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Pricklypine
Mar 4, 2007
War music is pulsing
I've been using the Diva Cup for nearly 5 years now, and there's no going back. It's so comfortable that I forget it's there, and I only empty it every 12 hours, although I've gone 24 at times. No leaks in the whole time I've had it, and I am very active. One of my favorite things about it is that because I am very regular, I can put it in on the morning of the day I'm supposed to get my period and forget about it.

I would just suggest to give yourself some time with getting used to insertion/removal, because it does take a while to find what works best and the 'c-fold' method that they mention in the brochures doesn't work well for everyone. At the beginning it was irritating me horribly and I almost gave up, but after trimming the stem off entirely it was fine.

And I echo the other posters who say that other women are often the most weirded out by the idea of the cup. I've tried to recommend it to so many women, and maybe one has actually been willing to give it a try. I've really never been able to understand why. All the men I've mentioned it to have been happy that it's working so well for me, or actually think it's cool because of the lesser ecological impact.

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Whack
Feb 14, 2008

Hip Hoptimus Prime posted:

I had to make it how it is because of a :toxx: in Watch & Woot. I set a goal for myself to maintain weight loss, but by the end I had put on just a few pounds (summer laziness basically :argh:). So another goon made an ugly avatar of a picture of me and told me what the custom title had to be.

It was this or be banned, and I didn't want to be banned and pay for another account!

I need to make another :toxx: thread over there though because I got back on the bandwagon and I lost the few pounds I gained so it would be nice to be able to switch back to my old avatar...go figure, right?

If it makes you feel any better it made me laugh my rear end off.

copy of a
Mar 13, 2010

by zen death robot

deadly claris posted:

I am not a witchWiccan.

My husband is a little weirded out by it, but he figures it's my body and it's cleaner than tampons and pads, so woo. Way to go. It is the women I tell about it (in my family, and they brought it up) that get squicked out about it and go "eeeew, gross." No, honey, sitting on a cloth diaper for hours and fermenting in your own menstrual blood is gross.

I have been using a Diva for years. It made my cramps a lot less difficult ... until I started having sex. I don't know what the problem is. :( I can't use it now because, hurr, I am pregnant, but holy sweet Jesus. Now that I have sex, when I insert the Diva, the cramps just explode all over the place and I wind up having to take it out and use pads. My husband's mother, when she found out about my Diva, automatically went "well, no wonder she gets horrible cramps!" and completely ignored the fact that I didn't get monthly tear-inducing cramps with my Diva until her son's penis started happening to my vagina.

I am hoping the larger size I am getting after birth will kill the issue.

Wait wait am I misunderstanding or are you really saying that being sexually active makes it a pain (literally) to use these things? Because I like sex and I wanted to get a DivaCup but now after reading your post, I'm not so sure. :(

Tulip Candy
Jan 23, 2007

I love tuna fish and field mouse pudding.
I never, ever ever had any problems with cramping related to sex or the cup. Like many others, using a Diva Cup actually lessened my cramps so I think it's probably an individual issue.

Infamous Sphere
Nov 8, 2010
Blargh oh my god yes, I have read fanfiction, in a way it's a guilty pleasure/so bad it's good thing. I can't read trashy romance though. Fanfiction..oh god..some of the anatomical limitations are..well..let's just say these women don't very much und
Ok, I have what may be the worst period in the entire universe. Like..cramps of hell, chunks, bleeding so heavily that sometimes I've had to replace super pads every 20 minutes, a retarded terrible cycle where I've bled up to six weeks (it goes something like "no period for 6 weeks, period for two weeks, no period for two weeks, period for 3 days, no period for 4 weeks, period for 2 and a half weeks...") I gave up trying to work out my cycle because I know it's completely out the window hosed. Apparently there is absolutely nothing hormonally wrong with me.
Can't do tampons because a) it hurts to have pretty much anything up there and b) when I'm tidal waving everywhere I don't want to be sticking my hand there, it's just a giant slippery mess, like trying to thread a needle when your fingers have recently been shot off or something. Also it took me a long time to actually locate my vagina. Yeah I know that's extremely embarrassing, but..yeah :/
I have not had any penis/dildo/carrot relations down there just so you know. Have not ever been to an ob/gyn either.

tl:dr I fail at being a woman and want to hurl my uterus out the window, also lady-parts are barely functional. Is it worth it for me to try this or will I just want end up screaming? Is it easy to use if you're one of the few women in the world who can't predict their cycle?

