[bcblondie]

During the day it`s usually just minor but at night it`s like the cup is doing nothing at all. My AF is really heavy and I`m sure that`s part of the problem. But that was the reason I bought the thing in the first place. Changing tampons hourly was rediculous.<br><br>
It always opens all the way. I turn it in a full circle. I`ve considered trimming the stem but I don`t want to void the warrenty... Although I`m pretty sure it`s already up anyways and I think I hucked the receipt...<br><br>
I spent like 45 bucks on this thing. PLEASE help me love it. It`s my 3 cycle using it already.

 

[deditus]

This is the place to go for answers:<br><br><a href="http://community.livejournal.com/menstrual_cups/" target="_blank">http://community.livejournal.com/menstrual_cups/</a>

 

[bcblondie]

Thanks!

 

[traycanadian]

Don't give up! It took me 4 cycles to love my Diva cup. Definitely trim the end and make it comfortable for you. I also discovered that, while I was trying to force it to be straight, it naturally wanted to tilt to the side. So I let it. That's the way I'm shaped. Everyone is different. After I insert it, I give it a sqeeze to make sure I get an airlock. I always give it a little tug afterwards. If there is resistance, that means it's in properly. If it just kind of slides out, you need to try again. Hope this helps. Good luck.

 

[Starflower]

If you bleed so heavily at night that you were changing out tampons every hour, then the Diva cup will probably need to be changed out more often for you than it would for a person with a normal menstrual flow.<br><br>
The Diva cup has measurement markings on it - 7.5 ml and 15 ml. Then there is extra room at the top of the cup. A normal menstrual flow should not overflow this. I have a super heavy flow and decided last month to count how many ml's I was bleeding. I ended up with over 150 ml of flow over all. I had over 80 in two days. Clinically, it's considered menorraghia (sp.?) if you have over 80 ml on average during the entire period.<br><br>
My guess is that you will just need to change out the cup more than most people. I wear back up at night - a large pad and still have overflows. I also have to change out the cup more often than most people.<br><br>
Sometimes I wonder if it's worth it, but really, I'd be changing out the other stuff anyway and I prefer the cup greatly over tampons even if I do still need back up for the first half of my period.<br><br>
Good luck.

 

[bcblondie]

Ok thanks! Yea I think I'm a little off to the side too. And something else that I think might be a problem is that it's not really a round opening, kind of moon shaped. I mean the actual entrance is round but once you get past that it's moon shaped. So maybe blood is seeping past in one of the "points" of the moon? I dunno.<br>
I did trim the tip but so far it didn't help. And I tried drying it and drying inside myself a bit also, and all that did was make my vagina ache a few mins after putting it back in. lol.<br><br>
I did try give it a squeeze and some air came out. But I'm scared to squeeze too much because won't it stay collapsed then? I mean mine only opens when I put it in, by allowing air in.... Otherwise it stays flat...<br><br>
And I'm SUPER confused by all the people on the livejounal site saying their cervix dips into it... mine doesn't point downwards that much...

 

[bcblondie]

Thanks starflower. Yes the cup said the average person has like an ounce their whole period. I have that much in a day. Total of about 4 or 5 oz. It's pretty insane.<br><br>
The thing I hate about emptying it frequently is that once you put it back in, there's blood that's not caught by the cup, you know? that's closer to the entrance of the vagina, and that creates a tiny bit of spotting every time. Even when it's in right.

 

[Starflower]

Sorry - could be gross:<br><br>
I have decided that unless I can get the heavy bleeding under control somehow, then I will just have to have back up for my cup on the heavy days. It sucks, but I had to do the same with tampons because the string would kind of wick the blood out and make a mess.<br><br>
Either way, I am up in the middle of the night for a shower twice a period. Sigh.<br><br>
Sorry you have to deal with this too.

 

[bcblondie]

I totally know what you mean about the string acting as a wick. Or when you are swimming the water wicks up into the tampon through the string. I found that tucking the string inside pretty much completely solves the problem. Some people might have a hard time getting it back out though, but I never have.<br><br>
So I think I had a mini breakthrough. Yesterday I used a tampon and once it was full then I took it out an put in the diva cup. The seal was pretty much perfect! So I really think the problem is just all the blood that's already there prevents the cup from sealing right. It just slips around. So I think on my heavy days I'll just alternate, tampon, cup, tampon cup. Even if it's just a small tampon for like 20 mins.