When I was growing up my mother only allowed me pads.
I finally got the chance to use a tampon when I was in the 10th grade and never looked back since.
Pads eat public hair and smell.
Tampons are easy to insert and easy to get rid of. To get rid of a pad you have to roll it in toilet paper and then find a garbage can to get rid of it in. Ever been to a friends house and need to rid yourself of your pad but don’t want to leave it in their bathroom trash?
Tampons all the way!
You know, here in Japan they have underwear which has a special lining in the crotch especially for when you have your period. The lining lets blood wash out really well. And you can get underwear with slits on the side of the gusset for tucking in the wings on pads, and you can buy underwear with a pocket for keeping a spare pad/panty liner.
Of course they don’t come in my size though, so I have to use the rotation method. But I also try to buy red underwear for period use.
Funny coincidence…I got my period this morning. I swear my cycle is getting shorter and shorter…
Maybe y’all are syncronizing. 
Tsubaki that underwear sounds cool. No, really. And I like the idea of wearing red underwear during your period–seems celabratory, in a way.
Forgive me, I take joy in the little things.
Anyway, y’all may be converting me to tampon use. My years reading the box while going to the loo has given me a horrible, irrational fear of TSS. Strictly a pad woman as it stands.
Oh my goodness, you even use MY term for that! Yes, I DO have “period panties.” They’re the ones that got leaks on them but not totally blown out to the point where I had to toss 'em out entirely.
I also have dark colored (dark red, black and purple) panties that I wear at the tail end of my period for my (aforementioned in a previous post on this thread) Day Five Surprise (I never know what time of the day it’ll hit or how much it’ll be)…
And of course I have panties I never, EVER wear when I have my period, when I’m ABOUT to get my period, or until “Day Six.” Those are my “Normal Panties.”
I’m another non-applicator OB user. Mostly Supers. My period, thankfully, only lasts 2-2 1/2 days and it’s not a big deal. I tried Tampax, but they were so uncomfortable! I don’t wear pads, I don’t like them. At night, I put a folded towel under me, but there’s hardly ever a leak. However, those mornings I do usually use the bathroom before letting my dogs outside, instead of the other way around.
StG
Instead, Instead, Instead!!! They’ve changed my life. I love them. I actually forget I’m on my period when I wear them. I can wear them much longer than tampons (12 hours) unless it’s a really heavy day. And I can go on all day bike rides without having to worry about changing it/finding a suitable bathroom with a wastebasket. I don’t feel them unless they’re not in correctly. Once or twice one has moved, or perhaps I inserted it wrong, and then I had trouble with leakage. I haven’t tried the Keeper. I basically never use tampons now.
I haven’t used a pad in years, except the very occasional pantiliner on a heavy night. I’m actually surprised at the numbers of people who use pads. I sort of thought they were like typewriters (rarely used, and a lot more trouble than the alternatives), but I guess not.
Yet another Doper who worships at the altar of o.b., checking in!
I never, ever wear pads. Ever. I finished with diapers back when I was a toddler, thank you very much.
When I first got my period, sometime in middle school, I had this irrational fear that my mom would throw a party for me or something, so I just wadded up TP and shoved it down there. I was somewhat of a priss in middle school. Well, those didn’t work real well at all, so I tried my older sister’s pads. Those kept getting stuck in my pubes, there was still leakage, and they kinda smelled funny, plus it was a hassle and a half to get rid of them. The day I discovered o.b.'s was a beautiful one indeed. I’ve been using them ever since, and haven’t touched a pad in years. I find that I can usually tell if I’m overflowing the tampon, and I can go fix it if I need to. As for sleeping, I just wear an old pair of panties to bed to catch any leaks. After the first 2 days, my flow decreases rapidly (until I get the 5[sup]th[/sup] Day Surprise, but even that just lasts for maybe a day before I’m done for good).
Well, since I got my Fantastic Plastic, my flow has dropped considerably, and some months I don’t have any. I’d encourage any female Dopers who have heavy periods and have tried the Pill but didn’t like it to have a chat with the gyno about the hormonal IUD. It’s not for everyone, but for me it’s a godsend.
When I do have my period, I mostly use Imse Vimse washable pads. They are made of the softest flannel I’ve ever found, are simple to use, and can be made thicker as needed. Cracks me up that they came with a booklet about avoiding stains - why would you care about stains on menstrual pads??? - but oddly enough they wash out nicely anyway. When I have to use a tampon, like when I take flodjunior to swimming, I prefer o.b. With the applicators, I always wonder if the tampon is really in the right place. Using my finger, I’m positive. Yes, I can be that neurotic.
