[Admin-pattyandthemoos]

Lets have some AF questions..

How old were you when you got your first AF?
How long are your AFs normally?
Pads or tampons?
What is your biggest PMS issue?

[Blue Eyes 409]

How old were you when you got your first AF? I think I was 13
How long are your AFs normally? 3 days normal AF and 1 last day spotting ... so 4
Pads or tampons? Pads
What is your biggest PMS issue? Well I don't know I don't really get moody all I have are cramps. I guess I am lucky.

[alicenwonderland]

How old were you when you got your first AF? 13
How long are your AFs normally? 5-7 including spotting
Pads or tampons? neither, I use the diva cup
What is your biggest PMS issue? cramps, bloat, and sugar craving.

[Admin-pattyandthemoos]

How old were you when you got your first AF? I think I was 13 too but I can't remember now.
How long are your AFs normally? 10ish days blech
Pads or tampons? pads usually
What is your biggest PMS issue? woooo hoooo witchy woman.... singing my PMS song...
YouTube - Witchy Woman-The Eagles

Originally Posted by alicenwonderland

Pads or tampons? neither, I use the diva cup

Do you like it? I have never tried it. I use Instead soft cups but not for AF just as a fertility aid. I have a heck of a time getting the dang things back out and so whenever I have tried them with AF they have made a huge mess. Have you used Instead? How do they compare?

[Crys]

Im going to answer these because eventually she has to show up lol

How old were you when you got your first AF? 10 years old
How long are your AFs normally? before my son they were 3 horrible days and 26 day cycles now I am on cd 34 with no end in sight lol

Pads or tampons? both. lol

What is your biggest PMS issue? before my surgery it was the pain. I have endo so it makes af horrible. Since Ive only had one af pp and she was horrible. I am afraid to know what to expect when she shows again

[alicenwonderland]

I LOVE the diva cup. I've never tried instead cups, so I have no idea how they compare. From what i've seen online, the diva cup's sides are more rigid so its easier to keep things contained.

I like the diva cup because I can wear it through a 12 hour shift with no leaks and no worries about TSS (because there is nothing absorbant that can grow an infection). I just wash it and put it away at the end of AF, so i save a ton on AF supplies. I buy a pack of pads once every few months and use it the first and last days of AF. They stretch pretty far. It is very easy to remove. Just bear down and pull. Everything stays in the cup. I dump in in the toilet then toss it in the sink. After cleaning myself up, I wash it and put it right back in. Sometimes the first insertion every month is tricky, but it's pretty simple once you get the hang of it. You just can't be shy when it comes to getting your hand 'in there'.
Using the diva cup, period smell completely disappears. You know that smell I'm talking about. Turns out it's absorbant material in the pad or tampon that causes the stink. The diva cup is made out of silicone... so no smell. You might find this TMI, but it has measurments on the side, so you can see how much you bleed. I find it useful for charting. It's inexpensive and its a little way to go green. I bought mine a year ago, and it's still going strong!

So there's my sermon lol!

[Admin-pattyandthemoos]

Originally Posted by alicenwonderland

I LOVE the diva cup. I've never tried instead cups, so I have no idea how they compare. From what i've seen online, the diva cup's sides are more rigid so its easier to keep things contained.

I like the diva cup because I can wear it through a 12 hour shift with no leaks and no worries about TSS (because there is nothing absorbant that can grow an infection). I just wash it and put it away at the end of AF, so i save a ton on AF supplies. I buy a pack of pads once every few months and use it the first and last days of AF. They stretch pretty far. It is very easy to remove. Just bear down and pull. Everything stays in the cup. I dump in in the toilet then toss it in the sink. After cleaning myself up, I wash it and put it right back in. Sometimes the first insertion every month is tricky, but it's pretty simple once you get the hang of it. You just can't be shy when it comes to getting your hand 'in there'.
Using the diva cup, period smell completely disappears. You know that smell I'm talking about. Turns out it's absorbant material in the pad or tampon that causes the stink. The diva cup is made out of silicone... so no smell. You might find this TMI, but it has measurments on the side, so you can see how much you bleed. I find it useful for charting. It's inexpensive and its a little way to go green. I bought mine a year ago, and it's still going strong!

