I know about toxic shock and not wearing your tampon more than 8 hours. I guess I’m just paranoid–if I can get TSS potentially from the same tampon in there for so long is it dangerous to have one in for that long and then take it out and put a new one in? It’s not the same tampon, I mean, but I’ve still got something stuffed up my vagina for a long time. And I pretty much exclusively wear tampons when I’m on my period–I usually don’t take breaks for pads. Is this dangerous in any way, or should I be taking breaks to wear pads?
I am neither a doctor, nor of a tampon-eligible gender. However, a little bit of web research shows: (a) that the tampons in question are no longer sold in the United States, and (b) the problem was that the high-absorbancy tampons were providing a particularly nurturing environment for the bacteria (which implies that the main bacterial colony was in the tampon itself, and therefore swapping them would dramatically lower the population size). Also, the disease itself is very rare and many folks are immune to it.
If it were me, I wouldn’t worry about just swapping them. (That’s not very reassuring, I know, but might be the best you’re going to get without getting into the realm of specific medical advice.)
I did read that most of the tampons that had been causing the problem were no longer sold. I guess I was just wondering, in the most general sense, is there a problem with having something in your vagina for a period of several days? That is, putting a tampon in for up to eight hours and then just putting a new one in…should there be any “break”? All the sites I found say to be safe, don’t just leave it in for more than eight hours. I’ve also heard people say to maybe use pads at night, though I’m not sure if that’s to protect against leaks, or perhaps because you might run the risk of going more than eight hours.
Anyway, thanks. I do think I’m probably being paranoid. (I’m kind of known for being a hypochondriac.) But hey, one never knows.
Women all over the world do it all the time, you know.
Don’t worry, it’s not dangerous, or I would be dead by now.
If they’re no longer sold, why can’t I get a box of Playtex that doesn’t have a warning on the side of the box, and a separate insert inside the box warning me about TSS?
Corporate butt-covering?
No, it’s for the other side.
Heh.
Thanks, all. The reign of the tampon shall continue, unabated, in my girl bits.
AFAIK, the danger was specifically from having the *same *tampon in for extended periods, because *the tampon itself *would act as a culture medium for the bacteria.
FWIW, (and probably TMI, sorry) I once accidentally forgot to remove a tampon before inserting a new one. I only discovered it when I went to pull out the second and noticed an extra string. I assume it was only in there for ~16 hours, but I can’t really be sure at what point I forgot to take it out. Anyway, the point is that I survived just fine without any ill effects. I also routinely sleep with tampons, resulting in them being in for 9-10 hours sometimes. I have done this for years (despite the warning, what can I say, I am a rebel) and never had any kind of problem, except occasional leaking.
I did this once, too. (And you bet your ass my friends have never let me forget it.)
Even at the height of the TSS scare, I’m sure there were thousands (millions?) of women who used tampons in the riskiest manner with no ill effects. 'Course, that doesn’t mean it was safe, but now it’s a lot better. I, too, am a constant tampon user when I’m on the rag, including overnight. (Can’t stand pads, personally.)
I’m a doctor and I’ve seen one case of TSS. It was caused by a small cut on the patient’s finger she got while opening a bottle of beer. So in my experience it’s safer to wear tampons than to drink beer.
Well, I tell ya what–I’ve never woken up to throw up 'cause I had too many tampons the night before.
It’s nice to know I’m not alone. 
The feeling of relief is strongly mutual, believe you me. 
IIRC the problem first occurred with those super-absorbent tampons abck in the 70’s(?). Was it because the tampon was in too long, or because it absorbed so well it dried out the skin layer too well that was supposed to stay “moist”, thus making it susceptible to TSS? I recall on the news I thought they said the culprit was too much absorbency.
I’ve never done the two tampons at the same time thing. But I’ve read horrible stories about forgetting a tampon for days or months. Including one account of a woman who was a recovering anorexic with serious alcohol problems who discovered she’d gotten her period back finally because she went to the gynecologist with some odd symptoms only to discover a used tampon that had to be taken out with forceps that she’d apparently put in a while back while under the influence.
I need to stop reading Jezebel and Nerve.com. There are some seriously disgusting people out there.
The part I bolded … that NEVER makes sense to me. Back when I was a teenager, and my mom thought wearing tampons would make me not be a virgin :rolleyes: I wore pads to bed (and everywhere else, including ballet lessons!) and I can assure you I leaked ALL THE TIME with pads at night. I’d roll onto my back, and the next morning, there’d be a stain waaay up on my pajama pants, where the leak had trickled up my crack.
Never once, since I switched to wearing tampons, have I ever had a sheet-stain that wasn’t my direct fault. (“Oh, surely the flow has lessened enough! I can just get away with not wearing one at all!” Otherwise … no.)
No TMI warning - this is a thread about tampons, I can say any gross damn thing I please! 
I knew it!
Also, I’d suggest that if your immune system is healthy, you’re probably okay. If it’s challenged, then you want to be really, really careful with anything that might harbor bacteria inside your body, especially up next to the plumbing.