Ladies only! This is the first in a series of posts focusing on female body cycles. It will include my own tips, recipes, and methods for coping with and gaining more control over these cycles, some of which may seem controversial. If you choose to try any of these methods, do so at your own risk.
(Gentlemen, you have been warned...)
(Icky girl talk ahead...)
(Don't say I didn't warn you...)
And away we go!...
For the past 12 years I've been making a much more drastic effort to alter/improve my health, and one of the many changes was the switch from regular menstrual products to something more natural and less costly. At first I purchased a Keeper cup; at the time it was about $30/$35, and though hesitant about dropping so much all at once, after 3 months I realized that it had paid for itself, as I used to spend about $10-$12 a month on stuff at the pharmacy. With thorough cleaning it lasted 14 years, which is 4 years longer than the manufacturer designed, so I'd say it was a solid purchase. After a while, though, the rubber started to wear and it started to smell bad, despite every effort at cleaning (vinegar, baking soda, boiling, and every kind of soap/cleanser I could get my hands on)...it just smelled horrible, like decomposing rubber, and I KNOW it was the cup because my lady bits had no smell whatsoever when the cup was removed (and my bits still don't smell when I have my cycle). So, I decided to toss it out and find something else.
Enter the Instead Softcup. Ugh. To start, it's a bit of cheap plastic bag-type material stuck to a flexible, yet hard plastic ring. The idea is to squeeze the ring closed, insert it and hook it behind the cervix, then hook the front of the ring into the little groove between the G-spot and the cervix, at which point it will spring open, form a seal, and catch the gunk. The problem I encountered, and every other woman I know who has tried that stupid cup, is that my vagina isn't that long. Sure, I can get the back of the ring hooked in behind my cervix, but the front just hangs out and the ring is so large that no amount of prodding and squishing and maneuvering will make the front of that ring hook into place. Which, y'know, totally defeats the purpose, as, instead of catching the gunk, it was just funneling it out. Fun!
Short on cash, and at the recommendation of a friend, I decided to research my options for cups. I came across some YouTube videos reviewing various cups, and kinda got sucked in (Damn you, Youtube!), at which point I found this teenage girl reviewing cups and pads, and demonstrating how to make your own reuseable pads. So, with a little bit of sewing I fashioned a handful of pads to get me through my next cycle. I then bought three pads, two regular/heavy pads, and one overnight pad.
I'm now into my 5th month of using only reusable pads, and while my cycle started getting shorter (from 7 days down to 4) after only 3 months, I still had horrible cramping. Like, doubled over in constant pain, unable to go to work kind of pain. This month has been the first time ever that I've had almost no issues. Two cramps hit the night before it started, and the first two days were crampy, but now I can't feel a thing. Plus, the few cramps I had were not nearly as painful as they have been in the past, which ALSO means that I'm no longer taking tons of pain relievers, so no more ingesting harmful chemicals.
I may end up buying another cup, but for now, I'm incredibly happy with the reusable pads, and I highly recommend making the switch if you have heavy periods and lots of cramping.
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