Diva cup - heavy flow q?

[rubytue]

Probably doesn't take a rocket scientist to guess this is a TMI discussion.

Anyone have an approximate Diva to tampon ratio? My obgyn asks me how many tampons I go through a day. I say I use a diva cup, but on heaviest days it's leaking in 3-4 hours. She looks at me like I have two heads. She can't convert diva to tampon to come up with a "is this too much" decision. I say it is. She says it "doesn't sound like a problem."

I guess I could try tampons for a month, but damn if I just can't imagine going back to them. Even when I get caught by surprise and need one til I get, I'm like scratchy! Pee soaked string! Ewww

[rubytue]

One would think... She just wanted to know tampons/hour. Maybe I could do math and figure it out for her.

Maybe find a new gyn. I've only seen her for a year, so it's an option. She doesn't have much history with me. I'm just prepping up for my next annual. I want to go in with numbers.

[cuadrado]

I feel like she should be able to figure this out... since she's an obgyn and all.

I don't know the ratio but leaking in 3-4 hours sounds like a lot. I used a Diva Cup a couple of years ago and on my heaviest days, I was changing a super tampon every ~4 hours. I could leave my DC in all day.

[tacom]

that sounds like a lot of blood to me for 3-4 hours. for reference, I fill about 1 diva cup (1oz) during my entire period. I change it and wash it every 12 hours but there typically isn't much except for the first day, when it's 1/4 full.

[Deleted]

No idea but when I had fibroids I took my Dr a spreadsheet with how full the diva cup was when I changed it and that prompted a referral to a specialist. So the oz should mean something to her.

[Nonny]

Your gyn sounds like an idiot who doesn't want to do her own research, a DivaCup leaking after 3-4 hours is insane! (Providing of course the air holes aren't plugged, but if you've been using it for years you'd know if that was the problem.) 

Per the DivaCup website, the cup holds 30ml, and an average flow is 30-60ml/cycle.

divacup.com/how-it-works/your-first-questions/

The FDA sets absorbency ratings, which are in grams - from Wikipedia - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tampon#Absorbency_ratings

Tampons are available in several absorbency ratings, which are consistent across manufacturers in the U.S.
Junior/Light absorbency: 6 g and under
Regular absorbency: 6 to 9 g
Super absorbency: 9 to 12 g
Super Plus absorbency 12 to 15 g
Ultra absorbency 15–18 g

Some googling suggests 1 ml of water = 1 gram, and 1 ml of blood = 1.05 or 1.06 grams, although this won't be perfect math because I would suspect menstrual blood would be denser still, but in any case, 30 ml * 1.05 = 31.5.

This would put you at either about one super or one ultra tampon about every 2 hours. 

[shortcake2675]

I have a large MeLuna (34 ml) and leak after an hour or two on my heaviest days. I blame my paragard, but my OB wasn't super concerned, though he did offer me progesterone for the last two weeks of my cycle. I gained 10 lbs in the two weeks I took it and still had a beyond heavy cycle, plus super tears, so I didn't refill the script again. I leaked through a super tampon in an hour when I tried a tampon.

[boiler717]

I would say that's a very heavy flow. I would equate half a diva cup to a super plus tampon.

[cosmowife]

Paragard resulted in me leaking every 1.5 hours with my diva cup. This was to the point that I was getting light headed and weak. So your flow is probably excessive as well. Without the paragard, I only needed to change it twice a day.

[wildfloweragain]

I fill my diva cup every 2-3 hrs on the first 2 days, then I can go 4 hrs ,etc. Larger, after having kids size.

Sent from my SM-G900V using proboards

[rubytue]

Thanks all! This is really helpful. I felt it was excessive, I have fibroids. I want to do something about them, but last year she just brushed it all aside. It's about a year later and I'm still frustrated.

I love @randomcnd 's spreadsheet. I think I will do that! And I looked at my diva and it's actually marked with ml and ounces. So this should be easy.

