T O P I C R E V I E W
devlevgre
Member # 35217
posted 09-28-2007 01:45 AM
i have never heard of one before i came on this site...and am wondering what one is?
*Lauren*
Member # 25983
posted 09-28-2007 01:54 AM
A menstrual cup usually refers to a reusable device worn inside the vagina to collect menstrual flow in lieu of pads or tampons. It's a soft, bell-shaped cup-like device that is folded during insertion and unfurls inside, creating a seal with the vaginal walls that protects against leakage. It can be worn for up to 12 hours at a time, and is simply removed, emptied, washed with hot soapy water, and re-inserted. It's gaining in popularity; its biggest drawing point is the low cost -- only 20-40 dollars for up to 10 years of use, which is usually less than a woman spends on disposable products in one year.
devlevgre
Member # 35217
posted 09-28-2007 04:12 AM
it dosent slip or nothing?
Heather
Member # 3
posted 09-28-2007 11:22 AM
No, the same way tampons don't slip, and really, even more so because it's held by both muscles further back and the pubic bone. Don't forget: the vagina isn't just some flippedy-floppedy tube lying around. It's a muscle, a strong one at that, and it contracts to hold whatever is inside it.
devlevgre
Member # 35217
posted 10-02-2007 03:01 PM
wouldnt it be hard to place/remove
*Lauren*
Member # 25983
posted 10-02-2007 03:07 PM
Nope! It's simply folded and inserted; most gently pop open once inside you and form a seal automatically. To remove, one simply pinches the base to break the suction, pulls it out, and folds it lightly to remove. It's really very simple; most women get it down within one menstrual cycle.
gubblebum
Member # 15249
posted 10-03-2007 09:14 AM
I've always wanted to buy one of these and never really gotten around to it... I have a question, though. I've never had luck with those instead cups, I've literally gone through 3 boxes over the last few years (trying whenever I get the urge) and never gotten them to work right, they always slip out. How do the reusable cups differ? I just don't want to spend $40 and find that I absolutely can't use it.
*Lauren*
Member # 25983
posted 10-03-2007 02:22 PM
Instead cups, for me, were an absolute nightmare, though I got by using them when I couldn't insert my cup for whatever reason since they're thinner. All I gotta say is.. there's a reason diaphragms are fitted. Insteads function almost exactly like a diaphragm, except "one-size-fits-all" well.. doesn't. The way reusable cups work is totally different. Instead is anchored behind the cervix and above the pubic bone, which can push it out of place when one coughs or sneezes. Reusable cups sit vertically, forming a seal with the vaginal walls themselves; they aren't dependent on sizing of cervical anatomy. (Btw, most cups have a money-back guarantee in case they don't work!)
gubblebum
Member # 15249
posted 10-04-2007 01:24 PM
That sounds much more doable. I definitely want to try if they work differently. Thanks for your reply!
Heather
Member # 3
posted 10-04-2007 07:17 PM
Just want to chime in here that Divacups and Keepers are really apples and oranges as compared to the Instead cup. As different as say, a Divacup and a tampon, you ask me. I used an Instead once, long ago when they came out (and they haven't changed anything about them since) and found it 100% useless, but have both a Diva and a Keeper and they both work gloriously. Heck, when in a pinch, even my diaphragm works just fine as a cup which the Instead cup did not, so even that comparison seems ill-fitting (quite literally!).
devlevgre
Member # 35217
posted 10-08-2007 02:12 AM
over all qwestion is it worth the money to buy one
Heather
Member # 3
posted 10-08-2007 02:25 AM
Consider the money you spend on disposable products, and look at the fact that these cups have a lifetime guarantee. If you change tampons as often as you should, for a cup that'll last you an AGE, you'll have spent the same amount of money on tampons for around a mere 10 periods or so. Quite a bargain, really. I can't count the cash I've saved using cups and washable pads only for the last....eh, I'm at a good ten years at this point, possibly more. I started using washables part-time around 1989: even just using them half of the time cut my costs considerably.