Lovelyish

Dude, I love these things, they’re the best. My period can get pretty heavy and I hate wearing pads on heavy days. I never liked tampons either, so I was kind of weary to try this out but I am so glad I did. I can’t even feel it when it’s inserted and it’s really not that much of a hassle to insert or pull out. It’s so much easier to exercise and I never worry about leaking. You can also have intercourse while it’s in and bypass most of the mess that usually goes with that. I also can barely feel it and my boyfriend said the same, so definitely a plus for both of us. The only downside I felt about it was really only if I needed to change it while I was in a public restroom. It can be messy and it’s just something I rather do in my own bathroom. But honestly, I have pretty good timing of when I could possibly have to change it and I keep pads for leakage if it’s heavy, so that has yet to even be a problem. Best idea ever.

In my opinion this kind of defeats the main purpose of what the DivaCup is for…it’s more environmentally friendly then using tampons and pads since they are disposable. I’m not saying the Softcup is a bad idea, but the “green” aspect of it just isn’t there.

I’m sorry, but I refuse to be grossed out by the potential of having a cup of period blood spilled on me.  I’d rather deal with a bloody tampon than a cup full of rancid, clumpy blood.  Ew.

I plan on trying these out or at least getting a DivaCup… maybe I will try these soft cups out first before buying  a permanent one.

I’ve used a DivaCup for years with great success. Although they’re pricier than a box of tampons to start with, you can continue using them for a good while as long as you take care of it. 

I also started using these as a “primer” for a DivaCup, to see if I was okay with the cup idea (I am, but have still not ordered one).  I agree with your pros and cons, but would emphasize that it’s not for women who aren’t comfortable with their bodies, and who can’t handle some blood and gore.  It can be a bit messy to, uh, retrieve.  As for the inconspicuous packaging, I’m not so sure about that – the purple thing looks like a giant condom wrapper to me.

One other pro: the info about these says there haven’t been any cases of TSS reported, so they – potentially – could be more safe on that front.

Side-note: the band/rim thing reminds me of the bracelets that were so popular a few years (after the initial Livestrong surge), hehe. 

Thanks so much for telling us about this! I use the DivaCup for very heavy flow and like it, but it would be nice to have something disposable if you’re at work, or camping. I’ll have to try it out!

@tips@hardestlevel - I’ve never used one before so I don’t understand how you could have sex. If it’s not too personal I would like to know how it works.

@CecilliaMarie@xanga - I was going to say the same thing

@createdestiny@xanga - The way that it’s placed inside your body there is still room for your “guy” to get in without feeling it. It goes in straight instead of sitting across the opening if that makes sense. There is a video link that can show you how it goes in.

I love these, I rotate between all three depending on what I’m doing and how heavy my flow is. But the option of mess free sex is my favourite feature.

@createdestiny@xanga - well.. I suppose it’s not ideal to have sex on your period, but it would sit in there like a diaphram, I would imagine. though if you tried to have sex with it in, all the blood would spill out anyway- so it would defeat the purpose, really.

@CecilliaMarie@xanga - 
environmentally friendly…

tampons are made out of COTTON. they degrade fast, and can even be burned and sometimes flushed (certain ones are dissolvable)

how the HELL are tampons hurting the environment? DIAPERS are hurting
the environment because they’re NOT made of cotton. tampons aren’t made
of gel- they degrade.

I have used these before and liked them. I use cloth pads most of the time though.

@ohveryoung@xanga - I am a soft cup user, and in the beginning I was terrified of exactly what you are saying, but when they say 12 hours, they mean 12 hours.. so really, honestly, there is no reason you can’t wait until you get home and can hop into a shower for changing time.

@ohletitbe@xanga - I think it’s the chemicals that make them bad for the environment.

@seriously_meredith@xanga - the only chemicals in it are bleach. and you can buy ones without that in them, even. so I don’t see them as a problem. they already have “free and clear” tampons. just no one buys them because they use cardboard applicators and they’re shaped weird, or they’re really long- so no one wants to use them. lol

@InterNosAleaIactaEst@xanga - I’m just squeamish and blood really bothers me.  Period blood is the worst because there are pieces of your uterine wall or whatever inside it, too.  I just can’t stomach the thought of having to look at and smell that stuff.  Just freaks me out, lol.  I’ll stick to tampons.