RICKON WALNUTSBANE
Jun 13, 2001


Have you seen a doctor about any of this? It sounds like your troubles reach beyond the capacity of a menstrual cup :sympathy:

spatula
Nov 6, 2004

Infamous Sphere posted:

tl:dr I fail at being a woman and want to hurl my uterus out the window, also lady-parts are barely functional. Is it worth it for me to try this or will I just want end up screaming? Is it easy to use if you're one of the few women in the world who can't predict their cycle?

For a long time I was having weird issues where I was bleeding irregularly and really frequently. I don't know what the gently caress I would have done without my cup. One of the best things about the cup is that it is very comfortable to put in regardless of how much blood is in there. Tampons are uncomfortable as hell to remove if they're not saturated in blood, so if you put tampons in preemptively when you think you might start bleeding it can get pretty awful. The best thing about the cup when I was bleeding irregularly was being able to just put it in in the morning, then take it out at night -- and not have to worry all day about whether or not I was gonna start spotting.

edit: I missed the line where you said you haven't been to an ob/gyn, why the gently caress not?!

spatula fucked around with this message at 02:42 on Nov 16, 2010

slinkimalinki
Jan 17, 2010

Infamous Sphere posted:



I have not had any penis/dildo/carrot relations down there just so you know. Have not ever been to an ob/gyn either.


Dude, go to the ob/gyn.

RICKON WALNUTSBANE
Jun 13, 2001


slinkimalinki posted:

Dude, go to the ob/gyn.

Your primary care doctor can help get the ball rolling on this too, Infamous Sphere.

I Wish I Was
Dec 11, 2006

I saw this at the bookshop and thought of you.
Yeah, go to a doctor of some sort because that poo poo ain't right.

As for sizing, I don't know what the gently caress. I'm 38 and have had a kid but via c-section, but I bought the smaller DivaCup on accident. I used it, just to see if it would work anyway, and have had no problems at all. It's been over a year and a half, so if I were going to have a problem I think I'd have had it by now.

I don't boil my cup or run it through the dishwasher; I have a small Gladware container that I keep in the bathroom and at the end of my period I wash the cup really well with Dr. Bronner's and then stick it in the Gladware with hydrogen peroxide for a day or two, then store it for the rest of the month in the bag that came with it.

I will issue a warning about The Keeper: because it's made of rubber, I had an allergic reaction to it and had hives all over my body for like a month. So if you're sensitive to latex or rubber of any sort, I'd go with a different brand. It was years before I tried a menstrual cup again because I had no idea that they were also available in silicone.

Tingles
Jul 26, 2006

Been waiting for a thread like this- I've been debating on whether to buy one for a few months.
Glad to say that I purchased a DivaCup today and I am also actually looking forward to using it.
Thanks for the information ladies!

Hip Hoptimus Prime
Jul 7, 2009

Ask me how I gained back all the weight I lost by eating your pets.

Tulip Candy posted:

I never, ever ever had any problems with cramping related to sex or the cup. Like many others, using a Diva Cup actually lessened my cramps so I think it's probably an individual issue.

This. I seriously forget I'm on my period now that I have a cup. I never cramp up, and if I do it's far less severe than when I used tampons.

Infamous Sphere
Nov 8, 2010
Blargh oh my god yes, I have read fanfiction, in a way it's a guilty pleasure/so bad it's good thing. I can't read trashy romance though. Fanfiction..oh god..some of the anatomical limitations are..well..let's just say these women don't very much und

Foaming Chicken posted:

Have you seen a doctor about any of this? It sounds like your troubles reach beyond the capacity of a menstrual cup :sympathy:

spatula posted:

edit: I missed the line where you said you haven't been to an ob/gyn, why the gently caress not?!

Too scared/embarrassed/lame. I cannot actually remember when I had my last period. I really should go, you're right and get a pap smear and all the rest of that stuff.

All I've really done is take iron supplements and herbs and stuff, which obviously isn't really a permanent fix, just a "stop you from too much anaemia" thing. My doctor didn't seem to think having a stupid bizarre cycle was that weird though, since my hormones came back normal, but he's not an ob/gyn.

