Help! Moon Cup Removal (not for the faint of heart)

channlluv, in my completely unmedical opinion, I don't see why it would be a problem for you to use a Diva cup or Moon cup. My experience with it has been exactly as what was described in other threads: there's a "learning curve" until you get used to it, just like there was with tampons. (Only I had been using tampons for so long that I forgot there was a time when I thought it was weird and icky, too! :D ) So be patient at first, wear a pad as a backup until you get the hang of it. I say give it a try. For me, it's been a 100% positive change.

I use the Instead cups, and re-use them about ten times. I will probably be moving over to the diva cup soon, but I still have a whole box of insteads to go through.

To answer the public restroom question, I came up with a really good solution. I pack a sandwich baggie with a torn strip of newspaper folded up inside. I bring a clean Instead cup with me to work, and when it's time to swap, I empty the first, dab with toilet paper, wrap in the newspaper, put in the plastic sandwich bag. This easily slips into my pocket or bag. I get home and wash and rinse both bag and cup and chuck the newsprint. Seems like a pain but it really isn't. Although I guess the rinsing and washing does have some carbon footprint, it's better than landfilling wrappers and pads and tampons (in my mind.)

Non-painful placement of the cup is easy once you find your "rim bone" as my oby/gyn likes to call it when she prescribed me with my first diaphram. It's up and in toward the belly button, and a properly fitting Instead cup (not sure about diva and moon) sits right on that ledge. Getting it out is easy - go up to the ledge, scrunch like you are doing an ab crunch, and get a finger between you and the rim. Easy peasey (and practice makes perfect.)

Using a gel may help you with this. Although, I have a funny story about a slippery diaphram that got away from me once... I think it might be too much information, though! :D

I'm a regular crime scene from Dexter.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by malkin

I'm a regular crime scene from Dexter.

---

Ha!

I had a friend who once said that she had to mop the walls and ceiling...

(feh! I feel faint.) :p

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Grog

Unless your periods are EXTREMELY heavy (as in: changing super-absorbant pads every 90 minutes) you shouldn't have to empty the cup mid-day, thus the bathroom problem is moot...

---

I don't consider my periods "super" heavy, but I do have one day per cycle where I found that I had to change the Diva Cup once during the work day (10+ hours including my commute), In a public restroom, that was just too difficult. I had the problem others have mentioned of messy hands and no way to get my undies and pants back up and get to a sink without worrying about blood getting here and there. I tried taking a water bottle into the stall to wash off with, but that was too hard to remember and execute. I like the idea of the cup for environmental reasons, but one day a month, it just doesn't work for me for this reason -- I went back to tampons.

I personally am looking forward to menopause!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by emily_in_nc

I personally am looking forward to menopause!

---

Amen, Sister!

I second the Instead cup. With it, there's no tail, no suction, just a much easier way to deal with a period! :D

Wow!

I am so happy to hear that these cups have become so popular. I only have irregular periods now, every 3 months, 6 months or whatever. (I am 49) So I don't think I will invest in one of these.

There was a disposable cup I tried (Is it called Instead?) But it leaked for me whenever I changed posture.

I am so glad that there is that much less dioxin in the water, from all you lovely ladies using these cups.