Girls Room

[Jess]

Awwww....coolies. That's what I felt like when I started using tampons - "I'll never go back to using just pads ever again!"

[Emmadolly]

I new you were waiting for it, but unsure of when you recieved it. Was it easy to use?.

[MarMar]

It's far more comfortable than both tampons and pads. I've written a long post about it in my LJ which I can post here if people are interested.

[MarMar]

This is the post I wrote in my LJ ar 5am this morning. I've had trouble sleeping lately

Now that I am at the end of my cycle, I thought I'd write a little post about how my first period with the Diva Cup has been. That, and.. I can't sleep (present time: 5:28am)

I don't want to gross people out, but after reading "****" and a whole lot in the [LJ-community] and both the book and the community says that it's good for you to know your cycle, how much you bleed on which days and all that. I don't know why. Maybe I do, but I'm too tired to remember right now. Whatever, this post might contain information people don't want. If so, don't read it. If you do, don't come complaining to me afterwards. I'm too tired to care

After 10 years of pads, and about 5 with tampons as well, it was time to try something new. After reading in Lemonlie's LJ that she had bought a Diva Cup, something I had never heard about before, I was more than intrigued. A quick look at the official site I was even more interested. I thought about it for a while and cursed myself for having my period as I would have to wait a whole month before being able to use it. I ordered it, and it arrived a week later.

I had for a long time planned to do a few dry-runs, as they call it, but anxiety and the idea of me being super-girl prevented me from practising insertion, popping and removal until the day before my period. I had cramping and back pains all day and even bleed a bit (which proved to be like two drops) the day before my usual red day, so I squeesed the cup into a C-fold and crammed it in there. It popped open without any problems but the stem kept poking me and it hurt to walk. After a gew hours of trial and error, the entire stem was removed and I tried to insert with the punch-down fold instead while lying on my back with my legs in the air. The Boyfriend laughed at me, as I looked quite silly - legs in the air, no clothes on the lower part of my body and trying to push something up my (sorry for the word) pussy. Silly or not, it got it and popped open. With the stem out of the way, there was no discomfort or pain and I was good to go.

I decided to use some pantyliners to make sure there was no leakage or anything, which there weren't. The cup has not leaked so far.

When I removed the cup in the shower Friday afternoon, I was more than a little disappointed to see that I had only managed to fill it up to the last line at the bottom of the cup. But it was fun to empty it and see how pink the water got. I inserted it again with the punch-down fold, but it proved to be more difficult doing it in a comfortable way in the shower than it had lying down on the bed. But, I got it in. I did, however, have a problem with it not popping open like it did the first time. But, this sorted it self out and I've felt it pop open while walking to the bedroom, jumping up and down on the bed and even in the store a few minutes after insertion. It's like someone jumps out from behind a door.. only... inside your vagina. Weird. Spooky. And kind of funny.

During the first two days I had some episodes where it felt like the cup was on its way out. Of course, it's not, but I had to push it a bit up and squeese my vaginal muscles to get it up to its assigned place. The official site plus the people at the community say you should be able to go to the toilet (including bowel movements, or poop, as I say) with the cup in. I did so at first, but it didn't feel comfortable during the next few days, so I made a habit of emptying the cup while having to do number two. Still, no more blood than the last line at the bottom of the cup. Now I have it in me all day without the feeling of it slipping out. I don't feel it's there at all.

My period ends Monday night/Tuesday mornings, so I've kept it in to catch every little drop. It's been fun to see how the blood change color and consistency through the cycle, and now at the very end, it contained some weird brown watery-substance. Weird.

All in all, I find the Diva Cup to be a success.

-No leaks

Self-explanatory.

-Can't feel it inside me

Tampons have never been a problem for me, but there are times when I have to go to the bathroom again after insertion to push it further in, which sometimes hurts. The Diva Cup is not like that. It's in and it warms up so that you don't feel it. This gives me more comfortable periods. I'm able to go to bed without fear of leaking outside the pad.

