What stops you from switching to "green" or reusable menstrual products?

Contributor: charletnarouh charletnarouh
What are the factors that prevent you from eliminating your dependency upon disposable products?
Answers (private voting - your screen name will NOT appear in the results):
High cost investment
4
Not sure they will work
10
Inconvenience
7
Mess/ick factor
17
Health/sanitary concerns
Tried
3
Too much work
6
Not concerned about the environmental impact
4
Don't know enough about
Didn't know
Disposable options work for me
14
Disposable products are a habit/don't like change
2
Other
2
Total votes: 69 (24 voters)
Poll is closed
10/24/2012
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Contributor: Gone (LD29) Gone (LD29)
I've been experimenting with the disposable cups, basically as a trial before getting a reusable cup. I just haven't gotten the hang of when to empty/change the cup yet, and I've had a few nasty spillovers in the process.

I need to be able to trust the cup to work for me without needing a pad as backup. Otherwise I may as well just use the pad...
10/24/2012
Contributor: Taylor Taylor
Quote:
Originally posted by Gone (LD29)
I've been experimenting with the disposable cups, basically as a trial before getting a reusable cup. I just haven't gotten the hang of when to empty/change the cup yet, and I've had a few nasty spillovers in the process.

I need ... more
Same here. I tried the disposable cups and I could not get the hang of them and I had some leaks too. I tried using them for probably 3 cycles and then figured it just wasn't going to work for me so Now I'm back to using tampons.

I know some ppeople swear by them, but they were just frustrating for me.
10/24/2012
Contributor: Rin (aka Nire) Rin (aka Nire)
Quote:
Originally posted by Taylor
Same here. I tried the disposable cups and I could not get the hang of them and I had some leaks too. I tried using them for probably 3 cycles and then figured it just wasn't going to work for me so Now I'm back to using tampons.

I ... more
Disposable cups are inserted and removed differently from reusable ones, and I typically hear that they're more difficult to get the hang of, so I'm not sure they're a good basis for comparison.
10/24/2012
Contributor: Rin (aka Nire) Rin (aka Nire)
What I hear most often is the "ick" factor. You should see some of the comments on Youtube videos regarding cups - you'd think some women were convinced their menstrual blood was toxic or something.

The only thing that held me back as long as it did was uncertainty (well, and procrastination). Decided to go for it since I didn't want to put a dry, itchy tampon in me right after a yeast infection and I don't trust pads for sleeping, so I rush ordered a Diva Cup. I'm never going back.
10/24/2012
Contributor: Gone (LD29) Gone (LD29)
Quote:
Originally posted by Rin (aka Nire)
Disposable cups are inserted and removed differently from reusable ones, and I typically hear that they're more difficult to get the hang of, so I'm not sure they're a good basis for comparison.
I've heard this too, but I was a lot more willing to spend $5 on a box of disposable cups than I was to spend $20 - $40 for a reusable cup when I wasn't sure if either was going to work for me at all.

Has anyone here used both? I'd love it if someone could share a good comparison story.
10/24/2012
Contributor: Rin (aka Nire) Rin (aka Nire)
Quote:
Originally posted by Gone (LD29)
I've heard this too, but I was a lot more willing to spend $5 on a box of disposable cups than I was to spend $20 - $40 for a reusable cup when I wasn't sure if either was going to work for me at all.

Has anyone here used both? ... more
I think someone on here has, but for the life of me can't remember who.

There's this handy blog I found when researching cups, though. The author tests and reviews different kinds of cups, and I think there's one post about disposables, so have a look.
10/24/2012
Contributor: Ansley Ansley
Disposable cups really irritate my vaginal walls and I find them to be messy, inconvenient and an overall pain in the ass. I had a Diva cup, and it was so nasty looking after three or four months that I tossed it out. The silicone had yellowed and it just didn't look appealing to me at all. I had boiled it, rubbed it down with alcohol, everything they said to do and it was...yucky.

I also found it was really inconvenient in public restrooms.
10/24/2012
Contributor: Gone (LD29) Gone (LD29)
Quote:
Originally posted by Rin (aka Nire)
I think someone on here has, but for the life of me can't remember who.

