I know that we always get a million of these first time use posts, and I worked very hard not to post yet another one, but I was just excited about what I learned about my body.

I learned that I wasn't bleeding nearly as much as I thought I was!

Which tells me that the tampons just weren't absorbing the way they are supposed to. When I'd use tampons, I'd fill a super one after like 4 hours!! Or less! I always had to wear a back-up pad because I knew I would leak.

Based on this information, I thought I bled a lot.

This isn't true. The tampons just weren't completely filling. It's like they were only filling the outter layer. And then they'd start to leak.

I wore the Orangecup for 4 hours before I could change it and it was halfway full. I could've gone a little longer. Oh how I love cups!

As so many women before me, I'm thrilled I learned about cups and decided to give them a try. I wish I'd known about them sooner. It was a little intimidating getting that intimate with my own body, but I'm glad I've done it. Cups are great and I intend to start spreading the word!

I have just had an idea!

Well, I don't know how great it is, but hopefully you ladies can tell me.

I totally want in on cup activism. Really. I hang out on all sorts of women's health boards, and the most common thing I see besides "amipregnant" is "tampons are driving me insane."

America, Europe, and Australia all have activism groups, but here in NZ, I haven't heard of anyone informing about cups. I'd like to do something about that.

Now, we have some very talented ladies who have tackled, in particular, the environmental aspects of why cups are awesome.

But I'd like to tackle the health benefits, and this is where my idea comes in.

So, I smoke. Quite a lot. So sue me. And of course, cigarettes have the "Smoking --> bad shit" warning on them.

I was idly looking at my pouch as I was rolling a cigarette, and I thought to myself, "Heh, ya know, it's kinda funny that tampons have the same sort of warning on them."

And then it struck me. It's one thing to have a warning like that on cigarettes - the fact that smoking is bad for you is well-publicized, and you can choose whether you put the cig in your mouth or not.

However, as far as most women know, tampons are the only option if you want to do anything even moderately active, or involving water. Because of a lack of awareness, they are virtually forced to use tampons.

The CDC has stopped tracking the rates and risk factors of TSS, despite the fact that the death rate has been rising. Cases from my home state, Minnesota, tripled from 2000 to 2003. Rates in California doubled in one year (2002).

And yes, the CDC isn't paying attention. This could be because of some shady business, but who knows. The fact is tampon companies KNOW that no one is paying attention, and they may be paying even less attention to the safety of their products, which may be producing higher death tolls.

Tampons are required to carry a warning about TSS, that tampons cause it, and that it's deadly. Just like cigarettes.

People know they have a choice about smoking. But due to massive efforts on the part of tampon companies, most women don't know they have a choice about tampons. They are being forced by ignorance to continue to use a dangerous product (obviously, TSS being only one of the side effects tampons can, and does have).

So, I had an idea. Basically, point out this concept in a brocher about cups, with a picture of a cigarette warning label besides a tampon warning label (Does anyone know if they're printed ON the box? I haven't owned tampons in ages...) with something like "Is this something you want in your body?"

It's rather in-your-face, but I think it's a valid point, and I think that when something which is safer and better than its predecessor comes out, people are entitled to know about it and make the choice, rather than being kept in the dark.

Thoughts?

Love,
Cassie

EDIT: Some have pointed out that, if I wanted to pursue this, it would probably be best to do so without mentioning cups as it may cast suspicion on my motivation.

I think perhaps this is a wise idea. So, this is quickly losing context as far as menstrual cups go. Shall I take it down?

Honestly, this is sad and disturbing, but I thought I would share.

At our faculty meeting, we had a woman come talk to us about drug use and paraphenalia.  Very scary stuff believe me.  We saw all the usual stuff like pacificers, but then, on the bottom of the screen was a tampon.  Of course the male teacher sitting next to me had to ask what it was used for.  Apparently there is something with Vicks.  And she was very clear about which kind to get (I learned more about doing drugs than preventing use). 

