IUD...can I REALLY not wear my diva cup?!

[KaylaBeanie]

I am getting the Paragard IUD in a few weeks. I'll be getting it put in roughly halfway through my period, and since I've never had kids my gyno warned me that I'd probably be pretty sore and crampy the rest of my cycle, and my cramps might be pretty wicked for up to three or four months. When I'm crampy, I try to stick with my cloth pads, but it's summer; I was planning to just take ibuprofen and wear my diva, since I nanny and will be swimming most days. However, I looked at the Diva website and it says that the cup can possibly dislodge the IUD, so not to wear it.

Are they just saying that because there's a minuscule risk and overwhelming chances are I'd be just fine to wear it, or is there actually a good chance of it dislodging? I love my Diva, and I'd be so depressed if I can't use it. I'd ask my gyno, but he's a pretty old conservative guy and I would guess that he has no idea what a Diva cup even is.

[Sharlla]

i wore my dc with iud and never had a problem
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[fresh_veggie]

I wore my keeper mooncup with my paragard for a year.

My flow just kept on getting heavier and heavier, though, and my mooncup would be overflowing half and hour after I emptied it. That's one of the reasons I got it taken out after a year, which is just an uncommon effect. Toward the end it was almost just better to wear maternity pads and not leave my house for 3 days of my cycle.

There are women who swear the cup pulled their iud out, so I don't really know what to think. I'd check out aphrodite forums maybe? I didn't have a problem though.

[Teetina]

I wore my Diva cup with my Paraguard for a couple years before I got my IUD out to conceive. I had no idea they weren't supposed to be used together and I never had any issues. My strings always curled upwards and I didn't usually feel strong suction pulling it out, if that makes any difference. I'm not sure if the risk is low or I was just lucky.

[rhiOrion]

i've been wondering about this too. no idea when i'll get my first PP AF but I really want to use my diva cup. I wonder if you're really careful to break the seal before removing if it is likely to be an issue.

I got the mirena, so i'm hoping for no periods, anyhow

[echospiritwarrior]

I had the paragard and used my keeper and diva for well over a year, never heard that you shouldn't.

[Juliacat]

I asked my gyn prior to getting the IUD if I could still use my mooncup, and he wanted to know why on Earth I wanted to use that instead of tampons, which I was like why on Earth would anyone want to stick a stick of cotton up there but anyway, he said I could still use it. But my IUD actually DID dislodge after about a year, but I don't know if it was the mooncup that did it.

[MaerynPearl]

I have seen a lot of stories of women who used it just fine and others who dislodged it.

Its a risk, to do it. If you accept that risk and know that you cant blame your doctor or the maker of the cup... then go ahead.

[texaspeach]

I won't use my moon cup with the iud because with my luck I'd dislodge it and it is too expensive to replace

[fresh_veggie]

I think a big factor is that the women who have theirs "dislodged" were probably expelling it anyway, just looking for something to blame it on...

But I've also heard of women literally knowing they pulled the strings while they pulled their cup out - my question is why on EARTH did they keep pulling?! Surely that's got to sting a bit too.

My doctor was totally fine with it, she said go ahead just don't pull the strings and it will be fine. And to the doctor who asked you why on earth someone would use a cup instead of tampons. Cost? Lack of chemicals? Better for the planet? No wad of cotton absorbing pool water while swimming?

[pauletoy]

I used my diva cup with mirena. I asked the dr. and she said to just break the seal and keep the strings out of the way when removing. No problems.
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[*MamaJen*]

I did a lot of looking into this when I got my IUD last year, since I love my diva cup. What I heard is that there's actually a small risk of pulling it out with both diva cups and with tampons.
It does seem very rare, though. What I've heard is one, make sure you break the seal before you pull the cup out, and two, if you feel any cramping or pain as you're removing it, stop immediately.
Some IUDs do spontaneously dislodge themselves, usually in the first month.
But anyway, at the end of the day, I decided the risk was small enough and I kept on using my diva cup. No problems yet.

[KaylaBeanie]

Thanks for the replies everyone! I think what I'm going to do is just stick with my cloth pads the first cycle, since I'll probably be sore from getting it put in. The next month, I'll try my Diva and see how it goes. If worst comes to worst, I can just stick with my cloth and use organic tampons when I swim. However, if the small risk of dislodging it also exists with tampons, I'm obviously using my Diva.

In other questions...does it hurt to get in? I'm a huge pain wimp, and I was planning on taking an 800 mg pill of ibuprofen an hour beforehand.

[Ceinwen]

Getting mine in was more uncomfortable - like a bit pinchy around my cervix, kwim? And mine stayed in 18 months until about three cycles in a row (months 18 - 21) I had horrible, horrible bleeding and cramping - and it came out on it's own.

[*MamaJen*]

For me, I would describe the insertion process as marginally uncomfortable. But seriously, it really wasn't bad at all, and it's really fast. A couple of deep relaxing breaths and it was all done. Don't go into it expecting the worst. Just pop a few ibuprofen, breathe and it'll be fine. If you are relaxed, it'll be a lot easier. It's like any other situation -- if you tense up and expect pain, it'll be a lot worse, but if you relax, it'll be fine.

[echospiritwarrior]

Originally Posted by KaylaBeanie

In other questions...does it hurt to get in? I'm a huge pain wimp, and I was planning on taking an 800 mg pill of ibuprofen an hour beforehand.

YES! Good plan on the ibuprofen, and bring a PAD!!!! I had and hour's drive home and didn't know/think to bring a pad and I ruined a pair of jeans. Pain wise, it's a little uncomfortable but the process is quick. You ought to be okay with the ibuprofen.

[KaylaBeanie]

Originally Posted by echospiritwarrior

YES! Good plan on the ibuprofen, and bring a PAD!!!! I had and hour's drive home and didn't know/think to bring a pad and I ruined a pair of jeans. Pain wise, it's a little uncomfortable but the process is quick. You ought to be okay with the ibuprofen.

It'll be my period anyhow, so I'll have to have a pad, haha. I'm planning on saving my favorite pad for right after insertion...organic bamboo velour, mmmm.

Period is due Friday, but could come as early as tomorrow...I'm nervous, but anxious to get it over with and hoping it doesn't make my cramps that much worse. But hey, even if they're bad, motrin and a hot bath fixes everything.

[Katie T]

I didn't think getting it is was bad at all. A slight pinch when it was inserted and mild cramping for a hr or so. The first yr or so I had worse cramps and heavy bleeding, but I am glad I stuck with it cause now I have no cramps and light bleeding! I am loving my paragard lol.

The worse cramps and heavy bleeding was nothing I couldn't deal with by any stretch, don't want to scare you, just wanted to share that some lucky people have there bleeding get lighter.

[KaylaBeanie]

Period came two days early! My appointment is Monday at 3, and my period should be over Tuesday night, so I won't have to worry this first cycle. Next month though, I'll have to try out my Diva.

[Limabean1975]

Menstrual cups aren't a new thing - I would go ahead and ask the "old doctor" his opinion.