relieved1. My first attempt at insertion was a little difficult. I was rushing to get ready for school, and had always assumed it would be easiest for me to try it in a shower. Big mistake! There was no position I could get into would work for me, and the cup kept snapping back at me with a defiant pop. But I was determined to make it work, and I reattempted it lying down. I used the punch-down fold, figuring it to a lot smaller than the C fold, and while this did make it easier initially to get in, it was so hard to hold onto, and when it popped open unexpectedly, it was very painful. I left it where it was for a moment, and when the pain went away about 30 seconds later, I was able to push it up the rest of the way. I wasn't really confident I had proper suction (the instructions were decidedly unhelpful... can anyone really "rotate it easily by the cup, not the stem"?), and was paranoid all throughout my mile long walk to school. But when I checked in the bathroom - completely clean. I haven't had a problem with leaking yet!
2. I will say that I had the most unbearable cramps that I've ever experienced during my first class... I honestly thought I was going to pass out from the pain! But when I got home and took my usual pain reliever, it went away. Since then, my cramps have been about the same as before, nothing I can't easily handle.
3. I came home feeling mighty confident... until I had to take it out again. My family must have wondered what was taking me so long! Luckily for me, I've had no problems at all with the stem, so I had that to hold onto. But when I got it so that the tip of the cup was just within reach - pain again. I couldn't for the life of me break the suction! Finally, I sort of tried to refold it back into a C by squeezing it and folding it over my thumb, and then it slid out relatively quickly.
4. Trying it the next day, it went much smoother. I decided the C fold was optimally much easier for me... while it's a little harder to get in, as long as I'm careful to angle it correctly, it's not bad, and it's so much easier to grasp then the other folds. I'm still working on getting it out quickly, but all in all I think the adjustment period has been surprisingly easy.
5. The one other thing I'll say is a positive, although I still haven't adjusted to it. If I feel the slightest bit of wetness, my paranoid former-tampon-user mind assumes I'm leaking, and panics. Thankfully, every time I've checked, it's been nothing more than my usual moistness, which had been previously sucked dry by chemical treated cotton. Thank you, cup, for making the natural seem... well... natural again!
I also just wanted to thank everyone in this community... I've never had a mother/sister/friend I was close enough with to discuss such things, and everyone here was so friendly and open about their experiences. I felt like I had my every question answered, right on the spot, anytime I had a problem or concern.