Tampons as drug paraphenalia?  Just another reason I am happy cup user.  But I will think twice about stocking my desk with tampons for all the times the nurse is not in.

Alright, I had a friend start using the DivaCup a few years ago.  She loved it and told all of her female friends about it, and I was quite intrigued, as I really hate the "conventional" ways of dealing with your period.  I still haven't figured out how to use pads without leaking and find them highly irritating, but tampons aren't always an option for me.  For some reason, after using tampons for a couple days, my vagina gets really sore and swollen, eventually to the point where I am unable to insert a tampon.  I don't have nearly as much problem with OBs, but there's still some swelling and pain.   I tried Instead cups for a spell two years ago, but found them difficult, uncomfortable and messy, and had a lot of trouble with them leaking.  I may still have one or two lying around, though, and if I do I'll give them another shot since after reading some posts here I may know the problem I was having.

Anyways, I guess the biggest thing deterring me from trying a reusable cup has been fear of having this problem again.  I'm not too worried about since I think it was because of the absorbency of tampons, but I wanted to see if anyone else has this problem before investing.  Of course I'm trying to figure out what road to take when it comes to brand, but those questions seem to be getting answered quite adequately elsewhere.

By the way, I'm 20, not a virgin, and I live in the US (which as I'm seeing limits my options somewhat).

Thanks all :)

Hi! I've been stalking this community for some time. I've been surfing the tags, but haven't found satisfiable comparisons. This is x-posted to menstrual_lib and menstrualhut because I love opinions.

My big question is about comparing insertion and taking out of tampons/cups/sponges.

Which is

easier to take in/out,

more comfortable just after insertion and after it's been in there a while,

easier to get used to,

requires the littlest practice,

and simpler to handle in public restrooms?

Public restrooms I'm most concerned about as I'm out for 5 hours at a time. Though one can hope her university restroom is clean, they're usually just awkward.

Where I am right now: I just bought a sea sponge beause I have no patience for the fact that I have no patience for trying to insert a tampon! I've never been able to put anything in (probably because I'm so squeemish about it), but figured maybe sponges would be easier since they're not dry and they're more flexible.

Also, regarding sponges, what kind of fabric should one sew on as a string? I suck at sewing, so would trying to sew on a string be worth it? "Mr Turtle, how many pulls does it take to completely screw up a bad sewing job?" "Let's see. One, two...two."

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.

Has anyone ever had trouble with leakage after using tampons and then going back to a menstrual cup?

I've been using my Keeper for almost a year. I love it, and have rarely had leakage problems. This weekend I was stupid and forgot it at home, and of course my period showed up unexpectedly while I was visiting my boyfriend who lives about an hour and a half away.

Sooo... I made him rush to the convenience store to pick up tampons, because I knew there wasn't anywhere nearby where I could purchase a menstrual cup. Now that I am back home, I have my menstrual cup back in and it seems to be leaking like crazy. Anyone ever had this problem before? Will things go back to normal for my next cycle, or should I get the larger size Keeper?

TIA!

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.

Hey guys, just wanted to share this quick story: I was an all-day work function yesterday, and started my period unexpectedly. I wasn't prepared with my Diva, and asked my friend if she had anything I could use. She gave me a tampon (it was so sweet--she was apologetic that all she had was a tampon as she knows I use a Diva, but I assured her how grateful I was for the tampon because beggars can't be choosers, you know?). When I took it out later, it must have taken my NuvaRing with it, which I didn't notice until right now. I checked the Nuva website and apparently this is somewhat common. I (not to mention my partner!) am so irritated. I am waiting for my next month's ring to come in the mail, so we have to use condoms until it comes AND for a week after that, all because of a darn tampon. 

Also, tampons are way, way more uncomfortable than I remember them being. I could feel it when sitting, when walking, the whole time. Nothing at all like my Diva, which feels like, well, nothing. I am definitely never going back! Thanks for letting me share!

