Menstrual Cups

[indianabones]

Do any of you guys use a menstrual cup? What have your experiences been like?

I just started using one for the first time. I bought a cup that's apparently the tiniest one on the market but I can still feel it in my pelvis, which is an odd sensation. Well, it's getting the job done, anyways!

Edited March 4, 2021 by Coconut Flan

[Giraffe]

I love mine! I use a Femmycycle. I used a couple other ones with the traditional triangular shape and I hated both of them. They were painful and I couldn’t get the right fit no matter what I tried. I tried the femmycycle because it’s a bell rather than a triangle and for whatever reason that shape works for me but the triangular ones were awful. 
 
I can still feel it but only in the sense that “I’m wearing it” vs “I’m not wearing it.” It’s like a subtle, non-painful feeling if that makes sense. 

[Maggie Mae]

I started with the Diva Cup and switched to what I think is the Luna cup, sport model. They seem to need to be replaced once a year or so, as they don't "pop" open around my cervix like they did when they were new. 

[indianabones]

@Giraffe, I bought a Femmycycle one but can't use it because taking it out is too painful (even when I fold it.) I was so bummed!

 

[The butcher's wife]

That's interersting @Maggie Mae, I bought my first Diva Cup in 2011 I think, and it still works for me most of the time, though not as reliably as it used to (maybe I should look into ordering a different size; I'll be 30 this year). I think it said at the time that you should replace them after five years or so, but it still looks perfectly good to me ?‍♀️. I bought a Meluna sports edition last year but I have had more trouble popping it open than my old Diva cup so I mostly keep using that. The only time I can't use either one of them is when I do Pilates; I always dislodge them doing pelvic floor exercises. 

@indianabones, maybe try a different brand and a softer cup? The ones I know and have used have a more cylindrical shape and you can order them in different degrees of stiffness (of the material), which might make them more pleasant to use and easier to fold up/remove.

 

Edited March 4, 2021 by The butcher's wife

[NotQuiteMotY]

I did! I had the Divacup, the small size, pre-Elder and it was great! I haven't gotten one that fits really well since, though; I tried the larger MooncupUK and it tends to slide down uncomfortably, alas. I'm looking at the Venus Cup as an option, but keep hesitating. They're so expensive if they don't work! 

Outside of the initial "oh, no, it's stuck!" the first time and once when I yanked without breaking the suction (ow), the Divacup was very comfortable. I had a bit of awareness that it was there, but no more than I would with a tampon. The Mooncup was comfortable IF it stayed in place; if it slid it didn't hurt and still worked, but it was a very strange feeling.

[Bethella]

I love mine. I had a Diva size 1 for a couple of years (recommended for women under 30/who haven’t given birth). I was happy enough that I wasn’t going to change but when I was 31 I started having issues with it leaking. I switched to a large Super Jennie for the added capacity. 

[LadyCrow1313]

I've never used one, & to be honest I'd be very nervous to do so. Are they good for heavy days, or are they for lighter days only?

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[Bethella]

On 6/5/2021 at 1:20 PM, LadyCrow1313 said:

I've never used one, & to be honest I'd be very nervous to do so. Are they good for heavy days, or are they for lighter days only?

They’re great for heavy days, although one of the reasons I chose the Super Jennie was the larger capacity (41 ml) to accommodate those days. 

[GiggleOfGirls]

I love mine! The first DivaCup I had lasted a good decade because I got it in the middle of having babies. 
 

It has always been excellent for me on heavy days — though I still have to sometimes empty it every hour or two… but still, better than the alternatives for me!

[Giraffe]

On my heaviest days I can get 3-4 hours out of a cup which is way better for me than changing a pad ever hour or two like I used to. I recently moved to a hot climate (usually a few degrees cooler than Phoenix but not always) and my cup's been a lifesaver. I hate tampons but pads - even reusable 100% cotton pads - are terrible when it's so hot. Having the cup has been fantastic! 

[The butcher's wife]

I agree with everyone else. I never had particularly heavy flows, and after stopping my hormonal contraception last September they are even lighter still. Before I stopped, I could sometimes even go a full day without emptying the cup. I know this is not recommended, but when it is truly well in place it can be tempting to just leave it there. Now I only use it during the daytime on my first two days, period panties on the rest and at night I get away with just a normal pair of undies. My circle of real-life girlfriends is usually insanely prudish and we don't talk about sex, periods etc. at all. I was not raised like that and would like to talk about these things, but they have no interest, it's all TMI to them. The one exception was when one of them, who apparently has very heavy flows, discovered menstrual cups and was so excited about it she told everyone. I had been using mine for over a year at that point, and she was extremely cross with me for not having told her about this life-changing thing.

[Giraffe]

I’ve recently started using Knix period underwear. I’m finding them moisture wicking in a way Thinx aren’t and it’s been lovey for times when a cup isn’t appropriate but I still need something.