Tulip Candy
Jan 23, 2007

I love tuna fish and field mouse pudding.
You are doing yourself a disservice by not getting yourself checked out by an ob/gyn. If you have insurance, there's really nothing stopping you and if you don't many, many free clinics can check you out on at least a minimal level. Even Planned Parenthood would be a good option.

There's nothing to be embarrassed about, this could be a serious problem and I think waiting for too long and having the problem aggravate and become more serious would be a more embarrassing situation in the end, with the doctors asking you what took you so long to get it looked at.

If you can, ask for a woman doctor to ease your comfort levels. I used to have male gynos and while they were wonderful at their job, I feel myself feeling much more comfortable with women.

LADIES SHOULD TAKE CARE OF THEIR LADY BITS. :smith:

The Cunt Pickle
Sep 7, 2010

Tulip Candy posted:

You are doing yourself a disservice by not getting yourself checked out by an ob/gyn. If you have insurance, there's really nothing stopping you and if you don't many, many free clinics can check you out on at least a minimal level. Even Planned Parenthood would be a good option.

There's nothing to be embarrassed about, this could be a serious problem and I think waiting for too long and having the problem aggravate and become more serious would be a more embarrassing situation in the end, with the doctors asking you what took you so long to get it looked at.

If you can, ask for a woman doctor to ease your comfort levels. I used to have male gynos and while they were wonderful at their job, I feel myself feeling much more comfortable with women.

LADIES SHOULD TAKE CARE OF THEIR LADY BITS. :smith:

This is very much a soapbox of mine. My Mom didn't go to the gyno for 13 years and when someone finally strongarmed her into going she had Stage 2 cervical cancer and 16 cysts that had to be removed. She lost all but a paper-thin layer of her cervix and was in treatment for over a year.

That, and I;m studying to be a women's health physician assistant. You're doing yourself a serious disservice by just hoping the problem will go away. 1- You could have something serious that could potentially cause permanent damage or death, and 2- You don't have to live in misery and fear of when the floodgates open. That is not anything close to a normal menstrual cycle and indicates something could be very wrong in there. Do yourself a favor and get checked out. If you're low on money, though I don't know how you feel about this morally- non-profit abortion clinics charge peanuts for pelvic exams and can point you in the right direction if more testing is needed and can help you get financial assistance for it.

SulfurMonoxideCute
Feb 9, 2008

I was under direct orders not to die
🐵❌💀

Infamous Sphere posted:

Too scared/embarrassed/lame. I cannot actually remember when I had my last period. I really should go, you're right and get a pap smear and all the rest of that stuff.

All I've really done is take iron supplements and herbs and stuff, which obviously isn't really a permanent fix, just a "stop you from too much anaemia" thing. My doctor didn't seem to think having a stupid bizarre cycle was that weird though, since my hormones came back normal, but he's not an ob/gyn.

GO GO GO GO GO GO GO NOW!! Please!! :ohdear: I've had worrisome diagnoses by general practitioners, such as a doctor telling me I just had sore back muscles when I experienced debilitating icy-cold pain in my lungs, trachea and jaw if I took more than a really shallow breath. So you really need to get a second opinion!

This thread is amazing though. I've heard of cups before, but I'm sold now. Thanks, goonettes!

Ruggedor
Jan 20, 2006
Eating Babies Since 1987

Infamous Sphere posted:

Ok, I have what may be the worst period in the entire universe. Like..cramps of hell, chunks, bleeding so heavily that sometimes I've had to replace super pads every 20 minutes, a retarded terrible cycle where I've bled up to six weeks (it goes something like "no period for 6 weeks, period for two weeks, no period for two weeks, period for 3 days, no period for 4 weeks, period for 2 and a half weeks...") I gave up trying to work out my cycle because I know it's completely out the window hosed. Apparently there is absolutely nothing hormonally wrong with me.
Can't do tampons because a) it hurts to have pretty much anything up there and b) when I'm tidal waving everywhere I don't want to be sticking my hand there, it's just a giant slippery mess, like trying to thread a needle when your fingers have recently been shot off or something. Also it took me a long time to actually locate my vagina. Yeah I know that's extremely embarrassing, but..yeah :/
I have not had any penis/dildo/carrot relations down there just so you know. Have not ever been to an ob/gyn either.

tl:dr I fail at being a woman and want to hurl my uterus out the window, also lady-parts are barely functional. Is it worth it for me to try this or will I just want end up screaming? Is it easy to use if you're one of the few women in the world who can't predict their cycle?

