Am I the only person who finds tampons annoying! (Lighthearted)

[RainbowBabyDreams]

Just seen an advert for a big brand of tampon, and I'm gonna go ahead and lay out my complaint, your honour!

*The plastic applicator of the big brand is environmentally horriffic and the people who flush them down the toilet need an educational top-up (So many on beaches)
*They aren't that easy to get in
*Once in they feel poky-poky
*I'm never truly at ease with one in. Can never really relaaaax.
*They aren't that easy to get out without putting your leg on the toilet, which particularly in a public toilet and you have shoes on, is foul.
*When I sneeze they poke me in the vagina
*Any hint of dryness and they actually hurt
*You pull one out and realise there's no toilet paper left and want to die.
*I absolutely cannot ride a bike in one. No way. Noooooo way. Poky poky poke-poke.
*The advert with the lady with the string hanging down. Are they trying to normalise hangy string? Is that normal? I would NEVER think badly if I saw a hangy string in real life, just like I would never think badly if I saw you with your skirt tucked in your pants (I'd tell you about your skirt. Less so a string). But I'd die of shame if I found I had a hangy string. Hence I don't wear short shirts without tights and don't allow camera men to upskirt me.

Then again, I don't really find sanitary towels particularly delicious. Would ride a bike in one though.

:-D

Disclaimer: if you are fine with tampons, peace man. I am too, just the french kind, because tampon is french for rubber stamp hee hee. And tampon. Inexplicably.

@MulticolourMophead oh yes, I missed that.

I find applicators less messy than fingers-that's the basic truth @Pinkdelight3, I like my cardboard.

I cant get them in far enough, it's like I have a little star ship trooper dick

@MulticolourMophead

Your daughter might really like washables, they’re not just good for smug green points, they’re much more comfortable than the disposable kind and don’t get all itchy and sweaty.

@Pinkdelight3, I prefer applicators because I find them easier and it's cleaner. Also if I was to shove a finger up there every time with the length I have my nails I'd do myself an injury inside. So it's best all round.

Ah how I miss the tampon! My sons massive head damaged me on his way out 9 years ago and I had to have stitches, which clearly sit along the optimum tampon resting spot and hurt like hell. feels like I've inserted it sideways. Tried a cup,.... nearly lost it and my hand and forearm trying to get it out!
I hate towels, feels gross sitting in it and dread a sneeze flood!

If it's poking you, you don't have it in right...

I don't get why a finger isn't all the applicator a person needs?

Because I have a birth injury that hurts like fuck if I try to insert a non-applicator tampon, whereas plastic applicators of this brand skim past it meaning I can actually use them!

I cant believe that I ever thought putting a wodge of compressed, chemical soaked cotton wool in my vagina was a normal thing to do.
Cup all the way, with reusable pads for back up if needed.

Ah, I forget that some women do the long nails thing, can see that's another way that talons are impractical. The mess doesn't bother me, it's all part of us and easily washed away. The applicators seem unsustainable environmentally, but then so do tampons and towels come to that. Sure there'll be a big shift towards reusables as we go on.

It's been my normal since I was a teenager and it's been absolutely fine. I can't see shoving a cup up there as normal at all.

I have long nails, I can still manage a cup perfectly fine.

@Pinkdelight3 no need to be rude.

Please do not refer to my nails as talons.

And they're not impractical at all. I can do everything perfectly fine. I could use a non applicator tampon with them if I wanted. I just don't want to.

I always thought tampons only had paper applicators, never used a plastic one before.

Have you tried a cup OP? I did and it was decent, but because I'm not 'active' I did find it quite hard to get in and so stopped.

I could see dave gorman turning this thread into a found poem

There is a wide range of vagina physiology, what works for you may not work for others and vice versa.

Very glad to have finally made the switch to a menstrual cup - I never thought t tampons were that uncomfortable until I tried a cup and realised how much more comfortable it is for me! Ymmv

Also if I was to shove a finger up there every time with the length I have my nails I'd do myself an injury inside.

My DD said that, too

She has really long nails. I have no idea how she manages to do things so well with them

I can't use tampons either. Have thought about a mooncup but just the thought of fishing about in here makes me tighten up. Mines is closed. Closed for business and closed for anything else to be inserted there.

Yes to the period sneeze and what comes out!

@WinterAndRoughWeather your comment is what DD is hoping for, we just need to get some that cope with very heavy periods.

As a side note, I used to use a latex glove when inserting/retrieving my mooncup when I was still having periods. I found I got a better grip, and also didn't have stuff running up under my (short) nails, making hand washing easier.

Hate cardboard applicators, feel like they chafe if you aren’t bleeding heavily. Plastic is so much smoother!

But I’ve been using a cup for over a decade and rarely use tampons anymore.

Disposable pads are trash tho

I'm so done with tampons. I bought a cup and it's brilliant except getting it to sit right inside. So annoying to dig around inside the poor bleeding vag. Hope I get a hang of it soon.

Its honestly no bother to do anything with really long nails.
Maybe if you've had false ones put on for an occasion it would be hard, but with natural nails they grow so you get used to them.

I use a combination of the mooncup, washable pads and period pants at night and haven't looked back. I can't remember when I last used a tampon.