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when I actually have them (go go gadget PCOS) they are really bad. Like I can soak through an ultra thin-ultra long always overnight pad in about an hour (or less) and I usually cramp so bad I don't want to move. I dunno. I'll keep trying with the diva cup for now, I'll prolly trim the stem and maybe use a little lube to make it slide in easier. I don't know why I'm having such a hard time with it. Maybe I'm just too tight? I dunno.
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Jul 5, 2011 02:22
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Well, my violet coloured Fleurcup arrived from France. It's pretty clear from looking at it that it has a much higher capacity than the Meluna, while still being reasonably short. Bummer I've got to wait another week for my period.
Somebody fucked around with this message at 12:57 on Jul 5, 2011 |
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Jul 5, 2011 07:04
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Ack. I didn't actually edit your post, slink, I meant to quote it. Sorry. Anyway, this: quote:Bummer I've got to wait another week for my period. pretty much sums it up, doesn't it?
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Jul 5, 2011 12:58
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evelynevvie posted:Ugh. Boiling it didn't help. I tried again to insert it and it popped open when I barely had it in and now I am REALLY hurting. I am about to give up, I just can't seem to get it. Don't give up! I know the whole process is weird and you might feel ridiculous trying to wedge a sproingy silicone whatsit in your vadge, but it's really worth it. Have a glass of wine and then try it. Put on some Enya or something. I had a hard time with my Diva at first too - believe me, it does get easier. And mine is now softer and easier to manage and it's like a 5 second process for a day's worth of no worries. When inserting it, the best advice I was given here was "cram it towards your rear end". Try moving it sort of horizontally in instead of vertically. Also, when you're inserting it, fold it and get the first part in, but keep holding the fold on the cup part until you're pretty deep and then release and adjust. In order to make sure it's opened properly, I run my finger around the cup to make sure there are no folds or bends, and then I'm done for the rest of the day. You'll learn where the right spot is pretty quickly. Is it wrong that I'm going out with some of my girls this weekend and I want to get them Divacups as gifts instead of booze?
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Jul 5, 2011 14:09
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evelynevvie posted:Ugh. Boiling it didn't help. I tried again to insert it and it popped open when I barely had it in and now I am REALLY hurting. I am about to give up, I just can't seem to get it. Use lots of lube around the rim to alleviate discomfort while you're learning. You can also let it unfold when you have it mostly in and then just wiggle it up into place and make sure it's fully open. Seriously, in a few months you'll be sticking that thing up there like it ain't no poo poo. The Diva is really one of the softer cups already, I used to have a ton of trouble getting it to open all the way when I started using it, especially with the punchdown fold. Is it fully opening when it pops open or just unfolding?
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Jul 5, 2011 14:18
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spatula posted:You can also let it unfold when you have it mostly in and then just wiggle it up into place and make sure it's fully open. This is how insertion always goes for me. It's the only way I can ensure that it's fully open. It slides in okay for me as long as the whole rim is just inside the vaginal opening when the cup opens fully.
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Jul 5, 2011 16:08
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Christabel posted:Is it wrong that I'm going out with some of my girls this weekend and I want to get them Divacups as gifts instead of booze? Just don't put booze in the cups.  I haven't given up. But I have quit after I got too frustrated. One of the times I was trying to take it back out I got all frustrated and then I remembered what others said in the thread: relax. I was able to get it out. The cup is completely popping open when I try to insert it. I don't seem to be able to hang on to it and get it in very deep. I am inserting it at an angle. It's just hard to keep it folded while I insert. It's like it wants to be OPEN. All the times I've gotten it in, it's had a good seal. It's just not very deep inside, i.e. I can still feel it in there and it sometimes hurts a little. Trying to push or wiggle it in further once it's open doesn't work because it seals very well and won't move once its open. I'll keep trying. With this depo shot I'm apparently not going to stop bleeding any time soon so I'll have plenty of oppurtunities to try. I guess I just need to keep trying. I can tell how well it will work once I get inserting it down.
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Jul 6, 2011 05:10
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Where are you holding the cup after you have it folded? You should be able able to grip it pretty close to the bottom and have it stay folded until you let go. If you're gripping it near the rim, that might be why it's opening. Edit: But yes, definitely relax. If you're getting frustrated, then it probably is a good idea to take a little break. But not so long that you psych yourself out!
