Menstrual Cups

[Vicki_Ann]

So ... a few years ago somebody I know who also suffers with flooding recommended I try a menstrual cup after seeing me rush to the loo every 5-10 minutes for an hour or more at a time.

I was a bit nervous and didn't immediately do anything about it, I figured that if I didn't get along with it, I wasn't at home during the bad times and it could be a disaster.

Just this last week, I bought a 42ml cup (supposed to be for those who have had kids but I figured I should get the biggest capacity as I believe tampons hold about 18ml and they can last me as little as 5 minutes). I have to say I am very pleasantly surprised. At my worst, I need to empty etc every 30-40 minutes but this is a huge improvement for me! I can go out feeling secure when I am bad, which I have never been able to do before, I would usually just stay in.

I just wanted to share my experience as this has really made a huge difference for me! Anyone who suffers with flooding to the point it keeps you from leaving the house, please consider a menstrual cup. They take a little getting used to but a) you'll save a fortune on tampons/towels and b) it could give you security for a much longer period than conventional sanitary wear.

Wish I'd got one years ago when my friend recommended it!!

[Sparkle14]

Hello

Like you I am prone to flooding, I have to wear super towels and tampax together for the first few days or I can get caught out within half hr!

I've always thought these would be uncomfortable and rather messy to change??? Docs wanted me to try the menopause injection but I didn't fancy the side effects of hot flushes etc when I was 25!

[Vicki_Ann in reply to Sparkle14]

Yes, I will get caught out with super size tampon and super towel within ten minutes it is a right pain!

They take some getting used to and there are different sizes and different firmnesses of cups. I dived in the deep end and bought the biggest cup in the firmest one because basically I wanted security. The first time of using one is a bit odd, and it takes some practice to feel comfortable with using them. Luckily they came with very good instructions with handy hints and tips so I had a good read first and made sure I was at home and not planning to go anywhere when I first used it.

Changing and cleaning isn't too bad ... but having said that I would struggle without some water to wash it as I typically pass clots and very thick blood rather than normal menstrual blood. I think it would be a very simple process if it was just normal fresh blood.

I would suggest maybe to not do what I did (buying the biggest in the firmest material!) and maybe try a smaller cup in softer material and try it at home. You may be able to get away with one of the smaller ones if you don't typically soak through a tampon and towel in 5-10 minutes.

One thing I would say is you can definitely track exactly what you are losing as well for keeping a record for appointments with an endo specialist. I used to find it very hard to convince consultants that I bled heavily, they were always surprised when they found the low ferritin levels!

I would say that if flooding is the major symptom you are struggling to manage at the moment, it would be worth just trying a cup to see if it helps you to manage that side of things.