I used pads for a while after I started having my period, and was staining my underwear, and my sheets. Gah. I mostly use Kotex, regular size, as super is far too drying. I don’t mind playtex as long as they are not the deodorant ones. For some reason, to my mind it just broadcasts “ON the rag.”
My period, thankfully, only lasts 2-2 1/2 days
Mine too, StGermain (ever since I first took the pill). I’ve always had a bit of a complex about it. Thanks for confirming that I’m not alone.
WAY TMI here. I’d really appreciate any suggestions from the AARP crowd.
Another oldster checking in. Who else remembers life before panty hose and adhesive pads? You had the girdle or garterbelt, the nylons, then the menstral belt and pads and panties…getting them all down and up in the right order made rest room stops incredibly long. Enough said.
Back when my periods were “normal,” I used to use my diaphragm to catch my flow. A little messy to remove, but no leaking EVER. I’ve kept up my “prescription” for one even though the tubes have been tied for a long time now.
Unfortunately, when I hit 50, my periods became incredibly heavy. We are talking soak through super tampon and pad in under an hour. I’m housebound 2 days a month and “iffy” a couple more. The big problem is clumps (up to the size of oranges) and gushes–flow is not at all even. Oh, the joy of fibroids.
I use Tampax super plus combined with Kotex overnights for the heavy days; Always without wings for the “lighter” ones. (I like the feel of the dry weave; wings seem to tangle my public hairs. ouch!) I keep towels and baby diaper changing pads on the chairs–even at work. My doctor’s have prescribed anti-inflammatory drugs to try to reduce the flow–hope it helps.
The worst problem, for me, is getting through the night without ruining the bed. I suppose I could go with rubber sheets. Ewwwww. Usually, two to three changes during the night. When I get up, it’s a major challenged to make it to the bathroom because of the accummulation. I wish the Kotex Overnights were even longer to catch the leakage down the heinie crack when I sit up to get out of bed. I’ve given some thought to trying Depends. Anyone else solved this problem?
I have a completely different sent of undies for period days–they are tighter and more elastic so the pads are held closer.
Thanks to everyone for sharing–I’ll give those OB’s a try–maybe they’ll lengthen the cycle to two hours.
skeptic_ev - I’m not on any sort of birth control - it just seems that is my natural cycle. Very rarely cramps. The worst thing about my period is the occassionally accompanying migraine. I’m on meds for that, now, though.
StG
Anyone ever find out just how big a Kotex tampon can get first hand?
I was all of 15 and going of to a church weekend at a lake. Denial, forgetfulness, who knows? But I had only one and I had already inserted it. I even went water skiing twice that weekend. When I got home I couldnÕt wait to get that thing out. I swear the suction pulled my eyeballs backward.
For all interested parties, roughly 6 inches long, 3 inches wide and less than an inch think. Men should be so well endowed!
Wow, terrorcotta, I’m surprised you didn’t suck your uterus right out with it. :eek:
I’ve never been able to bear the thought of using a tampon. I use store brand maxis with wings–and wouldn’t you know it, they still don’t protect well enough on their own, so I have to wrap a couple of panty shields under them.
The first tampons I ever used were non-applicator and now I don’t like applicators at all. I just take the tampon out beforehand and throw the applicator away unused if I somehow end up with one of those torpedos. Like Flodnak, I can guarantee that everything is in proper alignment if I’ve actually got… er… a man on the scene, so to speak. And like somebody else upthread whose name I am too lazy to go look for, I have had grip issues EVERY TIME I try to use an applicator. It’s slippery down there. Jeez.
Yeah, skeptic_ev, me too! Could’a sworn there was skin atached!!!
One of the disadvantages of tampons for me is that you have to keep a tight hold of the applicator in a very precarious position. I’ve had plenty of times when my fingers slipped off the applicator and I wasn’t able to get enough of a grip to push the applicator up. Are there any applicators that let you maintain a grip even when the applicator is slippery?
Well, medstar, even though Tampax is not my preferred brand because of the fit, last time I started, I didn’t have much of a choice and bought Tampax Pearl. The part that you grab is not round; it’s sort of oval or oblong. Works much better.
My question: why didn’t they think of this years ago?