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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think I was going to buy a Mooncup until...

199 replies

HowlingBitch · 15/07/2011 18:12

I watched this song

What the flippity fuck?

OP posts:
basingstoke · 15/07/2011 20:07

Well,no. But a minority of tampons can still be unpleasant. And we can wait for our sewage systems to be replaced (a long wait I think) or we can throw tampons away...

Fluffycloudland77 · 15/07/2011 20:10

Oh dear. We are not meant to flush them because after the sewage company filters them out they send them to landfill.

Which costs money.

So they put it on everyones waterbill.

Wrap it in tissue and put it in the bin it's not rocket science ladies. With everythin else we manage to do in a day you can't wrap a towell or a tampon up?

catgirl1976 · 15/07/2011 20:11

Do they not end up in landfill if they get binned? Or do they get incinerated?

TheSnickeringFox · 15/07/2011 20:15

I loved my mooncup. Sadly I will have to buy a new one when I get my periods back (breastfeeding) as you need the larger size after a baby, or after the age of 30.

Sadly I am now post both!

Fluffycloudland77 · 15/07/2011 20:16

They go to landfill anyway. It was on radio 4 and they said only toilet paper is flushable. No matter what your baby wipes pack says.

And radio 4 never lies!

TurnipCake · 15/07/2011 20:16

From another site:

Tampons do not biodegrade, disintegrate, decompose or disperse in the short amount of time spent in the sewer system. Tampons maintain their structure throughout the entire wastewater stream. And at treatment plants, tampons are referred to as ?white mice?! Tampons are removed during the screening process and then sent to a landfill-which is where they belong in the first place?in the garbage!

So for a few seconds of wrapping it up in some tissue and putting it in the bin will save the treatment plans the cost and effort of having to deal with it. Every little bit counts!

And as other posters have pointed out, some strays make it to the beach. The ocean isn't just there for our benefit, it's home to so much plant and animal life, who could do without swimming with the white mice ;)

Butterflybows · 15/07/2011 20:17

What about Toxic Shock Syndrome with a Mooncup? I know it is rare with tampons, but what if the mooncup isn't 100% clean? Confused Blush

Original poster
HowlingBitch · 15/07/2011 20:17

I asked that Pixal thanks. :)

I'm so glad about the light flow possibility. A major factor in me changing to a moon cup is clots, Tampons just cannot absorb them so leaking is a big problem even with towels. I'm practically housebound 5 days a month.

I'm hoping this helps!

OP posts:
FuzzpigFourFiveSix · 15/07/2011 20:18

Actually just found the mooncup on amazon, also £17.95. Not quite such a big outlay as in Boots (was just a bit worried that if I bought it, but didn't like it, that's £30 down the drain)

So, I understand you aren't at risk from TSS but do you still risk infections if you forget to sterilise it enough?

Original poster
HowlingBitch · 15/07/2011 20:19

Welcome to the A cups Fox! :o

OP posts:
glassescase · 15/07/2011 20:21

If you wrap in tissue, then that is even more for the landfill, and if you put in plastic bags, well we all know...

TurnipCake · 15/07/2011 20:23

A few sheets of tissue vs the time, energy, manpower and transportation to get the things to where they were supposed to be anyway...?

MeriNisipPoissons · 15/07/2011 20:30

Sybil Grin

Fox i would try your original one as it may be fine.

glassescase · 15/07/2011 20:33

versus the time, energy, manpower and transportation to get them there via the refuse system. They don't walk there because they are put in a bin.

thisisyesterday · 15/07/2011 20:35

well, i've never sterilised mine and i haven't died or had tss yet. however, that is merely anecdotal and it's possible i just have some kind of iron fanny

TheSnickeringFox · 15/07/2011 20:35

Meri, I'm afraid it won't be :(

[roomy emoticon]

catgirl1976 · 15/07/2011 20:36

Kegels Fox? Or those strange "trainer" things..?

TurnipCake · 15/07/2011 20:41

Fox: smartballs

skrumle · 15/07/2011 20:44

thisisyesterday can you buy an iron fanny or is it something i'd need to work on at the gym?? Wine

StealthPolarBear · 15/07/2011 20:46

mooncups are brilliant! My problem is I have a load of leftover tampons cluttering up my cupboard :( Each month I promise myself that next time I will use them but this time I need my mooncup becuase I have a busy time at work / generally can't be arsed. And they never get used. The thought of using one now makes me shudder. But at some point I'll have to use themup.

Mooncups are comfortable in a way tampons never were for me. I can feel it for about 10s when I first put it in, then it wriggles its way into the best position and I can't feel it any more.
AFAIK TSS isn't an issue with mooncups, but I could be wrong. Certainly after the first coupld of days of my period I put it in in the morning, nd only take it out at night for cleaning.

I rinse it during my period, then sterilise at the end.

Vivamus · 15/07/2011 20:47

Many of the questions that keep popping up are answered here:

www.aselfsufficientlife.com/do-you-use-a-moon-cup-the-menstrual-cup-review.html

and it does mention there that "There have been no cases of toxic shock syndrome linked to menstrual cups since their introduction in the 1930′s."

Apparently, menstrual cups were the norm until WWII, when the shortage of rubber meant that women started looking for alternatives.

I can confirm that, as an admitted slattern, I have completely forgotten about having the cup in for an entire day and not suffered any untoward consequences.

fuzzywuzzy · 15/07/2011 20:49

I've been using a mooncup for five years.

I have very heavy periods, I need to change every four hours or so during heavy flow days. I take a bottle of water into the loo with me & rinse it out when I empty it, but that's me, its fine to wipe it with tissue instead.

I also use a washable pad in addition to the mooncup on heavy days, generally it's not really necessary but it reassures me.

Since using the mooncup I've found my usually very painful periods have stopped being so painful, they're also shorter last a week opposed to ten days!

The mooncup is very comfortable, I can't feel it once inserted, it's worn low down so inserting and removing it is not as grim as people would at first think, I don't sterilise my mooncup that often, just once after each period, it does take a bit of getting used to finding the most comfortable way to insert it and getting the seal right takes a bit of practice.

I've never ever had any problems with it ie no thrush or cystitis or anything like that.

Weirdly I have never gotten on with tampons, and used pads before MN introduced me to the mooncup.

strawberry17 · 15/07/2011 21:02

What if you have a Mirena coil? is it ok with that? it doesn't suction a mirena out of position or anything?

TurnipCake · 15/07/2011 21:07

You can use them with coils, just ensure that the seal of the mooncup is broken (as opposed to just tugging on it) but that's how it should be taken out anyway. I had fairly longish strings with my previous coil but they were always tucked out of the way and I never had any problems when I was still using the mooncup

MeriNisipPoissons · 15/07/2011 21:22

Stealth use 4 to make the legs of a lamb at easter time Grin