[Imagine me saying this with a grin on my face - it really isn't a genuine whine :P]

Today. 10 am.  I put my cup on the sink while bathing, thinking to myself - "I'd better not forget it, my period's due any minute now!"

Well, I forgot it.
And didn't realize I had forgotten it till I went to a friend's place and checked for it - at 6 pm.
I didn't have any pads on me.

Ahhh... the trouble my cup would have got me into.

<i>Can't it just be uncomfortable enough to be felt?</i>

Edit: Since I'm still gloating, and this post is still high up... cup users will never have to face THIS!

Today, I went to a neon themed party. Standing by the UV light, I looked down and realised my pad was glowing through my tights. FML
I mean, really. Poor girl :(

First things first:  I bought the Diva Cup... I didn't even realize there were other brands out there available in Canada until I had already bought it.  Little freaked out about the size, because although I got size one and I am not a virgin so have had much larger things in there (TMI, I know lol!), it just seemed so big compared to say a tampon.  Plus, the first couple times I had it in I could definitely feel it... it felt almost like a constant cramp.

I switched to the punch-down fold, didn't insert it horizontally (well, that wasn't even an option with my vaginal canal, I had no idea what they were talking about lol), but still used the turn to seal like Diva cup recommended.  Now I can barely feel it (it sits lower, so I do notice it if I am thinking about it).  No leaks the past two times, but I still wear panty-liners out of habit from the tampon days.

I never thought I would be one of those people to say I would never go back to tampons/pads, but seriously, unless I absolutely have to, I won't be going back.   I was so tired of trying to pee with a tampon in.... holding that damn string and making sure I wasn't going on myself and trying to figure out how to wipe without dirtying the string, etc, etc.  How gross!

On a brighter note, I have officially decided that if I ever have to teach sex-ed (I am in the education field), at least now when I have to do the "entering puberty" lecture with the girls I can show this option.  They may not be ready for it then, but if it is shown as a normal, not weird option when they are pre-teens, they will be more comfortable with the idea once they do want a better option.

So, just thought I would share my success!  Thanks so much to this community.... I would have never known about the different folds without it, which was the key to my success!

At an estimate, I've been using my small-size DivaCup for about 9 months now. She has been good to me - a couple leaks as I learn exactly what works and what doesn't, but sometimes life is like that.

Then last week, tragedy struck - I left my purse behind at work one night and was unable to retrieve it. It had my cup in it. My period was due any moment.

"No big deal," I told myself. I had given away all my pads, but I had plenty of tampons leftover from the BC era (Before Cup, you know). I would just have to use tampons for a day, until I could be reunited with my purse and my dear cup. No problem, right?

Oh my GOODNESS. I went to insert my first tampon in nearly a year and realized that it's not REMOTELY comfortable. What I once considered a vague, mild twinge of discomfort has become a completely unacceptable painful scrape. I mean, I managed it of course, and put up with it for several hours, but I absolutely couldn't wait to get my cup back. How did I put up with tampons before? How did they convince me to shove this dry scratchy wad of cotton inside of myself? And to pay good money for it! Would that I had a time machine... This point forward, I consider my tampons good for nothing except stopping up nosebleeds.

Anyway, I wanted to thank you ladies because I did an awful lot of reading here before deciding on my DivaCup, and all of the advice and analyses and data-breakdowns and stories were so helpful - I definitely got the perfect cup on the first try. So,I thought I'd let you know you've converted another, and add my bit to the rest.

 Just my luck, my period came yesterday... the worse day of the week for it to come! I waitress and Saturday was a wedding day, which means lots of heavy lifting, lots of running around long periods where I can't stop to take a break. This is my first period with a cup and I wasn't certain if this was the day to try it. But I had been using the cup for several days prior, because I wasn't certain exactly when my period was coming (lots of new girls at work = messed up cycle!) so I decided I was comfortable enough to give it a try (with a pad backup, of course). 

