I love the fact that now I’ll be able to go to my best friend’s house during that time of the month and no longer have to worry about her brain-dead bassett hound eating things out of the trash can.
My next question is: WHY aren’t these things marketed more aggressively? They’re so vastly superior to tampons!
Okay, I’m getting way too excited about this…
I just got one (inspired by an SDMB thread, of course!) and the biggest issue I’m having is cleaning out the holes! I thought I could just drip alcohol down them for dissolving action, but they’re too small for that. Help, please! 
Otherwise, strongly recommended!
I’m not sure I belong in this thread either ;), but I read something a few months ago about how the typical dishwasher doesn’t actually get hot enough to sterilize what’s being washed. This was in the context of kitchen sponges, about which a bit of elore was circulating that it was a good idea to toss them in the dishwasher to kill the bacteria, the which fact was revealed as untrue by lab studies. So I have to wonder if the same would be true about these feminine products as well.
I’m really sick of pads. Truly. Cannot wear tampons, so I’m considering one of these nifty little doo-dads.
Anyone have a particular brand they’re absolutely in love with and wouldn’t give up for all the sex, chocolate and shoes in the world?
Okay. Getting a little carried away, I know. :rolleyes:
So, in your humble opinion - which one’s the bomb?
Dental toothpick? I tend to fill mine with water, cap with my palm, and then squeeze until water jets out the holes.
I got my divacup last month after I had read many rave reviews here on the SD. It arrived about a week before my period, but I tried it out anyway to see how to put it in. It popped open on me on the first try and I got it on the second try.
I am using it for the second month now. I love it. I don’t think I ever want to use a tampon again!! I don’t seem to have any problems cleaning out the vent holes.
For me the divacup works out great because at work sometimes I have to be at a well site or sitting a drill rig all day and finding time to go pee is challenging enough, let alone time to fumble with stupid tampons.
I also got the pretty purple bag with flowers and the tack pin.
I use Instead cups, and you can wear them during sex (which is why I haven’t tried the Keeper.) Makes things much less messy during the heavy flow days.
silver1- Instead are disposable, and the Keeper, Divacup and Mooncup are all essentially identical reusable cups.
The Keeper is made of latex and is harder, the Divacup and Mooncup are made of softer medical grade silicone, and are hypo-allergenic.
Why not check out the sites
http://www.softcup.com/ (Instead)
http://www.keeper.com/ (Divacup and the Keeper)
http://www.mooncup-info.com/mooncup.htm (Mooncup)
and see which appeals to you most.
I’m not sure I’d want to put something that I’m going to insert into me in the dishwasher with the chili pot.
I, too, noticed a lessening of the cramps when I started using the cup, along with a decrease in the general bloaty congested “blah” feeling I always have in my belly during my period. I thought at first that it was just because I didn’t get my cup until day 3, but then some of you said you noticed the same thing. Does anyone have any ideas as to why that is?
Is this similar to the Instead cups? I take it from the first post, that they are reusable, while Instead cups you throw out.
I’ve been using the Keeper for 5.5 years and haven’t used a tampon once. I have praised my Menstrual Cup to any female that will listen. I get lots of weird looks, but I’m ok with that.
I’ve passed my keeper around at parties when it’s clean and sterlized and asked everyone *Guess what this is?[/size]. The men pretty much think it is some kind of shot glass or sex toy and the women instinctively know it is something for women only. When I spill the beans, the men all clear the room with a “Oh…yuck!” face. Most amusing.
I also use flannel glad rags/moon rags/luna pads that come from Keeper’s web site ( panty liners are awesome and a bit pricey, but I’ve rotated between the three panty liners I ordered 5.5 years ago and the things are soft on the girly parts and work like a charm. I loves them.
I’ve had to use store pads because my flow decided to start on me a couple of days early and after one afternoon of wearing Always/Kotex/Whatever, my bits were chaffed. :eek:
I’ve bought new pads on Ebay ( not the same as the Keeper Luna Pads) because I wanted something bigger, but not pricey. There is a seller (NurseChristine) out of Northern Lower Michigan ( Gladwin or Gaylord, I always mix those up.) who makes either flannel/sherpa or velour pads with a hemp filler. and no you can’t get high when your bleeding out your womb, you smartasses. Though, wouldn’t that be a massive perk for cramp relieve? 
Very reasonably priced.
Welcome to a Whole New World and being Eco Friendly and Bringin’ Down The Tampon Industry One Vagina At A Time. (We really need an emoticon that gives the ‘thumbs up.’)
Insteads are more like a diaphram and they are not so bad, but the problem with them that I had during my free trial box of them was that if I wore it while sleeping and slept on my stomach, they leaked. Ick. Insteads you wear once and toss.
The Keeper and Diva Cups are a little bit bigger than a shot glass, only more conical in shape but not quite. They are made from either gum rubber or silicone. These items last a very, very long time. Just wash in hot water and sterlize with either Vineager ( keeper) or Alcohol ( diva) and let air dry.
I REALLY need to steal “Bringin’ Down The Tampon Industry One Vagina At A Time” as my sig line. May I?
I was just talking about these with my sister - she’s had TSS (or was it PID? I don’t remember which), and can’t use tampons. She thought the rubber sounded too hard.
I used a keeper a few years ago and loved it - but I lost it when I moved and it never turned up again. Re-ordering just kept falling through the cracks.
This sounds even greater - I can’t wait to buy one.
Not sure why I even read this thread. Some things are better off not known.
Perhaps the following is TMI.
Anyway, when I wash my dildo in the dishwasher, I basically run an empty load except for that. As Marlitharn said, nothing going inside of me is going to be washed with my dishes.
I’ve never heard of Divacups/Mooncups before, but they sound like the answer to my prayers so I’d really like to give them a go. The only thing is that I have pretty heavy periods, especially since I had kids. Can these cup things cope? Is one type better than the other for this?
The average woman loses about 50mls in a period. A heavy period (menorrhagia) would be one over 80mls. This is for the period in total, not per day.
These menstrual cups are about the size of a shot glass.
A measure of spirits is about 30mls.
What that all means is, yes these babies can cope with heavy periods.
(You can wear a pad/liner until you work out how often you need to empty them, but if you get the seal right there will be NO leaks).
From the Divacup website:
I too bleed like a stuck pig for the first 3 days of my period; I got my Divacup on the mail on day 3, inserted it correctly on the second try, and it worked like a friggin’ DREAM! Even if I end up having to empty it out every 3 or 4 hours on my heavy days, that’s still a lot better than futzing around with super-saturated tampons and soaked back-up pads every hour and a half. I went with the Divacup rather than the Keeper because silicone seemed like it would be softer and more comfortable than rubber.
And Shirley Ujest hasn’t said I could, but I’m gonna anyway…
I ordered one today. A friend at work is waiting for my review before she considers one…
Irishgirl, sorry for my tardiness in replying; I lost track of the thread. :rolleyes: I’ve gone a-hunting on the sites you suggested and I think the Divacup is more my cup of tea. (I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I couldn’t help it!) :o
Thanks!!