I don't know why I'm asking about this because I love my cloth pads and I have yet to be able to play with my cups (got pregnant right before I got them) but has anyone tried this reusable tampon kit or anything like it? For some reason I've been thinking about the sea sponges too but I think that is because I'm worried that my cups wont work out for me when I finally get to use them.

x-posted

I'm 12 but I'll be 13 in July and I'm a virgin (I don't know if this is important but there you go). I tried tampons once but I can't even explain the pain. I don't know what I did wrong or if it was a hymen issue or what but I just know that it hurt as all heck. I also hear that they cause dryness and irritaiton. I'm using pads (make that long maxi. My periods are really heavy) and I don't really like how damp they get and I just don't want to use them anymore. This is why I have been researching menstrual cups. I am leaning towards the small LadyCup. I just want opinions before I buy it because honestly I'm scared that it will get stuck (I've read those stories on this site) or that it will pop open in the wrong place (I've read those stores here too) and I just don't want it to be unbearably painful like my not-so-nice tampon experience. Maybe I can use water-based lube. I don't know. I just know that I really need help and I have no idea what to do. Also, about how far does the cup go in you vagina? Thanks in advance everyone! =0 )

Can anyone point me in the direction of photos of tampon and cup comparrissons?

I'm looking for photos of a tampon next to a folded menstrual cup, and expanded tampon next to a menstrual cup.

I had a link to a page that had photos which I used, although cups are bigger and firmer it was a good visual that seemed to comfort women who were concerned about menstrual cup size, but alas the site seems to have vanished.

If we have no such photos already on the community, or anywhere online, anyone fancy knocking up some photos? Maybe showing tampons in comparrison to cups using different folding methods, or different menstrual cups would be useful as a small size Ladycup after all is much smaller than a Divacup for example - I'd really appreciate it if someone could help me out.

Hi, All,

Thanks so much for all the replies.  There were so many that it was almost overwhelming to get through them all.  I have sat down with my daughter to get some answers to many of your concerns.

First, YES, my daughter has seen a doctor.  I seem to get this concern a lot.  I have also updated (edited) my original post to include this.

Next, someone mentioned that the cup is supposed to spin/rotate.  Hmn, didn't know that.  So, I think that maybe a different cup may be in order here.

When I first discovered cups as an option, I did discuss it with my daughter.  At first, she was apprehensive about using one, but said that she was willing to try.

She used the cup more than just once.  She has tried it EVERY month - but only on the first day of her period.  She will only use it for about 1/2 the day and then take it out.  She will just use pads and tampons for the rest of that month.

I explained that the cervix can move up and down during the cycle and that she may have better success if she will at least attempt to use the cup during EVERY day of the entire period.  I am thinking that by at least trying that, then she will be able to have a better understanding of her own body, which days the cup will work best for her, and will also be giving her more practice with using it.

I know that I have a harder time inserting my cup on the first day than I do on the second and third days.  However, due to my cervix moving further down, by day 4 (and 5 if I last that long) my cervix makes it nearly impossible to get the cup in far enough to be comfortable.  Usually, by then I switch to just a panty liner to collect the minimal amount that needs collecting.

As for taking advantage of this site, she has and does read, but if she does post, she will probably just post under my account.  To my knowledge, she has never posted before.

She just finished her period for this month, and mainly only jmentioned the cup to me because we are not completely out of tampons and have only about 4-5 pads left (it took her 7 months to use ONE THOUSAND tampons and 250 pads).  She is worried that there will not be any more, because when I got my husband to agree to let us spend the money on the cups, he only said yes because he thought we would no longer be spending money on tampons and pads.

After talking with my daughter today, she has agreed to try a different cup.  I have told her that I will let her do her own research and figure out what cup she would like to have us purchase for her.  I have showed her the comments to my original post to help her in the decision making process.  If I had to choose for her, I think I would go with the Lady Cup.  It seems smaller (which would help solve the issue of the bottom hanging out of her vaginal opening), and also more flexible (which should help with issue of it popping open before she gets it in far enough).  I think she is leaning toward the Lady Cup, too.  I guess we will see.