So glad I did! My small LilacCup sealed perfectly and I had no leakage at all! I thinks I've been a little obsessive about emptying it, because I was worried about the small capacity, but otherwise all has gone well. I even went out dancing with everyone after work and didn't have any trouble. Used it overnight too, with no problems. I am so excited!!!!!!

I don't know if anyone is interested, but I might sell my large LilacCup. I bought a mix double pack, really thinking that the large would be better, but the small seems to be a  better fit for me. I'll definately give the large another try (I really want the higher capacity!) but if I can't get it to work, then I may as well pass it on to someone who can use it.  

Hello everyone, I just wanted to tell you all I love my cup and to thank you for all the information on here without which I probably wouldn't have made the change.

I am now on my third cycle with the ladycup, and I just wanted to share my experience with you all.

Three months ago I got the small and large ladycup from ebay - I wasn't sure which size to get. I am 27, never given birth. So I tried the small first. It fit me well. I tried the large. It also fit me. So I'm going to use the small, and keep the large as backup incase I loose the small, or drop it in the toilet or need to sterilise it or whatever. When I first put it in, the stem poked at me. So I trimmed it to half. It still irritated me a bit, so I chopped it off completely, then took a nail file to what was left. Now I can't feel it all. I just wish I had discovered these sooner - its such a clean feeling, and I only need to change every 12 hours. It's so convenient, and discreet, and I don't need to carry anything to the bathroom with me. I think I'm in love with my cup. And it's a pretty pink colour too.

The first time it went in fine. Getting it out took ages, though. It did come out eventually. I came on here and found lots of tips on removal. It now takes just a few seconds. Sitting on the loo to remove it seriously helps me(I started off by squatting in the shower cos I was scared of dropping it in the loo). And I have never had a single leak. None at all, even from the first day it went in fine, no trouble at all. I just wanted to say to anyone thinking about buying a cup - go for it! You'll never know unless you try.

Alright, so about a week ago I made a post about my first experiences with the Diva Cup. I only had two days posted, but I thought that maybe some of you might be interested to read about the rest of my tiny successes, huge failures, and humorous catastrophes with my first cycle trying a Diva Cup.

[Post 1: My Night With a Diva]
[Post 2: Her Cup Doth Overflowed]
[Post 3: The Diva and I]
[Post 4: My Day As a Diva]
[Post 5: Afterthoughts]

Warnings: I curse a lot and somewhere around Post 3 or 4 I catch a bad case of Smug.

There's no point in putting a TMI warning on a menstrual cup forum, because just short of drinking it I'm sure there isn't much anyone could post here that people would be too squicked to read about.

The majority of my friends and the women who read my journal had never heard of cups and I was quite pleasantly surprised when a number of them messaged, emailed, texted, or commented to me their interest in giving it a try because of my generally positive experience with it. A few of them had questions that I couldn't answer, so feel free to respond to their questions as I'm sure many of them are far too shy to post them here.

Anyway, I'd like to thank this community for providing enough thorough information to convince me to give menstrual cups a try and convert me.

Hi all, I just started using a menstrual cup the other day and I just wanted to say that I've had a very positive experience so far. While doing research beforehand, I got really freaked out by all the horror stories on here of people having painful insertion, or even worse, not being able to get the thing out! It sounded very scary so I was reluctant to try it out at first.( Read more... )

I have no questions or anything, I just wanted to say that I love my cup!  Been using it for a couple years or something now, and I am just so incredibly happy.  Not to mention I'm thrilled at it's growing popularity!  Heck, when I bought my Diva a few years back, it was DivaCup, MoonCup, Keeper, and Lunette.  And Lunette was so new it was scary!  Crazy, and very exciting. 

Go us!

Having very good luck with my femmecup. Came yesterday(day 2 of my period). I put it in straight away, no problems. Taking it out was a little trickier but I have managed just fine. I found myself surprised at how small the cup is, I'm not sure why or what I really expected .I can hardly feel it, except for the stem once in a while. It springs open very easily and stays in place well with no leaks. I feel so much cleaner and less concerned about my period.