So there's my sermon lol!

I am going to check it out. See I wanted to use Instead cups for the same reasons but they leak and they are always really hard for me to remove. Have you heard any news about them being used as a fertility aid? I am assuming if they work the same way as Instead they might be just as good and cheaper. I think I will order one next cycle and see what I think. Thanks for all the info.

Originally Posted by Crys

Im going to answer these because eventually she has to show up lol

How old were you when you got your first AF? 10 years old
How long are your AFs normally? before my son they were 3 horrible days and 26 day cycles now I am on cd 34 with no end in sight lol

Pads or tampons? both. lol

What is your biggest PMS issue? before my surgery it was the pain. I have endo so it makes af horrible. Since Ive only had one af pp and she was horrible. I am afraid to know what to expect when she shows again

Wow, only ten. What kind of surgery did they do for the endo? I only know a little bit about endometriosis. How were you diagnosed?

[alicenwonderland]

I really don't see how a diva cup could be used for fertiity. The cup is sort of long and the semen wouldn't be held close to the cervix at all.

Just had to add my two cents.. I started using the diva cup (for these 2 cycles I`ve had since the baby) I and I also LOVE LOVE LOVE it! Man, every woman should get one of those things! lol I feel so much cleaner, I like how you don`t have to change it all the time like a pad or tampon.. and not worrying about tss is great. I used to use tampons but pads at night, just because I was afraid of going *over* that 8 hours and dying of tss so this is nice! The first day I change it probably 3 times during the day and then the next morning again.. but after that I can go every 12 hours... I got great instructions from ladies online who use it about how to insert it (what worked for them) so I`*got* it pretty quickly and didn`t have issues with leaking and stuff..

HIGHLY recommended!

Oh, and ALICE, I use cloth pads or liners the first day, and also when I take out the diva cup on the last days of my period that are really nothing more than spotting. I dont know if youd be interested but I love those too!

Reusable Menstrual Products: Washable Cloth Pads, Diva Cup Menstrual Cup

They dont give you THAT smell as bad as disposable pads or liners, and they are MUCH more comfortable! (plus better for the environment of course).

Lisa

[*lynea*]

How old were you when you got your first AF? 12
How long are your AFs normally? About 4 days, but I spot for about 3 days before she shows
Pads or tampons? tampons
What is your biggest PMS issue? It used to be cramps so painful I couldn't get out of bed, now it's being hungry all the time, DH says it's my mood

[alicenwonderland]

Lisa-
I've thought about it, but never seriously. I'd have to make a decent investment. I actually wear a pantyliner every day. guess that sorta takes back the environmental savings I have from using the diva cup. Sorta funny considering I plan on cloth diapering my kiddos for that very reason. Guess I have some research to do lol. Maybe if I bought a week's supply and washed in between.

[alicenwonderland]

Thanks Lisa, just made a purchase, but from a cheaper sourse spent about 20 bucks for 5. Went here Cloth Pad Shop

Alice, I hope you like them. That was a cool website. I think I'm going to save it becasue I do need to buy some more, I don't have too many. They are soo soft, much more comfortable than disposable. I was leary of them for a while also, but when I finally made the switch, I was glad I did!

Lisa

[AmandaHugNKiss]

How old were you when you got your first AF? I was 12, and I even know the date (25th August!) because it was my Dad's birthday! DD got hers at 12 too.

How long are your AFs normally? Always were a week of pretty heavy flow before I had the mirena. When I was younger the intense pain the first day would make me throw up and then I'd sleep for 12 hours...Mirena for the last nine years changed them to painless and to a spot/l/m/h/m/l/s pattern. It was removed March and now I seem to have a much shorter cycle... but I'm also supplementing so that may be affecting them.

Pads or tampons? Tampons. But I recently saw something called a mooncup (may be like the uk version of the diva cup you mention) and I'm interested. Will have to do further research!

What is your biggest PMS issue? Used to be pain. And RAGE!! But lately I'd say it's...sore boobs.

