I had to explain to my elderly male GP what a mensural cup was

[Nosig]

With hand gestures.

His reply?

“Well personally I would advise against putting anything like that inside yourself for any length of time it doesn’t sound very comfortable”

Wtf fella?

@MissLucyEyelesbarrow, trying to be positive, an elderly male GP not knowing everything concerning human existence is probably better than GPs always being sat around with their feet up and no practice ever having any appointments available with children/cancer patients/care home residents simultaneously being thrown under a bus. Currently re-re-re-planning vaccination within the government chaos of continuing vaccination political policy changes while still offering a full service.

@MoiJeJous

I would expect a GP to know what a menstrual cup is and if he didn’t, he shouldn’t be giving advice.

I’m not surprised - mensutrual cups aren’t medical devices or anything a GP would ever prescribe, and if he’s older may not have female relatives who would be using them at home! Also, if you’ve got long nails its very reasonable to assume you may have scratched yourself internally thus introducing a possible infection. Give him a break.

@AuntyFungal

Was I the only one that thought grandparent at first read of the title

Not the only one, especially with the use of ‘elderly’.

I think of elderly as being 75+. Is that how old your GP is, OP? Just curious.

I personally only heard of a menstrual cup 3-4 years ago when I started reading parenting forums such as MN. & akthiugh not a GP, am an almost 50 year old female.

I’ve never tried one but do think they sound uncomfortable. Thankfully the coil removes any need for me to worry about periods.

@Nosig

Surely a GP should know what one is? This isn’t something new or unusual is it?

I must admit, I only know about them because of MN.

I had no idea what they were until a year or two ago either. They sound revolting.

I must admit, I only know about them because of MN

See GPS could signpost to MN for alternative options. So they wouldn't have to know vast details about everything but a big site like MN which is easy to find on a Google search would be a good resource they could suggest to patients.

Its possible there are many women and girls who are on medication/the pill/coil etc who didn't really want to be, to handle their periods, when say period pants / cups may have just provided enough added protection that made them handle-able enough they might have been able to hold off. Its possible isnt it?

He can't be that elderly- isn't retirement age 67?

I own a cup and have never used it because, honestly, it does sound uncomfortable.

I once had to stop our gp from syringing my ds’s ears when he had grommets!

Lolz - yeah he should probably be aware things like this exist? But guess he doesn’t need to know about it!

I had a gp a few years back assure me that the coil is painless to be put in - how does he know? Has he had one fitted?

I just can’t stand talking to male doctors about contraception options, periods etc - they always think you’re being overdramatic 😂

@Whatwouldscullydo

I must admit, I only know about them because of MN

See GPS could signpost to MN for alternative options. So they wouldn't have to know vast details about everything but a big site like MN which is easy to find on a Google search would be a good resource they could suggest to patients.

Its possible there are many women and girls who are on medication/the pill/coil etc who didn't really want to be, to handle their periods, when say period pants / cups may have just provided enough added protection that made them handle-able enough they might have been able to hold off. Its possible isnt it?

I don't know

I'm on the pill and that makes me happy, i can't for the life of me see how period pants would help. The joy of the pill - and i guess the coil - is preventing the hideous problems in the first place.

I have read on here that the cups can lessen heavy periods but I can't see a logical reason for that, plus I wouldn't want to put anything up there.

I’m a female GP trainee and only know about menstrual cups due to mumsnet and Facebook cloth nappy pages I follow. I have been on my share of Gynae update courses and they’ve not been mentioned, and I see more than my fair share of women with menstrual problems and a patient has never mentioned them.
I’ve never seen one sold or advertised, and I don’t think anyone has ever mentioned them ‘in real life’ to me.
A male GP won’t have first hand experience and often women ask for female doctors for Gynae issues so I’m not surprised he won’t be aware of them.
Also if OP has a groin node and is concerned she may have scratched herself inserting a cup it’s a perfectly valid concern for him to raise, even if he hadn’t heard of them before then.

isn't retirement age 67?

I'd be surprised if he was much over 70, but you aren't actually forced to retire at 67. That's just when you can draw a state pension. Many people work past that point (including both my DPs, who were both GPs).

I love my menstrual cup. I have essentially not spent any money on sanpro or had to throw any away in a decade. It's not uncomfortable in the slightest. I wouldn't particularly go to my GP for advice about it though.

where doe he think a tampon goes then...?

