[freckleface7]

wish I had known about that a few days ago, but I really like supporting my small local store anyway.
I also bought the Diva Wash as well - thanks for reminding me of that jsmith

ironically enough? the bottom of the box it came in said it's made in Kitchner,ON Canda by Diva Internation - Health Canda Licence No. 37909.

[ketto]

I paid $40 online about 5.5 years ago, but university sold them first for $25 then $35. Usually at stores here it's between $30-40.

[jsmith]

If anyone wanders in and wants to try the Diva, go to this site and enter coupon code KIN087 at checkout (if this is your first order). Total cost with shipping to the US should be $21.43, if everything still is as it was a few days ago.

[freckleface7]

Thanks for the encouragement everyone. I'm definitely going to try it again. I just get squeamish for no reason. I remember the first few times I tried using a tampon when I was between 11 and 14. I ended up in tears each time and finally gave up until a few years later when I lost my virginity, then it was suddenly fine. So I'm sure one day I'll look back at myself now and laugh a bit too

exactly the same thing mermeg; I was so frustrated trying to get them in!
good luck w/ trying the cup again, patience is a virture. (says the woman who hasn't tried it yet:) )

I am wondering if the Divacup won't be better/more comfortable for me over all bc w/ the tampon's I've used (mostly ob's) are sometimes wickedly uncomfortable & I end up wasting them.
I have finally guessed it has something to do w/ my tipped uterus?
has anyone else similar experienced this?

also, I'm curious as to the cost of the Divacup where all of you are.
I payed $35.99 US Dollars (about $42** w/tax) for mine.
the mr was a bit put off by the cost til I explained to him that it will pay for itself over & over after the 2nd or 3rd month. in retrospect of the convo w/ him - what right does he have for any input on it anyway? he doesn't have a uterus!

[auralpoison]

I just want to say, give it time. I've been rockin' the plug/pad alt for more than ten years. It took me a good six cycles before I really had it down to an art. By cycle three I pretty much had it, but still occasionally looked like a murderer on my way out of a stall in a public jane. Even then I was only mildly embarrassed because, hey, bloody uterus lining comes out of your snatches, too, bitches. Perservere, it will work for you & save you money!

[Mermeg]

Thanks for the encouragement everyone. I'm definitely going to try it again. I just get squeamish for no reason. I remember the first few times I tried using a tampon when I was between 11 and 14. I ended up in tears each time and finally gave up until a few years later when I lost my virginity, then it was suddenly fine. So I'm sure one day I'll look back at myself now and laugh a bit too

I wrote a paper once in undergrad about menstruation and the myth/rites/etc associated with it. I remember talking to people who used cups and saved the blood to use in things like paintings and other art forms. While I don't really see myself doing that I do think there's something inherently awesome and feminist about not just "plugging" oneself up...just my 2 cents.

[jsmith]

I'm normally leery of buying unknown things online, too, but as soon as I learned that these things existed (a girl mentioned them in her blog), I was like OMFGgottahaveonerightnow.

[lanyo]

i just ordered my diva cup! pretty excited. i used instead when they first were widely available. i liked them for light days, but heavy days, once they leaked it was pretty horrific. i've just always been hesitant due to the initial cost. i wish there was a store around where i could see it in person. or even if i knew someone who had one so i could better imagine it for me. i hate shopping for unknown items online, i'm a hands-on shopper.

i just loathe paying for stuff i'm gonna throw away.... i'm a huge coupon-fan, but only for tampons and pads. fyi, you can sign up for any favorite brands on their websites and they send you samples and coupons, saves a bit of money considering how much we throw away on this!!

[lilacwine13]

My boyfriend also got to watch me open it and was pretty stunned to find out that they make these things. Even if it doesn't work out, it was worth it just to see his reaction.

When I was going with AZ Guy he found mine in the medicine cabinet and came out with it over one nipple pretending to be Madonna.

He put it back very quickly when I told him what I used it for...

[freckleface7]

drat double post- sorry!

[freckleface7]

I bought a DivaCup at my wonderful health food store today hurrah!!
this may be the first period ever I'm looking forward to!

