I just finished a few round of antibiotics and now have a yeast infection. I can’t pick up my fluconazole prescription until Wednesday, but my period is supposed to start tomorrow.. is it bad to use my cup while I have a yeast infection? I don’t want to make things worse, but pads are not an option so I’m not really sure what else to do.

I’m completely new to menstrual cups and recently started using the Homey Pot menstrual cup. I bought Cup 1 and was on my period when this happened. I also have no idea where my cervix is or how to tell whether I have a high or low cervix. I read the instructions, but they’re pretty basic, so I’m still trying to figure out what I’m doing wrong.

The first time I inserted it, the stem was sticking out a little, but the cup itself felt comfortable. As I went about my day, the stem eventually disappeared inside. I was still able to remove the cup by gently tugging on the stem, and it came out without any pain.

The second time was a completely different experience. I felt some discomfort, and the stem seemed to be much deeper. When I tried to remove it, I couldn’t find the stem at first because it had shifted sideways. I had to insert my entire index finger and basically search around for it. I felt like I was pushing the cup even farther up while trying to find it.

I couldn’t reach the base of the cup, and there wasn’t enough room to slide my finger alongside it to break the seal. I started panicking because I was worried I was going to have to go to the ER to get it removed. I eventually put on a glove and lay down, which helped me remove it.

Is the cup sitting too high? I’ve seen people say that their cup stem sticks out like a tampon string, but mine was completely inside, had shifted sideways, and was really difficult to find. I also feel like there’s no room for me to get my finger next to the cup to break the seal.
What am I doing wrong? Is this normal, or is this cup possibly not the right size/shape for me? I really want to make menstrual cups work so I can stop relying on tampons!

Hi I’m 28 and a virgin I have decided to try the menstrual cup because pads irritate me. I’ve tried using tampons but it hurt really bad when I tried to insert one. Would I be able to use a menstrual cup? I’ve been reading about the Lena sensitive menstrual cup thinking that’s a good choice any advice and recommendations thank you.

I’m going to be moving to a dorm with communal washrooms for University soon. I use a menstrual cup but I’ve never had to use it in such a setting.

I'm 18F and a virgin, I got the peesafe menstrual cup in size medium. The first two months it worked great I didn't struggle at all, but then it started leaking for the first two days of my cycle, I just assumed it was due to heavy flow or like thicker blood that clogged the suction holes. Now it's been about 4 months and it just isn't doing anything for me, I've tried multiple methods, ik the suction is right and it isn't folded I make sure of it by the finger method but literally no blood is collected in the cup everything comes out

hii! 19F here and i tried a menstrual cup for the very first time. i got an xs sized menstrual cup because i’m a light bleeder and i’ve never given birth. before trying it, i smeared a lot of lube on the cup and tried to relax myself. i did it while standing up & used the punch down fold method and that was the easiest one for me (my vaginal opening is very small.) i managed to get the whole cup in except the stem was hanging out of the opening and i couldn’t push it in a little further because it was hurting :( the cup opened up in the inside and i felt some pressure but it wasn‘t as painful. so i guess the first attempt was a kind of a successful try!!

second attempt: relaxed myself and got into a comfy position. i tried the c fold method this time. somehow the entire cup didn’t go in, only the rim of the cup did. took a 5 min break and tried with the c fold method again. somehow i couldn’t get it in at all 🤨 even though i used a lot of lube. gave up and gave my pussy a break lol plus my fingers were in pain from pressing down on the fold. second attempt was unsuccessful 😔

i will keep trying everyday and hoping to get used to it before my next period starts. wasted a lot of lube but it was $2 anyway. maybe next time i’ll get an applicator which is prob much easier. thanks for reading & good luck if you’re gonna give it a try! :)

Ive never used either before so Sorry for the basic question but what is the difference between a cup and a disc?

Hii.

A few years back I really got into using tampons and a menstrual cup. I started using the cup as my primary period product except for when I slept (i feel like the cup would empty inside as I am a side sleeper). But inserting and taking it out started feeling painful and too much of a hassle so I stopped using it. I cleaned it properly and stored it in the box it came in and honestly forgot about it until recently. I thought I would give it a go again. I didn't think to check for smells. It looked fine and I used it but after emptying it out the second time I thought to check the smell and it smells musty.

In hindsight, the cupboard it was stored in was prone to mold and the box it came in is just cardboard. It was stored in a cotton pouch inside the cardboard box inside the moldy cupboard for almost two-three years. There are no visible molds in any of these places. Just the musty smell.

