Menstruations vs. bike

[Etincelle]

Hi,

I am new biker and I have a weird question... I usually road with lycra and chamois... with no underwear. However, during my periods, there is no way that I can do that. The problem is that a tampax is not sufficient... and the pads.. after some km... well you know... it's not confortable!

How do other women manage this once a month period! To add to it, I have just turned 40 last month.. and now... it seems to be almost twice a month...

Bye

[Irulan]

welcome to perimenopause! I just use super plus tampons and keep riding. A lot of the women here use an internal "cup" device to capture flow. Look in the Tips and Tricks thread under "embarassing questions".

irulan

[KSH]

My solution... I get the depo shot... and I don't have a period at all. Mind you, I get some spotting here and there, mostly at the end of the shot (get it every 3 months), but it is very slight.

It's so very nice.

NOTE: I am 32, and I use to have a period twice a month myself, I got checked out for all possible issues, and the Dr. told me that is just the way it was going to be. So, I went for the depo shot and problem solved.


Now, if you don't want that, go for the super-plus size, and try to carry an extra so you can change during the ride if you need to.

[AutumnBreez]

www.divacup.com
Here it is, your search is over....
you can see many testimonies here on the forum (as already told), and also on the site.

I am on my second month, getting hang of it. Good luck- ABCL

[Grog]

My solution... I get the depo shot... and I don't have a period at all. Mind you, I get some spotting here and there, mostly at the end of the shot (get it every 3 months), but it is very slight.

Instead of DepoProvera, which is usually a shot worth 3-6 months of contraception, I'd strongly suggest discussing with your doctor about taking your pill continuously for 3 months, and then stopping for a week.

I don't think it is accepted in the Canadian guidelines but I'm fairly sure it is in the American ones, and I've heard of a couple of ob-gyn residents that do it for themselves (in Canada), and many doctors will discuss it with you freely.

Although the depo shot does work for many women, great numbers have heavy problems (depression, weight gain, nausea, and more...) with it. The problem is, once it's taken, it's there for months, and so are many of the side effects, while you could just stop taking the pill (Provera exists as regular pills) and stop them as needed.

Other ideas such as the Diva cup or using nothing but your chamois (especially if it is not light-coloured!) if your flow is light have indeed been discussed under the 'embarassing question' thread...

Good luck!

[RoadRaven]

I'm with Grog on this. I know several women who had considerable negative reactions to DEPO. Travel down that path with caution.

[roughingit]

Because I cannot swallow pills and am a shot-weinie, I use the Nuvo-ring for birth control. Since I have heavy-painful periods, the doc told me I can just leave it in all month instead of three weeks on and one week off (it has enough hormone in it for the whole month). Now I hardly ever get a period and it doesn't seem to have any noticable side effects.

If I wasn't using the ring, I would totally try the diva cup, but since I need bc as well and the not having much of a period thing is really nice, I think I'll be sticking with this for a while!

[Susan126]

My solution... I get the depo shot... and I don't have a period at all. Mind you, I get some spotting here and there, mostly at the end of the shot (get it every 3 months), but it is very slight.

It's so very nice.

NOTE: I am 32, and I use to have a period twice a month myself, I got checked out for all possible issues, and the Dr. told me that is just the way it was going to be. So, I went for the depo shot and problem solved.


Now, if you don't want that, go for the super-plus size, and try to carry an extra so you can change during the ride if you need to.

Not to scare you but you should discuss the depo shot with your doctor as it causes severe bone loss.

[KSH]

Not to scare you but you should discuss the depo shot with your doctor as it causes severe bone loss.

This is why I take calcium daily, eat yogurt, cheese... and I exercise. I also strength train, etc.

True, my body might still have some *issues* later in life, but I am probably still better off that most women who eat unhealthy and don't exercise.

[doc]

Etincell,
This thread got way off topic. But let me reiterate what a few said.
Diva cup (and the Keeper).
Those are fabulous amazing inventions. Look them up online. Tons of informationt there. You'll never regret it and you'll never buy feminine hygiene products again.

[Dianyla]

But let me reiterate what a few said.
Diva cup (and the Keeper).
Those are fabulous amazing inventions. Look them up online. Tons of informationt there. You'll never regret it and you'll never buy feminine hygiene products again.

I'd also like to add a word about the MoonCup, which is produced and sold in the UK but you can buy it online at: http://www.mooncup.co.uk

I used a DivaCup for a year but found it was too long for my body, even though I bought the smaller pre-birth size. For just walking around and hiking it wasn't an issue, but riding on a bicycle with it in place was very unpleasant... I felt like my labia were being very sharply elbowed and pinched (this is after trimming off that evil stem).

Because I fear latex sensitivity, I decided to try the MoonCup. It as small and flexible as the Keeper, but made of silicone like the Diva. I have no trouble at all riding with the MoonCup in place, it is short enough and very flexible. The Diva I used was made quite stiff, much stiffer than a Keeper. From what I understand the Divas manufactured after April 2004 are now as soft and squishy as the Mooncups/Keepers.

[MightyMitre]

Etincell,
This thread got way off topic. But let me reiterate what a few said.
Diva cup (and the Keeper).
Those are fabulous amazing inventions. Look them up online. Tons of informationt there. You'll never regret it and you'll never buy feminine hygiene products again.

Yes - sorry for the digression. Here's a bit of history... the Keeper/ Diva cup concept was actually designed in the 1930's but tampons were invented soon after and for whatever reason, were pushed into the market instead.

I guess since the Keeper is re useable and can last for 10 years if looked after properly, from a retail/profit point of view it's not going to make as much money as tampons which obviously need to be bought every month.

I'm also guessing that women were probably not given a great deal of say in the matter and were therefore had to accept what they were given, at a time when society was totally male orientated.

Errm.. anyway, I was just interested in the way womens lives have developed and the products/options now availalbe to women given that most things seem to have been driven by men.

Rant over - and certainly give the Keeper/ cup a go. I've used the Keeper from the Mooncup website for the last 3 years and can't see myself switching back to tampons.

[Allie1DukeFn]

This is an amazing discussion - even if it did get off topic! You have no idea how many places I've looked for discussions about depo! I started taking it about 10 years ago - and went off it about 5 months ago because I was just sick of not being able to get the weight off! I gained about 30 lbs on it - which from what I understand is actually low for most. I tried everything to get rid of it - and just couldn't.

I went off of it and onto the Jasmine oral pill. So far so good. I've lost 18 lbs so far - and hope to lose 7 more. I still don't really get a period - only a teeny tiny bit of spotting once a month. I was going to ask if I could just stay on it all month instead of taking a month off when I go for my annual - I'm glad someone mentioned that doctor's are becoming more accepting of doing that.

The possible side effects of doing depo for so long are scary. Bone loss being the biggest one, but everything I've seen has said that you actually start getting it back once you go off of it - plus I drink so much milk and dairy products plus taking calcium - I hope I've nipped that in the bud. I do plan on getting a bone density test done after I've been off of it for a year.