[angie_21]

Ladycup came in the mail today! It was 4 weeks delivery time from ebay, with no shipping fees or customs charges. It did end up with a nice little tag on it for customs that said "Sanitary Product," which was embarrassing because our building manager always takes the packages from canada post if we aren't in and brings them to us. So now he knows that I had a package delivered with lots of strange foreign words all over it, and "sanitary product" tagged over top of it all.

My boyfriend also got to watch me open it and was pretty stunned to find out that they make these things. Even if it doesn't work out, it was worth it just to see his reaction. And now I don't have to fear leaving it out in the bathroom in case he sees it. I won't get to test it out for another week, unfortunately. lol.

[fuego_lento]

Just sticking my head in to thank you all for the advice back in January. Three months in, I can say with confidence that I've got the hang of the Luna Cup and I love it. I've cut off most of the stem, and although I can still feel it sometimes I want to keep it until I'm 100 percent comfortable getting it out. Mine seems to sit pretty high, and insertion is easy but removal isn't always a snap. But whatever -- I can wear this much longer than anything else I've ever used, and no worries about leakage (the only leaks I've had were when it wasn't in place correctly) even during exercise. I love this thing!

[jsmith]

You don't have to dig to China to get it out, lol.
I've said this before, but I think it's worth saying again - if your vaginal muscles are tense, relax your jaw. MANY women find that consciously relaxing the jaw makes everything else relax. Just don't fall over.

[pollystyrene]

I can't imagine the DivaCup getting so far up you couldn't reach it. A tampon, maybe. Not the DivaCup. I know, irrational fears are just that- irrational. Whether you're on your period or not, you could try practicing, to get more used to it. It's not like tampons, where there's a risk of TSS from it. I also found mine to be uncomfortable while I was wearing it, and so now I just wear it at night.

[angie_21]

Mermeg - some people are more comfortable than others with it, but you really don't have to worry about it getting stuck. Mine always formed a really strong seal, and sometimes I had a helluva time getting it out while still learning, but even then, it could always be done. It's not going anywhere and there's no way it can get out of reach. All you have to do is push it out like you're trying really hard ot pee, and it will be easier to reach. However, if it's still uncomfortable after you've gotten better at it, don't force it (in or out), or you'll just tense yourself up and make it harder. I'm pretty sure I managed to bruise myself a couple times that way. just go back and try again later!

I am still waiting for my ladycup in the mail. Stupid 4-6 week international shipping. If it makes it by week 5, it will be just in time to test it out!

[Mermeg]

I've known about the Diva Cup for years but just finally acquired one last week. I got it the first day of my period and tried inserting it but I must have done it wrong because it was very uncomfortable and I was completely aware of its presence, which I assume you shouldn't be if it's in correctly. I ended up taking it out and not using it again. I'll try again next month, I swear. I just had this wave of paranoia that if I pushed it back too far I would lose it and it would be stuck and I don't have health insurance so a trip to a doctor is out, so yeah...like I said, paranoia. I'm sure I'll be fine once I get over that initial discomfort and figure it out. I so love the idea of using it. And good for you Star, for having no initial problems...that's encouraging.

[ketto]

Humanist, I don't use the sponges anymore, but I did for a little while. When I got them they recommended cutting them down yourself at home to a managable size. I know I ordered a small size but I still ended up having to trim them down quite a bit for myself.

[humanist77]

I posted this in the IUD thread for some reason, but meant to post it in here : )
So-I had to switch back to my cup last night from the sponges. They were great when I was bleeding light the first day, but on the second day, those elevator doors opened and the sponge could not handle it. Plus it expanded so much from all the fluid that it hurt like HELL to drag that giant, soaked sponge out. It was also quite difficult-it really got lodged up there. The fibers are softer when wet, but when it's so large, they just chafe against the vaginal wall very painfully. So I would definitely not recommend sponges for heavier days. I do still plan on using the smaller sponges (I got two sizes) for lighter days, however. I didn't leak a drop with those, and they were comfortable.

[pollystyrene]

I had an allergic reaction to a mouth guard made of silicone and acrylic, so I think it's possible to be allergic to silicone. I've never been allergic to it in other ways, so maybe because I'd have it in for hours at a time while I slept (same as you'd have a Dive Cup in), the prolonged exposure caused the reaction?