Using the cup has really made me change the way I think about my period and my body. It feels so much more natural and less intrusive. I no longer hate my period. I have to admit I was a little grossed out at first by the collected flow, but mostly just fascinated. I has assumed that it was just “blood”, but there are so many different parts to it.

Thanks again for all the very informative comments on my last post!

I have been using cups for 3 cycles now and thanks to all the info/help I have received from this wonderful community, it has been a very positive experience.  I have a large Keeper Moon Cup (Bought it before I knew about the controversy.) and a large Lunette (It was shipped from Leastore the day before the ban!  Hooray!)   Both cups have their stems trimmed almost to nothing.  My flow is normally super heavy days 1 & 2, then tapers a bit days 3-4, then is lighter for a few days. 

Last month I ran a half marathon on day 3 with my Keeper Moon Cup in and it worked great!  No leaks, no worrying about changing a tampon in a porta-potty moments before the start of the race.   I put my cup in 30 minutes before in the comfort of my hotel bath room.  When I checked after the race, it was about half full. Success!

This month, on day 1 (super heavy) I tried my Lunette on a 13 mile training run. I made sure my cup was positioned right, and off I went.  Was running great; then at mile 9, I felt my thighs chafing.  I looked down and there was dried blood on my thighs!  Huh?  I can tell when the cup is overflowing and I hadn't felt anything. 

When I got home, the cup was still positioned right, and was only half full when I removed it.   Aha!
"Residual Slobber" mixed with sweat.....looks like a lot of blood!  It also gives the illusion of "cup malfunction" or leaking!  I usually don't worry about the "slobber" because I always wear my cloth panty liners as back up.....but not when running!

The next day (still super heavy), I tried again with a modification.....after the cup was positioned perfectly, I wiped around the outside of the cup with my finger to make sure it was clean.  Ran 12 miles and had no problems!

If you are a runner, don't be afraid to use your cup....just position it right and check for "slobber"!

Ok, after struggling a few times to get my finicky PinkCup to open, I think I may have figured her out.  Good thing, too, because my period has arrived.  (I knew it wouldn't be possible to stick with spotting until after our cruise today!)

The PinkCup did great.  No leaks thus far.  Removal this AM with 3/4 full cup went off without a hitch.  Not so much as a drop on me.  Until time to reinsert, and even then it wasn't bad.  I feel like Anakin Skywalker in The Phantom Menace when he gets his podracer running..."Its working!  Its WORKING!"  (Yeah, my kids watched that a few nights ago....)

So today is the big day.  2 hour drive to the boat, 4 hours on the boat, 2 hour drive home.  We'll stop for dinner on the way home.  Day 1 of my period.  Sweet.

I hope to dump the cup before we get on the boat and then again when we stop for dinner, which should be about 5 hours later.  That's the master plan.  That doesn't mean that's necessarily how it will play out.....but that's the plan.  I'm taking extra back-up just in case!!

Am I weird that I find it slightly amusing that I don't know exactly WHEN my period starts??  My sis was asking me yesterday if I'd started yet.  I said "Ya know what?  I honestly don't know for sure!  Won't know for sure until I leak or take out my cup before bed!"  From someone who was a die-hard pad user 6 months ago, this is still all new and different!  Pretty awesome.  :)

My cup is **AWESOME** <----- sung by choirs of angels! :D

It goes in easy, it comes out easy & no leaks... what more could a woman want?!

I have been using the punch down method, once it's in I run a finger around the "back" where the cup was folded to make sure it's fully open, then I run a finger around the "front" to make sure my cervix is on the correct side & then Bob's your uncle... or maybe that should be Bert's your aunt! :D

The only issues I has were that the stem was poking out. Once I was sure I could remove the cup without it I cut it completely off, problem solved!

