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16 March 2012 @ 09:18 am
I'm thinking of chainsaws and fires with this Diva
hello everyone, I've been lurking here for some time, I find bits of one question answered, then I have another, so I decided I'm going to put them all here in hopes that someone will save me from doing very bad things to this Divacup, it cost too much money to toss it! 

Anyway, here goes. 
I'm 34.5 years old, 6 vaginal births, heavy HEAVY flow, clots the whole 9 yards, i have a tilted cervix and uterus. On my second and third day of my period, I am changing pads every 2-3 hours, with a tampon in. My crunchy girls finally talked me into getting a cup "You'll love the diva" "It will change your life" I've heard it all, broke down and bought one. Dry run didn't go well, I figured I need to bleed for it to work for me. I researched and researched. I can't get a good measurement on my cervix. It's all over the place, so high I can't reach it, so low it's easy to touch, sometimes I can't find it at all. I've tried measuring while on my period and it literally changes by the hour. It's so frustrating. 

I know that Diva is HUGE, I cannot slide my finger up along side it, so I can't tell if it opens, then POP it will open and sting me so bad I want to cry, I can't turn it at all. When I think I get a good placement, I can feel it sliding, it leaks constantly. Again, when I think I have it in, I'm having to empty it every hour because it begins to leak. I have it in now, and I'm cramping so bad. I can feel it, I don't know it's because I *know* it's there or what, but it's really annoying. 

So, I've checked the pretty little size charts, I've read all I can read. I can't get a good measurement, so what do I do? I've tried about 10 different folds, even some I think I made up on my own, nothing. I've tried the shower, lube, cutting the stem, flipping it inside out. I think I need a new cup, my reading about other cups makes my head spin, and my wallet hurt. Is someone out there that had these problems and changed cups and now in love?? Someone help me please, I'm just not feeling the cup love right now.

Thanks for your time ;)  
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Current Mood: annoyedannoyed
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38 comments —
( 38 comments — Leave a comment )
Kai: 2Cupskuradi8 on March 16th, 2012 01:20 pm (UTC)
Simple solution:
On days that your Diva is too long for you, flip it inside out to shorten it. :o)
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wiccanone817 on March 16th, 2012 01:30 pm (UTC)
I've tried that Kuradi (I put it in the post), it doesn't help. I just noticed that I had it in and the cramps were so bad, I started shaking and sweating, I just want to cry, I had to take it out.
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Kai: 2Cupskuradi8 on March 16th, 2012 01:41 pm (UTC)
Oops! You did, didn't you? Serves me right for skimming too quickly.

Don't be in a rush to buy another cup. You're in the dreaded learning curve. Get through it with the Diva you have and then using what you like and don't like about it, decide whether or not you want another cup.

Want to try my method?
Insert your cup so the rim is just beyond your pubic bone and allow it to open fully there. Then nudge the base/stem so the opening points toward your cervix (for me that's a healthy nudge rearward) and finally, give the cup a boost as you kegel it up and into place. Despite what the instructions say, you want the rim to sit (O) around your cervix. And there's no need to spin/rotate your cup because you already know it's open. But if you want to, go on ahead...

If you have trouble getting the cup to open, re-insert it with the folded part facing the other way. Up instead of down, or left instead of right (etc.) Create an air channel on the soft back side of your vagina to help the cup fill with air as it opens. Sometimes enlarging the tiny little anti-suction holes around the rim helps too.
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(no subject) - wiccanone817 on March 16th, 2012 02:00 pm (UTC) (Expand)
(no subject) - kuradi8 on March 16th, 2012 02:10 pm (UTC) (Expand)
(no subject) - wiccanone817 on March 16th, 2012 02:19 pm (UTC) (Expand)
melissa569melissa569 on March 17th, 2012 02:16 am (UTC)
For me, my cervix is so low, if I use a cup that's too long it puts pressure against the side of my cervix, making it harder for my uterus to push everything out, and thus causing worse cramping. I basically have to use short cups... I agree that practice can often help, but if it doesn't, a shorter cup may offer more comfort.
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Sarcasticia Nitpickersontisiphone on March 16th, 2012 02:22 pm (UTC)
Mod note
Hi wiccanone817! I'm really glad you're finding the community useful, but could you please remove the gendered language from your post? There's a post linked to from our community profile that explains why we ask this. Thanks!
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wiccanone817 on March 16th, 2012 02:29 pm (UTC)
Re: Mod note
yep, I think I got them all, sorry about that
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Re: Mod note - tisiphone on March 16th, 2012 02:55 pm (UTC) (Expand)
mcg5222mcg5222 on March 16th, 2012 02:34 pm (UTC)
I had the same problem as you are having when i got the diva. I didnt give up (though i really wanted too) and eventually got it in for three agonizing cycles. After those cycles though, i ended up buying a different cup. I had the same issues with never getting it to pop open and then randomly having it spring open and be very painful. The shape, stiffness, and stem were just wrong for me. I would say to at least give it two or three cycles worth of trying before exploring other options, but i do know how frustrating and painful it can be. I went through three different cups before finding the perfect one for me, so it can be a real pain. But in the end im really happy with my cup journey. (PS my perfect cup is the small Si-Bell. They do have a large size for those who have given birth or have a heavy flow. Just letting you know)
Hope this helps and good luck!

