January 10th, 2008

Diva Cup Issues

Hello there, ladies (and any male lurkers that I'm unware of.) 

I'm new to this lovely community, I guess you could say I was referred here by VaginaPagina. 

The issue I'm having is-
I'm on my second Cycle with my Diva Cup, while I love it in theory, I've been having some issues.   My first cycle went well, whereas this one I'm having some leakage.   However, during both cycles, I've essentially had blood baths every morning when I wake up.  

I don't have terribly heavy cycles, and I always empty/clean the cup before I put it in and go to bed.  

I can't afford to get a different brand to try out right now, and I'd rather not go back to tampons/pads (I have a very sensitive system and Diva Cup has been a goddess send in helping the overall health down there.) 

Also, it's not feeling terribly comfortable, I've trimmed the stem, and sometimes it feels okay, but usually a bit awkward. 

Any helpful hints, anything I might be doing wrong? I clean out the holes and do full twists after I put it in, so I *think* it's sealed, but at this point, I'm not even sure what's going on with it. :-P

Any help would be greatly appreciated, I'm sorry for the long ramble!


(no subject)

My last period was my first time using my Diva but I only used it for the first two days because even though I usually have a heavy flow then the cup held hardly anything. I thought maybe this was just because pads/tampons create the illusion of more blood but I stopped using it for that cycle anyway just in case because I needed my period finished by a certain day. By the end of it my period lasted for two days longer.

Yesterday my period started and I decided to use the cup again. I stcuk it in for an hour but it started to leak so I took it out, rinsed it and stuck it in again, this time keeping it in for 8 hours. When I took it out a second time it had the same amount of blood in it that it had the first time after just an hour!

Is it likely that I'm doing something wrong when inserting the cup or that the super suction of the Diva is actually slowing my flow down? I'm usually quite heavy for my first few days but so far when I've used the Diva I end up with hardly anything in the cup 9even when it's not leaking), as if it takes a lot longer for the blood to leave my body. I'm really at a loss as to why this is and whether I can fix it!
  • tegelly

OW! Now I know!

Third cycle with my Lunette . . . I love the thing! But now I know what others are talking about when they have have problems with getting the cup to unfold upon insertion due to the suction.

Up until now I've had no problems & I've learned a lot about my body. My cervix sits very low in the first few days of my period, then bounces right up towards the end. The cup is more comfortable to wear in those last days . . . it sits really low in the first few & annoys me. And that is why I felt the ow!

I decided to get the cup as close to my cervix as possible so it wouldn't sit so low . . . I let it open up higher than usual & WHAM it suctioned onto my cervix! OWWW! It wouldn't open up properly because of the suction, so I had to fish around up there to try & break the seal . . . not easy! At that point I thought that if this was my first try at a cup it would also be my last. The pain was amazing! It caused massive cramps & I even has a horrendous pain that seemed to go through to my rectum. I had to work up the courage to keep going back in to get it out. I finally managed to squeeze a "corner" of the rim enough to break the seal & the pain instantly went. Ahh the relief . . .

I didn't actually take the cup out then, just re-positioned & went happily on my way, but with much more appreciation for those of you who have endured that pain on your first tries with a cup yet still endured!

No Suction

I can't get my lunette to suction.  This is only my second cycle, and I can get it in just fine, but once it's in it never seals.  I know you're supposed to twist it, but I can't seem to get the hang of it.  So then it leaks all day.  And well, it doesn't leak a lot, but it's sort of annoying.  When I take it out, I can just pull it out and don't have to break a seal, so that's another reason I think I'm doing something wrong.  Any ideas/help? 



Other than things like boiling (difficult because of squeamish housemates) what are possible ways of cleaning a Divacup?

Will and ordinary soap in warm water damage it at all? I've read that some use rubbing alcohol. What about methylated spirits (denatured alcohol)? is that too strong? Is plain hot water enough? Can't really afford the expensive solutions...

I've not received my cup yet (hopefully tomorrow, if not, Monday) and I'm trying to be prepared! Browsed these forums for hours! Am nervous but quite excited about the prospect! And you guys were a big help with my previous questions...