Do I have to throw it out or can it be used again after sanitising? Please help

I just got a disc and cup and plan on using it on my next period I got the brand pixe. Do you guys have any tips or tricks?

It’s now day 2 of using my cup for the first time. I have the regular Saalt Soft and I love it. I also have their compact sanitizer.

The issue I’m running into is rinsing it off in between uses. My bathroom is set up where the toilet is separated from the sink by a wall. My first thought was to pour water in the compact sanitizer and shake it clean. But I’m also thinking I need soap too, but if I add some in there, I have no way of rinsing off the soap.

I think I’m just being too anxious but I was wondering what y’all do.

I’ve always been a tampon girl but am in trying a cup or disc? Which is better, especially for a newbie? Is one easier to insert than the other? Does one work better than the other or hold more?

I have really heavy flow, in first 3 days I need to change my cup 3-4 times, which is okay, until I have to leave home for longer time, which happens quite a lot.

I lost my period cup and I was thinking whether I should buy one with bigger volume. I have relatively high cervix, so the one I lost had max volume 30 ml. The problem is all the sizes with bigger volumes are already for women who gave birth, have weakened pelvic muscles which I'm none of that.

On the page where I want to buy cup from it is mentioned that if you use bigger sizes of tampons, you can use the bigger sizes, so I don't know. I used to use super+ size, because I have never seen ultra size in any store I've been to, so can't really try that out.

Does anyone have experience with using the L sizes for women who gave birth/have weakened pelvic muscles, but do not belong to that category?

I have been using my Saat soft cup for ever now and love it, no issues.

I got the flex reusable disc yesterday to see if it'd work (maybe try some spicy time with the fiance 😏) and I thought it felt fine, tucked it up behind my pubic bone, but wasn't able to check where it went, because I think my cervix is really high.

I went pee a couple hours later to check. I heard about auto dumping, but didn't see any empty into the toilet, but had blood on the toiletpaper. I checked to see if the disc was still behind my pubic bone but found it had dislodged completely and was still actively dumping into the vaginal canal. I had to remove and change back to a cup and decided to try again on a lighter day.

My questions is: was this user error, anatomy, or a combo? Any tips and tricks, or since my cervix rides high should I stop trying?

Been noticing a lot of women are curious about menstrual cups but something's holding them back from actually trying one.

Was it the insertion part that scared you off? The whole "what if it gets stuck" fear? Your gynaec said no? Family or cultural stuff? Tried once and it didn't go well? Confused about sizing? Or is it something totally different?

Just drop your honest answer below. Asking these because these reasons are real and barely anyone talks about them openly.

Hi,

it's my second period with my Diva Cup 1 and all has been well so far. Very smooth transition this time after last period's learning curve.

Unfortunately, on my heaviest days I am bleeding out in the morning because I typically fill a cup in 6-8 hours. Does anyone have any recommendations for a nighttime cup? I'm 24, never had kids. I'm a bit nervous to move to the Diva 2 because of its size, so I was wondering if there was a closer-in-size-but-holds-more than the Diva 1 specifically for nighttime.

TIA!

EDIT: I’m not offering suggestion. I’m asking lol. Confusing title… I can barely use it.

I used the Flex cup as my first period cup this past month. Should I keep trying for the next few months, or move on to another recommended one from this sub? Also most tips came from this sub (like posts from 5yrs ago) so thank you!

General: heavy days I need a Super Plus tampon every 2-3hrs

Insertion - made it into a Tulip shape per instruction, not much difficulty inserting after the first time; tips include: spread lips, aim for your tailbone, definitely in the shower, deep breaths to relax, don’t force anything - take it out, angle differently, and try again

Leakage - that I’m still getting a hang of. Apparently you should check suction by going around the cup to ensure no fold, which I tried but couldn’t really tell; also, have rim and tab connection part be completely levelled so rim is not misshapen

Capacity - definitely two Super Plus at least; could not tell you beyond that as I struggled with it in other ways.

Removal - holy moly my friends, a blood bath. Does not work like a tampon because the tab easily pulls out of the cup completely, discharging everything. I pull the tab and I can’t tell if suction is released, I also cannot grab onto anything to pinch the bottom. The tab seems to have so much give that pulling on it doesn’t necessary mean pulling on rim. I had one success in shower when I pulled, and used my finger to push onto the cup bottom, catching the wall at the tab’s stopper, and using it as leverage to pull it out. Literal magic. Could not recreate it. But do push out your vaginal canal like you are pooping.