Oh, as for the stem - we cut it off.  That was the FIRST thing she did after getting it.  She got it and started within the week.  As soon as she put it in for the first time, she took it immediately out, cleaned it, cut the stem off (pretty much all the way), and put it back in.  She wore it all morning at school, took it out to empty at lunch, put it back in and wore it all afternoon until after school.  She then took it out again to empty and wore it all evening until bed.  Emptied and put back in for bed.  That's when she woke up to find herself and her bed practically COVERED with blood.  She was too upset to try again, she said her fear was that if she had that happen at school she would just have to die!  Honestly, I can't say that I blame her for that.

She will only use it every month on the FIRST day of her period, and only until after school.  Her heaviest day is the first day, after that she will bleed moderately heavy for about a week, and then the next week it will taper off each day until it ends.  Even with using the cup for only 1/2 a day on the first day of her periods, she is having trouble getting the cup far enough in for it to feel comfortable.  That's her other issue - wanting to not feel like the cup is hanging out of her vagina.

Anyway, thank you all, again, for your comments and concerns.

Hi, All,

I am having some issues with my daughter using her cup.  Back in October we both purchased the Lunette cups (size small for her and size large for me).  Personally, I LOVE my cup.  It did take me a few months to really get the hang of it, but once I figured it out I was all set.  Now that I have figured it out I wouldn't give it up for anything (well, maybe a BETTER cup, but . . . . ).

Anyway, I have addressed some of the issues about my daughter before.  She has a VERY heavy flow that lasts for as many as 18 days and she was easily using 100-150 tampons a month and about 30 pads a month too.  This was one of the main reasons why I wanted to switch her over to using a cup - the cost of the tampons & pads was killing us!  Over time though, her periods flow has been not as heavy and the number of days has decreased, so that is getting better, but it is still very heavy and about 2 weeks of bleeding.

Well, when the cups first arrived, she was apprehensive about using it.  I gave her printouts from online that she could refer to, I gave her the instructions that came with the cup, I gave her website addresses that she could browse for help, and I encouraged her to come to me to ask anything that she wanted to ask.

The first new period after the cup arrived she did try it out.  After the first day at school she said that she thought she was going to love it, because she had been able to go all morning until lunch without having to rush to the bathroom every hour to change a pad/tampon all morning, and she was then able to go all afternoon after lunch until she got home without a change.  However, that night was a totally different story.  She leaked overnight and completely flooded her bed, not to mention the mess on her pajamas and herself.  She was FURIOUS!

She went back to using tampons and pads for the rest of that month.  She then continued to use tampons and pads every month thereafter until they ran out this week.

Yesterday she sent me an email explaining that she HATED the cup, that she thought it was great that I was able to use mine with success but that she had failed at it , and that she thought it was unfair that I was not going to be purchasing tampons and/or pads for her because she had a cup now, and on and on and on she went.  She said that every month she would only use the cup for about 1/2 a day at the beginning, but that she didn't like the way it felt, and she just didn't feel like she could "get the hang of using it."

When I finally got the chance to sit down with her and discuss the issue of the cup, she explained that when she used the cup it felt "like a balloon was hanging out of her vagina" and that it didn't matter how hard she tried to push it up inside her she just couldn't get it up there any higher.  She also said that she has "never been able to get the cup to spin or rotate while inside" so she's not 100% sure that her cervix is inside the cup.  However, she said she is assuming that it is, because it doesn't leak, just that she did NOT like the uncomfortable way the bottom of the cup stuck out of her vaginal opening.  I had this problem myself, but after a few months of just not giving up I was able to get it higher without problems.  I just had to be persistent and keep trying.

Furthermore, she said she has tried EVERY fold that she has been able to find online, in forums, in chats, etc. and has not found one that will allow the cup to be positioned any higher in her body before it pops open and just stays where it popped.

