Feminine product question

[Gemynii]

My biggest advice on the Diva Cup? Cut half the stem off before you even try it. Many people cut the whole stem off, but others prefer to leave a tiny bit of it. (The instructions even say you can trim it, but I've never read or heard of anyone who didn't cut at least some of it off!) No idea why they make it so long!

 

Thanks for the advice. :)

[Teacher_91]

I use Instead Cups. LOVE them. I don't use paper products, and Instead is the only disposable product I use. I love that they are disposable (vs. needing to be rinsed) while I'm out, and that you can wear them while being intimate and that it is clean when you do.

 

But toss them...don't flush anything down the toilet other than the ship TP. The room steward knows that is part of life. There are paper bags in the public restrooms, but weren't any in our room. So I just grabbed some from the public restroom and brought them back with me. You can rinse the Instead before tossing....so that cuts down on odor.

Oh my gosh! Why have I never heard of these before???? I have a very heavy flow for at least two days, so 'double plugging' is necessary and I often still have 'accidents' because it's not always convenient to run to the bathroom every two hours. I was hoping I'd get 'Aunt Flo' behind me before we leave THIS Thursday :D and thankfully I did last week. However, it's GREAT to know there is an alternative for any future trips! I also love that you can continue to be intimate. What's a vacay without some special couple time??!? ;) Cruise Critic is such a wealth of great info. Thank you ladies!!

[jawas]

Well, I almost always seem to have the same problem...we book a cruise/beach vacation, I look at the calendar and say "doh"!! According to my calendar, I was supposed to start on the first day of my cruise in May, which would have meant I had to deal with it the entire trip. I don't have issues with disposal, it's just uncomfortable, and you can't always be near a restroom when you may need to be. It just takes a lot of fun out of things.

 

I'm not on birth control, so I did some online searches about inducing Aunt Flo or getting her to come early. I found a lot of herbal solutions, such as green tea, parsley tea, mango, and some other things I can't remember now. I actually drank green tea 2-3 times a day, and Aunt Flo came a few days early, so was gone by at least mid-cruise. Not sure if you still have time, but you may want to do a little research.

 

Have a great cruise!!

[Gemynii]

Well, I almost always seem to have the same problem...we book a cruise/beach vacation, I look at the calendar and say "doh"!! According to my calendar, I was supposed to start on the first day of my cruise in May, which would have meant I had to deal with it the entire trip. I don't have issues with disposal, it's just uncomfortable, and you can't always be near a restroom when you may need to be. It just takes a lot of fun out of things.

 

I'm not on birth control, so I did some online searches about inducing Aunt Flo or getting her to come early. I found a lot of herbal solutions, such as green tea, parsley tea, mango, and some other things I can't remember now. I actually drank green tea 2-3 times a day, and Aunt Flo came a few days early, so was gone by at least mid-cruise. Not sure if you still have time, but you may want to do a little research.

 

Have a great cruise!!

 

Did you just drink the pre-made green tea or did you brew it? I may have to try this to see if it works. As it is now, our port stops will fall on my heaviest days.

[Teacher_91]

Did you just drink the pre-made green tea or did you brew it? I may have to try this to see if it works. As it is now, our port stops will fall on my heaviest days.

 

 

Boo! I'm sooo sorry. I have two very heavy days and it's ... well to say the least.... a MESS to deal with. :eek: I hope the green tea remedy works for you! I'm ready for menopause, but then again, I'm 50, so it's time! :D

[Gemynii]

 

 

Boo! I'm sooo sorry. I have two very heavy days and it's ... well to say the least.... a MESS to deal with. :eek: I hope the green tea remedy works for you! I'm ready for menopause, but then again, I'm 50, so it's time! :D

 

I know. I couldn't believe it when I started this month... counted the days... and it was exactly 28 days until we cruise. Luckily, I picked easy excursions like the Turtle Farm in Grand Cayman and Chankanaab Park in Cozumel. Both places should have bathrooms close by for me. However, if the green tea works, it would be great to not have to visit the restrooms as frequently.

[jawas]

Did you just drink the pre-made green tea or did you brew it? I may have to try this to see if it works. As it is now, our port stops will fall on my heaviest days.

 

 

 

I had the tea bags at home, so I just brewed it and drank it hot. I honestly don't know if that's what did it, but since it's good for you anyway, it can't hurt!!

[Gemynii]

I had the tea bags at home, so I just brewed it and drank it hot. I honestly don't know if that's what did it, but since it's good for you anyway, it can't hurt!!

 

It's worth a try. :)

[Torbiemart]

Well... to follow up on my original posts, I'll say that the Instead cups seem to work well for lighter days, but not so well for heavy days. They come in a box of 14, so the manufacturer is counting on the female using 2 a day for 7 days. I was going through 4 a day, so just not worth the mess. I'll probably end up taking Instead cups (for lighter days), tampons (for heavier days) and pads (for accident prevention) on the cruise... ugh! A tip for those who use Instead cups or are thinking of trying them... buy some Finger Cots (they look like tiny condoms). I got a 30 pack of assorted sized for a couple bucks. Roll one over your index finger and one on your thumb. When you're done you can dispose of the cots with the cup and there will be a lot less mess.