@createdestiny@xanga - It’s the way it positions once it’s in. It sits high enough to not be bothersome. Obviously it is not meant for any sort of protection during intercourse, but it sits far enough that he can’t really feel it. My boyfriend said he can sort of feel it, but it doesn’t bother him at all. Same goes for me too. I can kind of feel it during intercourse, but just barely so it doesn’t bother me either. I’ve never had a problem with a lot of leakage during intercourse while wearing one, but that may be because I always put a new one in beforehand to reduce the amount of mess afterwards and there really isn’t that much. Of course you’re going to get some because of the obvious activities happening, but it’s definitely way less than what it would be without having it in, for me anyway. It is also definitely OK for you to have intercourse with the SoftCups in. They are even made specifically so that you can, packaging mentions that you can and also states that obviously it is not to be used for protection. You can’t have sex with the diva cups in because of how low they sit, which is one of the reasons why I just stick to the SoftCups.  

@CecilliaMarie@xanga - I found out after I made this post that a reusable soft cup is coming soon! It was on the company’s official facebook page!

Someone wrote a post about using cups a couple of months ago and now I’m even more eager to try it. I just have an economy size package of pads that I have to use up first.

@ohletitbe@xanga - It takes decades for things to degrade, think about some of the cotton things you have (shits, socks, etc.) I’m sure you’ve had them for over a year or two and they’re still here.

I use a divacup.  Setting aside the environmental debate, I still found the Divacup to make more sense for me personally. Because it’s reusable, you save money in the long run and you rarely have to make emergency runs for feminine hygiene products (since it doesn’t “run out” like boxes of tampons/pads/disposable cups). I also like that I don’t generate extra trash during my period –less trash means you don’t have to take the trash out so often!  Good for lazy bums like me. =)  I’m not too squeamish about blood, so the prospect of washing out a menstrual cup wasn’t a big deal for me.

@ohletitbe@xanga - I believe it’s the plastic applicators that are the main environmental concern.  Otherwise, if you’re not using ones with plastic applicators, the environmental impact would be much less of an issue. 

i’ve tried it and i hate it…the thought of a cup inside me is just horrifying.  i don’t mind tampons bc i’m so used to it and i’m light so i don’t ever have a problem.

You make washing the cup sound like it’s a laborious task. You can just rinse it in soap and water. If you’re spending more than a few minutes washing it, you’re doing it wrong (even then I would say that’s too long). I mean, it’s not like you have to take out a brush and scrub it and then hang it out to dry.

I use a menstrual cup and have been for years, but I use these when I have my period and ready to have sex. Since it doesn’t happen that often, my pack has lasted me a really long time. I mean, I bought it in late 2009 and I still have more, haha. @createdestiny@xanga - You don’t need to do anything special to have sex while having it in (I mean, what could you do anyway?); you just have sex like you normally would. My last and current boyfriend have said they can’t feel it, which I find crazy cuz it just seems like they’d notice a big foreign object up there, but if I didn’t say anything, they would never have known.

@theflowerstem@xanga - Did you mean to say shirts? I did a double take for a second. I was like, “…cotton shits?” lol.

@superGchik@xanga - lmaoo. yeah I think it’d be too uncomfortable to me. a CUP. what if the “cup” spills…:O
cups DO spill. lol

@just_the_average_jane@xanga - yeah and it sucks cause the ones with the cardboard applicators SUCK and are HUGE lol!!
like couldn’t they make them a little smaller? with recycled plastic or something, damn.
I used OB (or was it ops..) for a while, and they don’t have any applicators, they’re just like little cotton flower buds that you shove up there with your finger. lol

molds to my body.. hmmmmm. ? the ring thing looks plastic, or rubber?
I have a short cervix.. lol. what if it doesn’t fit me. I’d be PISSED if I bought a box and they were too big or I didn’t like them.
what are you gonna do, give them away to someone.
be like: “oh here, I tried these but didn’t like them.” lol. they’re not like candy.. buy a box just to try them.

I just finished my 2nd period of using the Diva Cup and I love it.

My first cycle with it, I wasn’t sold, but this time around I was more comfortable and confident with using it and I am so glad I did. You can reuse them for up to 2 years with normal care. I only paid $30.00 for it. I’m totally sold.

I still keep Tampons and Pads around, but The Diva Cup is now my main mode of period protection.

