Hi everyone!  This is my first real post here, I've been lurking for several months now. 

I just got my Lunette Selene in the mail about a week ago or so.  I decided to give it a dry run.  Before my Selene,  I used a small OrangeCup for a few cycles and I LOVE it!  I bought the small Lunette because I wanted a small cup with a higher capacity for my heavy day, just to ease my mind.  I learned so much already from using the LadyCup.  Apparently, I'm really not that heavy.  On my heaviest day two cycles ago, I went 9 hours without emptying and I was just shocked.  I get very paranoid of leaking, probably since I converted from only disposable pads to cups. 

So, the dry run was unsuccessful to say the least.  I used the 7 fold like I do with my OrangeCup and I put it in fine.  It refused to pop open and suction no matter what I did.  In fact, I think it even flipped upside down, making removal reeeeally difficult.  Maybe I just need to practice a little more, or maybe I need a new fold.  (I have seen Melissa's video on youtube.)  I was wondering if you ladies would be able to help me out.  (Just in case you need to know, I'm a 17 year old virgin)  Thank you so much!  =] 
 

So, this is going to be long-winded and very TMI but that seems to be ok here, so here goes my epic (struggle) :
Found out about menst. cups off Apartment therapy of all places but i was intrigued and pissed that there was another alternative that no one told me about. So of course right off the bat I want it to work and I order my diva, the small one. So I wait till my period and try to insert. First some background, I ordered the small because although I am 31 I am a lesbian and have never had sex with a guy and I figured large would be too big because I sometimes have problems with the super tampons. So i was right, only the small diva still seemed HUGE. ok, so first time around I was able to get it in after about 4 or 5 tries and i ended up sleeping with it in, however getting it out was an experience. But i have been lurking on this site for about 2 months now and i loved reading about all the advice, the bearing down bit worked and I was able to get it out. Then after that first time there were many tears of frustratioin trying to re-insert. I would try in tub, in shower, with lube without, sitting down, standing up, it just WOULD NOT GO IN. I am cursing my lady parts and wanting to throw the cup in my disposal to cause it the most pain........So,that was last period and I only used it once after that (finally able to get it in) because the next time I wore it after about 5 hours I started getting this pain in my lower back, but lower than that sort of inside and to the back, so once it was gone that residual ache was there for the next day.
At this point I will say that I wanted it to work so bad cuz i didn't leak at night and didnt have to worry about it being in. So, in between that period and this one i decided to go with an even smaller cup because flow for me is not an issue, i will have one heavy day but nothing major, I order my Yellowcup off ebay and yesterday was my first try. I had been practicing my folds and I went with the origami and i was able to get it in first try. YEAH, so proud. I think for me the trick was to be on the toilet and insert like I would a tampon, oh and that trick about the open mouth is so true, as I find myself tensing up. I had one problem with the stem hitting and I could't get it to go farther up in, so this morning I insert and tried to get it farther up so the stem wouldn't bother me and I did I was so proud of myself. Ok, so problems : suction. My lady parts are not amused. Ok so as a joke I told my girlfriend the Diva was very much a Diva and we didn't get along so well but the Lady was a lady and she was very accomodating however things turned sour when I asked her to leave :)
Right, so when I go to get it out I am feeling something in the cup, is this my cervix? I mean I shouldn't feel anything in the cup when i push on the base right cuz its just fluid right? I had to take it out just now and i couldn't put it back in cuz I have had the severe lower pain again for the last hour, what is causing this pain? Also, I went to take it out cuz it kinda felt like it was leakin which would be first and when I finally got it out it was only like halfway full, what is going on here? Obviously i want this to work so bad because I detest the alternatives and I feel like i had some sucess with the Ladycup getting it inserted so easily (compared to Diva) and now i feel like i have exchanged one set of problems for another.
Once again sorry for the novella but I felt like it was finally time to post about my experiences to date and get some feedback, you ladies are awesome for helping out with this steep learning curve, I would never have made it this far without all the encouragement, info, and advice.
Thanks.