Of course, I'm mid period now. This was posted in the middle of "OMG I can't believe she told me this was normal"

[rubytue]

Ps Nonny rocks! I probably could have found all that and done it, but I really appreciate you pulling it together!

[Deleted]

Aug 29, 2015 9:12:29 GMT -5 rubytue said:

Thanks all! This is really helpful. I felt it was excessive, I have fibroids. I want to do something about them, but last year she just brushed it all aside. It's about a year later and I'm still frustrated.

I love @randomcnd 's spreadsheet. I think I will do that! And I looked at my diva and it's actually marked with ml and ounces. So this should be easy.

Of course, I'm mid period now. This was posted in the middle of "OMG I can't believe she told me this was normal"

Yeah, trying to explain very heavy bleeding got me nowhere. But when he saw a week's worth of numbers, so I broke it down by hours, each hour I had emptied had how much was in there, he got concerned. Way tmi, but I would also note if there were clots which concerned him even more how often there were and how large some were.

[scout8]

Aug 29, 2015 0:49:10 GMT -5 @randomcdn said:

No idea but when I had fibroids I took my Dr a spreadsheet with how full the diva cup was when I changed it and that prompted a referral to a specialist. So the oz should mean something to her.

What kind of specialist? I am getting nowhere with my gyn on my heavy period/short cycle issues. 

[Deleted]

Aug 30, 2015 8:21:44 GMT -5 scout8 said:

Aug 29, 2015 0:49:10 GMT -5 @randomcdn said:

No idea but when I had fibroids I took my Dr a spreadsheet with how full the diva cup was when I changed it and that prompted a referral to a specialist. So the oz should mean something to her.

What kind of specialist? I am getting nowhere with my gyn on my heavy period/short cycle issues. 

Well I'm in Canada, so not sure if it's different? But I go to a family doctor, he sent me for an ultrasound and the fibroids were large enough that he sent me to a gynocologist who only works starting with referrals. (I normally see my family Dr for everything, including my yearly exam/pap. I also saw my family Dr for prenatal care until 34 weeks when he referred me to an OB for delivery.)

Anyway, that gyno has hospital privileges, so he performed my day surgery. He also helps with infertility. I don't think he does anything else

Hope that helps. Maybe you just need a new gyno

[scout8]

Aug 30, 2015 11:36:26 GMT -5 @domerjen said:

Aug 30, 2015 8:21:44 GMT -5 scout8 said:

What kind of specialist? I am getting nowhere with my gyn on my heavy period/short cycle issues. 

I've been putting off going for it, bc I feel like there is nothing to be done since I don't want hormonal bc. I have a short cycle too, and really heavy period. This month I started spotting on day 22, got my period on day 26. I'm now on day 9 of bleeding

I'm not sure what can be done either. BCP worked great for me, but I had some clotting issues discovered during all of our fertility treatment so no more estrogen for me. I have tried progesterone options, but they made things worse. I think the only other options are an ablation (but that won't help the short cycles) or a hysterectomy. I need to make another appointment with my gyn to figure out what to try next.

I feel your pain. My cycles are 20-22 days and I bleed for 7. Ugh. Would you be open to progesterone? I know a lot of people have great luck with a Mirena. I don't want to try it since other progesterone options have been a disaster. 

[rubytue]

I will say my options are a bit more open. I'm 41 with no kids. I'd be happy with an ablation or even considering other options. I know I have fibroids, they've been seen on CTs and multiple ultrasounds. Last year, she said my uterus was about the size of a 10-12 week pregnancy. I'm ready to not deal with this anymore. And I'd like to think fixing the fibroids my bladder issues (pressing in bladder when I lay down) and maybe even my belly - but that could just be fat (most likely issue lol)

[genet313]

Aug 29, 2015 0:49:10 GMT -5 @randomcdn said:

No idea but when I had fibroids I took my Dr a spreadsheet with how full the diva cup was when I changed it and that prompted a referral to a specialist. So the oz should mean something to her.

