DivaCup

[fraserette.livejournal.com]

Pros and Cons?

I was talking over getting this with my mother the other day, and her big concern was that my heavy flow and the definition of heavy flow are not the same.

I have a huge flow (TMI?) and have leaked every period despite wearing super plus tampons, or extra long pantyliners. So, you can understand how hesitant I am to jump head first into a new item. But I like the idea of being green as well, so really it's a toss up!

Help please!

Comments

[hairballsplat.livejournal.com]

look in the Vulvapedia under 'Menstruation', then paragraph 2.3 How much bleeding is normal? There's a scale(list,chart,whatever) that might help with the defining of heavy flow. At the very least, i found it interesting. i have a heavy flow and LOVE my Diva. Check out how far in your cervix is during your period and check out the size charts http://community.livejournal.com/menstrual_cups/1285963.html to determine if the length of a Diva will work for you.

[sublime29girlie.livejournal.com]

i love my diva cup!!

[rog22nyy.livejournal.com]

Is it heavy every day? The only issue I've had is with taking them out and making a giant mess all over the place. I managed to spill because I can't take it out and keep the thing upright. I've heard you get used to that and learn how to take them out without spilling. I didn't give them much of a shot. You may want to save them for a lighter day of your period to test out and get used to, or try it on a day when you don't have your period at all.

I couldn't feel them when i had them in right and I never leaked, so that was always good.

[sageautumn.livejournal.com]

This!

Give it a shot on a lighter day, or just accept that it's going to be mess. It'll hold as much or more than a tampon anyday. Until you figure out the feel though, just change it often. Unlike tampons, it won't hurt or dry you out to take it in and out.

Good luck!

[donnajuanita.livejournal.com]

This. There's definitely a learning curve, and for the first few months I would go to the sink looking like I just murdered someone on the toilet. :) Now, there's no mess and I LOVE my Diva! Works better for my flow than anything else I've ever tried.

[fraserette.livejournal.com]

My only worry is the fact that it's a $40.00 investment and really it isn't something you can just return.

I can just see myself dropping it into the toilet at the mall or something..

[lorification.livejournal.com]

well, if you buy it from southcoastshopping.com or vitacost.com or maybe even drugstore.com, it's cheaper than $40. I have two. My roommate has two. To answer your original question: I recently got an IUD and my periods have become way heavier (though they were pretty heavy before). As in... I have to empty the cup every 2-4 hours on my heaviest day. I use cloth pads as back up on these days. I would never go back to tampons because the cup has always been better than the most absorbent tampons. Try getting cloth pads from sellers on etsy.com, or check out cloth_pads and for more info about the divacup check out menstrual_cups. Good luck!!

[jennifer0246.livejournal.com]

well, there are places to buy it cheaper; additionally even if it were $40, you spend that in 3 months in menstrual products that fail and are not reusable, so there's that.

and silicone can be sterilized, so don't be too afraid of yucking it up. i mean, i wouldnt go bouncing it into a mall trash can just for funsies, but you can boil it and it'll be much cleaner than a tampon ever dreamed of.

[atalanta0jess.livejournal.com]

You know...I have a ladycup, which DOES cost about that much. And I not only dropped it in the toilet, but flushed it! (STUPID automatic flush! I got up to fish the damn thing out, and there it went!) But it was still worth it. Menstrual cups are awesome, and I promptly reinvested. I'd give it a try!

[fraserette.livejournal.com]

oh god, thats the worst!

[atalanta0jess.livejournal.com]

I was so mad...it was basically brand new. I had bought a colored ladycup, which was defective, so it had to be replaced, and then I flushed the replacement! But we've lived happily every after, me and the second replacement cup. ;)

[wynter793.livejournal.com]

You do get used to them, and as long as you tip them into the toilet you're fine and there's no mess :)

I had initially used a Mooncup (UK) and found that this wasn't enough to capacitate my heavy heavy flow, so brought a Lunette instead, as it has a larger capacity and I've found this to be better! I was like you, getting through a super mega tampon and massive nappy-like pads every hour, sometimes more, and I found that on my heaviest days I sometimes need a liner, but nothing on the scale of what I used previously!
This link may help you decide on brands, as it's got the most amazing in depth comparisons of all the cups, how much they hold, what size they are and all sorts of handy info :)
http://community.livejournal.com/menstrual_cups/tag/faq

[to-wong-foo.livejournal.com]

I love my cup! I have a MoonCup (US) and only replaced cause my boyfriend (blessing his pea-picking heart) tossed it by accident and later found it gnawed by raccoons (or cats or dogs or who knows what).

My favorite part is that you can put it in a day before and never have the bloody mess hanging around! Usually I need a liner cause I'm not that good, haha. Also, you can leave it in for the last day or so of dribbly-ness. Definitely the best thing I've ever bought!!

[fireaphid.livejournal.com]

I love my cup (a small Lunette) and would recommend cups to anyone with a heavy flow! Keep in mind that a super plus tampon holds 12-15mL of fluid, but the small Diva cup holds 23mL of fluid and the large Diva cup holds 27mL of fluid. Plus there are other brands that hold up to 29mL of fluid, which would allow you to double the amount of time between needing to change tampons/empty a cup. For a one-time investment of $20-40, I'd say it's worth a shot! Definitely check out the menstrual_cups community before you buy, at least so folks can point you in the direction of the lowest price for the brand you choose.

[ladydreamer.livejournal.com]

I have a pretty heavy flow. I go for only five days. As long as you remember to check it and tip it into the toilet throughout the day, it should be fine. But it does hold quite a bit, I think.

