Menstrual cups and riding

[caffeinated]

@tabula rashah

I use incognito pages anytime I want to search something I might purchase- it seems to cut down on the 12 trillion ads that you get

OK, that makes a ton of sense. I still think of it in “the stuff you don’t want people to know you’re looking at” terms I guess, LOL

Carry on then!

Anywho, as a side note, for folks worrying about capacity or how many products they replace - they’re made to hold quite a lot. The capacity of most about equals the entire output of an ENTIRE average period. It’s a common estimate that we lose 30-40 mL of fluid over the entire duration of the period, and the cups often hold 30-50mL (mine holds 30mL, or a fl. oz)

Obviously some women experience much heavier flows, but for most cups, that would mean emptying three times a day instead of twice.

[trubandloki]

The cost comparison and such only came up because someone made a valid point to a comment that was made. Not that anyone is worried that using one of these will cost them a lot. Just that the cost of these is not cheap enough that buying several from different manufacturers to figure out which works best for them is an easy pill to swallow. $40 is no big deal when it replaces so much. $40 x 3 different brands to try on various types is not a cheap experiment when who knows if any of those three will be right.

[Herbaceous]

I have used a menstrual cup for riding before. I started out with the DivaCup, and then switched to the UK version of the Mooncup after about a year. I found the Mooncup just fit my body better, for whatever reason.

I did have to cut the stem off, or I found it would jab me a little bit while riding. Not super-painful but definitely annoying. But other than that, no complaints - I can’t recall any leaking or other issues. They hold a full ounce of fluid so it’s a much larger capacity than your typical pad or tampon. When inserted properly, they are very comfortable and you don’t feel the cup at all.

There is a bit of a learning curve to getting the hang of putting it in and taking it out, so if your first couple attempts don’t go completely as planned, don’t worry too much about it.

I currently have a Mirena IUD and my periods have completely stopped, which I absolutely love!

[caffeinated]

@trubandloki

The cost comparison and such only came up because someone made a valid point to a comment that was made. Not that anyone is worried that using one of these will cost them a lot. Just that the cost of these is not cheap enough that buying several from different manufacturers to figure out which works best for them is an easy pill to swallow. $40 is no big deal when it replaces so much. $40 x 3 different brands to try on various types is not a cheap experiment when who knows if any of those three will be right.

That’s also fair, though I’ll say they’re getting cheaper, and there are plenty of brands on amazon in the $15 range now.

[L00kAtMeN0w]

The cost comparison was purposefully conservative. After all, I WISH I was also using 3 tampons a day for only 4 days when I used tampons, but even with conservative math, I think it demonstrated the cost comparison over the long haul.

While there is some trial & error up front, I think doing your research can help you choose a product fairly quickly. For anyone who might be in the saddle for hours on end during that time of the month without the ability for backup to a tampon, the cup has been a game-changer for me.

I would happily shell out another $50 to try another one or two, if I felt my current one could use any improvements. (Right now, there’s no need. I basically can’t feel it, insertion and removable is easy, it doesn’t move around, and it has plenty of capacity)

[BravAddict]

@Wanderosa

I used the Diva Cup for a long time and loved it. Then I had to replace it due to a yeast infection. The replacement never worked right. It leaked so badly that I went back to tampons. I bought a different brand of cup and didn’t have good luck with it, either. I plan to try one of the new diaphragm style cups next. I’ve always cut tampon strings so they don’t hang down outside my body. I’m prone to yeast infections and BV due to a medication I take and the string hanging just acts like a wick for all that nastiness.

You are not alone!

[x-halt-salute]

As for experimentation being prohibitively expensive, especially now that there’s so much information out there online I bet it’s not that hard to find a good option on the first try if you read up before you take the plunge.

I think it’s also pretty typical to start with an educated guess and buy one, use it for several months or a year, and then buy something different after you have a sense for what you do/don’t like about the initial selection. It’s not necessarily a big outlay all at once.

Personally, in about a dozen years I’ve tried 3 styles. I’ve never spent more than $40 in a year. Total cost has been around $150 over the whole time span, as my preferred manufacturer does not recommend replacing it more often than every 2-3 years.

With something so personal the YMMV caveat is a big one, but I don’t think finances are typically the thing that keeps people from choosing these types of products.

[pinkpikeurs]

Softcup is around $10-12 for a box, so thats a good one to start with, also since they are individually wrapped you could give away the rest if you don’t like them. Softcup is technically a wear once disposable type of deal but I reuse them as it seems a waste (and reusuable ones like divacup actually seem to get grosser) but not over multiple cycles. Like instead of wearing one for 12 hours and throwing it away I will wear it for half the cycle or the whole cycle if it doesnt seem to be getting gross, then throw it away, and use a new one the next cycle. I use the diva wash to clean it every time i empty it and it works just fine. I have 2 friends who also reuse theirs, it is plastic its just not as thick and durable of a plastic as the reusable ones. Actually I’d love to find a disc shaped one in a silicone that is technically supposed to be reused. But I wouldn’t recommend doing that or really using any of the reusuable cups either, if you are really prone to yeast infection or bacterial issues.

[Vivace1]

I got the Dutchess Cup off of Amazon and I got 2 for $15 plus a little storage bag. Love it! Reflecting what someone else said upthread I forget that I have my period. Less cramping, no tampon slipping down and making a mess, and no dry cotton scraping when the tampon is leaking but isn’t full. Again, I love it!

[x-halt-salute]

@pinkpikeurs

Softcup is around $10-12 for a box, so thats a good one to start with, also since they are individually wrapped you could give away the rest if you don’t like them.

The caveat is that the disc design is so different from a cup that if you do like it, it doesn’t mean you’ll like bell shaped models meant to be reusable, and if you don’t like it, it doesn’t mean you won’t like one of the more cup-like kinds. The whole one-size-fits-all philosophy is more of a one-size-fits-many, and a lot of people who won’t be able to make the disc products work will be able to find a reusable product that fits.

Also just FYI if you’re looking for a disc shaped reusable product, there is one on the market.

[Russinka]

“Put a cup in it” on youtube is probably a good place to see a lot of different brands and styles and methods of insertion too

[pinkpikeurs]

@x-halt-salute

The caveat is that the disc design is so different from a cup that if you do like it, it doesn’t mean you’ll like bell shaped models meant to be reusable, and if you don’t like it, it doesn’t mean you won’t like one of the more cup-like kinds. The whole one-size-fits-all philosophy is more of a one-size-fits-many, and a lot of people who won’t be able to make the disc products work will be able to find a reusable product that fits.

Also just FYI if you’re looking for a disc shaped reusable product, there is one on the market.

Yup that has been my experience! I can’t stand the bell shaped cups. But I still think its a good one to try for people getting into the tampon alternatives as its less expensive and you don’t have the deal with the “suction” factor of the bell cups which is what I think makes them more difficult. Also the disc design would be more familiar for people who have used diaphragms

[lovezehorses]

I use the blossom cup you can buy on amazon for $20. A lot of it is just getting the hang of insertion, and your flow on how often to remove it. I have had the cup open and leak on me a few times while riding before, however, that one broke and I bought a new one and rode my dressage lesson with no issues.Overall, I love mine, it’s made periods forgettable because you don’t need to run to the bathroom constantly. I worked jobs that are male dominated as well as traveling to countries where they didn’t have garbages in the bathroom for tampons. This caused me to try it out to never have to go through that and worry.

[x-halt-salute]

@pinkpikeurs

Yup that has been my experience! I can’t stand the bell shaped cups. But I still think its a good one to try for people getting into the tampon alternatives as its less expensive and you don’t have the deal with the “suction” factor of the bell cups which is what I think makes them more difficult. Also the disc design would be more familiar for people who have used diaphragms

For those who know a diaphragm as anything other than a mythical object from the lore of junior high health class, and for those who are specifically interested in disc style products, this is great advice. I wouldn’t recommend them as “training wheels” for tampon alternatives more generally, though, as the balance of pros and cons for each style is gonna vary for individuals, and the cost for a box of these isn’t that different from the cost of a cup. And frankly, the currently available disc products are anatomically doomed to fail for a significant portion of women – the one size/shape on offer isn’t universally compatible. Just like any other cup style, I’d recommend that people do their research on this type of product before thinking of them as the easy starting point.

[Blugal]

Diva cup user for several years now. It took a few cycles to really get the hang of it and trust it. Now I ride, work, and sleep without worries.

I usually wear a light liner for those just in case times (overnight as a guest, riding during heavy flow).

Ocasionally I revert to tampons when there is no running water/camping. It just reminds me how I hate them.

[polkadotedpony]

Thanks everyone for chiming in! I definitely think I will give some of these products a try. Honestly it sounds like what is really needed is personalized fitting by a gyn for a cup, like people used to get for diaphragms. Honestly its absurd that something like that couldn’t be started and covered by insurance since I’m pretty sure no one knows they have a large and slightly oval cervix like when ordered a helmet lol.
Has anyone tried thinx or other period panties? It seems like a cup with a period panty as a backup could be a winning combo for riding…

[Pally]

I know this thread is old, but I’ll always add my +1 thumbs up to a cup thread, because I think they can be a game changer. And, I’m pretty sure I originally found out about them on here, so… keeping it going I guess.

I suppose I lucked out that the first one I tried (Diva) fits me well. Extra lucky, I guess, since I’m pretty sure they were my only choice back then. I will note I still prefer the “Under 30” model even though I’m halfway into my 30s now. The “Over 30” doesn’t leak or hurt or anything, just not as comfortable to insert I guess.

When I first bought it, it was largely with riding in mind. Not because of flow or jostling or anything, but because I hated going out for a ride or lesson knowing I might get my period any time now. So the idea that you can put it in safely before your flow actually starts was a big selling point. It’s still a big plus to be able to do this, no matter where I am going!

Then I became a groom and thank goodness for the Diva Cup. No matter what your flow, it’s going to decrease how often you need to attend to things (I think I’m pretty average. I typically need to empty 2-3 times day 1, maybe once day 2. Go all day after that). This extra capacity is key at a horse show! Sometimes we are literally too busy to go to the bathroom exactly when we’d like. Plus, I find many horse shows have a “real” bathroom somewhere and a bunch of porta-potties everywhere else. I much prefer being able to wait for a real bathroom whenever I can.

I’ve had leaks over the years, but usually notice pretty quickly. They are from inserting it not quite right, or, on occasion, overfilling, because it’s so comfortable I forgot my period. So, I don’t think I’ve ever had a problem while riding. I suppose more than luck, this would be because I am more thoughtful about emptying knowing I’m riding, and yet, catch any “in crooked” issues by the time I was ready to get on.

[candyappy]

@Scribbler

Just the title of this thread made me very glad some things have shut down due to old age!!

The day I had my hysterectomy was one of the best days of my life!! This thread proves it.

[Color_of_Light]

Ok. So you can horseback ride with it in. What about other sports, like canoeing? (Canoeing does not mean actual canoeing. It’s a funny euphemism someone started on here for a different sort of activity, in case someone is wondering. (Done vertical, horizontal, or somewhere in between.).

[Hoofbeat_Heartbeat]

I love my cup for riding and all activities (except yoga because for whatever reason it doesn’t want to stay put 😳).

A thing that I have found to be entirely life changing in regards to riding, is actual underwear made for periods, like Thinx or any kind of offshoot brand.

I remember when I would try to use a pad during riding and it would basically disintegrate, gross! Then I started using reusable cotton pads, but I would feel the clasp while riding and that made it uncomfortable.

So now, I am total convert to period underwear and my menstrual cup; sexy, I know 🤣. But, it is practical and much more economical than buying pads and tampons!