So, I posted last month and said that I was anxious to use my Diva Cup and not feeling to sure of myself. Well when my last cycle came it was just spotting, not enough to contemplate using the cup. I did try the cup out though and put it in/walk around/take it out and just try to familiarize myself with the cup.

It was alright but after about 30 minutes it seemed as if the cup were just coming further and further down. I could feel it slipping out of place, to the point that it was uncomfortable and I could easily grab the entire end of the cup. I have no clue why but it didn't seem to be working!


Today is the second, and slightly heavier, day of my period and so I decided to try the cup, again. I did the C fold, slid the cup in as far as I could and then pressed my fingers against the stem to make sure it was as far up as I could get it. I then used my kegels to make sure it was in properly and not going anywhere. It feels like it's in there properly and it's not really "uncomfortable" but when I walk or sit in a certain position it feels as if I have a too large tampon trying to work it's way out.

I have pretty short sausage fingers and my cervix is very high and tilted. I can't reach my cervix, even if I lay down or squat, it's just too far and my fingers are too short. So I can't really use my fingers to gauge where the cup is in comparison to my cervix. I'm at a loss here. I can't use tampons anymore because my periods are becoming unbearable with them and I hate using my cloth pads alone. I know there's the option of using sea sponges but I'd like to get the hang of using this cup.

Do I need a new cup? What am I doing wrong? Is it the fold? Help! TIA.

It started off pretty horribly :(. I needed  to line up my expectations with the actual ability of the product. I was really hoping to go longer without emptying, but I had to about every 4 hours on my heaviest day.That was a horror show, because I can't seem to remove it comfortably without it spilling all over my hand (and once on the floor)! I did two publc restroom changes this weekend, both of which went good, but the one on Saturday left me looking like I was slaughtering something. Yesterday actually was the best I've done, I think I'm starting to be more successful at removing it without spilling, but now it's slightly painful again :(.  That pesky red string is another story, what is that thing? Has it always been there, and I just didn't know because of the tampons!? lol.

I'm really working on emptying neatly, because that's the only way I can be sure how full the cup is, and if I'm timing my emptying properly. Like, is it a leak from overflow, or a leak from placement, you know? I also turned it inside out, MUCH BETTER! I could not keep that stem from poking me, it was aweful, I was walking with a limp! lol. Inside out requires I bear down more for removal, but its such an easy price to pay to get my mobility back!

So all in all, it has been quite the experience, it's teaching me so much about my body, and it's really made me lose that aweful fear of "oh, crap, did I grab some tampons this morning before I left?" Just that piece of mind makes it all worth it!

Hi, this is my first cycle using the cup (I don't know if it matters or not, but I'm also a virgin and 22 years old).  I have a small Lunette.  I posted in this community a while back, after an unsuccessful dry run, and received lots of good advice and encouragement (one of which was to not try another dry run, just wait patiently!)  Until today everything was really good.  I still haven't quite gotten the hang of everything perfectly, but I used it for three days with no real big problems.

There was one (little?) thing I had a little bit of trouble with.  On the first day I had to be really active (which was the third day using it) I had trouble with the cup tilting to the side (always the same side), which didn't cause any leaks, but the stem was poking the wall of the vagina.  It was pretty painful sometimes.  Does anyone else have to deal with this?

The big problem came today (my fourth day).  At first, I was having trouble getting it to pop open.  I finally got it somehow, and went to class.  But I could feel it pressing harder on my insides, almost like my muscles weren't expanding enough to let it sit comfortably.  It was pretty painful.  I went to check on it, and it was riding lower than the past few days, but I couldn't get it any higher, either by pushing with my fingers or "kegeling" it.  I finally just decided to take it out and go with a pad.  Which is frustrating because even though my flow can be really light at this point in my cycle, I had hoped to use the cup until I didn't need anything anymore.  Has anyone else run into this problem?  Should I maybe buy a smaller cup for the end of my cycle?

