tampons leaking

[gloworm6.livejournal.com]

Hi ladies. I'm a 23 year old female. I have used mainly pads when on my period ever since I started menstruating. Occasionally I try to make the switch to tampons, but because of my bad luck with them, dont use them often. Here's my problem.

It seems that whenever I use a tampon, it leaks. Not terribly, but enough to be a problem. The external part of the string is always completely red with blood, and some blood gets on my underwear as well. Once I remove it, the tampon itself has some blood on it, but it is definitely not saturated. I have tried several brands of tampons (all regular absorbancy) and this has occured with all of them. I'm fairly sure I am putting them in correctly (past where I can feel it, etc). Any ideas? I have been to the gyn. several times and she has never mentioned anything odd aside from once stating that my cervix was tilted slightly.. anterior? posterior? Opposite what she had expected, whichever that is. But it doesnt seem like that would cause this problem. Anyone have any ideas/suggestions? I have considered trying the divacup or similar but I dont think I want to do that until I master the tampon first. :) Thanks!

Comments

[fragglerocker47.livejournal.com]

Try to use a pantyliner with the tampon. You can get ones that are so thin that they don't even bother you. The same thing happen to me. You might have to change them on a more regualr basis too.

[gloworm6.livejournal.com]

I usually just wear a pad during the day now. I do occasionally use those very thin pantyliners, but for me, I'd rather just wear a regular (thin) pad than have to wear both a tampon and a pantyliner. My problem is just when I swim (I work at a preschool and swim daily) or dance (leotard and tights) and a pad/pantyliner is just not possible. The tampons seem to leak after even 30 min, when the tampon is still 75% "dry". Like it's not absorbing correctly or something? I dont know!

[rolersk8ngrl.livejournal.com]

I agree with the pantyliner. I have little to no flow...though I use tampons the first day of my period and I still need to use a little pantyliner, some stuff does sneak by!!!

♥

[olivereindeer.livejournal.com]

How long are you leaving it in for?
If it is getting really soaked and leaking then perhaps changing it more often.

[gloworm6.livejournal.com]

the leaking happens within maybe half an hour of putting it in. when I take it out as soon as it starts leaking, there is some blood on the tampon itself but it is 75% white and dry. definitely not soaked. its almost like it's not absorbing like it should be. very odd.

[sakira-starwolf.livejournal.com]

There are some super-absorbment brands out there; I can't remember the name of the one I use because I only use tampons when I'll be swimming (Otherwise I stick with the pad), but they do exist.

[lookintomyeyes.livejournal.com]

Have you tried OB tampons? Brands like Playtex only expand in one direction, so they can leak if they dont get blood in the right spot.
OB says they expand in ALL directions, and I've tried them - they do.

[gloworm6.livejournal.com]

I havent, but will definitely try them. Thanks for the suggestion!

[starfall18.livejournal.com]

yeah i agree with this comment. OBs are great. i use the non applicator kind, and when i insert them, i sort of open up the bottom part so it makes more of seal, if that makes any sense.
and i rarely use pantyliners with them, and i rarely have any blood leaks--sometimes moisture comes out but it is not blood.

[roseyposey01.livejournal.com]

How does OB open? My Playtex ones kind of open like a flower...

[brokenacoustics.livejournal.com]

Agreed on the OBs. I used to have the same problem with leaking until I started using OB.

[fieldsclaphands.livejournal.com]

I've had this problem with every tampon I've ever used. For years, I thought my vagina had magic powers that allowed the bleeding to somehow skip the tampon and just go straight to my panties. Then, I was told by the doctor that I have a tilted uterus. I looked at diagrams of what a tilted uterus was and I realized that the tampon was actually by-passing the cervix. Here's what an inserted tampon looks like:



Now, with a retroverted/tilted uterus, the cervix points towards the front instead of towards the back. This means that the tampon is being inserted behind the cervix, instead of in front of it.

In my experience, there's no way to put the tampon in front of the cervix, no matter what absorbency I use.

I've recently purchased a diva cup and just completed my second cycle with it. I'm absolutely in love. It works wonderfully with tilted uteruses.

Hope this helps :)

[fieldsclaphands.livejournal.com]

There haven't really. Because the cup sits lower, it doesn't matter what angle the uterus is at:



My cervix seems to sit really low during my period and consequently sits in the cup, so my only issue has been making sure my cervix hasn't wriggled to the outside of the cup (which has happened only once, and that was during the night sleeping in a very strange ball on a couch).

[fieldsclaphands.livejournal.com]

No problem :) It's been one of the best purchases I've ever made :)

[gloworm6.livejournal.com]

Yes.. that helps a bunch! Thank you. I had wondered if there was something like this was possible, but I thought I must be crazy. I'll have to think more about giving the diva cup a shot anyway. Hmm.

[fieldsclaphands.livejournal.com]

I highly recommend it, especially since there's a 1-year warranty just in case you don't like it.

[fieldsclaphands.livejournal.com]

Oh! I see that you dance. My biggest issue has always been that I'd have to insert a tampon right before class and then take it out right after because I'd have already bled on my leotard and the gusset of my tights. So awful and so many pairs of tights stained (Luckily hardly any of the girls noticed, but still).