When people tell you to go with your gut feeling... it's true!! After looking at all of the information on the different cups I thought that the small Lunette sounded like the best option for me. However I'm 34 and although I've not had kids I was worried that maybe I would need the width of the larger cup, even though the added length was a bit of a worry. So I ordered them both, just in case. As it turns out my gut was right, the small cup is the perfect size, it seals to my insides no problem. :)

As the seller didn't have the Selene in the smaller size... I might have to go & find one somewhere else... blue is my favourite colour after all! :D

This does mean I have a spare Lunette Selene large size that I am willing to "pass" on to an unfortunate resident of the US who cannot buy one directly. It's still in the (somewhat squashed) packaging, I just took it out to see the colour! Anyone interested contact me & we can talk ;)  

I shall now go & compose a post for my regular LJ to let all my girl friends know about cups & this community! :D

EDIT: I meant to say that my test also included riding my horse... if anything was going to cause it to leak, that would have been it... but nothing!

Another first time user here. *waves*
I bought a (large) Ladycup by mail, and gave it a dry run, which went fairly well (getting it out wasn't the easiest thing, but it didn't hurt) and gave me enough confidence to try it for real on my next period. Which started today.

I usually start off really light, and then get heavy on the second day; that makes the first day ideal for getting used to the Ladycup.
I just removed it after wearing it today, and hurray! there was some blood inside. It's working!

It's back in place now, we'll see how I like wearing it at night. But I don't think I'll run into major problems.

Getting it to pop open still takes a bit of time; also, it's not very easy to know for sure whether or not it has. I feel around all sides of the cup that I can reach, and if it feels round on all sides (not dented), I assume it's fully opened. I've read that the Ladycup, being very soft, simply isn't all that 'poppy'. But I'm pretty sure I'll get the hang of this.

So far, so good. Now all I need is some practice. Oh, and I need to clip my nails.

(Mods, sorry to post a 'Hurray first time use' post without any actual questions. I figured it would be nice to have some positive first time experiences to balance out the 'Help, first time use and it's horrible'-postings. Feel free to remove, if you feel it's redundant.)

Update, the next day: The night went fine. Inserting and removing is already getting easier.
I find that it's better for me to let the cup open before it's all the way in and then push it in a little deeper, it finds its position almost all by itself that way. A bit of vaginal muscle pinching works well, too.

Today is Heavy Day and I'm not worried. It'll be a good test though!

Another update: Seems today is Heavy Heavy Day. I thought my cup was out of position, causing it to leak... but no, it was full. In three hours!
Okay, back to using a pad as a backup... for now.

I just have a fun cool story to share. My mom has always been very open with me, great relationship and all that, but since I'm in my 30's it's been a very long time since we've discussed feminine hygiene products in any detail. When I got my cup, I eagerly wanted to tell her about it but the timing wasn't right because we had some life/death family stuff going on this past year. In the past few months she tried to pawn off some old maxi pads on me and I passed on them, then she was rummaging in my purse a few times and finally asked why I didn't have my stash of "supplies" in there (I've always been irregular and stashed pads in every single purse I owned). I casually said, "Oh, I don't use them anymore." I was totally not thinking what I said would be alarming, I think she feared I was in an early menopause or something was going on. So I quickly explained how I was trying a new product and absolutely loved it.

You know what she said? "Oh honey, those aren't new! I tried those before you were born!" And then she had a good laugh at me! I only meant the silicone version was relatively new, but since I was bringing it up for the first time I wasn't going to start with the entire history of the cup, lol. She even remembered what the packaging looked like, that they were disposable, they were sort of gold colored, etc., and then I showed her the pic online of the old Tassaway  and she said that was exactly what she had tried. She went on about how she never could get them to work right, but they seemed so great, and then never saw them for sale again and forgot all about them. After seeing the new silicone version and hearing all about it, she said she didn't know whether to be happy for me or absolutely jealous and hateful! She decided on jealousy and hatred after finding out it made my cramps go away, my clothing and bedding is never stained, and she didn't want to hear another word about how freeing it is, ha ha ha! Too bad she threw the rest of the box away, she said it was in the back of the cabinet for years until she realized she was silly for hanging onto it and threw it away--it would've been fascinating to see now.