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Jul 6, 2011 05:29
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foxinsox fucked around with this message at 09:17 on Jul 29, 2011 |
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Jul 6, 2011 05:35
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Go ahead and give it a try. What's the worst thing that can happen if it doesn't fit? You need to buy a smaller size? Sounds bad, but just ask yourself how much you spend on tampons every month. Once you have it in properly you shouldn't feel it at all. It also shouldn't leak. Leakage or discomfort can both be signs of a bad fit, but they might also just mean you didn't get it in far enough or that it didn't open all the way. There's a learning curve. Just give it a try and see what happens. Julet Esqu fucked around with this message at 05:57 on Jul 6, 2011 |
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Jul 6, 2011 05:54
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foxinsox fucked around with this message at 09:17 on Jul 29, 2011 |
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Jul 6, 2011 06:07
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Got mine today and let me tell you it's awesome 8]! I'll be going out a lot this week too so even better, good bye tampons, hello freedom! Thanks Hip Hoptimus Prime & fellow lady-goons!
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Jul 13, 2011 00:16
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Fleurcup locked and loaded. My labia would hate me right now if I didn't know about turning cups inside out.
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Jul 13, 2011 02:04
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foxinsox fucked around with this message at 09:18 on Jul 29, 2011 |
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Jul 13, 2011 03:25
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I see a lot of posts like yours. Divas are quite long.  Have you tried it flipped inside-out?
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Jul 13, 2011 03:36
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foxinsox fucked around with this message at 09:18 on Jul 29, 2011 |
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Jul 13, 2011 04:19
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My initial experience with a Diva was very similar to yours. Once I turned it inside out it was like night and day. Definitely try it out. Yeah, it's a little harder to retrieve, but it's not like you'll have to go get the salad tongs or anything. You'll manage. Just don't give up right yet!
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Jul 13, 2011 04:43
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I peeped this thread two weeks or so ago out of morbid curiosity and was sold on menstrual cups by page three, to my surprise. And now that my period's over, I can say that this DivaCup thing is extremely awesome. Took a little while to get used to, and I'm still not the best at removing it without some discomfort... but the convenience, its ability to stay in you for freakin' ever (compared to tampons), and the no-leaking-at-all thing is totally worth it, holy crap. Being able to sleep in any position without worrying about accidental sleep-leaks or risking toxic shock syndrome (if you sleep more than 8 hours a night) is so amazing. Easiest period I've ever had. I would shout my praise from the rooftops if menstrual poo poo weren't so taboo. So I'll gush here instead. (  )So yeah, thanks, thread! 
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Jul 13, 2011 04:51
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foxinsox posted:I have not. I was worried that I'd not be able to retrieve it, but now realize that that likely won't be much of a problem once it's been in long enough to do its job. I will try that next. Julet Esqu posted:it's not like you'll have to go get the salad tongs or anything.  What an amazing image.
Eggplant Wizard fucked around with this message at 04:56 on Jul 13, 2011 |
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Jul 13, 2011 04:53
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evelynevvie posted:The cup is completely popping open when I try to insert it. I don't seem to be able to hang on to it and get it in very deep. I am inserting it at an angle. It's just hard to keep it folded while I insert. It's like it wants to be OPEN. All the times I've gotten it in, it's had a good seal. It's just not very deep inside, i.e. I can still feel it in there and it sometimes hurts a little. Trying to push or wiggle it in further once it's open doesn't work because it seals very well and won't move once its open. Is there any chance you could take a picture of you holding it folded? It's not the easiest thing to describe. I know that when I insert mine, I give it an extra shove with my thumb to get it higher up. I promise not to post pictures of that.
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Jul 14, 2011 00:04
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You aren't just getting the top rim of the cup to just inside yourself and then letting go, are you? I don't mean that in a, "Durrr, are you stupid?" way. Have you ever used tampons with an applicator? You know how you insert the applicator pretty far? The plunger is still outside your body but the top of the applicator that holds the tampon is pretty far in. You want to insert your cup fairly far before you let go of your fold. You may have to spread your legs pretty far or you may even have to spread apart your labia manually to get it to go in properly. It all depends on your own anatomy. I promise, it took me what felt like FOREVER to get it in and out when I first started. Now I can get it in and out in the blink of an eye. There is a learning curve and there is a lot to get used to. Just keep trying! But I wouldn't drive yourself crazy with it. There's nothing wrong with going back to more conventional means if you feel like you have to!
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Jul 14, 2011 00:45
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Whelp, inside-out is a definite improvement wrt decreasing discomfort on that end of things, so that technique is likely a keeper. I wish I'd tried it right from the start. Too bad it doesn't also solve the girthiness issue. I fear I've managed to give myself the beginnings of a bladder infection, so I'm going to have to call it quits, for now, so that can clear up. I don't know if the larger cup I tried yesterday is the culprit, or if they are both simply too large. It's probably the former. It's not believable to me that I'm anything other than a totally average-sized caucasian woman. I'm not short, certainly no virgin and I'm over 30. After consulting the size chart, I see that the very smallest cup available (which appears to be the MeLuna) is only 3mm smaller in diameter than what I've got now. I'm not convinced that counts as a significant difference. Come to think of it, though, in addition to the gynecologist telling me I was very tiny, she also said I had unusually strong muscles ("you'll never have to worry about incontinence"), so that might be another piece of the puzzle. I did at least enjoy a couple of days with no messy, squishy leaks, so that was nice. I'll try again next month, and I think it's bound to go better.
