Comparing tampons, cups, sponges

[ashes_to_roses]

Hi! This is x-posted to menstrual_lib and menstrual_cups because I love opinions.

My big question is about comparing insertion and taking out of tampons/cups/sponges.

Which is

easier to take in/out,

more comfortable just after insertion and after it's been in there a while,

easier to get used to,

requires the littlest practice,

and simpler to handle in public restrooms?

Comments

[_last_serenade_]

ok, i've used all 3 for extended periods of time, so i'll give you my 2 cents. keep in mind, however, that i am personally not at all squicked out by sticking my fingers in my vagina or by blood.

so! starting my first year of high school, i began using tampons. i tampax used for probably 8 years. i was young and hadn't had sex yet, so it took me a few cycles to get used to getting in the right spot. if you have experience getting tampons in the right spot (up past your pc muscles) it will help immensely with insertion of the other two.

sometime in college, i started feeling like tampons caused me to feel too dry and crampy, so i did some research and found the jade and pearl sea sponges. i used them for about 3 years in college. they took some getting used to just in terms of how far to get them in. occasionally, i wouldn't get them in far enough and they would get gross when i'd pee (tmi, but it bothered me). sea sponges are great for a few reasons:

1) they didn't cause cramps at all (the only internal method i've found that doesn't cause me to cramp)
2) you can have sex if you clean it out and put it right back in
3) they didn't cause me to dry out

however, they needed cleaned out often and sometimes they would leak when i'd sneeze. also, they were sometimes a pain to get out...i'd have to really squat and bear down and squeeeeeze my fingers up in there to get ahold of it. i never tried sewing a string in, but my sister did and she said you have to place the stitch really deep in the sponge, but if you do that, it works fine (her comment: grab a hold of the sponge, a big section of it with the stitch, because otherwise it can just tear it...you can use unscented waxed floss or just strong cloth thread).

after a few years of the sponges, i decided to finally try a cup. i tried the keeper first and used it for about a year before i got a divacup. i still have my divacup and have been using it for about 5 years. cups REALLY take some practice. if you get them in wrong, it's really annoying (and painful if you get the suction wrong). they can cause cramps for me, especially if i have a bowel movement in the works...i usually have to take it out before i go and then i have cramps when i'm actually going (again tmi, but useful information). however, i've found that the benefits far outweigh the costs for the cup. i can always take a few wet paper towels in the bathroom and clean out the cup, so i never have to carry around any extra supplies. i can also always wear the cup for at least 8 hours, and often for 12 hours (they don't dry you out like tampons so the TSS risk is minimal), so i very rarely have to worry about messing with it in public bathrooms. i've only had it leak on me a few times when i first started using it (and that was placement issue, not overflow).

so, to answer your specific questions:

# easier to take in/out: tampons

# more comfortable just after insertion and after it's been in there a while: sponges

# easier to get used to: this is a tossup for me. they all had about the same learning curve.

# requires the littlest practice: tampons

# and simpler to handle in public restrooms: tampons

based on that and your squeamishness, i'd say either stick with tampons or tie a string on your sponge and get a plastic applicator from a normal tampon and use that to insert it. i stick w/my cup, but my priorities are different from yours. :)

[_last_serenade_]

*used tampax

durrr...

[ishoegaze]

Thanks to my sister for posting this helpful comment ;) I wanted to add (because you mentioned public bathrooms being a concern): With sponges, one thing I always did was keep a plastic ziplock baggie in either my purse/backpack...if I couldn't get enough privacy to clean out a used sponge right then, I would seal it in the baggie for later. And then just use a fresh sponge.

Sometimes handicap stalls have sinks in the stall themselves. But of course, handicapped persons should always get first dibs on those!

[ashes_to_roses]

your icon made me rofl.
thanks for the sewing/sponge tips!