This size talk is starting to conflict itself. It makes sense if you know tampons, but someone who hasn’t mucked around with them much might be confuzzled at this point. Let’s straighten it out.
There are long, skinny ones and there are short, thick ones, but the cotton has to go somewhere (although the total massiveness of the tampon will vary with the absorbancy level, so whatever you try, you can start with “lights”). A tampon that’s too thick will cause a different kind of discomfort than one that’s too long. You could try buying a box of OB’s with applicators, and compare the feel with some of those slender-fits, and see whether you think the length or the width is the problem.
Ah shit, my computer ate my answer. I’ll start again :smack:
dragongirl, have a look at this. As you can see, the vagina slopes up and backwards, so it makes insertion easier if you insert the tampon upwards and backwards too. I found that the best way to get yourself in the right position is to do the following:
Go into you bedroom and lock the door (for privacy).
Get the tampon unwrapped and ready.
Lie down on your bed, on your back with your knees up and slightly spread (the “Gyn-Exam Position”).
Hold the tampon at about a 45-degree angle to the horizontal.
Relax - it doesn’t matter if you don’t get it in this time.
Slowly and smoothly insert it at that angle. This should place it in the correct position.
I’m also terrified of tampons and after reading this thread, I couldn’t help but close my legs and utter little squeals of terror at the “sticking your finger in there to make sure it’s properly fitted” part.
I only tried a tampon once, and it was with regular Pearl tampons. Does anyone dislike this brand? Or should I try some other brand? I have no idea which one to try, and this disgust with pads is pushing me to give tampons another go. Those itty things shouldn’t make a grown woman cringe!
Curious. Does it terrify you to stick a toothbrush in your mouth? How about some fingers from both hands with dental floss wrapped around them?
I was amazed when I read an old copy of “Our Bodies, Ourselves”, one from the early 70’s, first flush of the women’s rights movements. It had a lot to say about women getting familiar with their bodies, learning not to go all squeamish, not being afraid to touch themselves, yes, even down there.
Really! I thought in amazement. Were women in the Bad Old Days honestly that scared of their own bodies?? Did their parents really inculcate such a horror of touching their own vaginas in little girls, possibly as part of drive to keep them from masturbating, ie, keeping them pure and asexual that it persisted into adulthood?
I guess they not only did, some still do.
Honestly, Penchan: it’s only another part of your own body. God will NOT strike you down with lightning bolts. Your mother need never know!
The Tampax Pearls are decent. The absorbent braid is a good feature. I hate applicator tampons, though, and when I have to use them, I slide them out of the applicator and push them in by hand. I’ve been using tampons for some years now, and I’m probably unusually comfortable with my body, but I’m glad. It helps.
It’s your body. It was created for your health and your use, before anyone else’s. You owe it to yourself to get to know it.
I don’t know if they’re still around, but Kotex used to make Curved tampons. They had a slight curve to help maneuver around the pubic bone (I’m assuming that’s what that little edge is). Speaking again from experience, they were great for first-time users. I haven’t seen them around here in quite some time though.
You’ll take my ob tampons when you pry them from my cold, dead…er. Never mind. (Actually, I’m cup-curious. How hard is it to learn to insert those things, and are they any messier than tampons?)
If you Google “free tampon samples” you’ll find that almost every major manufacturer offers them, so you can find the one that works best for you without dropping a ton of money. Tampax tampons get longer; obs expand all around; and Playtex only expand at the far end, like a cup, enabling you to make tampon angels.
I just wanna put in my two cents worth about tampon brands. I hate the Tampax brand because they do grow longer and they’re very uncomfortable. The OB with the SilkEase, um, coating (?) on it is decent, goes in very easily, and absorbs well, but then you have that whole thing with no applicator, sticking your finger in your vagina…which is not exactly gross or dirty, but somedays you just get tired of doing it. Heh. The ones i like best are Playtex Gentle Glide. Nice soft rounded plastic applicator, short tampon that expands inside, not grows longer.