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Jul 14, 2011 03:06
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foxinsox, I personally found the Lunette to be far more comfortable than the Diva, and easier to insert, but your mileage my vary.
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Jul 14, 2011 03:17
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foxinsox fucked around with this message at 09:18 on Jul 29, 2011 |
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Jul 14, 2011 03:50
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Trip report on the Fleurcup: pretty colour, pops open easier than the MeLuna, very comfortable, high enough capacity that I can go four hours without emptying it. Highly recommended (also cheaper than the Diva, at least where I live). However, I was woken at 7 a.m. by a buckets-o-blood event. It overflowed. Yes, one of the highest capacity cups isn't enough for me to go a whole night without flooding. Guess I'll try a cup and pad combo on heavy nights. That explains why my abdomen gets bloaty before my period: apparently it contains enough blood to act as a municipal reservoir for a small town of vampires. Sigh.
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Jul 14, 2011 08:11
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I bought a Diva Cup (size 1) a while ago and I've used it for 2 periods since. I like the concept and it's nice to know you can leave it in without worrying about TSS and whatnot. Not having to wear pads is great too. But mine keeps slipping out and I have to readjust it on a semi-regular basis depending on what I'm doing. The stem pokes out, with the bottom of the cup sitting right there at the opening. I know the cups are supposed to sit lower than tampons, but is that normal? If I push it higher up, it just splips back down. I tried rotating it, thinking I didn't get the suction right, to no avail. Is my cup too small for my cavernous vagina? My flow isn't heavy, so are there other cups that would be wider, if less long? I have a tilted uterus, if that changes anything...
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Jul 14, 2011 17:28
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Turn it inside out so the stem doesn't poke out. Otherwise, if the cups working, I don't think it's a problem.
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Jul 14, 2011 18:03
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Ordered the Mooncup when it was on sale for  on Amazon about a month ago and haven't gotten a chance to use it until this morning. So far: Menstrual Heaven.I'm not scheduled to remove my Nuvaring until tomorrow, but I've already started brown spotting, so I thought I'd try the Mooncup a day early to get some practice in inserting it. I got a size B Mooncup since I haven't had kids and have smallish anatomy down there anyway. Turned it inside out, used the C fold, got it in, and then around the cervix in the first try! Only mild discomfort on initial insertion, but nothing after it was properly in place. Getting the Nuvaring back in with another thing shoved up my hoo-ha was more difficult sure, but there shouldn't be many days that I'll be needing to use both at the same time. The next bit is tmi, but what isn't in this thread? This Mooncup doesn't make me feel full or like I need to urinate more often, and urinating and defecating aren't hindered at all with even both it and the Nuvaring in. I haven't tried removing it yet, so I'm sure I've used up all my menstrual cup luck and that I'll have a hard time either getting a grip on it, or breaking the seal so it doesn't tug hard on my cervix upon removal, but at least it won't be a surprise when/if that happens thanks to the information in thread! This is light years more comfortable than a Instead Softcup. I can't feel this Mooncup at all, while I could feel the Instead cup all up in my junk every waking moment. The initial discomfort on insertion of the Mooncup pales in comparison to inserting and removing the the Softcup, which required scraping the hard plastic rim against my insides; and I had to remove that thing all the time, because it put too much pressure on my bladder and made me need to pee more often, but also made it super difficult to pee when it was in. Why the hell are those called "Softcups"? These allegedly harder cups don't have anything near as huge or rigid as that gigantic hard plastic ring that pushes right up against your pubic bone. The only advantage I can see so far is that I was able to have sex using a Softcup, but it was still pretty uncomfortable (for me, the boyfriend was fine), and it's not recommended with the other menstrual cups. tl;dr: (Proper) menstrual cups are amazing; I love this thread for introducing me to them; this poo poo should be taught in health class instead of tampons and pads (if I never have to wear a freaking diaper-like pad again it will be too soon), but gently caress those Instead Softcups.
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Jul 14, 2011 21:19
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I got a Mooncup through that $10 deal after leaving my DivaCup boiling on the stove and melting it. So far I prefer the DivaCup. The ridiculously long stem on the MoonCup is uncomfortable (will be trimming it), the cup holds less, and it's harder to get in and out.