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

Thanks for any help or advice,
-LN

This is my first post here, I'm 24 without children so I went for the diva cup 1.

I put the cup in yesterday because I generally start my period between 3pm Tuesday and 3am Wednesday. I know exactly what's happening down there, so getting it in, and positioned was easy. Totally open, cervix totally inside, spins like a dream. After about an hour I realized that the stem was, at least partially, going to have to go, so I cut half of it off. Another hour and I determined that it needed to go completely, I have no problem reaching anything, I have long fingers and a low cervix (which is bad news for me with the diva cup, actually, I did a bit of research, but not enough, sigh) and I can reach well past my cervix, and I can reach well past the cup and am not at all worried about losing it in there. Where would it go?
3 hours and I realize that just the bottom of the cup is painful. Maybe it's just because my skin has been irritated by the stem, but I decide to take it out and try it inside out. No pain at all inside-out, harder to insert (I had gotten really good at the punch-down fold and I could get it in really quickly right-side out), I had to switch to c-fold, which I could feel more discomfort from upon insertion, not much and it worked, so no complaints. 2 more hours and I could just feel it, the base was just resting right at the opening of my vagina and I found myself obsessively kegaling and thinking about it the whole time. Through all of this the persistent need to pee, just a little. I decided to take it out so I wouldn't be thinking about it over family dinner night with the in-laws. When we got home, I took a shower and inserted it in there, c-fold again, went in fine, watched some star trek, attended to my facebook chore games, and climbed into bed with a cloth liner as backup.
Could still feel it, torn between "this is because my vagina is sensitive from all the attention it got today" and "this is because my cervix is crazy low and the diva is crazy long, and that orange meluna would certainly go well with my other menstrual gear, hm hm." Since the persistent need to pee was still there and I had been lying in bed for a couple of hours dwelling on it, I hopped out of bed to try that out and removed and reinserted the cup, very carefully and with much thought. I figured out that I can push the base of the cup back inside of itself a little bit and then the cup sits where I would expect it to. I'm undoubtedly losing some capacity with this, and risking it popping right side out when I don't want it to, but it feels like I expect it to, which means, like not much of anything. I went back to bed, kegaled a little bit because I could feel it a smidge, and went to sleep. This morning I couldn't feel it all, but I was cramping and sure that I had started bleeding. I got up and did a few morning things before heading to the bathroom to look. It had turned in on itself a little more in the night and was farther up (I feel also that my cervix has moved a little, and is less low this morning.) I gave it a little squeeze to draw it back down into it's full inside-outted-ness and gently pulled it out, turning the rim into a quasi-c-fold as it came out. No mess, no discomfort, all the blood collected in the cup, which wasn't much, but it was there. Rinsed it in hot water and tried to see if I could get it back inside anything like I did the night before, and I seem to have had some success. The first time I opened it up this morning it had gone up past my cervix, but I could easily feel this, pull it out, and try again. When it's placed like this, I don't feel the need to pee. Everything still feels a little tired from too much attention, but I expect that's all it is. I still think that things would go infinitely smoother if I got a shorter cup, but I want to give the diva at least 2 cycles before I kick it to the curb.

I would be having a much much harder time without this community (I never would have thought to turn it inside out!) and I think given the fact that the diva is probably not the ideal cup for me, I'm doing incredibly well with it. Is it a bad idea to think I want to go in the exact opposite direction and get a meluna? I might go for small, because I do have a pretty light flow (I'm on hormonal birth control), but since I can make the diva work, the medium might give me a little more freedom without causing any problems.

( here's a picture of my gear, for fun )

I have the Ladycup (small)- the first time i tried to use it i got it in but it hurt a lot. I think that was because of the stem being irritating and just my body getting used to the cup. I left it in for maybe 20 minute but it was just too annoying/painful and decided to wait until my next period to try again.

