don't know what cup is for me!
Recently, I've taken an interest in menstrual cups after stumbling upon the Diva Cup on Amazon. Up until recently it was a casual sort of search, sifting through blogs and videos of reviews and tips when the mood struck me.
Also, up until recently, I'd been using tampons (hate pads, it's like sitting in a soiled diaper; if babies can cry sitting in their own waste, I should be able to cry sitting in a piece of my blood-soaked fluff! Damn you society and your unforgiving standards) with little to no trouble. But the past few cycles, I've had cripplingly painful cramps whenever I would insert them. You know, the kind that leave you crouched and sweaty on the toilet, making you pace in the hopes of alleviating the excruciating pain, then realizing that won't work, so you crawl across the floor and curl up in a ball in the corner. Your face is smooshed against the carpet and you try to bargain with God or the Universe that you would do anything to stop your suffering, whispering incoherent thoughts and pleads, all while debating whether a sex change would be worth it to save yourself from all this trouble that rolls around once a month.
Yeah, those kinds of cramps.
Which brings me to my question: how do I know which cup to buy?
I've never had any experience with cups, never even seen one in person. My cervix is fairly low, I can touch it with my second knuckle in, measuring about 1 1/2 inches from my vagina. I am 16, a virgin, and if you haven't guessed, no little mini-me's in the picture yet. Typically, I use regular tampons through my whole period (5 days on average), changing a little more frequently on my heavy days (as in every 3-4 hours rather than 4-5). I'm also very, very, very strapped for cash, so I'd like to get a decent one this time around that can last me until I get enough money to continue my search for that fabled 'goldilocks cup'.
So far, I've narrowed down my search to the Sckooncup and the Lunette.
The Sckooncup is appealing because its supposedly so soft and squishy, which sounds fabulous to me as I cramp away and hit my Midol limit. It's made in the US, so it could arrive in a timely fashion, and not take weeks upon weeks like a cup from overseas. It's a little expensive, but they had a 10% off coupon if you signed up for their news letter on their website, which knocked a few bucks off the price. However, I've heard some things that turn me off. Stories about cups being undone and scratchy at the seams, splitting six months in at said undone seams, the silicone feels cheap, and it arrives covered in dust. I'm also concerned that since I'm young, my muscles would crush such a soft cup. I'm trying to be more fit, and if in the process it gets squashed and compromises it's capacity, then that would be a little disappointing.
The Lunette, on the other hand, is supposed to be a little firmer, and people simply rave about it. The second cup I heard of after the Diva was this one, and before researching more, I considered this first. It has lines for measuring your flow, which is pretty cool to me, but edges and lines means fluid could get trapped in the fine lines and make cleaning a huge pain. Also, firmer cups can cause cramps, something I want to stay away from for eternity if possible. It's more expensive, not including the shipping fees, and a trivial thing is I can only find the clear cups for a reasonable price, which leaves it subject to stains, but I wouldn't mind too much, plus there's easy fixes for that around here on the internet.
I'd like to hear people's opinions, and any advice on what cups to choose, or any other cups to consider?
Also, up until recently, I'd been using tampons (hate pads, it's like sitting in a soiled diaper; if babies can cry sitting in their own waste, I should be able to cry sitting in a piece of my blood-soaked fluff! Damn you society and your unforgiving standards) with little to no trouble. But the past few cycles, I've had cripplingly painful cramps whenever I would insert them. You know, the kind that leave you crouched and sweaty on the toilet, making you pace in the hopes of alleviating the excruciating pain, then realizing that won't work, so you crawl across the floor and curl up in a ball in the corner. Your face is smooshed against the carpet and you try to bargain with God or the Universe that you would do anything to stop your suffering, whispering incoherent thoughts and pleads, all while debating whether a sex change would be worth it to save yourself from all this trouble that rolls around once a month.
Yeah, those kinds of cramps.
Which brings me to my question: how do I know which cup to buy?
I've never had any experience with cups, never even seen one in person. My cervix is fairly low, I can touch it with my second knuckle in, measuring about 1 1/2 inches from my vagina. I am 16, a virgin, and if you haven't guessed, no little mini-me's in the picture yet. Typically, I use regular tampons through my whole period (5 days on average), changing a little more frequently on my heavy days (as in every 3-4 hours rather than 4-5). I'm also very, very, very strapped for cash, so I'd like to get a decent one this time around that can last me until I get enough money to continue my search for that fabled 'goldilocks cup'.
So far, I've narrowed down my search to the Sckooncup and the Lunette.
The Sckooncup is appealing because its supposedly so soft and squishy, which sounds fabulous to me as I cramp away and hit my Midol limit. It's made in the US, so it could arrive in a timely fashion, and not take weeks upon weeks like a cup from overseas. It's a little expensive, but they had a 10% off coupon if you signed up for their news letter on their website, which knocked a few bucks off the price. However, I've heard some things that turn me off. Stories about cups being undone and scratchy at the seams, splitting six months in at said undone seams, the silicone feels cheap, and it arrives covered in dust. I'm also concerned that since I'm young, my muscles would crush such a soft cup. I'm trying to be more fit, and if in the process it gets squashed and compromises it's capacity, then that would be a little disappointing.
The Lunette, on the other hand, is supposed to be a little firmer, and people simply rave about it. The second cup I heard of after the Diva was this one, and before researching more, I considered this first. It has lines for measuring your flow, which is pretty cool to me, but edges and lines means fluid could get trapped in the fine lines and make cleaning a huge pain. Also, firmer cups can cause cramps, something I want to stay away from for eternity if possible. It's more expensive, not including the shipping fees, and a trivial thing is I can only find the clear cups for a reasonable price, which leaves it subject to stains, but I wouldn't mind too much, plus there's easy fixes for that around here on the internet.
I'd like to hear people's opinions, and any advice on what cups to choose, or any other cups to consider?