My questions are these:

Is there any other cup that might help with the popping open issues?  I know that the Lunette cup is of a rather firm type of silicone that doesn't have a lot of give.  It did take me several months of using my cup everyday of my period to finally be able to figure out the right fold for me and the right way to hold it to get it inserted high enough before popping open.  I just don't know if another brand of cup would be better, and I would hate to spend the money for her to use the cup ONE time and refuse to use it.

Would a different SIZE cup help?  I'm really not sure what to suggest for her.

What other suggestions can I give her to help?  I did explain that she just can't give up immediately.  I thought that she should at least keep trying, but she is very resistant (being a teenager and all).  Mainly, she just thinks it is unfair to expect her to try and like something just because I do.  Even though I have explained that I didn't LOVE my cup right away - it took me months of continual use and practice and tweaking to get it figured out and "just right" - she doesn't seem to care.  However, I just don't think I can afford to continue providing her with 100 tampons and 28 pads a month!  The cost is insane!  Her flow has lessened over the passed several months, but it is still heavy and long - just not AS heavy and long as it was 6 months ago.  I am hoping that over time it will become less and less (both in heaviness and length of days).

Thanks in advance for any help you can extend on this.

EDIT:  Seeing that SO many of the replies have asked if my daughter has seen a doctor, I thought I would edit my post.  YES!  She has seen a doctor.  My daughter is currently 16 (turned 16 in February).  She started her first period in August 2007.  I didn't think much of the issue of the heavy flow and the length of the period at first, but after she had been consistenly having her period for about 5 months and they were ALL very heavy and long, we visited with her doctor.  He has monitored her cycles since.  We have chosen not to use hormonal therapies to resolve this issue, but we have noticed that over time the periods have been less heavy and not as long each month.  We are waiting for another year before we decide to do anything hormonal to help.

This is also posted on IUD Divas. I am taking the plunge and getting a Paragard IUD this Thursday afternoon. I have a few questions about using a menstrual cup with the IUD that I  hope you guys can help me out with. Thanks so much for your help; this community is so supportive and I appreciate it so much.

1. I hate, hate, hate pads. I'm thinking about buying some cloth ones. When they tell you not to use internal menstrual products for a while after insertion is that because of the risk of infection or expulsion or both? How long do you guys think it is reasonable to wait before using tampons or a cup? I've also heard of people using sponges right after insertion. Would that be less of a risk for some reason?

2. I've read on a poll on IUD Divas that using a cup seems to pose the same amount of risk of expelling the IUD as using tampons and that you should "be careful" when using them.
    I just bought a miacup and have only used it for one period (I'm on day 5 now). It is working really well for me. I had a Keeper several years ago but it kept leaking and I gave up on it.
    Which is to say that I don't have a ton of experience with cups but would like to be able to use mine with my IUD. I have fairly long vagina so removal is a little bit difficult. I have been bearing down, grasping the tab with one hand and inserting a finger of the other hand to break the suction. I seem to need to get the finger over the rim of the cup, pinching the base doesn't work. It usually comes out smooched in half and is a little messy.
    I feel concerned about using the cup as I'm not experienced with it. Is the risk only from getting the strings caught or can the IUD really be pulled on from the suction of the cup? I'm also not sure what I can do to "be careful" when removing it. Should I be running my finger all the way around the rim to make sure the strings aren't caught between the vaginal wall and the cup? And if using a tampon has the same risk as the cup what can I do to prevent the strings from being caught by a tampon? Are sea sponges any safer?

I'm sorry but I still can't figure out how to put this behind a cut. The Livejournal help gave so many ways to do it and I don't know anything about html. Could somebody send me a link to the correct directions?

Thanks for your help.

I got a livejournal specifically for this community because it has helped me so much! I hope my experience will help other first time users.

So I got my moon cup (Keeper) in the mail and my period started just a few days later. Unaware of this forum and of alternative folding methods, I inserted it exactly as written in the instructions with the C fold. This took over an hour to do and IT HURT SO BADLY!
I went to my bed and lay there in shock with my legs slightly apart and I couldn't put them together because of the pain.
It was quite comfortable after a half hour or so...so comfortable that I couldn't even feel it inside me anymore.