Nthing the suggestion to see an OB/GYN. But outside of that, I started using my DivaCup when I was a virgin (get the smaller size) and it was definitely a tight fit at first, but after a few hours, you don't notice it anymore. Well after I cut off that stupid little stem at the bottom.

And I've been using a cup for four years and I love it. Even during the heaviest of my cycles I only have to empty it every 4 hours at the most. I had problems with tampons leaking and awkward spotting, but the cup prevents all that mess. Best $20 I've ever spent.

wizxz
Aug 4, 2004

Goon dad checking in here. My daughter just started her period a few months ago. I don't think her mom is going to waver from from the pad/tampon solutions of yesteryear, would it be weird for me to suggest cups to my daughter? She's almost 12 (god she's just a baby!).

Advise me enlightened goonettes!

Culinary Bears
Feb 1, 2007

Sphere, I've had the same problem. In my case nothing turned out to be seriously wrong with my uterus, but visiting a doctor allowed me to put a stop to the bleeding entirely, for the vast majority of the time. I managed to find an OCP that I could take continuously (no breaks) without any really bad side-effects, and while I'll still spot sometimes or have the rare softcore period, it's absolutely nothing compared to what things used to be like.

As far as I know, continuously taking monophasic birth control pills doesn't have any more side-effects than taking them with a 7 day break, so if anyone here is having really nasty period issues consider bringing this up to your Gyn. In my case, even my withdrawal bleeding periods from regular use of birth control were always extremely heavy and painful, though nobody's sure why.

Edit: It's not totally side-effect free for me, though. Sometimes I get unusually lethargic or depressed, usually around the time I end up bleeding, and I can't build muscle for crap compared to other girls doing the same stuff when working out. But that's still worth it compared to not knowing whether or when I'll be rendered completely incapable of school/work/anything for a week or two at a time, anemia, etc.

Culinary Bears fucked around with this message at 21:06 on Nov 16, 2010

spatula
Nov 6, 2004

wizxz posted:

Goon dad checking in here. My daughter just started her period a few months ago. I don't think her mom is going to waver from from the pad/tampon solutions of yesteryear, would it be weird for me to suggest cups to my daughter? She's almost 12 (god she's just a baby!).

Advise me enlightened goonettes!

Knowing what I know now I would be very grateful to have discovered cups so early after getting my period, but having my dad tell me about it would be pretty awkward. Also at age 12 I wouldn't have considered the cup because I wasn't really cool with manipulating stuff around in my vagina, but I also didn't even use tampons until age 15 or so.

I'd try to get your wife on board first, while your daughter is still getting used to having a period at all. You know your daughter best, but if it was my 12 year old self with my dad I would just be like "dad, you are so weird. what do you know about periods anyway?!"

Alterian
Jan 28, 2003

wizxz posted:

Goon dad checking in here. My daughter just started her period a few months ago. I don't think her mom is going to waver from from the pad/tampon solutions of yesteryear, would it be weird for me to suggest cups to my daughter? She's almost 12 (god she's just a baby!).

Advise me enlightened goonettes!

I think I would have died if my dad talked to me about that sort of stuff. I think you should leave it up to your wife who might know a little better. Its hard to use a cup if you're not "familiar" with yourself down there and I could see it actually being a bit painful if you're not comfortable enough sticking your fingers up your vagina.

I don't think I would have been comfortable enough with myself to use one until I was 18 or so.

DeliciousDarkness
Apr 29, 2007

by Y Kant Ozma Post
I love the DivaCup! I've also used the Keeper (which was made by the same company I think, before they had the clear silicone cup). Being natural rubber, I felt the Keeper sometimes got a strange rubbery blood smell. I didn't like that. The DivaCup is awesomazing and I love it. It doesn't leak, it's much better for the environment, you never have to bum a tampon again, it doesn't hurt pulling it out or putting it in, and I sort of think it's fun to see what the blood looks like when it's not all up in some nasty cotton. (Yeah, I'm a goon at heart) I boil it in water with a Tbsp or two of white distilled vinegar to disinfect it at the beginning of my period. I empty it in the shower.