I did try cardboard applicators for awhile. I thought they would be better for the environment. But to reiterate what others have said, they would get stuck and I couldn’t push the bottom of the applicator into the top. It’s like the two pieces wouldn’t slide together like they’re supposed to. Y’all know what i mean. Wasn’t worth the time it took, so I went back to good ol’ plastic Playtex.
And I did try the Instead cups. But they would slip out–the outside ring would slowly make it’s way out of the vagina. I would always be going into the bathroom to adjust the damn thing. And I did have 'em in right. I had the same problem using Nuvaring. I guess my vaginal/cervical/pubic bone anatomy is off.
Try tampons again using the tips everyone gave you. I would never ever go back to pads except in dire emergency. Pads, no matter how thin…NO MATTER HOW THIN…feel like the thickest diapers now. And the sticky side inevitably grabs hold of a pubic hair and pulls it. OUCH. When you get used to using the tampon type and brand that you find works for you, going to the bathroom for that particular chore will be like Zip Bam Boom and you’re done.
Huh. I’m a Tampax girl, all the way. Cardboard applicators, the whole nine yards. I shy away from Playtex because the times I’ve used them, I’ve felt the string “give” a little as I was removing it. Not acceptable. I’m certain it’s not going to break or pull free, but I don’t want to feel any give at all on that sucker at that particular point in time. My Tampax strings are sewn in and are solid as a rock. But you’re right, they are kind of drying. Maybe I’ll have to shop around next time. I hear OB are the bomb, but I’ve never tried them.
But there might not be a next time, because I’ve got the Mirena IUD. A welcome side effect of the hormones the Mirena uses is that it can eliminate periods in some woment. I’m hoping I’m part of that percentage - it’s looking good so far!
The angels are so cute! I also learned how to make mice out of tampons during my freshman year of college (the thread is the tail).
I’m wondering whether anyone feels that “to o.b. or not to o.b.” is related to whether you’ve had a child—my mother’s theory is that things get wider down there once you’ve given birth, thus making an o.b. tampon more comfortable. I’m childless, have been using tampons exclusively for over 12 years, and still can’t get the non-applicator type in comfortably.
I’ve never used applicator tampons, they’re not big in Australia (What exactly is wrong with sticking a finger inside yourself?). I had a friend whose mum started her out on them, and as a rough quote “once I switched to normal tampons it was so much easier! I t was just so easy.” So, sometimes applicators can be a hindrance.
I second the laying down(gyn-exam) way, helps you to get relaxed and start out with the smaller sized tampon brands. Lubrication is the key. Removing a dry tampon hurts.
I havent heard of this tampon expanding lengthwise business. Sounds really bizarre to me.
I can’t get applicator-less tampons in right, which is a shame, because I LOVED LOVED LOVED the OB with applicators. They discontinued them, though! Arrrrgh!
Hate Playtex. They expand around and while they do the job well, getting them out is a literal pain. They expand a bit too much. I’m pretty small down there, apparently.
I would only use Tampax in an emergency.
Thanks to the pill I have incredibly light periods these days, so I just use pads. I’ve even quit using a tampon during the first night for backup.
Wow, I hope you’ll reconsider that and give it a try. Self-exploration really is the key to sexual happiness. And using tampons is such a nicer, cleaner way to deal with all that period mess.
Me too. I first started using Tampax becasue it had the flushable carboard applicator and I was too embarrassed by the thought of dealing with throwing away a plastic applicator. They work fine for me except on the very heaviest day of my period where I’ll go through a superplus in an hour. I like the idea of Ob but my periods are so hevay, I worry about getting so much blood all over my hands and under my nails.
You could ask your doctor if the Mirena would be right for you. It’s a hormonal IUD, places by your doctor, and it reduces menstruation greatly for most users. Twenty percent of the women who use Mirena stop bleeding alltogether!
If your periods are unpleasant for you, Mirena could be a good alternative birth control-method.
Hmmm, I wonder why they push the whole “already have at least one child” angle so much if the effect is reversible?
I wish I could do hormonal birth control. I love the side effects on both my skin and my flow but they kill my already relatively low sex drive. (which does make it extremely effective birt control… :dubious: )