     The next morning I woke up at 6AM and ended up in the bathroom trying to get the darned thing out. I finally broke the suction like it said in the instructions, and yanked it out with the rim at full diameter. My body was cold and clammy with sweat during and after, and my muscles spasms accentuated the pain and nausea. It was horrible.

Vowing to return the moon cup by mail, I cleaned it, closed it tightly in its baggie, and wore pads for the rest of the day (I usually wear tampons, but my poor vulva was so sad and swollen, I couldn't bring myself to even try shoving anything up my vagina that day).

Then, I found this forum!

( Read more... )

I've now been through my first cycle with my Diva cup and cloth pads.   I love them both and will not be going back to disposable products again. 

So today I started some spring cleaning with my bathroom linen closet.  Of course I took out a box of tampons and some pads.  I'm sure there are LOTs more of them in various purses around my house.

  I can't bring myself to throw them out.  The main reason for my switch was to lessen my impact on the environment.  When you stopped using disposables, what did you do with your leftovers?

Just a quick question... i'm going to try to use my brand new Diva for my next round of aunt flo.. i was wondering.. I've always used tampons with no problems.. I got my cup to be more eco friendly. It seems impossible that i won't feel it in there? Is the feeling comparable with tampons? (I hope so!!)

After reading posts in other forums about cloth pads and menstrual cups, I made the decision this week to give them both a shot.  All the reasons make sense to me.  Saving money, helping the environment, not putting chemical laden products in my body.  So, I ordered some cloth pads and  my Diva cup on Tuesday.  The cup was delivered today! 

I am  excited and  nervous to try it.  I don't think I'll be doing a dry run, as it seems more people have success waiting for their period.  So I have a few weeks of waiting. I have been reading many of the first time user posts to see what issues everyone faced when first inserting/removing their cups, and the advice given.    I'll keep reading and practicing folds until I get to use it.

I am nervous because I had an "incident" with tampon a bit over a year ago where upon going to remove it I tugged the string, and all that came out was ....the string...no longer attached to the tampon.  My initial reaction was PANIC, but I managed to get it out.  You would think that would keep me from using another tampon for a while, but no, I used another one right away.  Guess what happened when I went to take that one out?  Mhmm :::tug::::string:::::no tampon:::panic again a little::::: Once again the issue was resolved, but I never touched another Tampax Pearl again.  Still used tampons but a different brand.  So my nervousness comes from remembering that panic feeling of "how am I going to get  it out!!!"   So I'm just going to relax, and continue reading posts.  I take great solace in never having seen a post  that said "I couldn't get it out and had to go to the doctor to have it removed!!" Yes...I know that is an unreasonable worry.

Thanks for "listening" to me ramble, and thanks for all the great advice I've read in the posts so far.

Okay I know this is cup community, but I thought many of you would appreciate these. They are sea sponges that claim to be sustainably harvested, that can be used as tampons. They are reusable up to six moths. Not as good as a cup, but better than once. Anyway I thought I'd show this link for anyone who was struggling with cups or trying to convert friends to more sustainable and safer products. I have never used one and don't really plan too as I have fallen in love with my diva, but this could be a good option for some.

http://www.jadeandpearl.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=9&products_id=18

Big meeting day today. At the lunch pause, I go to the toilets and what do I see on the TP? red! One week in advance!! And no cup around, of course! And I wear a skirt and a G-string!!! “Luckily”, I had in my bag some left over paper/plastic G-sting-liners and decide to use one. After all, so early, that might just be some spotting. Anyway, once the other meeting began I started to feel quite moist down there (plastic liners!!) and started panicking: maybe I am really bleeding.

Next think I know I head to information desk to see if the secretaries have a tampon: 2 men sit there. Awkward… No, they do not have tampons there and theirs colleagues in the office back either. They suggest I go to the drugstore 10 min. away and buy a box (Err... Hell no!!).
Girls on the patio – no tampons.
I approach female janitors: they must have a locker room and tampons in there! Nope.
I head back to the meeting, hoping for the best. 5 minutes later comes one of the janitors with an OB. Saved!