You can totally feel like a hippie without having to have dreads and pit hair and crappy music. Love it.

I just bought MY GIRLFRIEND one and made her a little period care kit with chocolate and a handmade machine-quilted microwavable rice-stuffed cotton heating pad out of pretty fabric (I'm an awesome GIRLFRIEND) but I think she was a little scared to try the cup. Next month I'm going to pin her down and shove it up there. Just kidding. Sorta. Also bonus, you can still fool around with it in and there's no blood or strings to get in the way. And nothing makes cramps feel better like a good orgasm amirite ladies?

Bottom line is, if you're scared to try it stop being a pussy and take the plunge. You'll be glad you did.

DeliciousDarkness
Apr 29, 2007

by Y Kant Ozma Post

wizxz posted:

Goon dad checking in here. My daughter just started her period a few months ago. I don't think her mom is going to waver from from the pad/tampon solutions of yesteryear, would it be weird for me to suggest cups to my daughter? She's almost 12 (god she's just a baby!).

Advise me enlightened goonettes!

Definitely let the wife take care of the talks. Ugh so awkward. However, cloth pads might be a decent solution, at least part-time? I haven't tried them, but the ones at vulvalovelovely.com are super cute. (possibly NSFW, she also does interesting/weird vulva jewelry)

Kimmalah
Nov 14, 2005

Basically just a baby in a trenchcoat.


wizxz posted:

Goon dad checking in here. My daughter just started her period a few months ago. I don't think her mom is going to waver from from the pad/tampon solutions of yesteryear, would it be weird for me to suggest cups to my daughter? She's almost 12 (god she's just a baby!).

Advise me enlightened goonettes!

First, I'll say kudos to you for even considering this. Most dads won't even touch this subject or help out with it, so good on you!

But like others have said, it might be kind of awkward for this to be coming from you at her age. And at 12, she might not be familiar or comfortable enough with her body to use a cup. As an example, I didn't even get comfortable with using tampons until I was about 22 or so and I know some of my friends who are the same way. It's worth a try, but don't be surprised if it doesn't go over well at first.


The oval office Pickle posted:

This is very much a soapbox of mine. My Mom didn't go to the gyno for 13 years and when someone finally strongarmed her into going she had Stage 2 cervical cancer and 16 cysts that had to be removed. She lost all but a paper-thin layer of her cervix and was in treatment for over a year.

That, and I;m studying to be a women's health physician assistant. You're doing yourself a serious disservice by just hoping the problem will go away. 1- You could have something serious that could potentially cause permanent damage or death, and 2- You don't have to live in misery and fear of when the floodgates open. That is not anything close to a normal menstrual cycle and indicates something could be very wrong in there. Do yourself a favor and get checked out. If you're low on money, though I don't know how you feel about this morally- non-profit abortion clinics charge peanuts for pelvic exams and can point you in the right direction if more testing is needed and can help you get financial assistance for it.

Another good option if it's available is the state/county health services. I go to my county health department for pap smears and birth control. Everyone is very professional and just as skilled as what you would find in any other OB/GYN's office. Since they charge based on income and I'm unemployed at the moment, they don't charge me anything for exams or pills.

But I agree with everyone else Infamous Sphere, definitely get checked out by a doctor that specializes in this stuff. Something is definitely wrong and you shouldn't suffer just because some GP blew you off. Yes, the exams are a little awkward, but they really aren't that bad. Most doctors know it feels weird and they try really hard to make it as comfortable as they can (especially if you tell them you're new to the whole thing).

thebehaviorist
Jan 11, 2009

Has anyone tried the Lunette cup? I'm thinking of getting the limited edition Diana Lunette because it's green and cute. It's sitting in my amazon cart, but I thought I'd check in here first to see if anyone had any opinions on it. FYI I'm 26, no kids, just got an IUD, and have extremely light periods. Never used a cup before, but thanks to this thread I can't wait to get one and try it out!

appleskates
Feb 21, 2008

Find your freedom in the music.
Find your Jesus, find your Kubrick.
Oooh yay another cup thread! I have a Meluna with a ball stem, and it's both pretty and easy to remove. My purse got stolen last summer and I lessen the pain of that experience by imagining what the loser who stole it thought of (and did with) my awesome purple cup. Heh.

