### Author:  [@trapezoidal\_jellyfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/trapezoidal_jellyfish)
#### Post date: [August 3, 2010, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-tmi-thread-women-please-help-me-with-this-tampon-problem/548950/1 "2010-08-03T00:17:43Z")
I’ve only recently started using tampons. I have this problem where it seems like the liquid is being drawn through the tampon to the string, to be happily soaked up by my underwear. It didn’t leak through to my skirt, but it was enough to make my inner thighs all red and sticky. It’s not that the tampon itself is overfull, because when I take it out there are still areas on it that are white and clean. In fact, the string seemed more blood-soaked than the tampon itself. What am I doing wrong? I’m pretty sure I’m putting it in right. I can’t really feel it once it’s in, and before any wise guy asks, yes I’m sure it’s the right hole. Is this normal? What do other women do?
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### Author:  [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)
#### Post date: [August 3, 2010, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-tmi-thread-women-please-help-me-with-this-tampon-problem/548950/2 "2010-08-03T00:25:29Z")
1. Is the tampon soaked through or somewhat dry when you take it out? If the fluid \ menstrual fluid doesn’t contain much actual blood \ is sort of… sliding past, that particular brand might not be a good fit. Try OB (the ones without applicators) as the tampon is constructed to expand outwards.
Try 'em free here
[http://www.obtampons.com/mightysmall/en/register\_landing.jsp#](http://www.obtampons.com/mightysmall/en/register_landing.jsp#)
if it’s soaked through you need more absorbency.
1. Is it in all the way? If you can feel it at all the answer is no.
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### Author:  [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)
#### Post date: [August 3, 2010, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-tmi-thread-women-please-help-me-with-this-tampon-problem/548950/3 "2010-08-03T00:27:42Z")
First, make sure that you are putting it in right. You really should put one foot up on something, like the tub edge- if it’s in properly, you shouldn’t “not really feel it”, you shouldn’t feel it at all. Second, if that doesn’t help, try OB- you can move the string back and forth a few times to open it up a little more before insertion. Third, wear a panty liner.
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### Author:  [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)
#### Post date: [August 3, 2010, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-tmi-thread-women-please-help-me-with-this-tampon-problem/548950/4 "2010-08-03T01:36:45Z")
FWIW, I’ve always had the same problem and never been able to find a solution despite trying for over 20 years. This coupled with the fact that my already rotten cramps get that much more rotten when I try to use tampons, I gave up about 10 years ago.
I hope you come up with a better solution.
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### Author:  [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)
#### Post date: [August 3, 2010, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-tmi-thread-women-please-help-me-with-this-tampon-problem/548950/5 "2010-08-03T01:39:56Z")
I had that problem until I changed to a diva cup. There are more threads singing the praises of diva cups on the board … [well there is more than one brand of permanent menstrual cup and several disposable brands as well. I did not like the disposable one that was roughly like a diaphram, it was not comfortable to me and I always felt like it was going to spill out the contents due to the shape, and the way the cervix is on the front of the body, and I sleep on my stomach. I had this unsettling feeling it wasnt going to catch the fluid and I would wake up in a puddle =(]
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### Author:  [@Sehmket](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sehmket)
#### Post date: [August 3, 2010, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-tmi-thread-women-please-help-me-with-this-tampon-problem/548950/6 "2010-08-03T04:15:03Z")
Like others have said, you might try a different brand - I have the slippage problem when I use tampax, but never with platex - my sister is the exact opposite. YMMV.
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### Author:  [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)
#### Post date: [August 3, 2010, 11:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-tmi-thread-women-please-help-me-with-this-tampon-problem/548950/7 "2010-08-03T11:09:38Z")
Cheap, store-brand tampons are more likely to have this problem than name brands.
Even knowing this, I only trust myself with a tampon exclusively when the flow is light (like by the third day). I’d just rather not take the chance.
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### Author:  [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)
#### Post date: [August 3, 2010, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-tmi-thread-women-please-help-me-with-this-tampon-problem/548950/8 "2010-08-03T15:00:42Z")
I never had this problem when I was younger, but began experiencing it after the birth of my last child five or so years ago. I changed brands from Tampax or cheap store brand to Kotex (which I’d never used before) and the problem is not as bad. However, I rarely go without a pantyliner throughout the duration of the whole period, just because of paranoia.
I hate o.b., though I’ve tried to use them for years. One of my best friends has never used anything else. Go figure.
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### Author:  [@Surly\_Chick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Surly_Chick)
#### Post date: [August 3, 2010, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-tmi-thread-women-please-help-me-with-this-tampon-problem/548950/9 "2010-08-03T15:16:46Z")
Try Playtex tampons. I’ve never had the string leakage problem with them. I think the string is not as absorbant as other brands.
I hate the no applicator thing with o.b. They’re just too uncomfortable to insert. I used to love them when they also made ob applicator ones but they have gone the way of the dodo, sadly. o.b. Ultras were the only ones that could hold me for 2 hours on my heavy days. I miss them. :mad:
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### Author:  [@Carol\_the\_Impaler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carol_the_Impaler)
#### Post date: [August 3, 2010, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-tmi-thread-women-please-help-me-with-this-tampon-problem/548950/10 "2010-08-03T15:32:48Z")
I have this same problem occasionally and what I find is weird is that it is always the right side of the tampon that is clean. Apparently, my mentrual blood only flows down the left side of my vagina. I’m left-vagina-ed.