I was fully expecting her to think the whole idea was a little odd or unsanitary, solely because it is far different from pads and tampons. Okay, so she did give me the whole motherly talk about making sure I kept it clean, and I had a good time teasing her about being so much of a mommy, lol. When I first heard about the cup I was, quite frankly, grossed out, and imagined it would be messy and awkward; then I had yet another pad/tampon leak and after washing and stain removal finally decided that the cup couldn't possibly be any worse. I'm just so glad this community exists, because otherwise I could've had the same experience with cups that my mother did. Because of information compiled by some of you wonderful gals, I was able to choose a size and shape cup that I knew would likely fit me, as well as many different folds and insertion/removal methods, and all of this information and communication prepared me to try the cup and be successful with it.

 Hi all!

Firstly I'd just like to tell you how useful this community has been for me in getting my first cup! I ordered it last weekend and have been using it for a few days now as I was on my period when it arrived. So far using the regular C fold seems to be working, and I'm not having too much trouble removing either, which I'm crediting to this community and its bountiful amounts of knowlage which I sat and read through! However I have been having some slight problems with the stem of my cup!

When I first tried my cup I used it as it arrived, but after a little over an hour I realised the stem was WAY too long and cut some off! Since then I've had another little trim and now its not a bad legnth, but I've been having some small irritation with it. Sometimes its fine, but othertimes I can feel it pressing on a piece of skin near the entrance to my vagina. I'm terrified of cutting it too short though! I can live with it how it is, but I'd prefer not to feel the slight irritation I am at the moment and while I think trimming the stem might help ...... I dunno! Its a Femmecup if that makes any difference? I hear they have a slightly firmer stem than some other cups?

I was just wondering how the rest of the ladies here dealt with trimming stems and whether in past experience its been better to live with it ever so slightly too long as opposed to accidentally cutting it too short!

Thanks
^_^

Update: Thanks for the advice all, I eventually took the plunge and shortened it a little bit more, and it seems to be ok now. Though if it starts to hurt again I might just remove the stem all together as I think I might actually be ok without it! 

well my cup has arrived and i have tried ti insert it. my periods have not started but i will be on holiday when they do so i wanted to try and get used to inserting it before i go. 

i have only tried about 4 times, with lubricant, and i´m having problems already.  it doesn´t feel like it´s a problem getting it in, but the one i´ve got is a size two lunette selene, and it is VERY stiff.  i have only tried one fold as it´s the only one i know and is the one that was described in the leaflet. 

to cut a loooong story short, basically, what happens is that i get it so far, lose the grip (my hand starts to cramp up) as it is very stiff and hard to handle, i used both hands which didn´t help me at all... and it pops open before i can get it in all the way.  the bottom part and the tag are still sticking out and what i get is a suctioning feeling (and sound), then i panick and give up and now i´m scared to try again.

now it may be that that is how it happens, but i´ve not got a clue.... if so, do i just carry on pushing it in?

thank u xx


UPDATE: i tried a dry run again after watching the video with different folds. i kneeled on the bathroom floor, used i tiny bit of lube,  and used the punch down fold (as it was the only one i could remember at the time) and it worked perfectly! i was scared to let go of the fold as i was expecting discomfort when the cup would pop open, but decided to be brave, and all i could feel was a little sensation and my face got all hot and flustered. i didn't cut the stem straight away as i wanted to see how it went first, but when it came to it, i couldn't feel it at all so i've left it as it is.

i didn't feel anything at all with it inside, other than a little bit of pressure and a full-like feeling but that disappeared after an hour or so. i also went for a wee with it in (as some had mentioned they had problems with urinating with the cup in) but it was no different than had it not been in. so all in all, a successful insertion and comfortable 2 hours i had it in.