Oh and in regards to the question about the 12 year old, I have a preteen daughter and there is NO WAY she would be okay with using a cup, or even discussing it really. I don't even want to explain it all to her because she is pretty weird about germs anyway and if she knew what I did with my hands she may never hug me again. :( I would definitely talk to the mom about it and let her deal with all period discussions. I also agree that cloth pads may be a nice compromise.

Oh, I ordered my Meluna from this place: https://femininewear.co.uk and it got here (the southern US) in about a week and cost maybe $22 with shipping.

Reene
Aug 26, 2005

:justpost:

Alterian posted:

I think I would have died if my dad talked to me about that sort of stuff. I think you should leave it up to your wife who might know a little better. Its hard to use a cup if you're not "familiar" with yourself down there and I could see it actually being a bit painful if you're not comfortable enough sticking your fingers up your vagina.

I don't think I would have been comfortable enough with myself to use one until I was 18 or so.

That's a point in favor of him suggesting it, really; girls should absolutely learn how to be comfortable with their own bodies, especially around puberty when everything starts being new and weird and a little scary. While I would agree that it should be something that comes from a mother at that age, I'd definitely give talking to the wife about it a shot.

Oracle
Oct 9, 2004

I agree with Reene. Though I would just buy one and leave it on her bed/in her bathroom without letting her know its from dad and let her decide if she wants to try it out or not. I was using tampons at 12 with no problems but I never had any body issues either and we were a fairly open household when it came to bodily functions. I would've killed for something like that at that age; having tampons fall out of your purse at school is about the most embarrassing thing ever.

razz
Dec 26, 2005

Queen of Maceration
I wish somebody would have talked to me about periods when I was a kid. Neither my mom or dad ever did, I had to figure it out all by myself and was too embarrassed to ever ask my mom so I just stole her pads for like two years until I figured out tampons. I never even told my mom when I first started my period, for all I know she probably thinks I never even got mine and now I'm 24.

Alterian
Jan 28, 2003

My mom started crying when I told her I got mine and exclaimed that I am now a woman and then took me out for a prime rib dinner. To this day she still remembers the exact date of when I got my first period. :psyduck:

Fionnoula
May 27, 2010

Ow, quit.

Alterian posted:

My mom started crying when I told her I got mine and exclaimed that I am now a woman and then took me out for a prime rib dinner. To this day she still remembers the exact date of when I got my first period. :psyduck:

Oh god, my mother attempted to do some sort of celebrating womanhood lunch date with me and I was so loving embarrassed by her excitement I refused to take part. She also didn't know that I'd had my period for several months before she found out. I only told her because I was babysitting and ran out of supplies so I had to call her to have her bring some over.

She had pulled me aside when I was 10 to explain everything to me, so that I'd be prepared for it. The first thing I did when she was done was run to my brother and tell him all about what that stuff under the sink was for. It made a lot more sense than my father's explanation - he insisted that tampons were torches for dwarves and we couldn't figure out why we had them considering Snow White and her pals didn't live in our neighborhood.

Hip Hoptimus Prime
Jul 7, 2009

Ask me how I gained back all the weight I lost by eating your pets.

Alterian posted:

My mom started crying when I told her I got mine and exclaimed that I am now a woman and then took me out for a prime rib dinner. To this day she still remembers the exact date of when I got my first period. :psyduck:

My mom didn't do this, but later that week she came home from the drugstore with a "period kit" of a change of underwear, pads (that's what I first used, ick), and then some magazines as a present. She also told my aunt, who is also my Godmother, about it.

grammagoulis
Jul 1, 2007
Chiming in with some more cup love. They really are a godsend for people with terrible periods. I get chunks of tissue during the first day or two of my period*. Needless to say, tampons do not absorb solids and they're all but useless to me. Having to take my cup out and put it back in does make my cramps a little worse (still nothing compared to the cervical battering rams that are tampons), but I only have to do it three or four times a day at the most, so it's really not that bad. It's even more worth it since I haven't needed a panty liner or pad since I started using it (god I hate those things).




*I've been to several different gynecologists and all they can say is it's not cancer, PCOS, or fibroids. My hormones are kinda funky, but every time doctors gently caress with them they break my brain. I'll take awful periods over suicidal depression, psychosis, or anxiety any day.