Edited at 2012-03-16 02:37 pm (UTC)
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wiccanone817 on March 16th, 2012 02:59 pm (UTC)
ahhhh, thank you mcg, that helped tons, i was beginning to think that I was the only one. Some people have one problem that I'm having and not the other, then another etc. Also, thank you for telling me what kind of cup you have, I've tried to measure and I just can't, I'm positive that my cervix has legs and just walks around. ;) Thanks again.
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(no subject) - mcg5222 on March 16th, 2012 03:40 pm (UTC) (Expand)
(no subject) - wiccanone817 on March 16th, 2012 03:50 pm (UTC) (Expand)
(no subject) - mcg5222 on March 16th, 2012 03:55 pm (UTC) (Expand)
(no subject) - wiccanone817 on March 16th, 2012 04:04 pm (UTC) (Expand)
(no subject) - mcg5222 on March 16th, 2012 04:15 pm (UTC) (Expand)
(no subject) - wiccanone817 on March 16th, 2012 04:25 pm (UTC) (Expand)
(no subject) - mcg5222 on March 16th, 2012 04:53 pm (UTC) (Expand)
(no subject) - juliiie87 on March 16th, 2012 11:57 pm (UTC) (Expand)
(no subject) - serpent_849 on March 16th, 2012 05:43 pm (UTC) (Expand)
(no subject) - wiccanone817 on March 16th, 2012 05:52 pm (UTC) (Expand)
(no subject) - wiccanone817 on March 16th, 2012 06:14 pm (UTC) (Expand)
(no subject) - serpent_849 on March 16th, 2012 06:38 pm (UTC) (Expand)
(no subject) - wiccanone817 on March 16th, 2012 06:52 pm (UTC) (Expand)
(no subject) - juliiie87 on March 16th, 2012 07:55 pm (UTC) (Expand)
(no subject) - thelittleredfox on April 22nd, 2012 06:41 pm (UTC) (Expand)
misheymomisheymo on March 16th, 2012 03:20 pm (UTC)
i gave the diva cup a good 3 years before i ultimately switched to the lunette. the stem and softness of the cup have made it so much easier for me. i found it at a green fair so i got to feel it before i bought it.
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wiccanone817 on March 16th, 2012 03:48 pm (UTC)
WOW, that's some kind of determination. I don't think I could last that long with this. My friends that are divacup users love them, but some of them, like you switched over to the lunette and love that one as well. Thanks misheymo
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(no subject) - tearsandhoney on March 16th, 2012 05:19 pm (UTC) (Expand)
(no subject) - wiccanone817 on March 16th, 2012 05:32 pm (UTC) (Expand)
(no subject) - tearsandhoney on March 17th, 2012 12:53 am (UTC) (Expand)
Serpent: neutralserpent_849 on March 16th, 2012 05:08 pm (UTC)
wow 6 kids?

see this post about popping open: http://menstrual-cups.livejournal.com/2618390.html#cutid1

i think an XL meluna soft could be a good second try. because melunas are cheaper than others and they also send free samples if you order from the official site, so you'll get a shorter cup for when your cervix is lower.

another one to try could be a large fleurcup (there's a large+small offer too), it's the shortest high capacity cup. it's also softer than the diva. here's a stiffness chart: http://menstrualcupinfo.wordpress.com/cup-stiffness-comparison-chart/
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wiccanone817 on March 16th, 2012 05:35 pm (UTC)
Thanks Serpent, yes I've had 6 children vaginally. One passed at birth.

Thank you for the info on the other cups. And the popping cups. I've heard good things bout Fleur and meluna. I've read all the charts, I think my head hurts from all the info I've been reading, This is worse than researching for a car, computer or buying a house! Because I can't get a good measurement, I have no idea what will work for me and what won't.
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(no subject) - serpent_849 on March 16th, 2012 06:47 pm (UTC) (Expand)
Summers0mmer on March 16th, 2012 11:58 pm (UTC)
If your flow is too too much, a Mirena IUD might be an option. It's often prescribed to decrease heavy flow. Just fyi. Good luck with the new cup!
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hairballsplathairballsplat on March 17th, 2012 01:16 am (UTC)
after reading everything here, i was going to recommend a lg Fleur (love mine for HEAVY days and it's squishier than my lg Diva) but if the lg Diva is sometimes too long for you that might not work. (i've removed stems from all my cups.) i think my lg LadyCup is squishier than my lg Diva, but the capacity is definitely not the same as the lg Diva or lg Fleur. don't know if any of that helps, but thought i'd throw it out there.
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m03m on March 17th, 2012 07:18 pm (UTC)
Well, the large Fleurcup is a lot shorter than the large Diva. I could never wear a Diva, my cervix is too low... but the Fleurcup fits me just fine.
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