-Don't have to be changed as often as pads/tampons

They say every 12 hours, but I keep it in longer as it's not dangerous and I'm such a light bleeder. Just for the record, there has been no known cases of TSS as a result of any kind of menstrual cup.

-Less messy, believe it or not.

Now that I've tried it, I don't think I'll go back to pads/tampons. They are messy and smelly compared to this. The blood is insde the cup and you just rinse it in the sink, before reinserting it. I'll be washing the Diva Cup with some lactacyd and store it in the cotton-bag until next month.

-Environmentally friendly, and good for your vagina too

Some numbers from the official Diva Cup site:

*about 70% of the 73 million women are of menstruating age in the U.S. use tampons

*lifetime tampon usage is about 11,400 (5 days X 5 tampons X 38 years)

*in the U.S., women between 11 and 60 years of age reported 216 cases of menstrual TSS reported in 1993; 244 cases in 1994

*risk of TSS is higher for women under 30 years old; 60% of patients are between 15 and 24 years of age

*fatality rate of TSS is 3% to 5%, but it is estimated that only 10% of cases of TSS are reported, as many women suffer only flu-like symptoms

*absorbency enhancers in tampons can cause peeling of the mucous membrane, vaginal dryness, ulcers, and lesions

perfumes and fragrances in some tampons are reported to cause internal irritation, allergic reactions, and disruptions of a woman's microbial balance

*"tampon users were demonstrated to be 18 times more likely to develop menstrual TSS as non-users", Infectious Diseases in Obstetrics & Gynecology, 1993, Gilles R.G. Monif

*"of [Toxic Shock] cases occuring in menstruating women, up to 99% were using vaginal tampons", Obstetrics and Gynecologic Infectious Disease, 1994, James McGregor and James Todd, (Chapter 21 - Toxic Shock Syndrome)

*"vaginal inflammation can result from rayon fibers from tampons becoming embedded in vaginal walls", Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 1980

*tampons made chiefly of rayon have some levels of dioxin

*"rayon tampons amplify the growth of the Toxic Shock Syndrome bacteria TSST-1"

American Society for Microbiology Journal, May 1994, Dr. Philip Tierno of NYU Medical Center

*dioxin levels once thought acceptable are now reported to adversely affect the reproductive and immune systems, "A Health Assessment Document for Dioxin", published by the Environmental Protection Agency, 1996

*"cotton tampons offer no protective advantage over cotton/rayon tampons with regard to protection from TSS" Journal of Infectious Diseases, October 1995 (study by Dept. of Microbiology, University of Minnesota

[Emmadolly]

Yes i am interested in reading it. I read the posts you made before you had it, but it is better to know what others think. That have actually used the product.

[Jess]

I'm getting more and more tempted by the day (by the hour, infact) to try one....you may have another convert on your hands, Mar...that is if I can work out how to get around the small problem of the parents....anyway, I'm off to bed now, night all! xXx

[MarMar]

Remember that you can return it for a whole year if you're not satisfied with it.

From the official site:

Is The DivaCup™ guaranteed?

Yes, The DivaCup™ is guaranteed. Please contact our trained customer service advisors if you are having any problems by phone 1-866-444-DIVA, or e-mail us at [email protected]. Usually if there is a problem we can solve it over the phone, e-mail, or by searching for your problem on our website.

The DivaCup™ has a one year money back satisfaction guarantee from date of purchase (minus the cost of the original shipping, if applicable).

Return to point of purchase with receipt.

This guarantee does not cover damages caused by accidents, failure to follow directions, natural product discoloration, cutting off the entire stem, loss or misuse of product.

[Emmadolly]

Very funny, but interesting to read. I find alot of discomfort using tampons, so i will give it some thought about getting the cup. As i bleed very heavy, and it would be a ideal way to dee how much i actually lose each month.

[shawtyy]

I am getting tempted to try one too.

[Emmadolly]

How much do they cost, i don't suppose a great deal, to compeared to the price of pads and tampons for a year. I am still lol, when i read you was on the bed with your legs in the air. As that brought back memories of me trying to get pregnant for the first time.