Diva Cup - LADIES ONLY!

[Zonny]

If you're a guy who's peeking in to see what this is about, take my advice and leave now, you don't want to know.

For the women out there, I just want to post about what a great product this is!

First, to tell you what the Diva Cup is. It's a replacement for tampons/pads during your period. It's a flexible silicone 'cup' about the size of a shot glass, has a little tail on it for ease of removal and it's made of medical grade silicone. You fold this cup and insert it much like a tampon, but a bit trickier, takes a little more practice. The best part, once it's in, there's no smelliness. And normally, you don't have to worry about it for hours, it gives you MUCH longer than a tampon or pad. The cup holds all of your daily menstrual fluids, and you dump it out twice a day (yes, that sounds horribly icky, but wait).

This is the second month I've used it. I bought it one day while I was in Lawton's and about to buy a box of Tampax and saw the Diva Cup on sale. I hemmed and hawed for a few minutes, have thought about this product before and did try another similar product and wasn't that fond of it. But then I just decided to pay the $30 and try this one.

It took a few tries the first month to get it right so that I couldn't feel it when I was sitting and it didn't leak (most of the time it didn't leak, even if I DID feel it). So far I've worn a pad for backup, but I have never needed it, I'm almost brave enough to go without now. This month I've been brave enough to go with a pantyliner, and no leakage at all. I wear it overnight, change it when I get up, then again before bed. I always thought I had a fairly heavy flow, but I can easily go 12+ hours without changing this. There's no risk of TSS as there is with tampons (although I've never had an experience with that), and no problem with how long you have it in.

The downside: if you DID need to change it at work, etc., it's messy. You want to be in a bathroom you're comfortable in, near a sink to wash your hands, and you need to rinse it out after you change it. A public washroom would be more than awkward (although apparently women who need to do that wipe it out with tissue and reinsert, I've never had to go there). You need to get the hang of it before you're using it all day maybe. But really, there's no need to change it during the day. Some worry that they will be grossed out by it, this 'cup' of nastiness. To be honest, I've never seen that, it's just easier to dump before you bring it out to wash it, etc. IMO, a tampon or pad is at least as icky, if not more, and certainly smells worse.

The upside - you don't have to buy pads or tampons anymore! The thing pays for itself in under a year. And you're not tossing these items into the landfill or your sewer either, they're environmentally friendly.

Sorry to anyone I've offended or grossed out. If anybody wants to PM me about this topic, please feel free! I wish I could tell everyone I know about it, but it's not really an appropriate topic of conversation for everyone.

[Darth Penguin]

I've never needed one but I know lots of ladies who swear by them for cost, comfort and convience.

They've all said it was tricky to insert the first few times but even that was a minor irritation.

[Durham Couponer]

Thanks for posting this honest review of the Diva Cup, Zonny. With the price of traditional feminine hygiene products rising and our awareness of the environment being forefront, new products are something many women are aware of but don't have the time, opportunity or ability to test for themselves.

From what I gather, if you have a one stall public washroom or home bathroom available the Cup is an option to the other prducts out there if you're willing to give it a chance. I'm glad you were brave enough to share your review.

[PurpleBunny89]

I considered buying this a year or two ago but there were a few things stopping me from making the switch from tampons.

1) It recommends you buy a new one every year. Thats $30 every year to buy a new one, plus you'd be tossing the old one out. I'm not sure if it would be okay to just keeping using it until, well who knows? What happens, does it break down?

2) Price. $30 a year? No way! Not even $30 if I could use it for 5 years straight, tampons are still cheaper for me. I buy my tampons when they are tax only so each box costs me $0.10 and I use just under a box per month. So therefore five years of tampons would only cost me $6 as opposed to a few diva cups.

I do like the idea however of it being more environmentally conscious and not having to change it so often but not sure if that would be enough for me to make the pricy switch.

[lll111]

I have a cup but by a different brand which was much cheaper. Just do a search for menstrual cups and you will see about 6 or 7 different brands.

There is no need to get a new cup every year. I have had mine for about 6 years and the cup is still in very good condition.

[Zonny]

I tried Softcup in the past, didn't work nearly as well for me. I wouldn't think you'd need to replace the Diva Cup yearly.

Now if I were able to buy tampons for .10 a box I might not to so enthusiastic about this, but I've never once seen a deal like that here, certainly does not happen much if at all, can't see I would have missed that. For me though, the best part is that I put it in when I get up in the morning and forget about it until bedtime. I have a fairly heavy flow and this just does not leak even a little bit for me. I'm willing to pay a bit for that!

[pac182]

I love my mine and have been using for 2 years and never had a problem. I've heard of people using theirs for 10 years before having to buy another. It comes in 2 sizes on for under 30 and have had no kids and one for over 30 or have had kids. It does take a few tries to get the best way of inserting/removing but there is actually a website site I found when I was researching that shows many different folds that can be used. It's nice being able to go 12+ hrs before changing. The only issue I had was the "stem" that is supposed to be used to help remove was really uncomfortable so I just cut it off

[Zonny]

I love my mine and have been using for 2 years and never had a problem. I've heard of people using theirs for 10 years before having to buy another. It comes in 2 sizes on for under 30 and have had no kids and one for over 30 or have had kids. It does take a few tries to get the best way of inserting/removing but there is actually a website site I found when I was researching that shows many different folds that can be used. It's nice being able to go 12+ hrs before changing. The only issue I had was the "stem" that is supposed to be used to help remove was really uncomfortable so I just cut it off

Yes, there's lots of sites to help. I did not find that the stem bothered me, but lots of people either need it for removal or it bothers them so much they cut it. I'm kind of indifferent to that bit, don't need it but it doesn't bother me so I haven't done anything to it.

This is only my second month with it; the first few tries last month were a bit uncomfortable, had to remove and reinsert a few times when I realized I could feel it or it leaked, etc. I mostly used it over the weekend or overnight with other protection to ensure I wasn't at work and needing to remove it, etc. for the first month. At this point I feel very comfortable with it, although still used a backup. For next month, I think I will be brave enough to go with just a liner, but don't even think I'll need it.

[Copasetic]

I have been using my Diva Cup for almost two years and would never go back to pads or tampons. I can't believe I was so scared to try it for so long. It's cheaper, more comfortable, and way more convenient, IMO

[harbie]

Ok. Here's a TMI question to the max! What about if you have a large amount of discharge (lining and stuff) does that just mean you have to change more often? I worry about it holding all that stuff!?!?

[Zonny]

I've always had what I considered a heavy flow. The Diva Cup seems to handle it fine. I've never actually checked to see how full it is before emptying it, although there are markings on it to indicate amounts, but it doesn't leak so seems to be adequate for my needs.

[Jane123]

Thanks for sharing this, but honestly this is the first time I hear about this product lol. I never use tampons I don’t think they are healthy to use during that time of the month, they make such a closed/good environment for bacteria to grow. But this sounds a bit different I might give it a try.

[mammalion]

One of my daughters has a very heavy flow and loves her Diva cup, i thought it was an odd device but she loves it.

[Zonny]

Funny this pops up again. I was away for the weekend, and my period showed up unexpectedly, thought I had another week. So I hadn't brought my cup with me, had to resort back to tampons. Was happy to get home and start using this again, SO much more reliable than traditional products.

Editing to say, after using this for the last three months then going back to tampons for a couple days, I love this thing even more. No odour, no leaks all day long. Even if I could get .10 boxes of tampons, I think this device would be worth it for me!

[marchBB]

I'm curious to try this. Think of the positive environmental impact if more ladies switched to this!