So two hours ago I got my period and I'm having some issues:

1) The cup sits very low in my vagina, with the stem partially sticking out, and the stem is poking into me, but I don't know if I should trim it because I don't know if I'll regret it later on. I am ok with it not being completely inside, i just wish it wouldn't poke me. :C

2) If i relax completely, it feels like the cup slides down a bit, like it's about to be pushed out of my vagina and it HURTS, but if I keep 'flexed' it keeps cup from moving and i can only feel the stem poking. This is making me believe i should have the cup higher up, but..

3) ..I can't seem to get it any higher. I read that when you push it past the pelvic bone and let it open it should slide up on it's own, but when i try this it slides down instead of up. Why would it be doing this? I have also tried to push the cup higher manually but I found that my fingers are too short to get it any higher than the pelvic bone anyways. I've also tried to push it up by the stem but it just squishes into the cup.

So far I have not had any problems with leaks C: though it's only been 3 hours and I haven't been moving around much.

Also, what does the 'teething' tag mean?

Hi all :) 
New here and new to cups and I don't know why, but I thought I'd love my Mooncup right away and never buy another hated tampon for the rest of my life.  I really thought these things would hold a ton of blood and take away my problem of never being able to leave the house for 3 or 4 days a month, unless I'm carrying a dozen tampons and within 5 minutes of a toilet at all times. Unrealistic I suppose, but I've read some really glowing reviews of these things.

For the first day the only problem was that it hurt on removal, I followed the advice given on here and that worked and I was delighted at how easy it all was (ha!). Then on the second day my cup started to leak after an hour.  It wasn't full and the little holes aren't blocked at all.  My flow is quite heavy but the blood is leaking out whilst the cup is less than half full.  The record so far is leaking 15 minutes after insertion.   It feels like it's opening up OK and seems to seal (although I can't feel the top of the rim with my finger when it's in).  It's pretty hard to pull out, so I think it seals.

Also, I find that squatting (which I do a lot of as I can't bend very well) makes it feel like it's coming out, and makes it leak too.  It also leaked when I pulled my legs up off the floor when watching TV, you know when you hug your legs to your chest - like that?

I gave up today and used a tampon and I felt clean and dry for the first time in three days.  It was a huge relief and a bitter disappointment at the same time.

I wonder if I'm doing it wrong or I'm not the right shape to use a cup or something.  I emailed the company and they said to trim the stem more and wear it lower.  I'll try that next time I use it but I don't think I'll be using it for a few days.  I have to go out tomorrow and I'm dreading having it leak or having to empty it in public.  I don't want to wear a pad, I hate them more than tampons.  

Sorry this is a bit rambling and long, but what I want to know is:

Is it normal for squatting etc to cause cup movement/leaks?

Should I try a bigger cup like a Large Lunette?

How do you work out what size to use if you have a heavy flow but a very low cervix?? 

I've read the relevant FAQ's and watched some of the films on you.tube (which were great, thanks Melissa) but I suppose I just want to vent and have somebody say, "don't worry - you're not a completely pathetic loser!!" or something like that.   I'll keep trying with my MCuk, but I'd be grateful for any tips about the heavy flow/low cervix problem.

Also, I noticed today that the stem was off to one side, does that mean anything?  I don't think I put it in off centre - it seems to have moved like that by itself.

Thanks for reading :)

I wanted to post about my experience of using the menstrual cup as a way of giving back to this community - this is the most useful website that I found when I was learning to use it. I live in Australia and was lucky to even hear of a 'menstrual cup' while browsing some forum based in the US. Nowadays I see graffiti on women's toilets at my uni and it's pretty awesome (I frown but the smile)!

I ordered a Divacup from eBay (US) in size 1 (I'm 24). The only cup legally allowed to be sold here is the Keeper (looked kinda icky and not very modern so I picked silicone). Aside from all the pros (you're already aware of) I also based my decision on my heavy periods which ended up costing a fortune in good comfortable pads. Also the cup has helped to minimise infections (yeast and urinary). At the same time I also ordered some cloth pads made locally (also not very big in Australia) as backup. Don't get me started on having a luxury item tax on hygiene products!