when it came to removing it, that was it bit of a struggle.  i could feel the stem but struggled to actually get hold of the cup. i didn't want to pull just the stem and end the successful dry run with a horrible removal experience, so i persevered.  i wanted to be able to nearly use the punch down technique to break the seal and then pull it from the bottom, but i have yet to master that tecnique.  after a while i decided to try another position, so i stood up with one leg on the bath and started pushing a little. i finally got a hold of the bottom and managed to move one finger up alongside it to break the seal and pulled.  it went fine until it got to the rim.  that's the only bit that hurt really, but i'm guessing that after a few tries that problem will only be minor.

so all in all, good dry run experience, am very looking forward to my period and to able to go in the hot tub whilst on holiday. 

just figured that success stories would be good to read as well as the problems :)


and a BIG thank u to all that replied, and to all that share their stories here, it is so comforting knowing that if i need any information, looking trough the tags will answer all my questions.  (i am also guessing that my partner does not reeeeally want to hear more about my cup :þ)

xx

it's day one with a lilac ladycup. no leaks, stem pokes a little, but i can handle it. took a little while to figure out exactly where i was going to get it in, but i've got it. i can figure this out.

this must be heaven. yay for happy periods. i can't wait to pique my roommate's curiosity into trying one herself.

I received my orange Ladycup in the mail yesterday morning. My period started a few hours later (How's that for Divine Providence?!) I popped it in and don't think I will ever look back.
I shortened the stem a couple of times already. I love the color - even though I was hesitant when I ordered it, but it was the color on sale this month and once it's inside I'm not really bothered anyway.

So, I encourage those of your who are hesitant to go for it!! It's a small investment for big rewards.

Good luck.
Debbie

I'm on the last day of my first successfull period with a menstrual cup and it's been amazing.  Just after one week I don't think that I'd ever go back to disposable pads again (I never could use a tampon properly). 

( Very long post and probably TMI... )

Hi, all. Brand spanking new to this community though I've been lurking for a few weeks. You guys are extremely knowledgeable and helpful and I want to thank you for all of the wonderful information I've read here. It's all made me so much more confident in the use of a menstrual cup. So, thanks. =)

I'm about 3 and a half days into my first cycle using my Diva cup (small size). I'd first heard of menstrual cups (specifically the mooncup) on the LUSH forum years and years ago. I thought it was intriguing but I suppose I had to let the idea germinate for a while before moving on it. A few months ago I was at a little health supply shop while visiting a friend in Boston and I saw menstrual cups for the first time. They had several options and I didn't have much time so I just let it go. Then, about three weeks ago I was in Boston again and decided to just go for it. I didn't have much info and I didn't even realize how much information there was to be had out here in the ever expanding world wide web, but I just kind of chose. I asked a salesperson for help and she said that although she had never used them she heard the Divacup was the most flexible of their options from customers (the other two choices were the keeper and the mooncup). I'm 28 and have never had children so I chose the smaller size Diva and away I went.

As soon as I got back home (NYC) I took a look online and found this fantastic community. So, I read and read. I practiced the different folding methods. (Oddly enough, the regular ordinary C-fold worked best for me.) I practiced proper insertion. And I can't tell you how excited I was on Saturday when I woke up with lower back pain, my huge blinking warning signal that my cycle is starting.

I'm happy to report that it has gone super smoothly. I had a teeny bit of leaking the first day. That's it. I am so happy to be a member of the menstrual cup using community. I feel so free it's ridiculous. Love this thing.

Incidentally, I totally lucked out with the sizing thing, I realize. I must have a fairly long vagina since I've had no stem issues with the Diva. I definitely need to get another cup for the office and I'd love recommendations for an alternate cup to try. I've looked at the size chart and miacup looks promising based on the width. Any tips or recommendations?