The diva cup has really helped in this regard. Whether I'm dancing or working out, it doesn't leak. Afterwards, I'll check to see whether or not my cervix has somehow sneaked to the outside of the cup or all of the movement and stretching has somehow broken the seal, but I haven't had that happen yet.

[gloworm6.livejournal.com]

yes! I have this problem with dance too, especially during long rehearsals near Nutcracker or other shows. Glad to know I'm not the only one. :)

[slugfever.livejournal.com]

Wow, thank you so much for this comment! It was so weird to see the original post because I have the same problem, but have never really thought much about it. Now I'm definitely looking into the diva cup. :)

[fieldsclaphands.livejournal.com]

I'm so glad I could help :)

[whoa-breathe.livejournal.com]

Well, I was about to post about how I have the same problem and have no idea myself how to fix it, though I've been using tampons for quite some time now.......I too have a tilted uterus, and your reply has just cleared up a nagging mystery for me, much thanks!

[http://users.livejournal.com/__wench/]

I never used tampons successfully at all but my Mooncup works wonderfully.

If you really would like to use a cup, I say hang tampons and go for it!

[hopingforrain.livejournal.com]

The idea that tampons can be used by themselves is pretty false. You still need to wear a pad.

[amaranthxrose.livejournal.com]

That is not true.

The idea that all women can use the same type of product and get desired results is false. Everyone is differnet.

[gloworm6.livejournal.com]

most women I know are able to use tampons by themselves. I agree.. it really varies by individual. I may be one who just cannot use them, but I thought I'd check with everyone here before I resigned myself to that. :)

[mactavish.livejournal.com]

I've used tampons by themselves except on my heaviest days (during a weird couple of years in my twenties, when I was flooding, like sneeze and clots squirt out, but rarely anymore) for thirty years.

[zellie-bean.livejournal.com]

Tampons ALWAYS leak for me, to varying degrees but they ALWAYS do. With divacup, as long as I have it in right, I don't leak but I tend to wear a cloth pad anyway juuust in case. With Insteads I didn't leak unless I laughed too hard, then it was like the Instead upturned itself in me because it ALL came out x_x;;

[die-in-a-fire.livejournal.com]

My tampons always leaked. All brands, all sizes, even when they were not even half full. It's so frustrating! I got a Keeper and ... I'm in love. No more leaks!

[irishmexican.livejournal.com]

i wouldn't waste my time trying to figure out tampons. they just might not work for you. they aren't healthy overall anyway. i suggest getting a menstrual cup. maybe a mooncup since it's wider at the rim.

[karenthecroccy.livejournal.com]

A lot of tampons, I've found, get longer when they get saturated. I find that certain tampons get wider as they get saturated and that helps with the early leakage.

I swear by Tampax Pearl for this reason.

[roxy-girl05.livejournal.com]

Oh gosh! Just yesterday I was at work and my Super Plus absorbancy tampon leaked after, maybe, an hour of putting it in. I was so happy that I had an extra tampon with me because I probably would've sat in the back and cried otherwise. This upcoming weekend I plan on ordering a Diva Cup since I'll be getting paid. :)

[mactavish.livejournal.com]

You've tried "ob" brand? They're the only kind that reliably doesn't leak for me.

[gloworm6.livejournal.com]

I havent, but thanks to everyone here, I will buy some next time I'm at the store. thanks! :)

[mandaryn.livejournal.com]

Wow, I lost count at 2 or 3, but that's quite a few convinced ladies on getting a diva cup! =)

And with that, I'm echoing the reccomendations for a cup! I love mine.

[scien.livejournal.com]

Tilted uterus generally = only soaking through half of the tampon.

Menstrual cups for the win!

[kino-makoto.livejournal.com]

I have the same problem with tampons. I always bleed through them within the first half hour and then I take them out, out of frustration. I usually try to use one every month but it always turns out the same and now I've just given up. That's why I still stick with pads. Why should I have to wear a pantyliner and a tampon? It just seems like too much to me. But where would one find these menstrual cups?

[tribadism.livejournal.com]

Online, mostly, although you can also find them at health-food stores, co-ops, even Boots if you're in the UK. I'm terrible at tagging, but the lj comm is menstrual_cups. There are some great posts in the memories, and some really nice ladies there who'll be glad to answer any questions you might have. There are four brands of reusable cups: DivaCup, the Keeper, Lunette, and Mooncup, and one brand of disposable cup, Instead. I first read about menstrual cups a few years ago, and was only brave enough to try Insteads until this May, when I bought a cup. My DivaCup was about thirty dollars, and it's a really great investment. I'm on my second cycle with it right now, and I love it. You can wear it for twelve hours at a stretch depending on your menstrual flow, they're really economical (you can keep them for ten years!), and they're good for the environment. None of the chafing of pads or the dryness of tampons, either. Sorry if I'm wordy, but I've tried (not with too much success, I'm afraid!) to convert all my female friends + relatives to the cup because I'm so much in love with it. If you order direct from DivaCup, they have a money-back guarantee of a year (as long as you don't cut the stem off), so you really have nothing to lose.