It took me 3-4 periods to finally feel comfortable using the cup. Firstly, I used to experience severe pain from inserting it too high (and it ended up suctioning onto the cervix!) and always leaked. At some point I read on here to insert it so it is directly under the cervix, then un-suction it by squeezing air out of it to allow a seal and gently pull it down until it sits comfortably. Funnily enough this is not explained everywhere and was basically all I needed to know make it work.

On the point of cleaning: I'm not willing to import special cleaning products from US/UK and boiling didn't work so opted for Steradent (a denture cleaning tablet :S). It works extremely well (fast and zero effort) but as I read recently it could end up degrading silicon a little quickly and needs to be air dried well.

Too bad I can't manage to get any of my friends interested - and I consider them very open minded on most issues.

Here's to Australia becoming more civilised!

Cheers

Hi, everyone! I've been kind of lurking around this community for a while. At the beginning of this month I bought and used a Diva cup for the first time. I happened to keep notes on what happened and what my thoughts were and all of that. I thought that it might be helpful to have a really in depth and detailed account of what it's like for a complete cup newbie.

I do warn you, it's really long because I'm long-winded.

If anyone finds this the slightest bit helpful I am planning on doing a similar diary-style documentation for my second cycle with the cup. So, let me know if that's something you'd like to see also!

( The Review )

Overall Review:
So far, I really like it in spite of the issues. I am having a lot of trouble with inserting it and not dropping it in the toilet, but I figure I had a lot of trouble when I first started using tampons also. I’m going to try to stick with it for at least another two months or so. Hopefully, in the future I’ll get to the point where I don’t have to use lube and that I can have my nails a bit longer without hurting myself. After the first few times I inserted the cup I found that part of my discomfort with it was the fact that my nails were about a half inch in length. I also have a tendency of pinching myself between the cup and my finger, which is one of the most painful things ever. This happened pretty frequently, probably about two or three times per insertion or removal. I hope this is something I either figure out how to avoid or can toughen up a bit.

I think my main issue with the cup is that it is a much more hands-on method and hands-on an area that’s sore and achy isn’t the best.

I know a lot of people say that they can’t feel their cup at all when it’s in. I’ve found this isn’t true for me. Normally with tampons even though I’m using a super or super plus size I can’t feel them after they’re in. However, with my cup I can feel pressure inside myself at all times. I’m not sure if it’s the actual cup itself or the suction it’s causing. Granted, it’s not enough for me to consciously think about it all the time, but it’s still there.

Again though, I do like it over all. I just really wish I could get over this learning curve and be able to use it with as much ease as I’ve been using tampons. My one bit of advice to give to a new cup user would be to go into the situation expecting it to be difficult and kinda suck the first time.

Hi all! I have been reading THE community, and I have to say it is amazing and just great! I found the answers to all my questions! This is my second period trying to use a cup and I am so excited, I really want to be able to use it, I don't ever want to put a tampon on, but something is not right!

I had a large Diva last month, and I experienced a sensation of light pressure and tickling on my throat and light pressure on my head, and light nausea and dizziness. I read here that too much suction or pressure on the cervix could cause this reaction; however, in the entries I read the reaction was really bad with pain and fainting, I never experience any of this.

After reading up I enlarged the Diva wholes, and cut the stem (so that it would not be so high up) and this helped a bit. But I still had the reaction so I got a beautiful Large LilacCup, I thought squishiness and larger wholes would put less pressure and suction. I tried and it was fine, then when I took it out (5 hrs later) and put it back in the reaction was really strong! ;( I could not leave it to sleep with. I tried again this morning and I have the reaction very light, I think I have to put it in a way that does not push or suck up so badly on my cervix. The thing is I don't experience any pain or discomfort in my vagina! And it is a lot better than with the Diva, but I cannot reach that high up to check if it is pressure or suction.

