To be annoyed that Sainsbury's will no longer sell plastic applicator tampons?

[caddywally]

It's not a massive issue at the moment because I can buy them elsewhere, but if other shops follow suit I'm going to be condemned to a life of using pads because I don't get on with non-applicator or cardboard applicator tampons. I can't use menstrual cups, either.

I understand the problem with plastic but don't see why women who rely on plastic applicator tampons should suffer when there is excess plastic everywhere. I already live a fairly eco-friendly life - no car, 1 holiday in the past 10 years, rarely eat meat, most of the stuff I own is second hand (mainly for financial reasons than anything else, admittedly) - and I don't see why I should have miserable periods when there are people whose lifestyles are much worse for the environment than mine. I also don't flush sanitary products down the toilet, which I assumed was common sense. I probably am being unreasonable and should just suck it up for the sake of environment!

Menstrual cups do not open for me. I've tried all the tips, different folds, tried different brands, small size etc, but it will not open and I leak everywhere.

That's how I feel, too. It's such an easy target to make it look as though something's been done, though there are so many other things they could look at getting rid of.

See also: plastic straws. Makes life for people with disabilities really difficult, but hey, not to worry, restaurants signal their virtue so that’s all good.

Yabu - all tampon applicators used to be cardboard, or non applicator.

see a lot of people are promoting mooncups and variations of the product. The problem with that is

...OP already said they don’t work for her. Apparently being green means those people can’t accept not every solution works for everybody.

Yabu - all tampon applicators used to be cardboard, or non applicator.

And if they had been fine and dandy, the manufacturers wouldn’t have shifted to plastic.

If people tell you they can’t use cups, they can’t use cups. How is this so hard to understand.

It doesn’t matter what shape they are - round, Mickey Mouse, or amphibious landing craft shaped. I can’t even insert the smallest size tampon by any method during my period. It is too painful. I have severe damage to my pouch of Douglas - I can promise you that I am not able to even sit down with a cup inserted. If you have no Gynae issues or you’re not a HCP, you’ve probably never even heard of the pouch of Douglas. Again, your experiences are not universal.

All this “well what did people do before these applicators” nonsense - many people have explained what they did. They suffered pain, they leaked, they missed school and work. I’ve already explained what happened to me before I discovered a new type of pad that’s completely different from regular STs - I lived with open sores (from my early teens onwards), I was hospitalised due to infection. You think doctors are going to fix this issue for women who need it? Don’t be so bloody ridiculous. I was told to use dressings - that was the solution offered. Took me 10 years to get an endometriosis diagnosis - you think doctors will be falling over themselves to prescribe special tampons for women with a tilted uterus? Yes, I’m sure the NHS has the resources to accommodate this.

Why can’t the emphasis be on people reducing the unnecessary use of plastics, rather than taking the option away from those who need them? Why all this bile directed at the women with medical issues who can’t just use whatever is to hand? If you can, you should count yourself bloody lucky,

@SinkGirl
People are being wilfully ignorant in this thread.

It’s always the way when women talk about menstruation. You’ll have a group of women who’ve suffered absolute hell because of their periods, and a group of women who’ve had no difficulties who cannot possibly believe that periods are more than an inconvenience, and that things like sanitary protection are just varying degrees of adequate.

It’s always been this way - it’s why I thought my periods were normal, why it took me so long to push for investigations and treatment, why I felt like a weakling for years because other girls weren’t having the issues I had.

I had hoped things had improved given that it’s much more possible to have an open discussion about these things now. Unfortunately some people aren’t open to a discussion.

This thread might just be a clever advert for reusable tampon applicators...but I'm sold, just bought one.

Totally agree, like I fancy a hysterectomy for fun. I'm an environmentalist but my vagina gives me hell.

@SinkGirl

The internalised misogyny and lack of compassion for other women is awful. Makes me very very sad. "women have had to suffer in the past so just deal with it." why should we when there are things we can do to improve the situation, just because it's not what they choose to use?

I find the plastic one better but switched to paper because was feeling guilty by the uncessary plastic. I also found that the paper sometimes pinch as you said but I think it happens when they have squashed and lost their shape. So I keep them in a little box ( old plastic pencil case) in my bag to stop them bending out of shape.

Also not keen on reusable applicators or mooncups because of all the trouble in having to wash them in full view of people in a shared toilet that sometimes don't even have proper soap or no soap at all.

But YANBU

Sorry if this has been mentioned already but only read to page 9. There's a company called Here We Flo who do an eco friendly tampon with a plastic applicatior (made from sugar cane or something) you can get a subscription or buy from amazon.

What's wrong with using sanitary towels? 🤷‍♀️

🤦‍♀️

I must admit I'm only sure I've my own... uh... anatomy so perhaps ignorant of me to think one size must always fit someone! I hope these companies do more research to make choosing/ fitting easier, accessible and affordable.

DaisyChains6
What's wrong with using sanitary towels? 🤷‍♀️

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Absolutely nothing at all. I did for a long time before the menopausal, I changed them frequently, they were quite comfortable and at least I could see what was happening.

Before that I used tampons. Started off with Tampax (cardboard applicator), then changed to Lil-lets which had no applicator. Much later on I started using Always Ultra which were good. I think they are even better now and eco-friendly.

Jesus, so its now internalised misogyny to be against tampax pearl having a plastic applicator??

@Branleuse no... That's not the part that's the internalised misogyny...

Nice selective reading there, Branleuse.

Here’s my question: if indeed most tampons have either cardboard applicators or no applicators, and if these options are just as effective for all women, and if Tampax Pearl are more expensive, why exactly do people think women are buying them over the alternative? There must be some reason? If you don’t believe that some women struggle to find any other option, how do you explain the volume of plastic applicators being thrown away / flushed?

I had the joy of the original cardboard ones many many years ago and YES they did bite your vagina, the cardboard was so pointy, then they changed them and got rid of the bitey bit and just made them with a massive hole on the top, not sure which one was worse.

You could always go to your supermarket and buy a few years worth or go in every couple of days and stock up. I've done it with plastic straws for my dd who's disabled, I have approx 200 bumper packs so far, I'm going to order some more online as the supermarkets only get so many in and I'd rather get them all ASAP.

Notfast you see you'd think that information would be useful except you've woefully underestimated your audience. It is a great deal,of money and you may leave it at home.

I have the guilts every time I use a plastic app tampon. I don't NEED them as soon do.

I'm thinking though from this thread that a Swiss Army gadget with cutlery (for the Mueller Yoghurt), straw, tampon applicator and a vial of sunblock is on my list to Santa.

How...interesting...that they go after the applicator, the part that could cause pain, before the wrapper. Couldn't they just say they wouldn't stock plastic-WRAPPED tampons, first, give that a go, maybe cut some other packaging down before moving on to the stuff that causes actual pain?

anyone want to vouch for the necessity of plastic tampon wrapping? Anyone?