[kuradi8.livejournal.com]

Add me to the list of enthusiastic cup users. Yes, use the guidelines and size charts http://community.livejournal.com/menstrual_cups/1285963.html to pick a cup that you think will fit best.

Another good benefit of cups is that you can measure and keep track of how much you actually bleed instead of guessing at how much each of your disposable products hold.

Here's another page of benefits: http://community.livejournal.com/menstrual_cups/2069973.html

[franticalities.livejournal.com]

pros: amazing, cant feel it, don't need to think about it

cons: none!


give it a shot!!!

[pinkdagger.livejournal.com]

Pros: It's AWESOME! :) Lasts longer than pads, which are the only things I'd used before them, super comfy/can't feel it, green, pays itself off in a several months but can be used for several years, inconspicuous, and of course it's super awesome.

The only con I can possibly list if I'm being really anal is that it does have a learning curve, but I'm told it's not as steep with tampon users. I think in menstrual_cups, there was a survey and the vast majority of women required one full cycle to really get the hang of using their cup.

I don't know if I would categorize myself with a heavy flow, but I know on my first and second days, my period is heaviest. At its worst, I would empty the cup after four hours in the morning/afternoon and have it be about 3/4 the way full. I also definitely echo the suggestions of the links people have given you above. If you're hesitant about your flow, I also agree to try it on a lighter day and/or just be prepared with backup and potentially mess if you want to use it for heavier ones.

I'm going to say flat out that if you're brand new to cups and are still finding a comfortable, easy way to remove and reinsert the cup during your period and you have a heavy flow, chances are very high it WILL be messy (I do most of my cup stuff in the shower for ease). But! You learn and get better, and it's very worth it.

[fraserette.livejournal.com]

The shower is an interesting technique. Luckily, my new job does have a private washroom as well.

[imuhstarr.livejournal.com]

I love mine now :)
pros: can't feel it, pretty easy to get used to, can use it before your period actually starts without risk of tss (I LOVE that there isn't a risk for tss that's with tampons, even though I know tss isn't extremely common it always freaked me out), cheaper in the long run than tampons/pads, less noticeable/more easily concealed in a bag than tampons/pads, and it seems to kind of help you understand and appreciate your period more.

cons: sometimes it can spill over/gush out (sorry if that sounds gross), but it might just be because I personally haven't figured out how to remove it perfectly yet. like a commenter above, I normally remove mine in the shower. my flow isn't super heavy anymore, but on my heavier days I've noticed it's lasted me quite a long time and I don't have to empty it nonstop, normally every six hours or so.

[frolicnaked.livejournal.com]

... her big concern was that my heavy flow and the definition of heavy flow are not the same...

So my definition for my heavy flow is "4/2": when I need 4 layers of menstrual products (cup, pad, pad, Depends) to make it 2 hours between changings. Even though I still get frustrated that I have to back up my cup with so many other products (and am tempted to think that "you can wear it for 12 hours" exists only in an alternate reality), a cup actually lasts me about twice as long as does an ultra absorbency tampon.

So while I think that someone with a heavy flow will probably have to empty a cup more often than every 8-12 hours, I am a definite fan of: a) reducing my bathroom trips from what they were, even if they're not where I'd like them to be; b) not having to shell out $20 a month for menstrual products.

[fraserette.livejournal.com]

Yes, going to the bathroom EVERY hour or even more and being able to eliminate that would be awesome! Also, I hate how I basically go through a box of everything EVERY period!

[knittinggoddess.livejournal.com]

Even if you and your mom don't agree with what a heavy flow constitutes, a Diva/Lunette/Mooncup can accommodate light to super heavy. While you get used to the cup, particularly the feeling of it being ready to empty without overflowing, it may be useful to wear a pantyliner.

Pro: saves money, lasts longer in a heavy flow than a super plus tampon, eco-friendly, doesn't dry out your vagina, no tss risk (or infinitesimally small?), Divacup offers a money-back guarantee (or at least they used to).

Con: learning curve, sometimes a chunk of change to plunk down at once, not losing it in between periods

[fraserette.livejournal.com]

EEP, the losing thing. VERY ME!

[katrina-splat.livejournal.com]

I lost my 2 cups this cycle >.> but it's only around 30 australian dollars to buy a new one from ebay, probably less in USD, and still a huge saving even if I buy a new one every three months or so!

[gemfyre.livejournal.com]

Cups are able to hold considerably more than a pad or tampon (provided they're in properly and fit properly).

But think about, even it does still leak, you haven't lost anything, but you've gained an environmentally friendly option.

[lillerina.livejournal.com]

I back up my mooncup on heavy days with a cloth menstrual pad. I've found that cloth is better than disposable, and a lot more comfortable too. Might this be an option for you?

[fraserette.livejournal.com]

I think if I did go for the divacup I would try some cloth liners. My mother did those for a bit and she said she experienced some problems with them, because unlike pads you could just dispose them right away, you needed to carry them around.

[poppleshatesyou.livejournal.com]

Carrying them around doesn't have to be a big deal, if you aren't into carrying them around in something like a ziplock bag, you could invest in a pretty PUL lined wet bag (http://www.etsy.com/listing/44545059/wet-bag-medium-green-mushrooms). ;)

[mxmissileproof.livejournal.com]

I use it because it's comfortable, and I have a very light flow. So it's nice just to empty it when I wake up and at night time. Dry tampons were a very annoying thing. However, the process of removing and emptying isn't the easiest, so if I had to do that more often I'm not sure I would still use it.