Hello all. I just wanted to chime in to share my newbie experience with menstrual cups and ask some teething problem questions.
I'm 23 and virgin but me and my hoo-haa are quite friendly on the weekends. I've used the Lunette Selene model 1 for a few cycles now but am having some trouble with removal & capacity (could be a cervix issue...) But aside from that it's been pretty nice, I remember when I first put it in despite being very objective (keeping an eye out for pain & any weird pulling assosiated with folds etc,) the first thought I had as soon as it sprang open once inside was, "This is the COOLEST thing in the WHIRL!!!1!1one!1" I was like, dang girl.
My questions are about pain-free removal re stretching (not urethra related,) and the cup not filling correctly despite no leaks.
I've only been able to use the cup once or twice, maybe three times in a whole cycle as I'm sometimes a bit sore after removal & I don't want to scare myself away from menstrual cups so I'm going easy on myself. For example, I haven't worn it overnight yet in order to give my vag some breathing room between days, lol. The reason is is that when I'm removing it, once I get the rim to the entrance I wriggle it side to side it then pops out (always the right side for some reason.) But I feel like the Lunette is so 'firm,' especially the rim, that I'm having trouble when it comes out as it likes to spring open as soon as the tension gives way and then it thwacks me in the... uh, lip. LMAO. Last time hurt the worst and I was a little tender for a day or two.
Anyway, I feel like the rim of the Lunette is very firm. When I break the seal for removal I can press on the body of the cup and it'll un-seal, but then will re-seal unless I push right against the rim. This isn't a massive problem for me personally as my cervix is about two knuckles in (about an inch or two,) but the rim springing open at the entrance is causing me to proceed slowly with the learning curve. I really wanna get to wearing the cup at least through all of my period during the daytime instead of alternating, and I'd like to get there soon.
So my question is, does this sound like a cup issue or a removal issue or both? I'm aware of the cup when it's in, maybe a little too aware so I wouldn't mind getting something a little more forgiving for normal day to day stuff like the Si-bell or something & save the Lunette for ballet dance & the occasional horse ride.
My removal process is as follows currently,
I get into childs pose & push my longest finger up behind the cup with my hand facing my pubic bone. I bust the seal & then bear down a bit and walk the cup down side to side using only ONE finger. At this point it's in a loose C fold with the broad side of the C facing towards my pubic bone. Then, once it's at the entrance (with my thumb on the exposed base for stability ready to keep it upright,) it'll spring open as one side comes out (like I said, it always springs out to the right.)
Last time I took it out in the shower and therefore had to squat and that was when it hurt the most so far, but I always have a bit of this taking it out (and it gets worse and worse as the days progress.)
So I'm wondering if this is an issue regarding the management of my fingers? I only use the one internally as I know I'd be sore if I tried to manage two and the cup all at once. And I know that people say a pain-free removal is in folding the C away from the urethra but I never have pain in that area when I remove it, it's always on the side. And I can't fathom being able to manage the cup with my thumb. First of all I've always found my thumb uncomfortable to insert & I have relatively short thumbs. Honestly you should see me use an iPhone, it's hilarious.
I don't know how people remove with two hands either, I would be bruised black and blue from tipping over if I had both hands trying to keep the nasty little sucker folded as it came out. Where do you find the space for all those fingers?!
Anyway, as for the capacity thing...
I'm finding that I'm not filling the cup up. Like, it'll feel really heavy & the longest I've worn it was 8 hours and by that time I felt really warm and water-logged so I went to take it out (in the shower,) and it wasn't even half full. But I had blood running down my fingers, between them & down the back of my hand like nothing else. Man, I held that thing aloft and honestly marvelled at the colour. I've never seen a more insane red... It was pretty awesome.
But this has happened every time I've taken it out, there's always been more blood on my fingers than in my cup. It's sealing correcty as I have almost always felt or heard the 'thwump' as it's opened, usually as soon as I sit up. I just wonder if it's sealing around my cervix correctly, which I think it is because I've only ever once had leaks. (This one time, it felt heavy and warm and announced it's unhappiness with a gooey gurgle before I went to go take it out thinking I'd been getting the chunky red-sea and ending up with about a teaspoon of blood *rollseyes*) But I don't think it sealed properly that time, or the holes were blocked.
But the last time, it sealed quite obviously and when I took it out it wasn't even half full but I was caught red-handed so to speak.
Anyway, those are the only things bothering me at the moment & I'd LOVE some insight on different techniques and/or experience with other brands regarding low cervixed girls & firmness.
I know there's a learning curve but I feel like I'm slowing my progress down when I look at the cup after having taken it out and think, "Mmm, no, not really. Go again in the morning." But I'm still a little sore for insertion once the sun comes up. I mean, I could put it back in, but I'll get more and more sore as I go along.
Is this still just a body adjustment thing? Am I doing something that's obviously causing the issue? Or do I need to get something with a softer rim that isn't going to be inclined to launch itself into outer-space as soon as it's free of me?
Any pointers would be hot!