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Jul 14, 2011 22:59
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foxinsox fucked around with this message at 09:19 on Jul 29, 2011 |
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Jul 14, 2011 23:21
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ThreeFish posted:You aren't just getting the top rim of the cup to just inside yourself and then letting go, are you? I don't mean that in a, "Durrr, are you stupid?" way. I've used tampons with applicators before, and I know what you mean. It's hard to explain, but I think part of the problem is that I have smallish hands. It's hard to get it in very far without having to let go and get a new grip on it to push it in the rest of the way. I've tried several positions. The easiest is sitting down on the side of the tub. I think it would be even easier if I could do it lying down but I haven't tried that. I tried it again the other night after trimming the stem. I still didn't get it in quite deep enough but it was a little bit better. I think I just have to keep trying until I get it. I guess I just got too freaked out by the learning curve. Eventually I will make a triumphant post about my success with it I'm sure.
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Jul 14, 2011 23:25
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Does anyone seem to get like...leaking ever? I've had my cup for 3 years now and in the past year its started to leak. It doesn't ruin my clothes and I just see it when I wipe after I pee and all, but it's so weird! When I empty it it's never even full, only half at the most. I empty it every morning and night, and like I said, I've had it for two years and no problems. I've checked the holes and the suction too and that's all fine.
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Jul 15, 2011 00:01
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evelynevvie posted:I've used tampons with applicators before, and I know what you mean. It's hard to explain, but I think part of the problem is that I have smallish hands. It's hard to get it in very far without having to let go and get a new grip on it to push it in the rest of the way. I've tried several positions. The easiest is sitting down on the side of the tub. I think it would be even easier if I could do it lying down but I haven't tried that. Have you tried pushing it in a little way and then using your vaginal muscles to suck it up into place? It's what I do and it seems to work well. It probably helps if you've done Pilates though.
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Jul 15, 2011 03:40
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Just ordered my diva cup! I had been on BC for years until now so I haven't had a period in a long time. I switched to paragard last month and am now remembering how much tampons and pads suck. It's the first thing I've spent the extra $3.99 on for overnight shipping with Amazon Prime, I'm that excited... and grossed out by tampon strings. I hope it fits.
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Jul 18, 2011 22:23
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I tried to convince my fiance to use one of these because of the benefits listed throughout the thread - though this was before I had seen this thread. Does anyone know any way of persuading someone to try it out, getting them hooked? Honestly, she doesn't really talk to me about her period I just know she uses pads.
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Jul 20, 2011 20:57
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JDanielS posted:I tried to convince my fiance to use one of these because of the benefits listed throughout the thread - though this was before I had seen this thread. Show her the thread? You can only push so much without it being weird and it would be better if she gets the information herself than if you tell it to her. People just work that way.
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Jul 20, 2011 21:05
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poo poo poo poo poo poo. So I got my cup yesterday and tried it out. It worked fine except the stem kind of rubbed my outter parts which I knew was wrong. I tried it again this morning and got it up, in, open and all that good stuff. It recently started leaking so I figured I'd take it out and finish the day with a tampon rather than trying to put it back in at work. I took it out and am now super painfully crampy. I pinched the bottom like they say to get rid of the suction, but I'm worried that my IUD has become dislodged! I'm freaking out. Has anyone had this happen? Is it normal to be crampy upon removal?!
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Jul 20, 2011 21:30
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Lixer posted:poo poo poo poo poo poo. Have you tried feeling for your IUD? If it's dislodged you would most likely be able to feel it extending from your cervix. Cramping is not that unusual if you aren't used to the cup. Do you cramp at all normally with your period?
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Jul 20, 2011 21:37
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Ceridwen posted:Have you tried feeling for your IUD? If it's dislodged you would most likely be able to feel it extending from your cervix. I thought I should probably try this before freaking out and posting on the web but I put the tampon in before cramping started (thinking I'm in the clear because of this as well) and it's my only one so I don't want to remove it to check. Things are mostly calming down, and I'm trying to quiet my mind about it. I'd think if an IUD were removed I'd know that moment. I have some cramps the first day or so of my period, but they had stopped at this point. Edit: borrowed more supplies so I could check. Nothing poking out, but I couldn't feel strings (had never checked for them before though). I have a doc appointment set up for next week. Still super crampy but hoping for the best! Lixer fucked around with this message at 22:17 on Jul 20, 2011 |
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Jul 20, 2011 21:42
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Ceridwen posted:Show her the thread? I e-mailed her the thread asking her to check it out before I even posted. I don't know how simple or complex her periods are for her; nor do I want to, by the way. She's just so big on reducing waste that it seems like it'd be right up her alley.
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Jul 20, 2011 22:19
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