After many days of waiting, my Lunette Selene arrived exactly on the first day of my period! I ordered it from Leastore right before the ban, and to be perfectly clear, Leastore was great. The post office just, for some reason, decided that a package labeled "Boston, MA" should be delivered to someone in NY state before it went to me. I'm just glad the first person didn't try to keep my cup! :)

At any rate, this is my first cup ever. I realize it's only been a day, but I am lovin' this. It went in easy, comes out easy, no leaks so far. I've been reading the troubleshooting questions here so much that I was initially convinced that I was doing it wrong, since there was no way it was that simple. I just wanted to thank the community for being so informative. Without you guys and your infinite wisdom, I doubt my experience would be so smooth so quickly. As it is, I'm over paying out the nose for tampons every month. This is too good.

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?? 

Introduction:

I am a 21-year-old virgin who began menstruating when I was about 13. My periods have always lasted for about a week, and are always accompanied by bad back pain. I only used tampons if I was doing a water-related sport, but because my periods were so long, my skin would often be rubbed raw by the pads by the end of my period, so I was open to alternatives (I just didn’t know of any).

I first heard about menstrual cups when I was browsing Xanga in August of 2008. I was intrigued (yes, and a bit grossed out!) and saw that there were two brands – Keeper and Diva (I didn’t see anything about the other cup companies). I could order the Diva Cup from Amazon, so I decided to do that. I knew nothing about menstrual cups and all the sizing issues.

( Read more... )( First period with the cup... )( Second period with the cup... )( Benefits of menstrual cups... )( Links I found especially helpful... )

I'd never heard about menstrual cups (or any other alternatives for that matter) until I saw this community. Read up about all the different choices there were and finally settled on Insteads as an ice breaker of sorts. Took me a while to find them but I finally saw them (last box! whoo!) on the bottom shelf of CVS. It was only about 8 dollars.

I had read about alot of the problems other users had with them so I expected them to give me some trouble but no. Aside from a bit of discomfort when I first put it in it seems to work perfectly for me. I've had no problems with leakage to speak of and after a bit of adjusting I figured out how best to insert with very little to no discomfort at all. I can't even feel it at all once it's in there. A drawback is that I can't seem to find a way to make a completely clean removal but done properly you should only get a bit of blood on your fingertips and that's nothing compared to the mess you would have with a pad so I'm ok with it.

As far as cramps go they've gone down alot compared to how it used to be with tampons (and even pads which is weird) so I'm loving them. I used to get so anxious prior to my period but even that's gotten better as well.

I use 1 cup per cycle (rinse with hot water inbetween) since I'm still not comfortable with the idea of boiling/storing cups. It'll take me a while to mentally get used to that but maybe sometime later on I'll be able to move on to a more permanent cup. Until then I've got a packet 14 soft cups so at 1 per cycle I'm set until next year.

I was inspired by eversochili's post and decided to write a little about how I feel since becoming a cup user. I guess you can say this is an introduction too, since I never did a formal one. So, hi there! This community has been so helpful and I am really grateful for all of you as well as the tons of guidance on here!

When I was a little girl, I though the female body was something beautiful, and that the menstrual flow should be celebrated instead of discouraged. How awesome that our bodies can change to be able to give birth! A few years into my period, however, is when the cramps started...and the bloating, and the general crankiness. Tampons were becoming a bit of a nuisance and I hated the fact that I was throwing tons away each month! When ever I ended up in bathrooms without trashcans and had to flush one, I felt terrible imagining it would clog a pipe somewhere and sewage might flood because of my carelessness. When I first heard of a cup, I was somewhat put off and mostly confused. I had no idea what in the world it was...but somehow I became really intrigued by the idea of it. I wanted to know more about it, and that of course led me here.

Having a cup feels like freedom. I'm not constantly checking the clock, scared of leaking, or chastising myself for forgetting enough tampons for the day. I'm not doubled over in bed with cramps and headaches (that was a NICE surprise!!) Heck, I like having my period now! Like many of you, I look forward to it. I've stopped seeing the flow of my body as a nuisance and begun to really appreciate it again. The flow of the female body is an absolutely beautiful, natural thing to be celebrated. :)