Tulip Candy
Jan 23, 2007

I love tuna fish and field mouse pudding.
I started getting my period when I was 8 because of a small tumor pressing against my pituitary gland (fun times). I didn't even know what the gently caress had happened the first time I got it since it looked like someone had smeared dark chocolate in my panties and nobody had explained to me what it was supposed to happen. I hid my underwear because I was scared, my mom found it and got mad at me since I was supposed to tell her when it happened for medical reasons.

I used to use pads and completely soak them through, ending up soaking my, thankfully dark, uniform shorts. Probably the only girl in grade school with that problem. :v:

While I wish I had a cup back then, it would have been a disaster considering I didn't even know what sex was and I wonder if it would have fit an 8-year old.

Man, I didn't even start using tampons since my then-boyfriend told me to try them out when I was 17. My mother is so, so scared of the idea of toxic shock she wouldn't let me touch them.

Eggplant Wizard
Jul 8, 2005


i loev catte
I'm glad other people are saying that their cup lessened their cramps. I have always felt this to be true and I thought I was just being crazy because I don't know how it could possibly help. It does, though.

I posted this question in the birth control thread, but I'd like to hear more about using a cup with an IUD. I'm considering getting a Mirena and my love of my Divacup is the major sticking point right now. I really don't want to go back to tampons and pads. Could people please post more of their experiences and the risks about using an IUD and a cup at the same time?

eta: Okay I'm an idiot, this question happened on the last page with plenty of reassurance :downs: Still, any more reassurance people want to offer, if they haven't piped in yet, is still very welcome :)

Pata Pata Pata Pon
Jun 20, 2007

I didn't even have a period for the two years I had a Mirena, so it may not even be an issue for you! :). I actually bought a Divacup in anticipation of getting my Mirena out once my husband and I knew we wanted to start trying for a kid.

bloodpet
Aug 16, 2004
Why?

razz posted:

I wish somebody would have talked to me about periods when I was a kid. Neither my mom or dad ever did, I had to figure it out all by myself and was too embarrassed to ever ask my mom so I just stole her pads for like two years until I figured out tampons. I never even told my mom when I first started my period, for all I know she probably thinks I never even got mine and now I'm 24.

I thought I was the only one! Awesome, I feel less weird now!

Also,

spatula posted:

^I know someone who uses a cup with their IUD and it's no problem, it's not contraindicated or anything

They told me it was contraindicated. I tried Instead once (horrible, and pre-Paraguard) and they rubbed right where my strings were. My strings have kind of... moved since then. I am seriously thinking about trying a cup. They look softer than the instead cups.

I want to hear from more ladies who use a cup with an IUD... What kind of cup? What kind of IUD? How long?

ETA:

Eggplant Wizard posted:

eta: Okay I'm an idiot, this question happened on the last page with plenty of reassurance :downs: Still, any more reassurance people want to offer, if they haven't piped in yet, is still very welcome :)

Lol, I am way more of an idiot, but drat it, I want to use a cup and an IUD!

bloodpet fucked around with this message at 23:13 on Nov 18, 2010

Kimmalah
Nov 14, 2005

Basically just a baby in a trenchcoat.


bloodpet posted:

I thought I was the only one! Awesome, I feel less weird now!


Nope, you're not the only one. I never wanted to say a word about it. My mom only knew because she was still doing my laundry. She came into my room and just asked me about it point blank - I think I just nodded my head and that was that. No celebratory dinners thank goodness. :gonk:

spatula
Nov 6, 2004

bloodpet posted:

They told me it was contraindicated. I tried Instead once (horrible, and pre-Paraguard) and they rubbed right where my strings were. My strings have kind of... moved since then. I am seriously thinking about trying a cup. They look softer than the instead cups.

Oh, Insteads are completely different in the way they sit in your vagina. A reusable cup should sit low enough that it wouldn't bother your IUD at all.

The girl I know who uses an IUD + cup has a Divacup, and she has been doing it for years with no issues as far as I can tell. I think the main concern with IUDs is the possible suction, but a narrower cup like the Diva shouldn't have much suction at all.

Also this might help: http://community.livejournal.com/menstrual_cups/tag/iud

spatula fucked around with this message at 23:24 on Nov 18, 2010

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bloodpet
Aug 16, 2004
Why?
Thanks so much, that is what kind I will get!

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