[Admin-pattyandthemoos]

Originally Posted by morebluethanpink

Just had to add my two cents.. I started using the diva cup (for these 2 cycles I`ve had since the baby) I and I also LOVE LOVE LOVE it! Man, every woman should get one of those things! lol I feel so much cleaner, I like how you don`t have to change it all the time like a pad or tampon.. and not worrying about tss is great. I used to use tampons but pads at night, just because I was afraid of going *over* that 8 hours and dying of tss so this is nice! The first day I change it probably 3 times during the day and then the next morning again.. but after that I can go every 12 hours... I got great instructions from ladies online who use it about how to insert it (what worked for them) so I`*got* it pretty quickly and didn`t have issues with leaking and stuff..

HIGHLY recommended!

Oh, and ALICE, I use cloth pads or liners the first day, and also when I take out the diva cup on the last days of my period that are really nothing more than spotting. I dont know if youd be interested but I love those too!

Reusable Menstrual Products: Washable Cloth Pads, Diva Cup Menstrual Cup

They dont give you THAT smell as bad as disposable pads or liners, and they are MUCH more comfortable! (plus better for the environment of course).

Lisa

I would use those really. I tried out cloth diapering with my son, way back before the cloth diapering movement started. They didn't have all the cute ones back then. Anyway the cloth diapering didn't work out but I used to use the cloth diapers as pads and they were so comfy. I don't have any left now though.

Originally Posted by *lynea*

How old were you when you got your first AF? 12
How long are your AFs normally? About 4 days, but I spot for about 3 days before she shows
Pads or tampons? tampons
What is your biggest PMS issue? It used to be cramps so painful I couldn't get out of bed, now it's being hungry all the time, DH says it's my mood

Oh yeh, my dh would say so too. He always knows when she is on her way.

[Crys]

Wow, only ten. What kind of surgery did they do for the endo? I only know a little bit about endometriosis. How were you diagnosed?[/quote]


They did a hysterocopy (sp?) they removed endo from my tubes and my ovaries. The endo had started to grow on my bladder and bowels. Which explains all of the pain I was having. They also did a D&C and removed anything in there. I dont know and haven't ever done research on it but he said the glands around my utuerus had grown into my uterus? Anybody ever hear of it?

I was diagnosed after bein on birth control for 10 + years for painful periods and horrible bleeding and it did no good. After my third miscarriage I found online a new doctor in our area. I meet with him in July of 07 explained everything to him and the family history seeing how endo runs in families of how my mom had a complete hysterectomy at age 24 due to endo. He said I want to give you two months on this birth control and if you dont have any relief we will do laproscopic surgery. The end of Nov. 2007 he did the surgery.

He told me my tubes were probably still blocked when I seen him in Jan. He told me that I didnt need to worry about getting pg because at that point I wasn't ovulating. He ordered blood work and I was to see him after my next cycle the end of Feb. Wam bam. Feb 23rd 2008. I got my bfp with my ds and he about fell on the floor when I came into his office pregnant! lol

[Misty_X]

How old were you when you got your first AF? - 14, just before christmas! Ugh!

How long are your AFs normally? - about 7-9 days

Pads or tampons? pads, I can't wear tampons, it's too painful

What is your biggest PMS issue? - only the pain (I'm another endo girl)

[sjkduke]

Just a side note--diva and instead cups can be used for fertility reasons...if you have a partner who is unable to ejacuate that far, or has motility issues, you can put the semen in the cup, and then insert it--lay down, and it's much closer to the cervix than it would be. There is actually a kit on the market, called the Conception Kit Conception Kit , that is made along these lines. I actually have one here at the house that I got from a conference.

And, another side note...we used a version of this thought to get pregnant with our daughter. I don't really feel comfortable talking about it on the board, because I don't think it should be something that everyone try, but you are welcome to PM me.

Ok, on to the questions!

How old were you when you got your first AF? - 13, right before starting 8th grade, just after we moved from Indiana to Virginia!

How long are your AFs normally? - 5-7 days

Pads or tampons? tampons, though curiously, since I've had Parker, I've had a LOT of trouble with pain on insertion...my midwife has checked me, and has no clue why it would hurt AFTER having a baby!

What is your biggest PMS issue? - cramping, and always ALWAYS bleeding through my clothes when I start--I can never tell when I've started!