Diva Cup

[Jenn]

I finally found a store here that is going to order a diva cup for me. I'm a little skeptical as I've had problems getting tampons in since having my daughter. My cervix is retroverted and the Dr ALWAYS has a hard time finding it! Should be interesting when I try it!!

[Blueberry]

Diva has a money back guarantee (least they did when I purchased mine...)

I hope you're pleasantly surprised

[amymisk]

thanks for the responses for the IUD questions. I guess I will have to give it a try!

[Grog]

Hi all!

I'm now happily part of a trial study for the Diva Cup (they're comparing it to tampons) and I was glad I got to be in the "Diva" group. I logged my tampon/pads use for one month and now I have to log my Diva use for three months.

I know that I have a retroverted uterus and a short vagina from being probed a lot down there when I had my ovarian cysts. I have used tampons all my life without problem. It was okay to insert it but I can't seem to push the thing far enough. It's poking me a bit from the inside and I can definitely feel it when I'm walking. I just rode 1 km on my hybrid this morning to get to work and it wasn't great, although it wasn't painful. I've cut the stem a tiny bit, without much improvement.

I've gone through much of the thread so I'll keep trying (in any case I have to). I am assuming that I should get to the point when I don't feel it at all. We'll see. I'll try the other way to fold it that someone illustrated...

I'm also interested in the Moon Cup though, since it's supposed to be smaller, but dunno where to find it in Canada (or the US, if I can order online). Any suggestions?

[batsheva]

can't get it up there at all - far too big-- it feels like there is a bit rubber cup stuck in my wotsit-- which of course there is!! and super-painful to extract... exerts a whopping suction - ouch!!

tampons for riding much better if i tuck the string in a bit. perhaps it's 'cos i have not had kids and am 52 kilos (115lbs).

the diva cup is in the trash...

bat

[Grog]

can't get it up there at all - far too big-- it feels like there is a bit rubber cup stuck in my wotsit-- which of course there is!! and super-painful to extract... exerts a whopping suction - ouch!!

Have you tried breaking the suction (by pinching the sides) before pulling out the cup?

[tygab]

hello all. Well many moons (aagh bad pun) ago I got a mooncup too from reading about it here. I have to say it is not comfortable to put in OR remove. Placement I have found requires additional lubrication. Removal, due to the incredible suction, requires a few stressful moments in my shower. It does feel too large for me but I ordered per the charts (age, in this case). Perhaps I should just order the smaller one. Like bat I am small and no kids.

I didn't give up on it tho. Once in place, it is far better than the tampon or pad combo. With the MC I can put on a liner and be good for most the day. I am even comfortable enough to exercise which I never felt good about before. So, all in all it is a positive. But I do wish it were easier to situate.

[lizbids]

I used the Diva cup on my summer tour and will never go back to tampons or pads ever again! Only once did I have trouble removing it b/c I put it in too far, but it still came out. I also find that it's totally not needed for me to fully rotate it once inside me. Just wanted to add my two cents!

[shootingstar]

Gee --have to say I'm in perimenopause that has wonderfully calm..slow..fading away symptoms ....and just am not motivated to try something different.

[amy]

I have to say I absolutely love my diva cup. I've been using it for about 4 years. The first 6 months or so had a learning curve for me. I would occasionally have leaks, but I often did with other methods, too. I have found that on really heavy flow days, I have to empty it 2 or 3 times a day, and actually I get a slight cramping feeling when my cup is near maximum capacity. I don't know how that is, but it is consistent.

Given the conversations about diaphragms, I will say I also use one of them for birth control. Yes, they actually still make those things. And I really like it. I don't think I EVER would have considered it if I hadn't gotten comfortable with my diva cup first, but I've used the diaphragm for about 3 years or so. I'm firmly against hormones and it works for me.

[Dianyla]

I know that I have a retroverted uterus and a short vagina from being probed a lot down there when I had my ovarian cysts. I have used tampons all my life without problem. It was okay to insert it but I can't seem to push the thing far enough. It's poking me a bit from the inside and I can definitely feel it when I'm walking. I just rode 1 km on my hybrid this morning to get to work and it wasn't great, although it wasn't painful. I've cut the stem a tiny bit, without much improvement.

I'm built about the same way with a retroverted uterus and a fairly short canal. The best comfort level I was able to get was by lopping the entire tail off of the Diva. And I could still always feel it in there, it wasn't always uncomfortable but it was there. Kinda like a big hard turd.

I used it for about two years (hey, it's still better than tampons!) but when I heard about Mooncups I decided to try one out. I bought one online from their website: http://www.mooncup.co.uk The Mooncup is much more comfortable for me as it is shorter. Sometimes when my cervix gets really really low (I always think that my uterus is attempting to flee my body at this point) I can feel the base of the cup nearing the outside but generally I don't feel it at all when it's in there. I also chopped the entire tail off of the Mooncup, too.

Hey, batsheva, it sounds like you've got two issues going on. First, your cup sounds too big. Second, you probably aren't breaking the suction before trying to remove it. If you decide that it's a lost cause, don't throw it away. Diva has a satisfaction guarantee, I can't remember exactly but I believe it's up to one year from the date of purchase?

Also, bear in mind that body height and weight are not exactly correlated to genital sizes in men or women. I've seen quite big and tall women who have petite hoohas and need a small cup, and some small and trim women who have larger anatomy. Your mileage may vary.

[Grog]

I'm built about the same way with a retroverted uterus and a fairly short canal. The best comfort level I was able to get was by lopping the entire tail off of the Diva. And I could still always feel it in there, it wasn't always uncomfortable but it was there. Kinda like a big hard turd.

Wow, what a great description of my symptoms!!!

I have thrown the towel for today. I am positive that I am pushing it far enough, plus it "spins" (well, sort of) very nicely in there, but it's poking me hard. No leaks though.

This morning I was really getting annoyed (and irritated) so I pulled it out and put an Instead cup in. I don't feel it at all, nothing poking out, and it's not leaking either. Too bad it's disposable.

I've ordered a mooncup and we'll see what happens, but I'll still give a few trys to the Diva cup this month and the next two, since I'm part of that clinical study...

[RoadRaven]

I'm a little skeptical as I've had problems getting tampons in since having my daughter. My cervix is retroverted and the Dr ALWAYS has a hard time finding it! Should be interesting when I try it!!

Hey there Jenn, I find them much more comfortable than tampons. Sometimes, tampons just don't fit well and feel uncomfortable. After working out the fold and tuck trick of placing a moon cup, I have never felt like it is poking into me, wedged sideways or anything like that.

Hopefully you find the same.

Tampons stick straight up towards your cervix. With a mooncup, your cervix is sort of... cradled... cupped... thats the best I can describe it as.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Sounds just like a diaphragm to me. (Anyone here old enough to remember THOSE?) Is there a difference? Ahhh...the memories.....

P.S. Tip- you can tuck the tampon string just barely inside you if you are going to be riding, so it does not stick out at all. It's easy to fish it out quickly when you want to remove the tampon.

[doc]

Sounds just like a diaphragm to me. (Anyone here old enough to remember THOSE?) Is there a difference? Ahhh...the memories.....

P.S. Tip- you can tuck the tampon string just barely inside you if you are going to be riding, so it does not stick out at all. It's easy to fish it out quickly when you want to remove the tampon.

I was once a diaghram user. Blech. But the similarity is undeniable. Diva is way better.
Tampon - double blech. Hurts to put in if your dryish. Torture to take out if your flow is very light. No way is it going to last 12 or more hours as diva does. Nothing to dispose of. To me there is no comparison.