No worries- keep trying. Trying when you do have your period is entirely different than when you try without, but also, the cup does have a learning curve, so just keep trying. Practice and all that, lol.
[B]I no longer have a need for the monthly wonders of the world. BUt I want to thank you for telling me. I have neices & younger friends that may want to know about these.
[/B]
I’m late to this thread, but wanted to say that I’ve used http://www.thekeeper.com/ The Keeper for 4 yrs and LOVE it.
I also recommend the book http://www.ovusoft.com/products/bookstore.asp [I]Taking Charge of your Fertility[/I]. It’s a book EVERY woman needs to read.
Michelle
It’s going better today, but still takes a while to do. I have no idea how to do this in a public bathroom. I needed the sink right there to clean my hands!
I am rather klutzy, so since I know that, lol, I just use the bottle of water I always have in my purse, or a baby wipe. However- I always have these things on me anyway, since I drink a ton of water and have a nearly 3 year old, lol.
In the few days that a period lasts, I generally only have to worry about emptying the cup on that one heavy day in public. The rest of the time I can just empty it morning and night, so it’s not really an issue.
I know it seems like a pain in the butt to have to carry that stuff around, but it might help until you get more used to how it all works.
well, first day on the flow, and it seems that now it just doesn’t want to seal.
It was totally sealing on Sunday. Had to break the seal to get it out… But now it won’t open all the way… :-x and now I am glad I still have a box of pads to catch the leaks.
It was fine during work, it stayed put, but it didn’t seal… But after my shower it wouldn’t stay put, and tended to keep slowly sliding out. 5th trip back to re try I gave up for today. Too much effort down there for no pleasure in one day. :teehee:
I’ll try again tomorrow.
I read about the Diva cup a few years ago, and have been wanting to try one but have been nervous about it. None of my friends/family had ever heard of it. I do not use tampons because they just feel so uncomfortable, almost painful. So I am a pad girl, however I always have to double up or am just a huge mess. So embarrassing to have someone at work tell you there is a “problem”!!! But thanks to all these rave reviews I think I am ready to try!!
[B]bump[/B]
I have a question 
I bought the disposable “Instead” cups for this month because I couldn’t easily find a DivaCup and these were cheaper to go for a test drive. I noticed someone else on the thread had been able to re-use these so that one lasted for most of her cycle, I’m trying to do the same.
Overall I’m liking it–there’s no real difference in cramping, etc, but today’s only my first day of flow. I put it in around 8 this morning and noticed that there was some leakage and I had to dump it out around 11:30 this morning. (I have a very heavy flow, a super tampon usually only lasts about an hour on my first 4 days…so already the cup is better).
Here’s where things are a bit icky, I’d like some advice on how you ladies “empty” the cup just to make sure I’m going about things correctly.
Since it’s a bit TMI I’ll spoiler this part(ok I guess you can’t do spoiler tags here, so I’ll make it white text. Highlight to read)::psst: [COLOR=White]Ok, so when you take the cup out and it’s full of flow what do you do? Cuz it’s not like it just dumps out like a cup of water since it’s quite a bit more viscous. I basically wiped it out with a wad of toilet paper and then stuck it back in. It was a little messy but not too bad. :psst:[/COLOR]
So is that what you ladies do as well? Or do you have some other technique recommendations?
Thanks 
[COLOR=white]I poured the contents of the cup into the toilet and then washed the cup in the sink. I just figured that’s what I should do… I am a newbie at this too![/COLOR]
[COLOR=black]white text reply :p[/COLOR]
Well, if I am at home, I just dump it, then rinse it in the sink. Away from home, I always carry a water bottle with me, so I dump it (shaking it a little to get it all out) then I just sit back a little on the toilet and pour a bit of water on it to rinse it. It doesn’t always get perfectly clean, but it doesn’t really matter a whole lot, since it’s going right back in, lol.
I find reusable cups much easier both for dumping and leaning, besides they stay in place better (I actually had an instead dislodge once! Luckily it was in one of the final days of that period).
Cleaning out the cup gets much easier as you get used to it…
I just want to say how funny y’all are about talking about this. Are we that squeemish about our bodies that we have to white out our words? I wonder if guys are like this talking about jock itch or whatever they got going on in thier crotch. I think this thread is an excellent way of getting to a place of loving our bodies and everything that comes out of it :teehee:
hehe, you make a good point. This is a thread about shoving something up your v-jay during that lovely time of the month. We are well passed TMI now. :teehee:
Besides, we have all had a period, we understand.
:happydance:
Can’t get much more off topic than this! 
I will be 54 years old a week from today and my biggest complaint is the $$$$$ I have had to spend on the stuff all these years. I was a young “starter” 10 and my body still won’t give it up completely so I have to keep stuff on hand. For some reason, I don’t mind the expense of toilet tissue, but the cost of this stuff drives me nuts.
My simple solution is the Mirena IUD! :woot:
I kicked in about $50 total for 5 years of birth control and the added bonus of a tiny bit of spotting for about 2 days every month.
I tried “Instead” right before my IUD insertion and HATED them! Ugggghhhh, so so so messy, uncomfortable, etc. I’m not all that sqeamish either, but this was [B]past[/B] yuck!
Well, this thread is still kicking. lol.
I am on period #2 with the cup and am still getting no where.
I just can’t get it to open. sigh I have tried every fold many times over, and again… too much playing around down there during a time I really don’t wanna be loitering. :happydance:
I hear you on that note Nonny!!! I think this $7it should be TAX DEDUCTIBLE for real!!!
:angelgrin:
Krystal-
I used to have this problem too. Have you checked the little holes around the rim–there are like four of them. Sterilize a pin and stick it through each of them. There may be some “blockage” in there you’re not quite seeing, or that isn’t coming out when you clean it.
[/quote]
I have to agree. In British Columbia as well as other provinces we have what is known as the Provincial Sale Tax. It used to be known as the Luxury tax. Anything that wasn’t a necessity for living was taxed. When you buy pads, liners, tampons and similar products you have to pay this tax. :??
On a side note - Yarn is not taxed. :shrug: But let’s not point that out to anybody:)
Oh, that’s just so backwards. But the yarn thing doesn’t have to be pointed out; surely you can think of another example. :teehee:
I know this thread is kinda old, but I wanted to revitalize instead of starting a new one
I just bought a diva cup, and now I’m giving it a test drive… been able to read the entire thread without any discomfort! :yay:
Tomorrow the real test comes. :shock: