FA+
Shop
Some TMI and TMI Tuesday
12 years ago
I have a Mooncup and I'm using it for the first time. It's interesting. It was really uncomfortable for a while because the stem kept poking me, but now that it's trimmed it's going better.
So! TMI Tuesday. Ask me anything, Mooncup-related or not.
So! TMI Tuesday. Ask me anything, Mooncup-related or not.
One of the nice things about it is it's reusable for up to 10 years, which saves a lot of money and garbage. Also, it does not dry out one's vagina like tampons do (since menstrual cups catch the fluid rather than absorbing it), has a lower risk of toxic shock syndrome, holds more fluid, and can be safely worn without emptying for a significantly longer period of time (12 hours instead of 6 or 8 hours for tampons).
The drawbacks are mainly in getting used to using one. It takes practice to learn how to insert and remove it comfortably, which may take longer to figure out than some people are comfortable with. Some people might just get grossed out by seeing all the fluid in the cup like that. The idea of a menstrual cup in general is intimidating to some people as well. When talking to friends the general consensus among most was "That's so cool, but I could never use one!", but they also expressed interest in hearing about what it's like getting used to one.
They also don't fit right for some people, and different brands may work better for different people. They're also fairly expensive ($20-$40 or so), but in the long run it saves a lot more money not buying disposable menstrual products.
Personally, I'm still learning to use it and running into some difficulty with that, but I think in time this will be a good fit for me.
So there you go! More than you ever really wanted or needed to know about menstrual cups.
That's pretty cool~ I hope it works for you, seems like the most reasonable option.
If you know the show The Big Bang Theory, I'm wondering why Sheldon didn't bring it up as a suggestion to Penny...
Checking out the Wiki afterwards, I found out they come in different colors sometimes, what color is yours?
I'm also glad I checked it, I had thought it went in much deeper, and that you had to reach way inside to retrieve it, now it seems much more understandable.
I get what it is, but either I missed it or it wasn't there on the Wiki, but why is it named a MOONcup?
And I appreciate that you went into such detail, not many would be willing to open up about something like that. I know I try to answer things at length like this as much as I can when asked something for TMI Tuesday.
As for The Big Bang Theory, I know of it and have seen a few clips but haven't watched an entire episode. I have a vague idea of who Sheldon is though. My guess is either the writers have never heard of it and/or it would be considered "taboo" to bring up in that sort of show. Mainstream television rarely touches upon menstruation, and when it does it's usually limited to PMS jokes. Occasionally tampons are mentioned, but they don't tend to go into detail about what they are or how they're used. I don't think I've seen anything about pads, probably because it needs more context/explanation for audiences to get jokes about those. Tampons are "sexier" because they look vaguely phallic, the term is recognizable but undescriptive, and many women consider them to be "cleaner" than pads because they keep the mess contained within the vagina.
But of course, everyone knows that women do not have bodily functions. Tampons are just a mystical object associated somehow with female mood swings. :P
Menstrual cups are not "TV sexy". They're explicitly functional in appearance (in that they look nothing like penises), and nobody's heard of them.
In the unlikely event menstrual cups would be even mentioned on that show, I suspect that it would be played for squick and laughs with some sort of joke about the use of them being baffling/mysterious. XP
*cough* Anyhoo. XD Mine is the silicone one on this page: http://www.keeper.com/ So, it's colorless.
Different brands have slightly different dimensions and firmnesses, and the Mooncup is shorter and stiffer than the Diva Cup, another popular brand. I considered the Diva Cup but I suspected it would be too tall and I was worried about it not popping open as easily, so I decided on the Mooncup. I do wish it had nice grippy areas around the bottom like the Diva Cup, but overall I'm happy with my choice.
The "moon" in Mooncup is a reference to the monthly phases of the moon as a metaphor for the menstrual cycle.
I love being able to teach people about stuff! I'm pretty cool with talking about whatever, and a bunch of my friends (mostly lady friends but a couple dudes) are really interested in knowing what it's like but not ready to try it yet. In the meantime I'm sharing observations and tips I figure out with them. And there's also those weird/awkward little questions that aren't answered satisfactorily in available resources, like what happens when you go to the bathroom when you have one of these in, or how to avoid having the cup pop open too early when inserting or removing it.