I have tried to pinch the bottom and suck the cup up a bit with my muscles, move it to the sides to let more air in so the suction or pressure will be less (mind you, the pressure on my head and throat), but I cannot accomplish it. My finger won’t get all the way up to the rim to let more air in...

So my questions after a long story...

1 - Has anyone experienced this, does it go away? It is not really something I want to get used to.

2 - How else can I get more air in the cup to release the suction? Is it that I am not doing the pinching, sucking, and moving for long enough?

3 - How would you check if the problem is pressure or suction if you can get your fingers up to the rim (and I can get at least 6 cm in) to check where the cup is with respect to the cervix? Never had any leaks so the rim is all the way around the vagina walls

4 - Maybe I am putting it up too high? How do I know that is high enough (just at the entrance of the vagina?) I would like to wear it as low as possible. I already cut the stem off the LC

5 - Would a stiffer cup help?

Thank you so much! And sorry for the long post!

Hello =)

I have a question that might seem stupid.. But the thing is, my graduation and prom is coming up, and I probably will have my period both days. I'm kind of  new to cups (I've actually been using a cup for about six months, but recently got a new one, a Moon Cup UK), so the whole changing of cup is still a bit messy. For prom, my dress has a light yellow colour, and for graduation it's white. So I thought, since I don't really want to remove and reinsert the cup while wearing these dresses, and risking getting blood all over them, I would just leave the cup in and were pads and change them IF the cup becomes full.

Now, the question is; when the cup is full, what happens? Will the blood simply overflow so that I would be able to only change pads? I got a little scared when I once saw a post here, where the cup had "exploded" or something, which made all the blood in it just flood out :S

Any tips at all what a newbie like me, who isn't able to remove or reinsert without creating a mess, could to? I am not sure that I will need to empty the cup at all, but in case. I don't feel comfortable wearing just a pad anymore, so I really want to be able to use the cup..

I really want to be able to have a good time and not worry about having blood all over my clothes..
Is there a risk that my cup will "explode"?

I would be very thankful for any answers and tips, especially before Wednesday! (Prom night)

I started my cycle yesterday. I have been using a Lunette Size 2 (the original) since October 2008 and I have gradually improved in using it. The problems are pretty minimal, but I hate having to wear a large pad and a few pantyliners to guard my underwear in case of leaks. Currently, my pad pretty much has no staining on it but one thing I've noticed when going to the toilet is that sometimes the base of my Lunette seems to be jutting out slightly from my vaginal opening. I can feel the first two ridges when this happens. I think that over time the cup slides out a little which leads to leakage.I think I'm pushing it as far as I can because I can feel my cervix going inside when the cup is inserted properly. The seal seems to be pretty good too.  Does anyone have tips to prevent this from happening?

I bought my Diva, size one, about a month ago, but I couldn't get the damn thing in. It was the last couple days of my period, so now I've been waiting for weeks to try it again. When I was trying last month, I found that there was quite a bit of pressue when I was inserting it so I'd have to pull out before I'd even made any headway. Could it be that at 20, my hymen is still intact regardless of my having been a serious athlete most of my life? I'm getting more and more apprehensive of the cup as my period approaches and I'm afraid I've made a financial mistake in buying my Diva seeing as nothing (NOTHING) has ever been inside my vagina before. Should I just give up and go back to pads?

UPDATE: My period started today, and I tried to get the Diva in. I got about an inch in on my third try, but then it just stoppped. I've concluded that I have the smallest vagina in the world and am considering calling Guinness!

So I finally got the hang of this cup.  My fav. fold with this small LadyCup is punch down because I get it to open easily than the smaller fold Triangle which tends to turn side way when it goes in...

I do not know if this is common or I did something wrong, but when I insert the cup I will feel slight discomfort in my lower abdominal for awhile when it sucks its way up.