The funny thing is that before I left home this morning, I thought: maybe I should take the cup today. Nah… The Reds are not due for a week… -- Stupid me!

I have now Selene on. Thanks Heaven!

 

So my period's been getting longer and heavier. Ugh. I'm going to go to the gyne and see if we can get it straightened out, but in the meantime I've been doing a LOT of pad washing. I love my cloth pads, but I'm getting tired of doing so much laundry and feeling a "squish" at various times of the day. So I'm thinking of trying a cup out.

Here's the problem, though: I have never, ever successfully worn tampons. No matter how high I shoved them up, the bottom would always poke me. Also they'd make me cramp shortly after insertion, and cramps are unusual for me. My best friend has the exact same issue, so I don't think it's just a matter of me inserting them wrong, or needing to try a different brand.

Has anyone here had similar tampon woes, but then were able to use a cup without issue? Also, which cup to do all think would be best for me? I'm 34, NP, and obese.

Hello, I just found out about the Diva Cup today, and decided to just go for it and buy one after someone provided a coupon code so that I could get it for $14. Might as well try!

I'm 19 and a virgin. I've tried using tampons before and I ALWAYS feel them. Is there a reason for that? I wouldn't leak, so I know I inserted them properly enough. I'm worried about being able to feel the menstrual cup as well.

Any knowledge is highly appreciated! :)

I feel like a child opening new presents when I found this forum. I can use my cup with different folds?! GASP! I am so excited to try these new methods that I found out. I just wish public restrooms had sinks in the stalls so that I don't feel so foolish waddling with a cup wrapped in bloody toilet paper towards the sinks and wishing that no one walked in to find me dumping my mammalian protein down the sink. It seems so unsanitary. So that's another question I have. How do I make public use of a diva cup sanitary?


I feel like I'm playing roulette sometimes when I'm putting my cup in, and the suction created when I pull it out from an improper placement feels like my soul is being sucked out from my cervix. Ugh. Bloody hands and increased cramps aren't the most promising signs of this device for me, but I'll press onwards. I don't want to go back to using cotton tampons. Especially after reading about GMO cotton and the allergic reactions that fieldworkers encounter daily. All the more reason to move toward the cup. Is TSS really caused by bacterial infections? or really allergic reactions from pesticidal cotton? Hmmmm, lol. I'll stop ranting now about that as I'm preaching to the choir. I'm glad to have joined this community!

Ok so I've been using my mooncup for the third month now I think it is, and it has worked great when my period is light, but when it's heavy it always leaks at night and sometimes if I wait longer than four hours during the day it leaks then too, like all over the place. So what I'm thinking I'm gonna have to do, is get a diva cup or something like that, and use it for the heavy days.
So has anybody else had to switch like this? if so which cup would you recommend is the best for really heavy periods? Oh and my vag is really roomy but the cervix is low, and I make sure I always get the cup over the cervix, but it still leaks. it could be a problem with the seal, so maybe I'm just not doing it right. I usually use the C-fold or the punch-down and I just stick it up there and sometimes with punch down it kinda has a hard time opening, so I make sure it's all the way opened usually.

*BTW I apologize for my recent off-topic entry, I hope I didn't make anyone mad, but I was just having a moment and it happened to fall here.

OH AND another thing- I tried using a tampon this morning because of the leakage and OMG I was reminded why I quit those evil things. I used to wonder why they would always leak so bad and it was pretty much like I wasn't wearing any protection at all, and I thought I was the only one because my mom had never heard of this before. Until my sister told me she has the same problem and then she introduced the mooncup to me. But this morning it was like, I realized that tampons are not shaped like the vag at all, and they're so stiff it's pretty much like having a stick up there and expecting it to somehow absorb the stuff. I mean for people who are smaller down there and don't have a heavy flow it might work but dude I'm just so glad I have a cup instead now. no pun intended. lol