How do you manage your period?

Contributor: thisisadeletedaccount thisisadeletedaccount
For all of y'all who menstruate, what method(s) do you use to manage the flow? What do you like/dislike about them?
Answers (public voting - your screen name will appear in the results):
Tampons
Peggi , CaliGirl , Taylor , AU , Noelle , LaSchwartz , xMila , Rin (aka Nire) , Sinfully , HippieFeet , All His , gloomybear , AlianneCimorene , carenautilus , giftdgecko , Undecided , silverdragonfly9 , beautifulbombshellVI , lana.banana , Lavendar , Anne , HannahPanda , PeaceToTheMiddleEast , brevado , Deeder , booboo111926 , jessi2 , pirkit , ViVix , vanilla&chocolate , kitty1949 , animepanda89 , Melan!e , sXeVegan90 , MK434 , KrissyNovacaine , deltalima , pyratess , jessiegurl316 , sexykiss , FallFire , Chefbriapink , PeachCandy , vulvalicious
44
Pads
Peggi , Aeronaut , Stinkytofu10 , AU , MistressDandelion , elli , hotcherry , LaSchwartz , amandaco2011 , Rin (aka Nire) , Sinfully , HippieFeet , All His , AlianneCimorene , Gina RPG Geek , Undecided , beautifulbombshellVI , HannahPanda , Missmarc , PeaceToTheMiddleEast , GS28 , Deeder , booboo111926 , pirkit , jennifur77 , BoobCopter , EdenUser , ViVix , vanilla&chocolate , animepanda89 , sXeVegan90 , deltalima , Tangles , FallFire , princessss , marshmallow , null , icyqueen
38
Reusable cloth pads
ghalik , MistressDandelion , SneakersAndPearls , A.noel , Tangles
5
Menstrual cup
solitudinarian , elli , WhoopieDoo , SneakersAndPearls , Bex1331 , freud13 , A.noel , animepanda89 , LAndJ , TheirPet , null , vulvalicious
12
Sea sponge
Use hormonal birth control to stop menstruation
Peggi , MistressDandelion , dv8
3
Other (explain in a comment if you like)
All His , starklover , TiffyPixie
3
Total votes: 105 (73 voters)
Poll is closed
06/30/2012
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Contributor: Peggi Peggi
I use hormonal birth control to stop my period completely, but on occasion it will still manage to pull through with a really light period. I've used pads or tampons depending on where I am or what I'm wearing, but I have always been interested in the cups, as well.
06/30/2012
Contributor: Stinkytofu10 Stinkytofu10
Quote:
Originally posted by thisisadeletedaccount
For all of y'all who menstruate, what method(s) do you use to manage the flow? What do you like/dislike about them?
Gf uses pads.
06/30/2012
Contributor: AU AU
Long time tampon user, never liked pads. I have started using them at home to change things up. I might try a cup at some point. I wish the U.S. sold more colorful ones in stores. :/ I know I can order online.
06/30/2012
Contributor: solitudinarian solitudinarian
I use hormonal birth control. I still get my period, just less frequently. I love my menstrual cup and don't think I could go back to pads or tampons.

It's a bit tricky to insert at first, but I got used to it after using it a few times. Lube helps. I haven't experienced leakage. You have to be kind of careful when removing the cup so as to not spill blood over the floor, but it's not too hard.

You don't have to empty it as often as you'd have to change a tampon, and it doesn't dry you out like tampons do. It can be annoying if you have really heavy flow as then you may have to take it out and wash it more often, which can be awkward in public bathrooms. You could always do it in the stall with some wet wipes, a bit of wet toilet paper or a bottle of water though.

It is recommended that you boil it at the end of your period which is a little more work, but overall the cup saves you a lot of money and you aren't left worrying about whether or not you have pads or tampons on hand.

Some people are kind of iffy about seeing their blood collected like that, but I have no problems with it. My cup is a bit stained, but that also does't bother me much. Baking soda makes it a little cleaner.
06/30/2012
Contributor: MistressDandelion MistressDandelion
I normally use hormones to stop it, but sometimes when it causes me problems, I'll postpone buying pads as long as possible and cut up washing cloths to make reusable ones. It just makes me so dysphoric.. As long as I'm done having my kids (I'm a seahorse dad) I'll just get my uterus removed.
06/30/2012
Contributor: wdanas wdanas
The recommendation to boil it after each period must be new, as I never saw anything about that when I got mine. Just a suggestion that it can be boiled to sterilize. I confess I never have - I just wash it in hot soapy water, let dry, and put it away. It gets the same treatment before use each month.

