Menstrual Cups

[Luminous]

I always had to wear pads. I hated them, they felt gross and huge and loud. My mom didn't let me wear tampons, but sometimes i would try and go behind her back and buy them. Finally I got up the courage to talk to her about it (I get really anxious about that kind of thing) and she told me I could use a cup, and that she had used one. I was so excited. I got it in the mail today and I'm on my period. I have a divacup, which apparently is one of the bigger ones on the market? I had to trim the stem, but other than that it fits perfectly. You can't feel it at all and there's no discomfort like a tampon when it hasn't absorbed anything yet. The cleanup is a little weird compared to disposable products but all and all I'm happy! Now I can wear tight pants on my period lol. Leggings tomorrow yay! And it's not loud and lasts way longer and I can sleep in it and the list goes on forever! So yeah my question for you girls is what do you think about cups? Have you ever used one? And whatever else you would like to say.
Okay I am falling asleep here and this was way too hard to write on my phone: goodnight.

[jhardy]

I started using something similar recently. It's called a keeper. It kinda looks like a plunger, but it does what you're describing. I like it. It works well, and I can keep it in longer than a tampon.

[Dannibabi]

I've heard of them but never seen or used one, but they sound interesting and I wouldn't mind trying it to see how they are.

[Miri]

I've never used one, and none of the girls I know use them (that I know of). I have been seriously entertaining the thought of ordering one for a while now, but I'm still hesitant.
As far as I can tell by reading about them, they seem more comfortable, and a better fit then a tampon. And all the things I hate about pads don't apply to the cup, apparently. That alone is pretty awesome! But then I wonder if that's the case, why doesn't everyone have one? I don't think I've ever seen them in stores/in person either.
Here are the thoughts keeping me from ordering (maybe someone could help with some of these/provide insight?)

1. Are they difficult to put in/remove? (and do you have to wash them in between each use)
2. How do you know when it's full? What happens if it fills up? Any risk of overflow?

[Lisa R]

1. Are they difficult to put in/remove? (and do you have to wash them in between each use)
2. How do you know when it's full? What happens if it fills up? Any risk of overflow?

I have never heard of them and these are very good questions
My interest is high now.

[Blood]

I've heard of these a lot. They're really popular among the feminist community. I have never tried one, but I will sometime.

[Luminous]

I've never used one, and none of the girls I know use them (that I know of). I have been seriously entertaining the thought of ordering one for a while now, but I'm still hesitant.
As far as I can tell by reading about them, they seem more comfortable, and a better fit then a tampon. And all the things I hate about pads don't apply to the cup, apparently. That alone is pretty awesome! But then I wonder if that's the case, why doesn't everyone have one? I don't think I've ever seen them in stores/in person either.
Here are the thoughts keeping me from ordering (maybe someone could help with some of these/provide insight?)

1. Are they difficult to put in/remove? (and do you have to wash them in between each use)
2. How do you know when it's full? What happens if it fills up? Any risk of overflow?

1. The first time I put it in, I put it in wrong so it leaked a little. It's not extremely difficult, just different. If you are used to putting in tampons, you should be okay as you will have the advantage of already knowing how to kind of relax to push something in. If you are at home or in a one person bathroom, you should wash it between each use, but just a rinse with warm water should be okay. At the end of your period you should wash it more thoroughly. If you are in a public restroom, you can wipe it with toilet paper/paper towel and clean it later.
2. The cup can stay in for up to 12 hours because it can hold so much. The brand that I have can hold one ounce of liquid, and over your whole period the amount that comes out in total is 1-2 ounces, so the chances of it overflowing or filling up are very slim. On your heavier days, empty it more often.

The reason that most people don't have them seems to be the yuck factor. Instead of absorbing the blood and just throwing it away, it collects the blood which you empty into the toilet and then have to clean out the cup. They are actually in stores, but not many of them. Mostly more economical ones, such as Whole Foods. Where I live, there are 5 places within 25 miles that I could buy one (but I ordered mine from Amazon).

[Weeping]

I have thought about trying them out for quite a long time, but since I currently have a contraceptive implant I don't get my period often at all and when I do it's not a lot, so I've never really bothered haha. Will try them out at some point in the future though.

[Abbeys]

I've never used one, and none of the girls I know use them (that I know of). I have been seriously entertaining the thought of ordering one for a while now, but I'm still hesitant.
As far as I can tell by reading about them, they seem more comfortable, and a better fit then a tampon. And all the things I hate about pads don't apply to the cup, apparently. That alone is pretty awesome! But then I wonder if that's the case, why doesn't everyone have one? I don't think I've ever seen them in stores/in person either.
Here are the thoughts keeping me from ordering (maybe someone could help with some of these/provide insight?)

1. Are they difficult to put in/remove? (and do you have to wash them in between each use)
2. How do you know when it's full? What happens if it fills up? Any risk of overflow?

It's the clean up that's the worst bit.