Help. My Mooncup has given me thrush!

[Sixofone]

1st month, fine, 2nd month, thrushola!

Had a Diflucan last week and am still, erm, itchy...what to do ladies, what to do?

Do I bin the Mooncup, which up until now I thought was the best thing since, well I can't think of anything appropriate but you know what I mean? Do I need to, shall we say, refine my insertion technique? How do I get rid of my downstairs problem?

[moondog]

Why do you blame the mooncup?
You would probably have got it anyway?

[belgo]

maybe the mooncup has just made the symptoms of thrush more noticable?

I don't understand how it can cause thrush.

As long as your hands are clean beforehand, then there shouldn't be a problem with insertion technique.

[merryTissmas]

doubt if mooncup caused thrush, but if you suspect I would sterilise it by boiling and try again next month

[Sixofone]

I needed to empty it more often this month, so wonder if it was taking it in and out a lot that made me a bit sore and therefore prone to it? If your soft tissues down there get inflamed you can easily get it!

[andreagirl]

Ive been using a mooncup for a few months now and the past 2 cycles ive ended up with bad thrush, which i never normally suffer from, so its back to pads grrrr.

Also, and this sounds really gross, but it seems to suck my cervix right down, i dont have a prolapse and have only just had a smear and everything was fine, but when ive used the moon cup, you can feel my cervix with the tip of my finger right near the entrance....THIS IS NOT NORMAL SURLEY , it only happens after ive been using the moon cup and then goes back up to its normal position, hence why i can feel the bloody mooncup when im walking despite chopping off the stem!!

[castille]

Ah I had this - never had thrush before in my life until I started using a mooncup.

I was advised to cut the stem right off. I did, and it has been fine ever since. No idea why that should work, but it did

[bran]

How are you cleaning out the mooncup when you empty it? If you are using soap, or if you are washing yourself in the shower with soap and then inserting the mooncup you may be making your insides more alkeline.

[zazen]

I cut the stem right off as well and it helped with any bruising I had. I got thrush from the bruising and tenderness.

I never wash my mooncup in anything I wouldn't wash myself in. I don't use soap at all as I get thrush from it! So I use a soap free wash and it seems fine. Make sure you are cleaning out the little holes also... I find it difficult to get them really clean so I have some cocktail sticks handy now.

The suction of the cervix sounds bad andreagirl - are you squeezing the mooncup to release suction before pulling it out? The cervix moves up and down throughout the month also - are you sure it's not that? I'd get it checked out if you think you have a prolapse.

I used to hate my mooncup, (until I trimmed the stem off) and would only use it out of a sense of 'worthiness' but now I'm getting the hang of it, and we seem to be getting on better.

[andreagirl]

Well Ive had a mooncup free month and used pads and hey presto NO THRUSH!!!

I always boil the moon cup prior to a cycle, wash my hands and only rinse it in water, the stem was cut off when I first started using it because it was uncomfortable so I cant understand why Ive had thrush, but its nice to know Im not the only one whos suffered!!

[andreagirl]

Oh ye...only just had a smear and the nurse said nothing about a prolapse

[RubberDuck]

I found I got thrush if I washed the mooncup out with anything other than plain water. Used any kind of soap then it would be thrush-city.

So now I rinse out well then boil to sterilize and no problems since.

[morocco]

is it made out of rubber latex type stuff? can't remember offhand but I am allergic to latex and there was one type i couldn't use

perhaps you are allergic?

i recommend fairy hammocks if you fancy a change but still eco