I haven’t had a period in a really long time because of the birth control I’m on. If that ever changes I think I would give these a try.

I’m still debating whether to switch to this (I’d get softcups before investing in the DivaCup) or cloth pads. Both are gonna be gross to clean, but I don’t mind. I just never wore tampons besides when I go swimming, so I’m not exactly accustom to walking around with something inside me like that.

I have a relatively light/moderate flow, hence why I also think the diva cup might be unnecessary.

Your argument against the DivaCup doesn’t make any sense because you can return the DivaCup with a full refund if you don’t like it.

Also, from personal experience I love the DivaCup. This sounds like a gross analogy, but you don’t freak out everytime you blow your nose, do you? No, cause your used to it. Same for wiping your butt (I know I know it’s gross but we do it!) As long as you follow the procedures for keeping the cup clean and sanitized. It’s all about being comfortable with your body. Also, you only have to change the cup every 10hours or so (depending on how heavy you are) so you spend LESS time changing tampons or pads and interacting with your blood. 

No, just no. I know it’s normal in our culture to shove things up your vagina and let them sit there and rot with your menstrual blood, but the idea has never meshed well with me, it makes me nervous and causes vaginismus. I’ll stick with my diapers.

@alicia0007 - Sorry, I think you misunderstood, it’s not an argument against the Divacup. I want to try it but $30+ for me right now is alot of money because of school & bills. I happened to see these in the store & I wanted to try it. I said this was a stepping stone to the Divacup in my original post but Lovelyish curtailed my entry. If you go to my personal blog, you’ll see the full unedited blog! Thank you for letting me know about the refund though, that is good to know! Many places dont take refunds on items like that for good reason.

@ohletitbe@xanga - We give our friends tampons & pads when they need them, I dont see why these would be any different than those. I mean yeah if they never seen them before & opened the package, it would be funny. haha

@Delphiki@xanga - I had never used a cup of any kind before & sorry if this is TMI but when it comes to sticking something up in the vagina I would be very serious on cleaning it. LOL I’ve seen youtube videos ranging from sticking it in the dishwasher to boiling it.

My main issue with a reusable cup is what will I do when I’m not home & I need to clean it & reuse it. When I posted this on my personal blog, a friend told me what she does & how much better the divacup would fit so now when I get the extra money, I’ll get it. I’m all for being green but I need some green to get this. haha!

When I first saw this, I thought that it would be awesome!  However, here is my beef with the softcup:

1.  It is not actually cheaper for me.  I only have 2 heavy days a period and 2-4 light days, so I only use about 10 tampons a period, which is what, $2 max?  That would be about 8-12 softcups.
2.  Insertion is way more difficult.  Tampons come with a pretty user-friendly applicator.  Softcups do not.  If I can’t get it in right, I also get leakage and it’s not as comfortable.
3.  I work a 8-5 hr job.  This means that I’ve had to change the softcup during the day in a PUBLIC RESTROOM.  I don’t understand how anyone could do that without having blood all over their fingers afterwards.  Ew.  No.
4.  Disposal is a mess, to say the least.  Tampons can be flushed down the toilet.  These things must be wrapped and thrown out.  Even if I were at home, I would not want to throw out my blood filled period blood cup into a trashcan where my inquisitive cats can dig it out and play with it. UGH.
5.  Sex on the softcup is not all the great, in my opinion.  I am always paranoid about it moving or slipping or leaking and the boyfriend I used them with has told me that he can feel it.  So I’d rather just have sex on my period in a shower than with a softcup.
All in all, I’ll take my tampon/pantiliner combo over the softcup anyday.  It’s just not my cup (hehe :p) of tea.

I would definitely try this.

I think it’s fantastic and can’t wait to try it!  I’ve been wanting a diva cup for awhile now, but I don’t think they sell them here Might have to order one online.  I’d prefer something that isn’t disposable, but I wouldn’t mind keeping a box of these on hand for emergencies or something.

I LOVE my diva cup!  the OTHER great thing about the DIVA CUP vs. this thing is that there is LESS GARBAGE! and it is more ecologically responsible.  If you are really too lazy to rinse something out.. come on!  I can leave my diva-cup in for an entire day, and i have no leakage.

The idea of any sort of “cup” alternative doesn’t appeal to me. I know they’re supposed to be money-savers and environmentally friendly, but I’ll just stick to the classics.

