Diva Cup

[drplasma64]

Jaz, this would be perfect for you. You only have to take it out and wash every 12 hours, so if you are light you can go that long. On my light days I put it in in the shower in the morning, and wash it in the evening.

The diva cup also has a 1 year money back guarantee, so if you don't like it, you aren't out anything but shipping.

[CorsairMac]

plus it's Much safer than leaving a tampon in for "longer" since there is little to no risk of TSS with cups. I'm with DR on this Jaz - sounds Perfect for you! actually it's perfect for Anyone regardless of types of cycles!

[MightyMitre]

About the spinning thing - I used to find this very difficult and would often have to have several attempts but as I've been using the cup for about 3 years I'm now very used to it. In fact, now I think about it, I 've totally deviated from the instructions for insertion that came with it.

I actually use the Keeper which I understand is the same as the Diva cup but made from rubber and is a bit stiffer.

When I insert I gently release the sides when it's only half way in and I can usually feel it as it opens up. I then carry on inserting by pushing from the base until it's in far enough. This works very well with the Keeper - I don't know if it would work with the Diva cup as I think it's made of a softer material.

Other tips for helping the cup to pop open more easily is to run under the cold tap after washing with warm water so it's not so bendy. Also, I've found it helps if the inside of the cup is dry. There seems to be less suction that way and the sides don't suck themselves together as you pinch it for insertion.

As for unpleasant /strange noise during removal - I'm with you on that one. At my last office I used to go to an alternative Ladies that was less used as I didn't want to run into anyone. I find it can help if you bear down a little during removal and if you do it very slowly you can reduce the slurping noise quite a lot.

Hope this isn't too graphic and hope it makes sense.

[Jaz]

Dr and Corsair, thanks for the replies. I think I just might order one.

[Blueberry]

and I have *no idea* whether this is going to work. I've got it in - we'll know by morning. I cannot spin it at all. Nada. I've taken it out and re-inserted to make sure I don't have it too far up. Nothing.

I also have real problems getting it out - I can't imagine that I would be able to do it outside of the shower when dealing with the real deal. As it was, I did a few acrobatics. Good think my husband isn't with me - I would never have lived it down I've read the instructions for insertion and removal, and read all of the tips here, but I still think I'm not getting it... Any more wisdom from you ladies??

[maryellen]

I still can't do the spinning thing. There just isn't enough room in there for all this.

I wonder if part of my difficulties is that I have a tipped uterus. My gyn has difficulty sometimes reaching my cervix. I'm due to see her soon so perhaps I'll take my diva cup with me.

[maryellen]

well, wouldn't you know it, since my last post, my cycle started, so I'm giving the Diva cup a try today. Will advise but I can tell you one thing, I am not empyting this at work today. NO WAY.

[CorsairMac]

One great piece of wisdom someone here gave me: when we first started using tampons there was a learning curve so give yourselves some time to get used to the cup. I'm just sorry I didn't know about this sooner! (like 20 yrs ago sooner)

As for the tipped cervix: mine is also tipped. I bought the Instead since I'm pretty much done with my cycles (yippee!!). If you still feel like you just can't seem to get the Cup to work for you, try the Instead instead! (ain't I the clever one!) You don't need to spin it and - although the instructions say use and toss - I rinse mine under hot water just like the Cup and reuse it, 1 per cycle. That way instead of a million tampons I have 1 cup. Instead is available OTC at any drugstore.

[pkq]

OK, I'm sold. I'm getting the Diva. I feel so special to have a serious 48 hour flood complete with put-you-on-the-floor cramping, all of which seems to be getting worse as I age. This is why women usually died before 40, I'm sure of it!

yellow, mine were like yours from age 10 to 36, when it was yanked out. Cramps so bad puking was the order of the day, and worse, once a monthish.

BC pills regulated it but caused my pulse rate and blood pressure to increase about 100%. The doctor didn't understand my alarm, because they were still normal, until I told her it was a 100% increase from non-BC norms. The medical community put me through all kinds of stuff.

I'd felt an ovary for years but they couldn't feel anything during exams. When the cyst on the ovary burst, worst pain in my life to that point, they removed the cyst. Nothing showed up on the biopsied tissue but they didn't go deep enough for a plug of tissue. Two months later they were removing the ovary, endometriosis.

About 6 months later, I was back for more experimentation by the medical community. About a year later, they removed the uterus. I'd been taken to ER again with severe cramps and my doc was at a loss. Oddly enough, puking made everything settle down. But the pain getting there had gotten worse with age. The culprit was not endometriosis, as the doc suspected, but a uterine wall full of cysts, all benign. My paternal grandmother had endured the same problem. Darn genes!

