(I'm fourteen and a virgin)
By the end of my first period with the cup I mostly got the hang of it and was loving it. I sitll used a backup pad because I'm paranoid but I'm just using a liner this time and that's going fine so far. I seriously could not wait until my next period. I felt like I was twelve again, checking my undies all the time for spotting :)
My period started yesterday, I inserted the cup no problem and later in the day started to experience pretty painful cramps but this is normal. I usually wake up at least one day of my period (usually first or second) at 5am with killer cramps that make it impossible to do anything but take drugs and hope they kick in fast). I've had more intense cramping today but I won't be able to push that off on the cup until a little more experience. Anyway I took painkillers and all is well.
When I woke up this morning I had this sqealching feeling and rushed the the bathroom for fear of leaks. I was also hearing this strange sounds coming from down there. No other word to describe it but sqealching. But other than the 'residual slobber' there were no other leaks.
Throughout the day I've been feeling like I've been dripping a bit but I've explained that with the residual drip. It's still annoying though.
Then there's the emptying problem. I empty it when I wake up, then again at mid-day, then in the late afternoon, and then before bed. It's usually just below the 7.5mL line so I'm wondering if I could keep it in longer? The thing is I'm paranoid of leaks, especially since now I'm only wearing a pantyliner.
Removal and insertion are extremely easy now. Thanks again to all the great advice on here. I know I could have done it alone eventually but everyone telling me to take it slow and that it got easier (I was a little worried about that) was really helpful.
Anyway here are my questions simplified:
1. For those who insert before your period starts, how early do you stick it in before you expect to bleed? On the day? A day before? My period is pretty regular (started about a year ago) but it usually varies a few days each month.
2. This isn't really related to cups as much, but how do you track your flow? How many record exact measurements? Or do you just mark your period days on your calendar. I've signed up for Kotex's period planner (http://www.kotex.com/na/TrackerEntrance.aspx) thing because you can click heavy, medium or light days and then it calculates when you should expect your next period on a calendar. It's pretty simple.
3. Why am I getting that sqealching noise at times, even though I've not leaking?
4. Is there anyone out there that has proved that the cup is responsible for worse menstrual cramps than they had before?
5. When you first started using the cup, if you didn't know your flow that well, how often did you empty it?
6. Can anyone give confirmed info about what qualifies as light, medium or heavy flow? What is average. The stuff I read on the internet is so variable I don't know what to trust.
7. For those you use cloth liners as backup, do you make your own or buy them? I've checked out Lunapads and PIMP but they're pretty expensive. I've ordered one of those liner givaways from PIMP and hope I'll be able to make my own based on it. Are there any other online stores I should be looking at?
I LOVE my Diva Cup. I never really had a problem, per se, with pads, but I didn't like the dripping feeling and tampons were okay but it was a lucky day if I managed to insert it "correctly" so that I couldn't feel it at all. My cup is just perfect. Easy, and comfy. My sisters are still a bit sqeamish about the idea, but hopefully one day I'll warm them up to cups :)
Sorry this was a bit longer than I expected, as always...
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