spinoff: do you use a diva cup?

CousinVicki

 am always slightly surprised by the amount of people that use them.  ii have had such heavy periods before, these seem like a nightmare to take out. really, a huge giant NIGHTMARE.  *shudder

 

and don't get me started on the dorky 'diva' name!

 

 

 

 

Blueyed228

I have no interest in them.  Tampons work fine for me.

notquiteblushing

No, but I'm a weirdo that wears pads.

pulga131

forgive my ignorance but what is a diva cup? I of course use nothing since I don't have lady parts anymore but just curious

Bethany1026

LMAO! I just saw an ad for these in a magazine recently and could never imagine using that!

ellephunt

I do not. I would so be the one to spill it all over the place. However I do use Instead Cups around ovulation to keep the sperm up there. I still haven't mastered them and couldn't imagine using one for periods.

Neesey

I thought they were weird at first too when a friend told me she used one. My flow is too light even for a tiny tampon and I hate wearing pads so I thought I'd give it a try. I usually put it in /rinse it out in the shower in the morning and then again when I get home at night. It holds a lot so I've never been worried about leaking. It is SOOOO much easier to travel with than bringing a box of tampons and liners and pads. It took me about five minutes to figure it out the first time but after that it is really easy.  Oh for those of you who don't know what they are it is a cone shaped silicone cup that fits over your cervix. 

kz's_girlygirl

I have used ones almost exclusively for the past 5 years. ::shrug::  There's definitely a learning curve, but it's actually way less of a hassle than you might think. When I had to use pads after my lap I was wishing for my cup!

melgeorge7189

Yeah...I always wondered if you could feel it sloshing (I tried, but simply cannot think of a better word) around in there? There must be a benefit, I just don't see what it is.

ETA: I just read the explanation and now feel like an asshat.  I didn't realize it went directly over your cervix.

Blueyed228

I cant imagine them being useful for heavy flows

Neesey

melgeorge7189:

Yeah...I always wondered if you could feel it sloshing (I tried, but simply cannot think of a better word) around in there? There must be a benefit, I just don't see what it is.

Haha!  No you don't feel it anymore than you feel a tampon. It looked big when I pulled out of the box the first time since it holds a full ounce but it fits just fine.  

kz's_girlygirl

You definitely don't feel any sloshing, lol. IMO, it would be fine for a heavy flow. If you have to change out your pad or tampon every couple of hours, you could probably go a bit longer with a cup. 

TXQT88

I have never tried them the thought kinda weirdos me out. With a tampon you just pull the string and flush. I would want to to look for the cup. But like I said I never tried them so I am unsure how it works.

melgeorge7189

kz's_girlygirl:

You definitely don't feel any sloshing, lol. IMO, it would be fine for a heavy flow. If you have to change out your pad or tampon every couple of hours, you could probably go a bit longer with a cup. 

This would definitely be a benefit...lets just say that Playtex owes me a shout out for being such a good customer. So you just rinse it out? What do you do if you were in a stall in a public restroom? I am intrigued.

ShannonTX

Gracefullness is not my strongest suit. I am likely to spill water walking from the fridge to the table..Soooo nooo. Absolutley not.

Loopyseven

I have been using one for the past 5 months or so.  I like it a lot better than tampons/pads.  Even on my heavy days I can go all day at work without having to empty it out.  I've never had an issue spilling anything.  I just pull it out and dump it in the toilet, then rinse/wash and re-insert.  I've never had to change it in a public bathroom.  

Neesey

melgeorge7189:

kz's_girlygirl:

You definitely don't feel any sloshing, lol. IMO, it would be fine for a heavy flow. If you have to change out your pad or tampon every couple of hours, you could probably go a bit longer with a cup. 

This would definitely be a benefit...lets just say that Playtex owes me a shout out for being such a good customer. So you just rinse it out? What do you do if you were in a stall in a public restroom? I am intrigued.

Dump it out in the toilet and then wipe it out with a piece of toilet paper and put it back in. It doesn't get your fingers any dirtier than taking out a tampon. This will be tmi but It doesn't slosh all over. When I started using it I was surprised at how thick period blood actually is.  

Neesey

I got mine at whole foods for around $30. It has saved me money on other products and I have a ton of bathroom storage space now that I don't use them anymore. 

Blueyed228

I would be really afraid of an infection or something if it was just a "pull out and rinse it off" type of thing.

Neesey

Blueyed228:

I would be really afraid of an infection or something if it was just a "pull out and rinse it off" type of thing.

You use soap!  They sell a specific type but I don't use it.  It is less of a risk than getting pelvic inflammatory disease from a tampon. They aren't for everyone but I was pleasantly surprised when I tried it.  

