So now I'm learning all sorts of stuff like I tilt a bit to the right (never knew the opening wasn't centered) and that I must have a fantastically high cervix because the Divacup (apparently the longest kind?) slides right in, stem and all and even reaching around I can't find anything that feels like a cervix. Debating on whether to nickname my vagina Narnia or the TARDIS.
And it just makes so much SENSE to use a cup! I don't know, just somehow the act of collecting the blood and dumping it out two or three times a day feels so much more natural to me. I feel more in control, and I don't feel smelly or deal with chafing from the pad or uncomfortableness from a rarely-used tampon anymore. Once the cup settles itself down I literally can't feel it.
At any rate, enough waxing poetic about my introduction to cups. When I tried it, everything went well - the first period was a bit crazy, took a long time to get it in and out, but someone talked me through it and convinced me to not be scared and sleep in it, from then I've done well. Second period I had my heaviest flow overnight and it was a Friday night into Saturday. Being a college student I slept about 10 hours that night. I got up to use the bathroom once and I was still clean at the 8.5 hour mark but at 10 hours I was leaking. I put that up to the cup just filled up because when I had the sense to take it out in the bathtub, about half a cup spilled out.
So down to my questions.
1) I can get it out, cleaned, and back in less than five minutes now which is great. Both periods have been on weekends so I've had the luxury of time but I'll be shifting into the week soon enough. The position that works for me is sitting on my heels and bearing down like they suggest in the pamphlet. I will not be able to do that in a public bathroom on campus and I think I might need to change at the 6 or 8 hour mark on my first day when I'm heaviest. I can't get it in sitting on the toilet, any suggestions for similar positions that might provide the benefits of the squat that are public bathroom-friendly?
2) When I remove it, there is a definite pain with removing the end of the cup. Like I can get the grip out fine but as it comes to the end its sharp and pinching. I have to deal with an unpleasant "okay here it comes ow ow ow ow now its out" sensation for each removal that I'd rather not have. I can't tell if this is due to hymen blocking the way of an open full cup where it lets a punched-down empty cup in, or vacuum causing pain. Has anyone had this problem? Is there a better way to remove it?
3) Similar to part 2, if I am removing a very full cup (which I'd try to avoid with more frequent changes but you never know when things happen) I'd rather not re-enact Carrie on the floor. Any tips for keeping everything inside the cup?