Hi everyone!
This is my first post here but I've read come here before and read posts about lots of different things! I'm wondering if anyone has experienced longer/heavier periods due to a cup? This is my third cycle using a small diva cup. I really love it! I've always had a wonky cycle (it would come for 2 months then leave for 5. I'm about 15 and a half, a virgin, and have had my period for 2 years as of July) Anyway I first tried a cup in April and loved it. I do not recall anything odd in this cycle.
When I got my period in May I tried it again and loved it but found that by about day 3 my flow got really heavy, there was a time where in about 70 mins I had overflowed the cup (and it was overflowed, not just leaking! Not fun, especially when I was at the lake and we're not supposed to flush every time.) Anyway, it lasted about 8 days and got better throughout but I had to wear pads for most of it.
In June I got my period halfway through the month and have now had it for 25 days. (luckily the cup makes it like it's not even happening, so awesome!) I don't have cramps or anything just flow. In about 8 hours it's just up to the first line (can't remember the measurement!)
I was talking to my cousin and she suggested maybe the cup was to blame. Has anyone ever heard of a cup causing periods to be a lot longer and/or heavier? I looked online and haven't found anything. I am going to the doctor in a few days but I was wondering if anyone on here knows anything. Thank you so much!!!
cup causing very long periods? - Menstrual Cups - Divacup, Mooncup, Instead, Lunette, Miacup
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8 comments —
You know, I am exactly your age and in the same situation. I have been using my cup for the last six cycles and everything was normal until the last one. It was super heavy and just like you, I was stuck on vacation at our cabin and the plumbing was out. Oh yea, that was great. Personally, I don't blame the cup because I do not see any viable way that a cup which is similar to a tampon could disrupt my body cycle. I think my body should just carry on its jolly way no matter what I put in my vagina. I honestly would tack the heavy period to just being young with raging hormones. You should see about birth control (sorry if your family is not into this, just thought you might be interested) but your period is way funkier than mine and my mom is basically shaking birth control in my face if my period doesn't begin to get normal soon. My sister had the same weird patterns as you do and now she is normal on birth control.
I am definitely not your age, or in your situation, but my last period (and first with the cup) also changed. Heavy hours at the 'wrong' time, and it dragged out for closer to 8 days rather than the expected bleed 2, stop for 24 hours, flood everywhere and end.
I thought it was just an aberrant period, and I'm waiting to see what happens for the next one. But yes, cup use does seem to have 'done something.'
I thought it was just an aberrant period, and I'm waiting to see what happens for the next one. But yes, cup use does seem to have 'done something.'
I would probably just chalk it up to being young and your body hasn't figured out what it's doing. For the first couple of years and the last couple of years of menstruation can be really wonky and you never know what is going to happen. Do talk to your doctor when you see them. Other than that I would probably track it and if it doesn't straighten out soon (like withing six months to a year) than set up another appointment with your doctor and talk to them about it.
Agree with this...it sucks but yeah, sometimes periods have a mind of their own the first few years. I would guess you probably would have had the same experience without the cup. I just don't see any logical way that the cup could have caused it. Hang in there, hopefully it will straighten out soon, and no doubt using the cup is much more pleasant than 25 days of pads or tampons! Yikes!
I hadn't heard about periods getting longer before this post. There's been quite a bit of discussion over the years about them getting shorter and lighter, but either way I think it's more likely to be unrelated. Your periods can change at any time in your life and at your age it's pretty normal (though the effect is extreme in your case).
I'm glad the cup's making this less of a nuisance for you, and I hope it settles down soon.
I'm glad the cup's making this less of a nuisance for you, and I hope it settles down soon.
I agree with the above comment, and also I think wearing a cup makes you a lot more aware of any change in your bleeding pattern. I mean, OP's case is extreme, and she should probably ask a doctor about her 25 days period. But other than that, if you got a heavier / slightly longer period with a pad, you'd just shrug it off and say your pad is leaky and you need to change it more often and blah, period annoyance.
Another possible side effect of cups, which I think is a very good one, is the lack of chemically treated and highly absorbing fibers and gels, which are meant to agressively draw your fluids out. Now your uterus is doing it pretty much on its own, and at it's own pace I guess ? Give it a few cycles, and see how it goes.
Another possible side effect of cups, which I think is a very good one, is the lack of chemically treated and highly absorbing fibers and gels, which are meant to agressively draw your fluids out. Now your uterus is doing it pretty much on its own, and at it's own pace I guess ? Give it a few cycles, and see how it goes.
Doctors don't usually know about cups so if you tell "him" (easiest pronoun) that you think your cup is causing problems, he'll probably agree and tell you to use something else instead.
A smarter thing to do would be to track your periods. Write down how much is in there each time you empty it. Tally it up by day. It's good quantitative information to give your doctor. And it can help establish a pattern, if one exists.
Or it's possible that you just had a particularly bad period this time. Bad timing that it happened during your vacation at the lake.
A smarter thing to do would be to track your periods. Write down how much is in there each time you empty it. Tally it up by day. It's good quantitative information to give your doctor. And it can help establish a pattern, if one exists.
Or it's possible that you just had a particularly bad period this time. Bad timing that it happened during your vacation at the lake.
