Diva Cup/Lunette/other Menstrual Cup
 

Has anyone here ever used them? Do you love them, hate them, somewhere in between?

I'm thinking about investing in one, but not sure. They run $30-$40, but if they work, it would be AMAZING!! And Eco friendly! Anyway, please let me know your thoughts, if they are easy to use, which one you use, and anything and everything else one might find useful when thinking about investing in one of these.

Most people I know rave about them, but I have to share this Amazon review that made me laugh:

http://www.amazon.com/review/R39TB4H...reative=390957

I love my Diva Cup. I've been using it for about two years now. It took some getting used to, (there are different methods for insertion and it took a few tries to figure out what worked best for me) but honestly it's so much more comfortable than tampons or pads in my opinion. Yes, it needs to be cleaned while tampons can just be disposed, but I can wear my Diva Cup all day long without even feeling it and never have any leaks (even during exercise). With tampons I would constantly be running to check if I needed a new one.

That is an awesome review. I feel bad for that purchaser but she's got a great sense of humour and a definite way with words.

Personally, I love my Diva Cup. I've been using the product for seven years and I have no plans to go back to pads. I love that it is reusable and has saved me lots of money over the years. It's great for travel particularly if you travel someplace where your preferred brand of disposable products is not guaranteed to be readily available (I spent 6 months in India after getting the Cup and it was so nice not to have to haul 6 months worth of pads over there to guarantee I had the ones that worked for me).

I didn't find it that hard to insert or remove but you do have to be comfortable with sticking your fingers inside yourself and maybe getting blood on them. And sometimes it does take a bit to remove it - you have to bear down like you're having a bowel movement.

The reviewer mentions attributing some of her issues to not having had sex in awhile. I was a virgin when I started using the cup and I still found it easier to work with than tampons (which I've never had much luck with and never liked but your mileage may vary). You do need to wet it before inserting for the first time so that it is lubricated because, otherwise, ouch.

There are multiple techniques for inserting. Different ones work better for different people.

Another advantage is that it is not absorbent like a pad or tampon so it doesn't leach moisture from your body - yay for the end of chafing and embarrassing pad rashes.

I had the occasional leakage issue with it before I started on the Pill because my periods used to be really heavy and painful. I would use a back up pad on my really heavy days then but I no longer need to do that either. In fact, I rarely need to empty it when I'm away from home. I usually empty it in the shower in the morning and clean with unscented soap. Then I empty it after work and rinse.

Now, my periods are really predictable (and were even before I started the pill). This product may not be quite as good a fit if your periods are not regular because, I've found, it's best to insert it for the first time, at home. But even using it for part of your period can save you money and lessen the waste from pads or tampons.

If I recall correctly, the Diva Cup offers you the opportunity to return it for a refund after 3 months if it's just not working for you so it could be worth a try.

A diva cup is under $30. I've had mine for 4 years? It shows no sign of wear. I tend to use cloth pads when sleeping, just in case, since I tend to be a heavy sleeper and bleed heavily for a day or 2.

I can't tell you how much freedom I feel over using tampons. I used to have to change the super, duper absorbent ones every hour on heavy days. A diva cup lets me go for a couple hours at least.

I used a diva cup for a few cycles. I thought it was great most of the time but kept leaking at night so I'd just use a tampon for night time. Well- during my last period I had an issue with it and it ended up in the trash. I got to work a little early to open the store and figured I'd empty it so I'd be good to go until I got out of work. The sucker got stuck!!! It shifted and I could barely reach it. I still tried staying calm and honestly thought I was going to have to go to the ER to get it out. After about 20 minutes I finally got it.

I quickly went to the grocery store and bought tampons and threw it out!

I never heard of that happening but I've seen people say that different cups work better for them. With a diva cup, you do use your vaginal muscles to help push it out. You can also break the seal by putting your finger at the top of the cup. I've had a strong seal before where I couldn't simply pull the cup so I had to do that and as soon as I broke the seal, it came right out.

I bought the latex rubber one several years ago (the keeper). I was a reddish/brown color and I never felt like I got it clean when I washed it. It has these tiny pin sized holes around the top of it and it always looked like there was still 'stuff' in there. I even boiled it in a pan on the stovetop.
When I saw the silicone one (diva cup), I thought it 'looked' more sanitary because it was clear, so I bought it also. After a few months with it, I quit using it. I always had leaks with them and had to wear a pad anyway (I bought reusable/washable pads at the same time). I really got tired of taking it in and out and washing it. Probably more of just a gross factor for me. I'm not sure how long I used them, maybe a year combined. I even used to be on a keeper forum !! (this was sometime in the late 1990's).

Glory 87- That link was so funny. I needed a laugh for today!

I've used menstrual cups for a few years and love them. I do still need a backup pad during half my cycle but I am a very heavy bleeder and I still leak much less than with a tampon, and it is so much more comfortable.

The Divacup I began with wasn't great for me, too long for my anatomy, but my Lunette has been perfect. I recommend them very highly. Insertion and removal does take practice, but it's a cinch these days.

Ok that review was amazingly funny!

I think I'm going to order both the lunette and the Diva cup. I have two cycles to go before vacation and I want to be able to enjoy the sea and I can't with tampons.

Please let us know which one you end up preferring, and the pros and cons of each :)

I just used the Diva for the first time this cycle. I really liked it. It was a good fit (physically) for my body, and I'm very comfortable with digging around in there (I practiced FAM for many years).

I definitely recommend a "dry" run before your period starts, and try some of the different folds that are suggested. It took me a few days to find the best removal method. I was afraid to squeeze it too much at first, but if I didn't, it got caught coming out. I had minimal leakage (barely spotted a pantiliner) but I will gladly take that over having my insides sucked dry by a tampon.

Given the fact that I'm super heavy and it's pretty gross, I think I'll stick to pads and tampons for that reason. I really wouldn't want to have to clean my Diva cup after the water falls kicked in... :dracula:

Well, TTOM started today (earlier than I was expecting it) and I ordered the Diva Cup today. It should arrive in a day or two and I'll see how it works. If it works, no reason to try something else. If it doesn't next month I'll try the Lunette.

I'm curious. The "Instead" disposable cups do not work for me - leak city if I squat.