Blueyed228

I get like 1 period a year so I have no business being in this conversation, lol.

Neesey

Blueyed228:

I get like 1 period a year so I have no business being in this conversation, lol.

. When I was on seasonique and had 4 a year I wouldn't have thought about it either. But things changed once I went off bcps. I never imagined I'd be talking about it on a chat board!  I thought it was a weird topic to discuss with my friend too. 

maggie2324

I never used the Diva, but I'm another Instead Softcup user. I bought them to keep the sperm in there, but have used it to catch blood too. I generally stick with tampons, but that's because I've been stocked up on them for awhile.

I like that the softcup can be left in for 12 hrs without any risk of TSS. They are disposable, but I rinse and reuse because they are much more expensive than tampons (and I read that most ladies do it too). The only time I ever get leakage is during a BM, and that doesn't matter since its over the toilet anyway.

It does take A LOT of practice to be able to get them out easily, but I've mastered it now. Im sitting on the toilet when i do it, so the only risk of spillage is into the toilet. You can't easily get it out while standing anyway. On heavy days, I can rinse and reinsert whenever I get a chance and am not in a public restroom. Otherwise, it's 12 hours. 

Oh, and it doesn't matter what the box says. You can feel it when it's in during sex, although it doesn't completely ruin it. It's not a great clean sex while menstruating tool. 

Excitedtostart

Have it. Use it. Love it. Never going back.

jessi1988

Not something I'm interested in trying, each to their own I suppose. I could just see me making a big gross mess with one.

Blsd4given

Loopyseven:

I have been using one for the past 5 months or so.  I like it a lot better than tampons/pads.  Even on my heavy days I can go all day at work without having to empty it out.  I've never had an issue spilling anything.  I just pull it out and dump it in the toilet, then rinse/wash and re-insert.  I've never had to change it in a public bathroom.  

These intrigue me... because I'm always paranoid about TSS from tampons.  But I have a pretty heavy flow one day during my cycle.  Not "changing the tampon after 2 hours", heavy... but 7 hours instead of 8 heavy.  Do you think they would still work?  I don't want to have to try to rinse and repeat in the stall at work... lol.

kz's_girlygirl

Blsd4given:

Loopyseven:

I have been using one for the past 5 months or so.  I like it a lot better than tampons/pads.  Even on my heavy days I can go all day at work without having to empty it out.  I've never had an issue spilling anything.  I just pull it out and dump it in the toilet, then rinse/wash and re-insert.  I've never had to change it in a public bathroom.  

These intrigue me... because I'm always paranoid about TSS from tampons.  But I have a pretty heavy flow one day during my cycle.  Not "changing the tampon after 2 hours", heavy... but 7 hours instead of 8 heavy.  Do you think they would still work?  I don't want to have to try to rinse and repeat in the stall at work... lol.

If you can go 7 hrs with a tampon you will definitely be fine with a cup.

 

And, IMO- the instead cups are not really like using a diva cup. They are wider and have to sit at more of an angle. And they are not as sturdy in my experience.  

Foxlover

Excitedtostart:

Have it. Use it. Love it. Never going back.

Killer Tomato

I knew they existed, but didn't know much about them and had always had a general "ew" feeling about the concept. Upon researching it, though, I think I might try one. I still don't understand how, exactly, you get it in there, but clearly it works somehow. (I have an image of trying to roll up a rubber glove and stick it inside me.) The idea of 12 hrs w/out changing is just too attractive for me to ignore, not having to worry about night leaks or getting up just to change the tampon, less TSS worries...I think I may be trying this soon.

I kicked myself for not trying tampons until late high school...maybe I'll kick myself for not trying this earlier, too. 

Neesey

Killer Tomato:

I knew they existed, but didn't know much about them and had always had a general "ew" feeling about the concept. Upon researching it, though, I think I might try one. I still don't understand how, exactly, you get it in there, but clearly it works somehow. (I have an image of trying to roll up a rubber glove and stick it inside me.) The idea of 12 hrs w/out changing is just too attractive for me to ignore, not having to worry about night leaks or getting up just to change the tampon, less TSS worries...I think I may be trying this soon.

I kicked myself for not trying tampons until late high school...maybe I'll kick myself for not trying this earlier, too. 

 

There are very easy directions to follow in the box with alternative ways to insert.

I am kicking myself for not getting one sooner!  I just think about how much money over a lifetime I could have saved......

LoosingHope

I think most of what I have to say about the Diva Cup has already been said so I won't repeat.  I use it and love it.  No worries with it what so ever, no worries about TSS, saves money, space and easier to take with me then a load of other stuff.