me to fear that I'm going to suck my cervix right out of my vagina. Also, it's worse because the stem and cup on the Keeper are smooth so they're slippery.

I was thinking of buying a new cup anyway in order to switch to silicone and am wondering whether any would be easier for me to use. Basically, my needs are: 1. silicone, 2. a long cup or, failing that, at least a long stem, and 3. a ridged stem/cup bottom (so it's grippier). I would also prefer a relatively "squishy" silicone rather than a stiffer one. Do you have a cup that you think would work well? Do you find the stem and base of your cup to be quite grippy? Do you find it easy to break the seal while still not having leakage? (p.s. Although I'm 30, I think I will still need the smaller size of any cup, if that makes a difference.)

I've tried reading reviews and comparisons, but most people seem to have the opposite problem from me so I'm having trouble gleaning much about this from the reviews. Sorry for the long post and thank you in advance for any input you might have!

I know South Coast Shopping has received many posts in this community about offering cups at more affordable prices but actually, if you are ordering from an international location (I'm in Mexico) you'll get a better deal ordering from their ebay store than from their own webpage, the price might be a bit more expensive than on their website, but the shipping is WAY cheaper (about 8 times cheaper, that's a lot) and makes a difference on the total price.

EDIT: Forget about it, I bought a cup and they refused to ship it at that price even though it was an available option (clickable). I know everyone can ship at whatever price (fee) they want but is not ok to say $4.33 and after the payment has been made say "you know, it's not $4.33, it's $20.50, why did you select that shipping option?"... they could have just disabled it if they never intended to offer it...

I see, if I click-click-click through all their fine print, I eventually can find the countries on the "black list" (come on! I've bought from all over the world and never had a problem--fuming--), but again... they could have just disabled the cheap option if they never intended to offer it...

At least I got a refund, but you bet I'm angry right now... (sorry about the rant :$) If your country is on the "safe" list you can still get cheap shipping...