The Diva Wash seems expensive. The company recommends a product that is natural & fragrance free? Do you have an alternative, to the Diva wash, that is safe for me and that won’t (over time) damage the Diva cup?

PS: the company does recommend replacing it once a year.

And I can fully sympathize with Kelly.. because I didn’t read about the different types of “folds” when inserting the cup, it hurt crazy when putting it in (the fold promoted in the Diva Cup leaflet is not the only way to go.. google for “diva cup folds” for more info). Also, it truly is easier to insert when your cycle has started or is at the point of starting.. a “dry run” is slightly more difficult literally because your insides are “drier”.

Here’s why I love the Diva Cup.

1) For the past 10 years, I’d get excruciating cramps on the first day – and would end up sleeping the whole day to escape them. Since using the cup, I get very mild to no cramping at all. I don’t know if its related or if some other environmental change had an effect on my body but I do think its at least partially due to the Diva Cup.

2) My muscles and skin does not feel sore and tensed up – this happened all the time when I used pads. I can stand for long periods of time – where as previously, I couldn’t stand in one place for more than a couple of minutes.

3) No leakage, no smells and no leftover wrappers. I can sleep in any position and know nothing will get stained!

4) Its so comfortable, I truly forget I’m using it – and more importantly, I forget I’m even having my monthlies.

Once my cycle is over, I just soak it in freshly boiled water with a teaspoon of hydrogen peroxide (easily available at any pharmacy) mixed in. Couple of hours later, it’s clean and white. Then stored in a ziplock waiting for its next use.

Its amazing and I wish every girl were presented with the option to choose. I myself learnt about the Diva Cup by accident on the Internet.. I know of no other person in my family / friends who are using it.. and unfortunately, asian culture is such that these things are not discussed.

But, I hope things will eventually change.

Now, as for the endometriosis, I just wanted to say that if there is any risk, it can’t be any greater than using a tampon. And endometriosis is not caused by “blood flowing back into the body”, because blood left within any body cavity (such as in surgery) will be reabsorbed and taken care of by our body’s own cells and tissues. Also, there are hormonal factors that contribute to endometriosis which obviously don’t apply here as menstrual cups do not contain hormones. Also, I don’t think that this cup completely occludes the opening of the cervix, but rather sits below it, sealing off the vaginal opening. Consequently, I don’t believe any “pressure” would be exerted to force blood back into the uterus.

I think that the best thing to do would be to consult your OB/GYN if you have any concerns… In the meantime, I’m heading to amazon to buy one of these!

With the cup, blood *MAY* flow back into your body. With a tampon, the bloody clumps of goo are not directly absorbed into the tampon; it’s merely “bottled up” with some blood being absorbed (menstrual blood isn’t all free-flowing blue liquid as tv commercials would like us to believe; more like a cracked egg!)

Pretty sure the misuse of tampons in society is a much greater threat than cups (tampons are to be alternated with pads; something I hadn’t even thought of until I switched and realized I’d spent years “doing it wrong” and massively increasing my risk for TSS). The argument that the fellow petitioning the FDA makes is one that he obviously hasn’t tried: tampons and cups pretty much serve the same purpose in keeping blood from exiting the body until the object is voluntarily removed. The cups just keep the blood a bit more free-flowing. I’d even argue that the slight suction increase upon removal miiight even remove a bit more of the blood than the gravitational drop after tampon removal.

Just sayin’

Pretty sure all of the menstrual ails are far more likely in bleached cotton tampons that the FDA is so darn happy about; they also approve of BigMacs and other such savory delights. I’m not trusting either side on this; don’t make me stockpile menstrual cups just in case!

I used it once and fell in love, I mean seriously! I literally forget I am on my period now. I honestly do not know why more women don’t use this thing!
For me the hardest part was getting it out…. I usually pull it down a bit and push it out like I’m giving birth or something and then pinch it together and pull a little bit further, then once it is out all the way I use the other hand to squeeze it into a “U” shape and pull it out.

If you have problems being relaxed enough to get it in or out, do it in the shower! I take a nice hot shower and then put it in or take it out. Also running hot water over it makes it more flexible and easier to put in.

I used to have terrible cramps when I used tampons but now…. Im golden! Oh and I can snowboard all day without having to go into the trees and dig a hole and awkwardly change my tampon!