I made the leap a year ago. I had to go back to tampons, unfortunately. I'm one of the few this thing just did.not.work for. But - I have a "retroverted uterus" which I think plays a role. I think maybe twice, in the 5 months of using it, was I able to get it in where it really felt secure, I didn't feel it, and it didn't leak.
I just could not get it to fit so that it was comfortable.
Damn, I was all set to get one but this has me worried. I have a tilted uterus as well. Might have to try it anyway!
Post by 80sjunkie on Sept 19, 2012 17:36:59 GMT -5
Peroxide tip is awesome, thanks! I have also talked to a few women IRL about the diva cup and one of them finally bought one. She agrees that it is life changing.
I think they HAVE to say that for sanitation reasons, even though it's not necessary.
I read somewhere (prob. on here) that the website/literature that comes with it used to say 10 years, but then there was some regulation, or getting U.S. approval or something that made them have to say 1 year.
honestly, what kind of vag infection will you get with a 10 year old cup that can't come from an 8 month old cup? If you clean it, you won't get anything* and if you don't clean it, surely there would be a problem before a year was up.
*just keep in mind that washing it with an antibacterial soap can give you a yeast infection -- or so I've been told
I'm so curious. And timid. And frugal (and currently unemployed), so I'm so torn on spending so much for something that may or may not fit and be comfortable.
Ugh. Decisions, decisions. I use Target (Up & Up?) tampons, which are maybe $5/box, and I only use half a box per cycle. That's over a year of tampons to spend up front for this thing.
Do those of you who boil the thing have a special pot for it? I'm trying to imagine the look on DH's face if he realizes that's what's on the stove.
I think after hearing over the years, I am going to bite the bullet and order. After having my son, my periods are so heavy tampons and pads are not enough at times. Does anyone wear a liner/pad with it? I guess maybe just for the first few months until you get the hang of it.
Where did you guys buy yours? I am looking at drugstore.com right now. Does CVS sell them?
Post by 80sjunkie on Sept 19, 2012 18:59:05 GMT -5
I just googled and found the lowest price somewhere, perhaps amazon. I boil water and then throw the water in a tupperware container, I don't let it sit at a rolling boil.
Does anyone wear a liner/pad with it? I guess maybe just for the first few months until you get the hang of it.
Where did you guys buy yours? I am looking at drugstore.com right now. Does CVS sell them?
I wore a regular pad with it to start until I got it figured out, now I wear a liner with to keep trace amounts off my undies. Nothing that would leak without a liner is on the liner, but underwear would get stained. But, I also wear a liner daily for floopage reasons
Is this where I tell the story about my dog finding my cup and using it as a chew toy? I had just come home from vacation and hadn't had time to boil it. :S
Then my dad found the dog happily gnawing away, took it away from him, found me and my mom and asked what it was.
For those of you who have super heavy or are prone to clots, how often do you need to empty the thing. This is something that has always made me kind of grossed out, but I'm really intrigued that so many of you here use it AND love it. I'm same as a PP in that tampons just don't work. I have to use that AND a pad and I often still leak. Are there leakage issues?
Another super-heavy periods gal (well, prior to my endometrial ablation). I had to empty about every hour on the first 4-5 days but it is leaps and bounds over tampons/pads. There is definitely a learning curve of 3-4 cycles but once you get it you won't know how you did it before.
Also in the tilted uterus and no-pregnancy old lady big 'un club.
Okay, I went to Earth Fare tonight and bought one. My H was with me and I had to explain to him what it was. I wish someone could have witnessed that conversation.
I think after hearing over the years, I am going to bite the bullet and order. After having my son, my periods are so heavy tampons and pads are not enough at times. Does anyone wear a liner/pad with it? I guess maybe just for the first few months until you get the hang of it.
Where did you guys buy yours? I am looking at drugstore.com right now. Does CVS sell them?
I wear a liner with it, but then again I wear one every day anyway. For me, the draw is not that it's an eco-conscious alternative (hello, I still generate the liner waste) but it's just so.much.better than pads/tampons. I've actually thought that my periods are lighter and shorter than they were when using pads and tampons, something that another DC-using friend says as well; previously, every month was like a crime scene in my bathroom. LOVE my DC.
For those of you who have super heavy or are prone to clots, how often do you need to empty the thing. This is something that has always made me kind of grossed out, but I'm really intrigued that so many of you here use it AND love it. I'm same as a PP in that tampons just don't work. I have to use that AND a pad and I often still leak. Are there leakage issues?
Another super-heavy periods gal (well, prior to my endometrial ablation). I had to empty about every hour on the first 4-5 days but it is leaps and bounds over tampons/pads. There is definitely a learning curve of 3-4 cycles but once you get it you won't know how you did it before.
Also in the tilted uterus and no-pregnancy old lady big 'un club.
I got mine because of a very heavy, never ending period (turned out to be fibroids), at that times I did need a pad as back up but it meant I only had to be in the bathroom every 2-3 hours. With the super absorbent tampon and nighttime pad I was there at least every hour.
It saved my life at that point.
As an extra bonus it tells you how much liquid is in there, so finally my doctor was able to understand what "super heavy bleeding" meant and sent me for an ultrasound instead of trying more medications to control the bleeding.
What I found is when I was bleeding clots it would loosen the diva cup faster then just blood. It comes out with the help of gravity so more blood = more downward pressure.
Even with the learning curve and sometimes using liners so I can relax I love it. I too have noticed lighter cramping.
Me: Baby, there's a product called a Diva Cup. Have you ever heard of it? DH: No. [insert long pause, during which I'm sure he's going to ask what it is] [insert crickets chirping] Me: Ok.
What I found is when I was bleeding clots it would loosen the diva cup faster then just blood. It comes out with the help of gravity so more blood = more downward pressure.
I can attest to this. If the clots are big enough, it comes out easily. Like you're birthing a diva cup. Definitely not fun.
My H knows what it is, puts it on to boil for me sometimes when I find I'll need it soon (I suck at tracking my period since my ipod touch died along with all my cycle records). He even walked in on me once and I couldn't get him to leave because he wanted to see what the heck I was doing (and why it looked like murder in the toilet) - yes, he can be an odd one. Asking him to buy a new one/soap for one/etc wouldn't phase him.
I have had mine probably 2ish years now (glad you guys aren't making me anal about the one year instruction thing because trying to calculate it I think it's been almost 3 years using only two cups). At first I had to empty often - every hour to two hours - till I got the hang of how much could be in there without it leaking. Now I use it like a pro *fistpump!* and don't need liners/pads/anything as backup with it. First couple cycles, I would recommend wearing a regular pad in case you leak (cause if you bleed lots and it loses suction, lots will leak!)
Also, look up folds on youtube/google because as far as I remember, the one on the instructions was not the easiest as a beginner (not that I know which one that was now.) I used the 'triangle fold' to start, now I just use whatever the hell shape it gets into when I squeeze it in my hand. Also, when pulling it out, definitely break the seal at the top and pull it out as level as possible, that shit will cover your bathroom if you pull it out wrong! Well, that's a little bit of an exaggeration, but as a beginner blood drops outside the toilet did happen +o(
Oh, and I use a food pot - leave it in a rolling boil 10+minutes - pull it out to dry/cool on a cloth and put the pot in the dishwasher/sink to be cleaned. Sterilized vajayjay germs (aka nonexistent cooties?) aren't going to taint your/your hubby's meal in that same pot after it has been both boiled and washed - so tell him to suck it up if he says something.