Unlike, a lot of girls who has problem with this cup riding up too high(from what I read so far)....I have a problem that it is sitting way too low and the stem is poking my hymen. I cut half of it off because I still need the stem. It is still poking though but not as bad.



I found out that my cervix is so low. I have really short fingers, but I could touch my cervix with my middle finger. I noticed that my cervix is not pointed straight down but rather pointing at the tail bone. Is that normal? What's tilted cervix?

I managed to remove the cup by doing punch down fold, and then take it out. It was a dry run though because I don't have my period yet. I am not sure if I am going to be able to fold it out if there's liquid in there.

Update: So I got my period last night. This morning I removed it with punch down fold and it came out a big mess LOL it was leaking so I guess it was super full.

I think that it forms a seal, but when I try to feel the rim it was too hard to get to because I cannot fit my finger through it. I did notice that the bottom is stil squishy though. Don't know what that means...

Any input is very appreciated :)

This will be my 2nd full cycle with a cup.  Last month I used a Keeper and LOVED it.   The stem and I had some things to work out, however.  I was also a little uncomfortable with the firmess, wanted something a little softer.

I fell in love with the idea of the Lunette and the PinkCup.  Because the Lunette is currently not availble to me, I bought a PinkCup.  On my dry run, I loved it.  Couldn't feel it at all, got it in just fine, out just fine. All is well.

So now here we are on the brink of another cycle.  I've been spotting for 2 days.  Wore my PinkCup today in anticipation.  Still just spotting so far.  But like a ninny, I went against my better judgement and checked the cup at work today on my lunch break.  It did NOT want to pop back open.  After about 3 tries, I finally HAD to get back to my desk.  I left it unpopped and hoped it would open on it's own.

2 hours later I tried to go to the bathroom and I could NOT pee.  It burned and NOTHING would come out.  Well that was new and different!  I removed the cup only to find it was STILL not opened.  Urinating resumed as normal.  Reinserted just fine.  Went about my day.

Since I've been home I have removed it once and reinserted again with no problems.  Still no true flow, just heavy spotting. 

This weekend we're going on a bit of a road trip/cruise. (couple of hours on the road, 4 hours on the boat, couple of hours back)  I'm a little nervous about being stuck so far from home and the PinkCup not opening or something awful.  I'm taking some extra cloth pads and maybe even my Keeper, just in case PinkCup and I don't get along!

One more little note:  I have learned that my cervix is lower during my period.  On my dry run I didn't feel the PinkCup at all.  Now that it is here (or almost), I am pretty sure the stem has got to go.  It pokes me like the Keeper did. 

 Hello!

Alright... whew. Due to the fact that I have really heavy periods (and they ruin my life!! -not to be too dramatic or anything) I decided to get a diva cup. Today I used it for the first time. After about an hour I realized that it was leaking, so I must have put it in wrong.  Oh, I don't know if this is important, but I really had no trouble getting it in.

But getting it out is a whole nother story. Oh my gosh... it was terrible. I couldn't grab a hold of the stem and it kept on going further up and up. I was bearing down like many suggested and it was helping to bring the stem down but for the life of me I couldn't grab it. Let's just say I was sufficiently freaked out and almost in tears... so, admittedly I was less than relaxed. After about 45 minutes of struggling I decided to try and take it out in the shower. After about 20 minutes of being in there I was finally able to remove it... thank heavens. Part of the problem was the stem was behind my pubic bone (??? I think..) and I couldn't get it to a spot where I could grab it.

I'm a virgin, if that has anything to do with it, but uh... that area down there isn't super tight, like I could get three fingers in. 

So, the other part of the problem is as I was cursing this darn thing I swore that IF I ever got it out I would never, ever, ever use it again. But, like I said I have really heavy periods and I feel like this is the best solution.

So, what was I doing wrong?? Is my body strangely built??? How do I get the courage to try and use it again?? When I say I was traumatized I'm not joking...

Help!!!

 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

Hello, everyone.

