curiousI got my diva cup about 3 weeks ago, and about a week after getting a mirena IUD inserted. At first I was afraid to use them together, but reading the tags and memories gave me confidence, and I haven't had any problems. Although my doctor trimmed the strings VERY short, to the point that I can have a hard time finding them.
Anyway, I wanted to add my experiences to the general knowledge of the group and any future members.
Since I've had 2 kids in 2 years, the result of which is a very complete recollection of my pregnancy and childbirth experiences, when I went in to get it inserted I used the same labor-inducing visualizations to prep me for the insertion- a flower opening its petals outward (I really think this would probably help women with cramps all the time.) The result- very little discomfort with insertion. Well, it was quite uncomfortable, but it was over quickly and using the visualizations helped to quell the slight nausea, and I didn't get light headed or dizzy.
About 4 hours later though, I got intense cramping, similar to what I used to get in high school. At that age I would never pay attention to the calendar, but like clockwork one day every 4 weeks I would start getting stomache pains so bad I'd nearly faint- all at the same time of day, too. The only remedy was to get to the nurse's office and use a private bathroom, because the cramps were directly related to the fact that I would have diarrhea, but being at school, supressed all urges to use the restroom no matter how intense. Intense as how the nurse, listening at the door, thought I threw up.
Now, I attribute this all to hormones, the emotional strain that high school can be on a person (if you let it,) and a very uneducated diet. In the past ten years I've gained self confidence and esteem, a diet including fiber and an intestinal flora supplement. The result: no more passing out from crap I can't handle.
Anyway, the iud brought on this cramp-induced, faintness-inducing diarrhea once again, but only that first day. I wasn't using the cup at the time, because I had never used it before (I wanted to wait until I used up my supply of tampons and pads first.) After that one intense spot, the cramping settled down to merely annoying, 24-hour gut-wrenching for the next few days.
About a week later I decided I'd use the cup without major fear of expelling the iud, mainly because I had to work a full day and didn't want to wear a pad to catch the minimal spotting that it had settled into. I quickly realized the diva's much more useful to me inside out, and have been using it ever since.
Now, I've almost pushed it out at least 2x while having BMs, and at least once found it was making me constipated. I've found that my cervix is quite low, and I don't know if this is from the iud insertion causing me to spot for a whole month, or possibly I haven't done even 1/10th of the kegels I should've been doing since the births. Low enough that inserting the cup at the wrong angle can put it right next to it, with the bottom of the cup right in line or even lower than the opening of the vagina. I guess it's technically a question for my gyne, but I just thought I'd try to get other women's experiences. Should I start a kegel regimen? Is it possible that using the cup can pull the cervix lower than it should be?
I also wondered whether I'm going to get the same intensity of cramps every month for a while, and if so I suppose a quick, soft BM wouldn't get close to pushing out the cup like my regular size and strength movements, right?
I also realize, as I post this, that it seems like maybe my true period flow has started with the iud as of yesterday, and I really haven't had any cramping at all.
So, I know that's a lot of info, but any info anyone feels might help me is appreciated. Otherwise, it's nice to find a safe and supportive place to share!