He may not have heard of a moon up but I would hope he's heard of a diaphragm which have been around for decades so why would he suggest that you shouldnt have something like that inside you for hours at a time.

Well those saying they are uncomfy, I can say i find it better then tampax. (but one size doesn,t fit all so if yours is uncomfy youmay need a different brand. just like I use different tampons.)
For those who said about nails, You can sratch yourself inserting anyrthing. And yes i think A GP should know about these, and should know the facts.

Well it isn't medical and not something he's ever going to use, if he's elderly maybe if he has a wife she isn't going to be using one. Not sure why it is a big deal to be honest. His comment about it not sounding comfortable wasn't a medical judgement, it didn't sound comfortable to him not exactly a shooting offence.

I'm not all that surprised he's never heard of them, I only know about them through MN, I've never heard anyone talk about them in real life, never seen an advert for one
I’ve never seen one sold or advertised, and I don’t think anyone has ever mentioned them ‘in real life’ to me

Same here.

I think it a great shame that they aren’t more enthusiastically marketed and better known.

Being post menopause I only heard of them far too late (on MN) for the need for one. Why aren’t they advertised? They are much better for the environment than other internal sanitary protection.

I think of elderly as being 75+. Is that how old your GP is, OP? Just curious

I would also like to know how “elderly” the GP was.

Thinking about it I saw a GP last year about breast pain. After being examined the GP commented that I needed a more supportive bra. I explained I was wearing a very soft bra as a more structured one was painful. Maybe I should have been offended as GPs aren't trained corsetieres but I just assumed they meant well.

If we look hard enough it is easy to find something to be offended about although I admit the one who annoyed me was a young doctor taking my history before an op. I mentioned a condition my paternal grandmother had and was told grandmothers are maternal. I replied that I had two grandmothers, my mothers mother who was my maternal grandmother and my father's mother who was my paternal grandmother. She slammed my notes down and walked off. So she was ignorant and rude.

Obviously it wouldn't work for everyone acorn but cups do hold more than tampons do. Although the risk of TSS with tampons is small, its even smaller with cups, and if someone's allergic or pads cause them alot of pain etc then again being able to signpost to alternatives could lead to different decisions. Who knows. I mean it couldn't hurt to have it as a suggestion but obviously not in the sense that a dr would refuse the medical.option. I just remember when I first started and I was using the free sample mini tampons from the school I had no idea there were different sizes for example. Knowing that made the difference between them being manageable and being a worry. But then I guess menstrual problems are not something drs take seriously anyway you are either left to suffer or pushed to have a coil...no constructive suggestions or help

Surprised at this! I would expect a GP to know all options avaliable for menstruating women. I'm surprised at the amount of people who say they have never seen them advertised/sold or talked about! I'm 29 admittedly but have seen full page ads in Cosmopolitan magazine and Grazia, a fair few of my friends use them (the first started using them 6 years ago as I remember the discussion when she told me about trying it) and I have seen them on shelves in superdrug!

The thing is men aren't prone to studying the menstrual products in Superdrug, they might be shopping for a partner but would probably just look for the pack they know and not study the rest. I had a hysterectomy 20 years ago and haven't looked at what is available since then.

@ancientgran

The thing is men aren't prone to studying the menstrual products in Superdrug, they might be shopping for a partner but would probably just look for the pack they know and not study the rest. I had a hysterectomy 20 years ago and haven't looked at what is available since then.

Yes but this is a GP. Not just any old man.

" told grandmothers are maternal."

Oh dear!

I think it's Norwegian that has Morfar, Farfar, Farmor & Mormor.

Excellent!

The retirement age for people who are 'already old' is 65 but it's not compulsory - he could be a bit older.

I think you are being unreasonable. why would a GP be au fait with every type of sanitary product? It's a personal hygiene item not a medical device!

I didn't know about Mooncups till I read about them here and I am probably his age or thereabouts. I certainly had not heard of them or used them when I was having periods which was up to around 12 years ago.

I'm surprised at the amount of people who say they have never seen them advertised/sold or talked about!

Why? Where are they advertised?
Most of my friends are at peri menopause age, ging through the menopause or have gone through it. It just isn't something we discuss.