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### Author:  [@Heckity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heckity)
#### Post date: [August 3, 2010, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-tmi-thread-women-please-help-me-with-this-tampon-problem/548950/11 "2010-08-03T15:39:14Z")
I have been known to trim the string off so that it doesn’t act like a wick - and then tuck the wee remaining bit up in. It’s not a pleasant solution when it comes to removal - but if you’re getting all _menstrual fluid_ sticky anyway, then what the heck. That seemed to fix it for me - YMMV
**niblet\_head** _“I’m left-vagina-ed”_ that’s hilarious!
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### Author:  [@Poysyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poysyn)
#### Post date: [August 3, 2010, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-tmi-thread-women-please-help-me-with-this-tampon-problem/548950/12 "2010-08-03T15:53:43Z")
I find OB to work the best for me, I had the same problem but it was worse with tampax.
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### Author:  [@Carol\_the\_Impaler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carol_the_Impaler)
#### Post date: [August 3, 2010, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-tmi-thread-women-please-help-me-with-this-tampon-problem/548950/13 "2010-08-03T16:13:42Z")
I’ve heard this about Tampax in other threads, too.
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### Author:  [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)
#### Post date: [August 3, 2010, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-tmi-thread-women-please-help-me-with-this-tampon-problem/548950/14 "2010-08-03T16:16:41Z")
Agreed that you’re probably inserting it wrong, and/or should switch brands. Are you using Kotex by any chance?
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### Author:  [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)
#### Post date: [August 3, 2010, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-tmi-thread-women-please-help-me-with-this-tampon-problem/548950/15 "2010-08-03T16:19:44Z")
> [@Surly\_Chick](#):
>
> Try Playtex tampons. I’ve never had the string leakage problem with them. I think the string is not as absorbant as other brands.
>
> I hate the no applicator thing with o.b. They’re just too uncomfortable to insert. I used to love them when they also made ob applicator ones but they have gone the way of the dodo, sadly. o.b. Ultras were the only ones that could hold me for 2 hours on my heavy days. I miss them. :mad:
I tried o.b.s once and maybe it was the no applicator thing, but I never felt they were in right. Playtex are my brand of choice now, too.
ETA: I never had leakage with o.b. but they just felt like…well, as Tim Gunn would say, something’s not sitting right.
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### Author:  [@Serenata67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Serenata67)
#### Post date: [August 3, 2010, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-tmi-thread-women-please-help-me-with-this-tampon-problem/548950/16 "2010-08-03T16:29:37Z")
Tampax and other store brands tend to do this more to me than Playtex. Playtex expands in all directions, so not as much slips past.
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### Author:  [@Electric\_Warrior](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Electric_Warrior)
#### Post date: [August 3, 2010, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-tmi-thread-women-please-help-me-with-this-tampon-problem/548950/17 "2010-08-03T17:00:10Z")
I have this same problem and always have, especially on heavy flow days. I just wear a pad underneath. I know it’s not an ideal solution, especially if you want to go swimming, but that combination seems to get 100% of the menstrual fluid taken care of.
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### Author:  [@Susie\_Derkins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Susie_Derkins)
#### Post date: [August 3, 2010, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-tmi-thread-women-please-help-me-with-this-tampon-problem/548950/18 "2010-08-03T17:41:37Z")
I shove them in until I taste cotton, then push the string up there, too. If my vag had a door I’d slam it and lock the deadbolt but alas, it does not. Putting them in as far as they’ll go works for me and I use the store brand.
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### Author:  [@zweisamkeit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zweisamkeit)
#### Post date: [August 3, 2010, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-tmi-thread-women-please-help-me-with-this-tampon-problem/548950/19 "2010-08-03T20:45:08Z")
> [@Freudian\_Slit](#):
>
> > [@Surly\_Chick](#):
> >
> > Try Playtex tampons. I’ve never had the string leakage problem with them. I think the string is not as absorbant as other brands.
> >
> > I hate the no applicator thing with o.b. They’re just too uncomfortable to insert. I used to love them when they also made ob applicator ones but they have gone the way of the dodo, sadly. o.b. Ultras were the only ones that could hold me for 2 hours on my heavy days. I miss them. :mad:
>
> I tried o.b.s once and maybe it was the no applicator thing, but I never felt they were in right. Playtex are my brand of choice now, too.
>
> ETA: I never had leakage with o.b. but they just felt like…well, as Tim Gunn would say, something’s not sitting right.
That’s funny; I love ob’s _because_ they’re easier for me to get seated exactly right. Applicators are annoying for that. And Tampax are hell on earth. I could jam it up through my cervix (hyperbolically speaking, of course :eek: ) and it’d still expand so long it’d poke out at the bottom really uncomfortably.
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### Author:  [@I\_Am\_The\_Lorax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Am_The_Lorax)
#### Post date: [August 3, 2010, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-tmi-thread-women-please-help-me-with-this-tampon-problem/548950/20 "2010-08-03T21:01:33Z")
One more vote for ob. They expand all the way around and act as a plug (which is what we want, right?) instead of a long skinny wick (like everything else I tried).
[Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-tmi-thread-women-please-help-me-with-this-tampon-problem/548950.md?page=2)