A HUGE con for me would be the fact that it’s disposable. I first got a DivaCup because it’s a more environmentally friendly option. I love the DivaCup and you can get it for $26 on Amazon.

Lovelyish, you post these posts every couple of months. I’m fine with my pads and tampons, thank you very much. I’m not interested and you’re not swaying my opinion still. I don’t find them cheaper. I’d feel gross reusing something that I bled in. It looks condom-ish anyways. I don’t want something plastic shoved up my vagina. 

Nevaaaa!!!! I won’t even go into the embarrassing explanation as to why either.

No no noooo nooo. NO. I am NEVER. EVER. gonna use tampons or softcups and whatever that requires insertion into my girlie-part!!!!

I think I’ll stick with the pads until the day I die. Yepp yepp.

And the funny thing is, I used to think that tampon is just another word for pad. So then I was on my period one day, wasn’t prepared, and asked my friend if she had a tampon [thinking that I was really asking for a pad] and she looked at me like I’m an alien, “WHAT?! You use TAMPON!?!” And I looked at her innocently, “Yeah, I mean what else would I use..?” Until she explained to me the whole tampon-pad difference.. I felt like I was an idiot until that moment lol. Yes, yes. I am still a virgin..

@luv_is_infinite@datingish - Honestly, it doesnt change much after you have sex. Cuz when you have sex, you want it. When you dont, everything’s still the same. 

@malissa1578@xanga - 

The soft cup sits much higher then the DivaCup and you can’t have sex with a DivaCup in like you can with a SoftCup. I’ve never used SoftCup, but I think from what I’ve read it sits closer to the cervix, where as the DivaCup does not.

It took me 2 periods to adjust to the DivaCup but I LOVE IT.

@Shinbi_Belldandy@xanga - I know what you’re saying. I just meant that it’s not like it’s a surface where your menses would stick to it cuz it’s not absorbent, like a pad or tampon, so it’s actually really simple to clean. The manual that comes with it says you can boil it if it starts to get stained, however, but I’ve never tried throwing it in the dishwasher. I suppose if you can boil it, it’d be dishwasher safe. Hm.

@Rock_me_Skinny@xanga - Lovelyish edited my article. I dont have a problem rinsing it out but my main issue is what will I do when I’m not home, as in a public restroom. It would be gross to walk out with a bloody cup to rinse it then go back in. haha. I’m working my way up to there. A friend on my personal blog told me what she does in situations like that.

@Delphiki@xanga - Good to know, thank you! I never saw the cup either so I now that I know it’s easier than I thought to clean, it’s a bonus!

Also the nice thing about the DivaCup vs. tampons and pads it that there are no chemicals in them.  SO they are safe for people with allergies.  Actually when i used tampons, my body would react very badly to the chemicals and dyes and such that were in them and my periods would sometimes drive me to emergency rooms.  The DivaCup is free of all that stuff, plus the fact that it is inserted, i find the pressure (that i dont even feel) actually helps reduce cramping

@Shinbi_Belldandy@xanga - i usually use the handicapped bathroom since they are usually stand-alone and have their own sink.  Or my girlfriend says she wipes it out with toilet paper then cleans it better when she gets to a sink

No feminine hygiene product is 100% perfect, but walking around with a pad or tampon is one thing… walking around with a cup full of my uterine lining is… something else again. I’m totally comfortable with my lady bits, don’t care for my period (who does?) but I can live with it. I don’t know if I could live with this in my junk all day. It just skeeves me out for some reason.

@Rock_me_Skinny@xanga - Even better! I usually use the handicap stalls anyway (if no one is in need of course) so I dont have to walk out with my waste. Not every stall has a period box.

@knifegoing_in@xanga - It looks scary but you honestly dont feel it when it’s in. In fact if I didnt leave my pad on to catch any leaks, I would have forgetten I had one in. I can understand people’s feelings of leaving it in to catch the blood but you arent going to get septic shock in 12 hours (if you leave it in the maximum time). If you left it in for days, that’s one thing. Cups do everything a tampon does except clog your toilet! LOL

@Shinbi_Belldandy@xanga - In the pamphlet that comes with the DivaCup, they say that you can leave it in for up to 12 hours, but if you have a heavier flow and need to empty it more often and don’t want to use the sink with everyone around, you can just wipe it clean with some toilet paper until you get a chance to rinse it out.