You may have the same issue and it might be worth getting checked by your gyne.

I wish I'd had children prior to that but it wasn't to be. However, I love being free of all those challenges in womanhood. Once all you gals get to the other side, you'll love it. I haven't gone to the feminine product isle in 9 years! Yippee!!

[doc]

[QUOTE=CorsairMac]One great piece of wisdom someone here gave me: when we first started using tampons there was a learning curve so give yourselves some time to get used to the cup. I'm just sorry I didn't know about this sooner! (like 20 yrs ago sooner)

I agree 100%. I initially had to do minor acrobatics to insert the darn thing. Now I can do it almost standing straight up. Like clipless pedals, and everything else in life, a little practice and it gets much easier.

[drplasma64]

I agree 100%. I initially had to do minor acrobatics to insert the darn thing. Now I can do it almost standing straight up. Like clipless pedals, and everything else in life, a little practice and it gets much easier.

woah! Does that mean someday I'll be able to do clipless pedals since I've mastered the Diva cup??

Seriously, I definitely had a learning curve with the Diva cup - started about a year ago, now it's second nature.

[emily_in_nc]

I'm using the Diva Cup now for my first full cycle. I wore it w/o taking it out all day at work today, and it did just great; I totally forgot I had my period! Forgot it so well that I came home, took a walk with hubby, prepared dinner, and then thought "Oops, I really need to take it out!" It was, how can I put this delicately, FULL as it could be - glad I didn't forget it any longer! Fortunately, our powder room makes for easy washing with the sink within an arm's reach of the toilet, so I got it washed and reinserted, but once again, the spinning thing was just about impossible.

It hurt coming out as it opened up. Owweee! And it also pinches/bothers a bit after I first get it in, though it later seems to settle in and doesn't bother a bit after awhile, but at first I'm never sure it's in right or open. It took me a good ten minutes in the bathroom dealing with it tonight, and lots of slurping noises, so I still can't see removing and reinserting it in the restroom at work until I'm better at it, but once in, I must say that it really does do the job.

I also have a tipped cervix, actually a bit off to one side, so the speculum always hurts as they sort of pull my cervic into place for viewing. Perhaps if I just can't get the hang of the DivaCup (I'm not giving up yet), I might do as CorsairMac suggests and try the Instead cup. Does that go up higher, like a diaphragm? Used to use one of those many, many years ago and did not have any problems with it.

Emily in NC

[maryellen]

<<Like clipless pedals, and everything else in life, a little practice and it gets much easier.>>

whoa, this does not bode well for me going clipless

[CorsairMac]

I'm using the Diva Cup now for my first full cycle. I wore it w/o taking it out all day at work today, and it did just great; I totally forgot I had my period! Forgot it so well that I came home, took a walk with hubby, prepared dinner, and then thought "Oops, I really need to take it out!" It was, how can I put this delicately, FULL as it could be - glad I didn't forget it any longer! Fortunately, our powder room makes for easy washing with the sink within an arm's reach of the toilet, so I got it washed and reinserted, but once again, the spinning thing was just about impossible.

I also have a tipped cervix, actually a bit off to one side, so the speculum always hurts as they sort of pull my cervic into place for viewing. Perhaps if I just can't get the hang of the DivaCup (I'm not giving up yet), I might do as CorsairMac suggests and try the Instead cup. Does that go up higher, like a diaphragm? Used to use one of those many, many years ago and did not have any problems with it.

Emily in NC

Good for you - I know you were concerned about using the cup at work, glad to hear it worked for you! I have the same problem you do - pap smears are painful because my cervix is tipped "they say" so far up. As for the Instead being higher??....I never used the Diva so I don't know. What I do know is there isn't any spinning to get it to seat and once I got the hang of it (about 2-3 days) I went 8-12 hrs without having to change it. I was like you Em - I actually had to leave the package on the bathroom counter so I would remember I was on a cycle and change the darn thing. And there weren't any extraneous noises when I emptied it. I would have given the cup a try but felt the cost wasn't worth it with cycles that were happening about every 8-12 wks.


and I was rofl about the whole learning curve seque from the cup to clipless pedals! that was just too precious! TRUE - but precious nonetheless!

[Raindrop]

After reading all the testimonials about the Diva cup here, I ordered one a couple of weeks ago. Unfortunately, even though I did a "dry run" before my period was due I couldn't get it to work during my period (it leaked all over the place) which was a real pain since my period started during the Hood to Coast relay race.

So...now I've re-read everyones tips and I'm going to try, try again.