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

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

( some info that's a bit tmi-y )

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

Advice? All comments are appreciated!

So, I have a DivaCup and a MCUK. I tried the DivaCup, and fell in love with it right away. It was easy to use, and everything. Still, I decided to give my MCUK a go, and decided this was the period to do it (36 days since my last period, can  you believe that?).

( Details of the Illicit Affair )

So back when Lady Cup was selling off their faulty colored cup stock, I got myself a Lilac Cup in the larger size. On the plus side it hasn't cracked at all after two (non-consecutive) days' use, and it's as comfortable as my Diva. (I also have a US Keeper Mooncup and do not like that one quite as much as the Diva. All three cups are in the larger sizes - I'm age 31, no children.)

On the minus side, I'm having a heck of a hard time removing it! I have no trouble removing either the Diva or Mooncup. On the Lilac Cup however, the silicone seems more slick than the others so I have a hard time getting a grip on it, plus it has bumps rather than rings so that doesn't seem to give me much traction either. I usually remove the Diva and Mooncup without making any extra effort to break the suction (as I'm pulling it out by the base or stem, the cup usually gets deformed enough to break the suction on its own without spilling the contents), and without needing to consciously do Kegels. For the Lilac Cup I tried gripping the stem but my fingers kept slipping off. My fingers also kept slipping off the base at first. I tried reaching a finger up to break the suction but it turns out that pushing on the side doesn't break the suction and it's difficult for me to reach all the way up to the rim. What finally worked was grabbing the base really REALLY hard with one hand and the stem with the other, while also doing Kegels.

Any other suggestions on what else I can try for removing it next time? So far I like my Diva best (first cup), so it's no biggie if I can't get the Lilac to work right for me, and I can always just leave it in a desk drawer at work as a backup.

Edit:
I gave the inside-out a shot, and it works! I don't really have any additional difficulty getting it in, and it's much easier to grip inside out (less slick, and seems easier to push in the sides enough to get a grip) though it still is more difficult to remove than either the Diva or Keeper Mooncup US. But this's enough of an improvement that I can definitely keep using it! Thanks so much!

I'm on my second period using a menstrual cup. I used a divacup small the first time around and LOVED it, but decided to go ahead and buy a Lunette large because of the higher capacity...anyways, last night was my first time using the Lunette and at some point this morning, I woke up because I was in pain (cramps + upset stomach feeling). After tossing and turning for a long time, I finally got out of bed at 5am, took some advil, and changed out the Lunette for the Diva.
I think the Lunette was overflowing because it was leaking a tiny bit; it all dumped into the toilet, though, so I don't know for sure. Anyways, here are my questions:

1. Is it possible that I was experiencing worse cramping than usual because the Lunette is so big? I'm a virgin and the Lunette is the largest foreign object I've ever stuck "up there." Also, I've never had cramps wake me up before, but it's also possible it was the upset stomach feeling that woke me up.

2. If the pain is not size-related, is it possible that  I was experiencing bad cramping/upset stomach because the cup was full?

3. What do you ladies who have to empty the cup every 4-6 hours do at night? I function best on at least 8 hours of sleep, and I'd really rather not wake up in the middle of the night to empty the cup.

Thanks, everyone, for all your help!

Sorry to post again so quickly, but I have a quick question about cup migration.

My Diva tends to stay where I put it, moving up just a tad over the course of the day.  - And it doesn't leak on me.

My PinkCups, though, are reaching for the sky. When I woke up this morning my PinkCup Small was waaaay the heck up there, and I had to bear-down for the first time removing a cup. I had apparently leaked a bit in the night (not too much) and I ended up spilling it into the toilet too.

This morning I decided to give the PinkCup Large a shot, and within ten minutes I could barely reach the stem! It's up there now, probably trying to climb to my throat at this point. I'd have thought the Large would get lodged, if anything, since it's so darn wide.

So my question is, is this typical of the squishier LadyCups, or are they both the wrong size & that's why they're migrating?