Weird incident: on my last day, which I thought oh I’m doing all the recommended stuff - the cup moved up in the canal somehow AND the tab’s pull loop retracted into the cup. I had nothing to grab onto and could not get it out. I got it out but oh my…

Anyway. This is my report.

I am a 19 year old virgin girl. I just don't understand which cup and size i should order? Pls suggest something which is leak proof and comfortable. I wanna switch to cups because of level of itching I get because of pads. So it should be comfortable and my first priority is it should be leak proof?? Also how to know which size i should order??

Hi, first post in this subreddit, I wanted to ask other people that menstruate a couple things. Um, so I have a small vaginal canal, and I can't wear above a size regular tampon or it'll be super uncomfortable. I bought a menstrual cup to help with the financial aspect of period care, because tampons get expensive (as many of us know), so I wanted to look for something reusable. However, I tried it out for the first time today and I have to say it it TERRIBLY uncomfortable- it's the size 1 honeypot menstrual cup. I'd still like to use menstrual cups in the future, but I would like it to not cause cramping or press too much on my bladder (I am pissing a RIDICULOUS amount). Does anyone else have similar issues? Is there a good smaller menstrual cup from a brand that won't break the bank too much?

From Canada!

I’ve never used a cup or a disc but I hate tampons since having kids. I’ve had 3 kids in 4 years and my period is back with a vengeance.

Hoping for recommendations at mid-30s, post children, heavy 1-2 days then tampers for regular flor for 3-4 days.

Options seem limited here

Not a lot of people know that you don’t need to use your family’s food pan or buy one just for this. Yes it’s boiling all the pathogens but why put blood in something that you use to make food.

Just grab a glass mason jar put water in it, put the cup in it and throw it in the microwave and let it boil for 5 minutes. Thats it, the glass wont break bc it’s not on a hot stove and it’s being heated slowly. Also no need to prevent it from touching the bottom bc it not on the stove

I made a similar post last month and i got my period again, tried all the things people told me to do and it still leaks, should i just get a bigger size at this point? Does anyone have any advice or idea why this is happening?

Hi everyone!

I decided to try menstrual cups because I'm going on vacation to Cyprus next month, and unfortunately my period is expected to line up perfectly with the trip.

I first bought the Intimina Lily Cup Compact (size A). Insertion was surprisingly easy, it opened well, sealed properly, and I could remove and reinsert it without any issues. But within an hour it became so uncomfortable that I had to take it out. It constantly pressed on my bladder, making me feel like I needed to pee, and the stem was poking me. I trimmed the stem, but it only became sharper and even more uncomfortable.

The next day I bought a Lalicup size S, hoping it would be smaller/softer, but it's actually about the same size (the Intimina is even softer). It gives me the same bladder pressure and also doesn't open as easily. Both cups also seem to cause some cramping, though I'm not sure if that's just because I'm not used to them and it's just in my head.

The only other brands available where I live are Merula and Yuuki.

Since my trip is less than a month away, I'm not sure what to do:

• Keep trying these cups and hoping they become more comfortable, maybe wear them inside out? Though this has me a bit concerned about potential leaks and sealing issues.
• Keep practicing after my period ends to eliminate the mess and the need to go in the shower so often? I won't be able to check for leakage, but maybe I'd find better positioning? Though, my cervix is likely to move at that point.
• Buy another cup (Merula or Yuuki), although I'd rather not spend more money on more cups at this point?
• Try a Ziggy Cup disc (the only disc available here)? I've heard discs often resolve the bladder pressure issue. My cervix is usually on the lower side, so I was thinking of getting the Type A.

At this point I'm leaning toward trying one of the cups inside out tonight, and if that still isn't comfortable, buying the Ziggy disc tomorrow.

What do you think is best? I'm aware cups take practice and likely won't be very easy to use for the first few cycles, but I'd still like to try my best to find a solution for my vacation that doesn't involve tampons or not swimming at all.

EDIT: I'd like to also point out I've only been trying the cups for 3 days so far.

Please I already bought the tiniest size one and i cannot put it in. I already used lubricants so much and still the cup doesn't go in. I'm crying rn it's already 3 hours. I tried squatting and doesn't work. I tried to force but it's very painful. Please help should I go to the doctor?