There's this handy blog I found when researching cups, though. The author tests and reviews different kinds of cups, and I think there's one post about ... more
I'll do that. Thanks!
10/24/2012
Contributor: Rin (aka Nire) Rin (aka Nire)
Quote:
Originally posted by Gone (LD29)
I'll do that. Thanks!
Also, I hear Livejournal has a menstrual cup community. If you're on there you could ask around and see if anyone's tried both (I'm sure someone has).
10/24/2012
Contributor: Apirka Apirka
Right now, the cost is what is preventing me from trying them. I just don't have the extra cash to use on them.
10/24/2012
Contributor: Rossie Rossie
I've tried menstrual cups and don't think they're very comfortable, maybe the ones I've bought were slightly too big for me. The ick factor is also another reason why I'm not crazy about them, imagine using them on the road, and you need to use public restrooms!
10/24/2012
Contributor: BG529 BG529
Quote:
Originally posted by Taylor
Same here. I tried the disposable cups and I could not get the hang of them and I had some leaks too. I tried using them for probably 3 cycles and then figured it just wasn't going to work for me so Now I'm back to using tampons.

I ... more
Same here. I my period doesn't last very long anyways. So I'd rather just use tampons.
10/24/2012
Contributor: Femme Mystique Femme Mystique
Quote:
Originally posted by Gone (LD29)
I've heard this too, but I was a lot more willing to spend $5 on a box of disposable cups than I was to spend $20 - $40 for a reusable cup when I wasn't sure if either was going to work for me at all.

Has anyone here used both? ... more
I've used the Diva Cup and Insteads (disposable cups). With both I had major leakage, so I don't use them anymore. FWIW, I preferred the Insteads.
10/24/2012
Contributor: Gone (LD29) Gone (LD29)
Quote:
Originally posted by Femme Mystique
I've used the Diva Cup and Insteads (disposable cups). With both I had major leakage, so I don't use them anymore. FWIW, I preferred the Insteads.
Thanks for the feedback! That's what I'm afraid of with the Diva Cup (or another brand like it). I'm still considering trying one, though.
10/24/2012
Contributor: Sammi Sammi
I like the disposable ones (Instead). I haven't tried a reusable one, as I can't see how it'd work in a public restroom, and much of my day is spent at work where that's all I have access to.
10/24/2012
Contributor: Leather & Lace Leather & Lace
I'm pretty happy with my disposable ones for now.
10/24/2012
Contributor: Feisty Feisty
I'll be sticking with disposable ones.
10/24/2012
Contributor: charletnarouh charletnarouh
Quote:
Originally posted by Gone (LD29)
I'll do that. Thanks!
Live Journal has an amazing menstrual cup community. It can be found HERE. Be aware that it is a gender neutral comm (trans* men and other non-female identified folks still have periods and use menstrual products) and they ask you to please use gender neutral language when addressing the comm (ie: don't start posts with "Hey ladies!") to avoid alienating the non-female identified members, which I applaud them for. Great group of folks over there with TONS of info and advice and experience to share.
10/25/2012
Contributor: Alyxx Alyxx
Disposable options work best for me right now. I have the Mirena IUD, and it has pretty much made my periods nonexistent. So I just keep a box of light flow tampons around in case I need them, but I might get a light flow for a couple days every few months. I think it has been about two or three months since my last one. I can't see spending the money for a cup if I really don't have a need for one, and I definitely see myself sticking with mirena for birth control for a long time.
10/26/2012
Contributor: Gone (LD29) Gone (LD29)
Quote:
Originally posted by charletnarouh
Live Journal has an amazing menstrual cup community. It can be found HERE. Be aware that it is a gender neutral comm (trans* men and other non-female identified folks still have periods and use menstrual products) and they ask you to please use ... more
I saw your other post about this community, and I'm glad to see you posted a link. I'll definitely be poking around to see what they have to say. Thanks!
10/27/2012
Contributor: The Majikat The Majikat
Ive been using my diva cup for a couple of years and I love it!
11/04/2012
Contributor: Rin (aka Nire) Rin (aka Nire)
Quote:
Originally posted by Sammi
I like the disposable ones (Instead). I haven't tried a reusable one, as I can't see how it'd work in a public restroom, and much of my day is spent at work where that's all I have access to.
There's a couple of ways of dealing with this, if you ever decide you want to try one. You could just time your emptying routine to coincide with when you leave for work or go back home. Cups can be left in for a maximum of twelve hours (flow dependent), so if you don't work that long you wouldn't even have to worry about it. On the other hand, if your work day is that long, or your flow is heavy enough to warrant more frequent emptying, you could either take a damp paper towel with you into the stall or keep a water bottle handy to rinse the cup out while you're in there.

I worried about this a little bit too before getting my cup, but it turned out to be pretty easy to work around for me. I keep a peri bottle in my purse and bring that along into the bathroom during my break on heavy days, then just leave it in until I get home on lighter days.
11/04/2012