That is hugely awkward!

As for TMI
I cannot wear tampons. I just can't they hurt and are so uncomfortable. Which I don't understand because I have sex with the hubs and he's bigger than a tampon.

Oh man! I work at a middle school and luckily haven't really had to give anyone "the talk." However, I did have a girl in hysterics because her period started and she was upset, that was understandable. Before I started working my co-worker had to explain the birds and the bees to a student because she thought she was dying. Mom had never said ANYTHING to her about it. Which made me wonder if she was opted out during the reproductive talk in 5th grade.

A woman I work with actually had the audacity to say "well you know you can't use tampons unless you're not a virgin" to which I looked at her and told her "oh yes you can!"

But, I do have to admit, it was a lot easier to use a tampon once I lost the big V. TMI!!! LOL

And while I am not a fan of pooping in public or really discussing it.... sometimes I'll text my BFF and tell her if I really have to go at work. It's like a panic! "OMG HOLLY, I GOTTA S$$T AT WORK!!! HELPPP!" LOL

Lackie - one of my good friends has the same problem. She won't wear a tampon unless she HAS to. In other words unless she's in the pool or laying out. I wonder if you have a slightly odd angle and it makes it uncomfortable?

I'm not crazy about tampons either, but now I have a "diva cup" OMG so much better!!! I recommend it to EVERYONE! Seriously! I sound like an advertisement, but it's all I use now!

Ugh, I've never been a tampon girl. I remember back when I used to have pool parties for my birthday when I was younger and I would ALWAYS have my period that day and I would try to wear a tampon to no avail.

Smiles: The idea of a diva cup always kinda creeped me out-- it's not messy? Might have to look into it.

I can't do tampons either.

I pretty much love my Diva Cup more than any other object in my house. Wearing pads all the time was awful... especially since I'm someone who wears underwear as little as possible (the minute I come home I'm changing into pajama pants and ditching the panties!). But the Diva Cup works great, lasts yeeeeears, and I've never had it leak (except for the 1 or 2 times it overflowed. )

Kateh - Definitely consider it. Well.. if you're afraid of touching or looking at your own menstrual fluid I would NOT recommend it. But it's not like I spill it on myself or anything... nothing I can't take care of by wiping my hands with toilet paper. I empty it in public restrooms with no worries.

I have a period question, actually.

As you have lost weight, have your periods changed? My period this month literally snuck up on me, and I'm used to it charging me down a couple of days before it comes...

Kateh, no it's not really messy. Certainly no more messy than tampons or pads!! Most valued item in my house!

I haven't lost enough weight for anything to change... But mine have always been pretty heavy and intense.

How do you girls tell a guy you cant mess around because you're on your TOM without completely grossing him out/turning him off???

Sometimes the mystery of not knowing why you don't want to mess around is a turn on

Me too!!

Feral - Maybe I do. Whatever it is it sucks because all throughout gymnastics I had to wear pads during competition.. NOT COOL

I've always wanted to try the diva cup too. I can't use tampons, I think it's something to do with the angle, like stated above.

Every once in a while I try, but I can always 'feel' it in there, and when I sit it's a sharp pain in my pikachu.

I use pads, I'm lucky enough that my period has always been pretty light and only lasts a few days. My poor mother has fibroids and gets her TOM for almost 2 weeks, and just lays in bed in tears sometimes. She had to go to the hospital recently for a blood transfusion due to anemia from losing so much iron during her TOM.

For those asking what it is: http://www.divacup.com/ (although I'm sure by now you've googled it and seen that page)

Since it does sit inside the vagina, it's not gonna work for every woman who can't use tampons, but obviously it does for some (glad I'm not the only weirdo who experienced this, lol!). And you can use the Diva Cup (or the Keeper, another brand) even if you have an IUD, unlike the Instead cups (the disposable ones) because those sit too close to the cervix and there's a chance you could dislodge the IUD when removing them.

Wow, this TMI thread is so fantastic -- now that I know about the Diva cup, I'm totally going to try it out. I absolutely detest periods and ALWAYS have problems with tampons leaking (ugh, what?) and let's not even get into how much pads fail at containing flow overnight...