 

 

Gemynii,

 

Please don't give up so soon on using the cups on heavy days. The Instead cup have a definite learning curve. It took me three cycles to figure out how they "fit" my body to keep leaks from happening.

 

Note that my cycle was "extraordinarily" heavy. So heavy that anemia was a problem if I wasn't careful. On my heaviest days I was able to keep a cup in for about 8 hours during the day and no changes at all during the night.

 

That said I hope your idea of mixing different products for your cruise works well for you. Good luck on your cruise and enjoy!

[Gemynii]

Gemynii,

 

Please don't give up so soon on using the cups on heavy days. The Instead cup have a definite learning curve. It took me three cycles to figure out how they "fit" my body to keep leaks from happening.

 

Note that my cycle was "extraordinarily" heavy. So heavy that anemia was a problem if I wasn't careful. On my heaviest days I was able to keep a cup in for about 8 hours during the day and no changes at all during the night.

 

That said I hope your idea of mixing different products for your cruise works well for you. Good luck on your cruise and enjoy!

 

I will continue to keep trying them, but I only have a week each month to learn. :p

Your heavy days sound like mine, but the cups were only lasting 4 hours, so maybe I didn't have it sealing correctly.

It'll just have to be a bit of trial and error. I just don't want any embarrassing accidents on the cruise.

Fingers crossed.

 

Thanks.

[foolishmortals]

Well, I almost always seem to have the same problem...we book a cruise/beach vacation, I look at the calendar and say "doh"!! According to my calendar, I was supposed to start on the first day of my cruise in May, which would have meant I had to deal with it the entire trip. I don't have issues with disposal, it's just uncomfortable, and you can't always be near a restroom when you may need to be. It just takes a lot of fun out of things.

 

I'm not on birth control, so I did some online searches about inducing Aunt Flo or getting her to come early. I found a lot of herbal solutions, such as green tea, parsley tea, mango, and some other things I can't remember now. I actually drank green tea 2-3 times a day, and Aunt Flo came a few days early, so was gone by at least mid-cruise. Not sure if you still have time, but you may want to do a little research.

 

Have a great cruise!!

 

I know this is an older thread but I found it thanks to the lovely search feature and I just wanted to say the green tea worked for me! I drank about 3 cups a day and it worked. Flo came 5 days early. Thanks for the tip!

[reginaphalange]

Great thread! Thanks for the advice!

[MrsPete]

I tried the Instead Cups years and years ago -- HATED THEM. They are essentially a thin, disposable diaphram. They leaked badly. Admittedly, I have a tilted cervix, and this product sits "up high" right on the cervix. Again, just like a diaphram. I used a diaphram for years without trouble . . . but it was fitted for me by a doctor. These Instead Cups only come in one size.

 

Then I bought a Keeper Cup, which was the name brand that came out before the now-more-popular Diva Cup and Moon Cup. I've seen pictures of the other name brands, and I believe they are all the same thing, though they are entirely different from the Instead Cups. The Instead Cups are shaped like a short, flat cereal bowl, whereas the Keeper is more of a V-shaped cup.

 

Anyway, LOVED the Keeper. On my heaviest days I needed to change it in the morning, at lunchtime, at dinner time, then at bedtime -- and in between I could FORGET about the whole thing. It sits "low", if that makes any sense.

 

Benefits:

No need to pack extras of anything when you're away from home.

No embarassment transporting supplies (i.e., walking down the hall with a tampon hidden in your sleeve).

Earth-friendly, no filling landfills with disposables.

So much cheaper than disposables.

No risk of toxic shock syndrome.

More comfortable than disposables, which always caused me a bit of . . . not pain, but discomfort.

 

Negatives:

Expensive one-time cost, not easy to find locally.

They come in two sizes: One for before natural childbirth, one for after natual childbirth. So if you were to buy the "before", you might later need to pay again for the other size.

The learning curve is quite real -- don't assume you can buy it today, use it perfectly tomorrow. You will want to practice for several months on light days before trusting it completely. You'll want to use a back-up pad until you learn. Seriously, do not underestimate this; I know a couple people who tried it 1-2 days and quit. Consider it a new skill to be learned.

While you're learning, you may make a mess -- but this will end once you've perfected the technique.

 

I used that same Keeper for about 14 years -- it was still in perfect condition. However, I developed some feminine problems, and surgery removed the need for any of these products. THAT has been the best solution of all! I can't say I miss that part of my life at all.

[deladela]

I LOVE the instead cups, but unfortunately the local stores have quit carrying them so I had to go back to tampons.:mad: I definitely think there is a learning curve and they aren't perfect, but much better than tampons, IMO. I may have auntie visiting on my upcoming cruise.:o Maybe I should start drinking green tea and order some instead online...just in case.

[kleo30]

I LOVE the instead cups, but unfortunately the local stores have quit carrying them so I had to go back to tampons.:mad: I definitely think there is a learning curve and they aren't perfect, but much better than tampons, IMO. I may have auntie visiting on my upcoming cruise.:o Maybe I should start drinking green tea and order some instead online...just in case.

drugstore.com sells the IC. Less expensive than buying them locally, also.