I also have fibroids OP. I haven't gotten a post parttum period yet but before PG I was definitely leaking in 3-4 hours on my heavy days. Sometimes even less time than that. It was bad, but definitely related fibroids in my case. Is qualify your flow as very heavy.

I will say that i felt like the cup would "pull" blood out faster or something so my heavy days would be bananas but my overall period would be shorter.

[Deleted]

Aug 30, 2015 11:36:26 GMT -5 @domerjen said:

Aug 30, 2015 8:21:44 GMT -5 scout8 said:

What kind of specialist? I am getting nowhere with my gyn on my heavy period/short cycle issues. 

I've been putting off going for it, bc I feel like there is nothing to be done since I don't want hormonal bc. I have a short cycle too, and really heavy period. This month I started spotting on day 22, got my period on day 26. I'm now on day 9 of bleeding

There is middle ground. I had a histrectomy? It's very non-invasive, day procedure, done with laser, low risk. 

[Deleted]

Aug 29, 2015 1:15:16 GMT -5 Nonny said:

Your gyn sounds like an idiot who doesn't want to do her own research, a DivaCup leaking after 3-4 hours is insane!

This made me realize that outside of gbcn I've never heard a diva cup mentioned in any medical text book or by any medical providers, patients or by any of my friends. I wonder if/when it'll be a lot more common with a diverse group of women. 

Obviously if I had a patient come to me with a complaint and I had never heard of a diva cup I'd try to google it. But yeah emptying it 3-4 times really doesn't sound all that insane just thinking about it quickly as I would assume it's a small cup and sounds comparable to changing a tampon 3-4 times per day. But clearly your research has proven otherwise. Her doctor might not be an idiot.

Anyway, OP, is this all of a sudden a drastic change for you? If so, then explain that to your doctor that you're concerned because your bleeding is getting heavier. And maybe not ideal, but could you go 1 or 2 days and use tampons just to get a number? Also, are you having any clots? If so, I'd definitely mention that. Any blood work lately that shows your anemic? I hope you find a solution. 

[msmerymac]

A diva cup holds about 3-4 times as much as a tampon, and I'd estimate you'd be using 1 tampon per hour.

[rubytue]

@wandering - that makes some sense. If she thought it was like a tampon, then 3 hours doesn't sound like much. But it holds a full ounce and, until about 2 years ago, I'd go the full 12-hours recommended without issue.

And yes, clots I thought that was somewhat normal.

[Nonny]

Aug 30, 2015 13:59:55 GMT -5 @wandering said:

Aug 29, 2015 1:15:16 GMT -5 Nonny said:

Your gyn sounds like an idiot who doesn't want to do her own research, a DivaCup leaking after 3-4 hours is insane!

This made me realize that outside of gbcn I've never heard a diva cup mentioned in any medical text book or by any medical providers, patients or by any of my friends. I wonder if/when it'll be a lot more common with a diverse group of women. 

Obviously if I had a patient come to me with a complaint and I had never heard of a diva cup I'd try to google it. But yeah emptying it 3-4 times really doesn't sound all that insane just thinking about it quickly as I would assume it's a small cup and sounds comparable to changing a tampon 3-4 times per day. But clearly your research has proven otherwise. Her doctor might not be an idiot.

Anyway, OP, is this all of a sudden a drastic change for you? If so, then explain that to your doctor that you're concerned because your bleeding is getting heavier. And maybe not ideal, but could you go 1 or 2 days and use tampons just to get a number? Also, are you having any clots? If so, I'd definitely mention that. Any blood work lately that shows your anemic? I hope you find a solution. 

Sorry, not sorry.  Her doctor blew her off without doing any research, ergo, this doctor is at best lazy and at worst an idiot. It took me less than 10 minutes to google the information and do the conversion.  If her cup is leaking after 3-4 hours, that would be changing the cup 6-8 times a day, and for a product that is designed to be changed twice a day, even without knowing the exact numbers, that should be indicative of there being a problem.