Certainly beats having to feel "squishy" using pads.
06/30/2012
Contributor: hotcherry hotcherry
I use pads when I'm at home and tampons when I'm out
06/30/2012
Contributor: Claire-Bear Claire-Bear
I use pads, but once my hymen is dealt with I look forward to using a cup.
06/30/2012
Contributor: Noelle Noelle
After having a 10lb baby, I just roll up a mattress and shove it up in there. LMAO!!
06/30/2012
Contributor: xMila xMila
I use tampons.
06/30/2012
Contributor: amandaco2011 amandaco2011
I use pads and tampons from time to time.
06/30/2012
Contributor: Rin (aka Nire) Rin (aka Nire)
During the day, I use pads. Tampons bug me because even the shortest ones still rub my cervix as I walk around, and it gets uncomfortably dry to wear one for long. When I sleep I wear tampons (combined with pads for the first couple of days) because even "overnight" pads don't do shit while you're laying down.
06/30/2012
Contributor: Sinfully Sinfully
Both tampons and pads.
06/30/2012
Contributor: HippieFeet HippieFeet
Usually tampons
06/30/2012
Contributor: WhoopieDoo WhoopieDoo
My Diva Cup, thanks
07/01/2012
Contributor: gloomybear gloomybear
people use sea sponges!?!?!?!
07/01/2012
Contributor: solitudinarian solitudinarian
Quote:
Originally posted by wdanas
The recommendation to boil it after each period must be new, as I never saw anything about that when I got mine. Just a suggestion that it can be boiled to sterilize. I confess I never have - I just wash it in hot soapy water, let dry, and put it ... more
The book that came with mine said to, but I guess different brands recommend different things. It's more just an extra precaution I believe, and I am a bit of germ freak.
07/01/2012
Contributor: carenautilus carenautilus
Tampons usually, but I'm thinking about getting a Diva cup.
07/01/2012
Contributor: thisisadeletedaccount thisisadeletedaccount
They sell Diva Cups at the student-run coffee shop on the women's college campus near my college, I bought mine there. I like it sooo much better than tampons.
07/01/2012
Contributor: giftdgecko giftdgecko
Tampons and a pair of underwear I no longer care about get me by
07/01/2012
Contributor: Gina RPG Geek Gina RPG Geek
Quote:
Originally posted by thisisadeletedaccount
For all of y'all who menstruate, what method(s) do you use to manage the flow? What do you like/dislike about them?
I hate my period and rater never have it! Tampons feel weird, pads are annoying, cups are gross. Bah!
07/01/2012
Contributor: lana.banana lana.banana
Quote:
Originally posted by giftdgecko
Tampons and a pair of underwear I no longer care about get me by
same here
07/01/2012
Contributor: SneakersAndPearls SneakersAndPearls
I use a MoonCup (UK, not US!) and Lunapads. Once you get over that *icky, I can see it!* phase, it's not that big a deal. I never run out and have to make a store run to get more. Plus, since (approaching TMI) my period is extremely heavy, they are the only things I can use. The cup holds more than a tampon and you don't have to worry about TSS. The pads can be layered since they are a base with a liner, so you can add as many liners as you'd like. The chemicals in disposable pads and tampons actually make my period worse, and I'm not the only one. No going back to 'sposies for me!
07/01/2012
Contributor: starklover starklover
I do not have one anymore
07/01/2012
Contributor: Bex1331 Bex1331
I love my DivaCup! I don't have to worry about leaks, pay monthly for tampons, or get all dried out from a tampon.
07/01/2012
Contributor: Anne Anne
I find tampons the easiest to manage.
07/01/2012
Contributor: HannahPanda HannahPanda
Pads. Feel best to me.
07/01/2012
Contributor: Missmarc Missmarc
Quote:
Originally posted by thisisadeletedaccount
For all of y'all who menstruate, what method(s) do you use to manage the flow? What do you like/dislike about them?
Pads, I will say that U by Kotex make my period a lot more enjoyable.
07/01/2012
Contributor: PeaceToTheMiddleEast PeaceToTheMiddleEast
I don't get mines on the shot until it is time to go get it again or I take off and cleanses my system. But I usually have pads and ob's on deck around that time.
07/01/2012