Mooncup help needed pretty PLEASE. Used for over a year and suddenly...

[pickie]

it doesnt seem to work anymore! Constant leaking.

Really love the mooncup and used to work fine for me but the last 2 periods it just leaked. Mainly the start of a period and the cup is certainly not full. Even cut the stem shorter so hardly any left. The holes arent blocked either so suction is no problem

Any ideas? Could it be my pelvic floor? Noticed today I could feel it move(drop) when I lifted heavy shopping bags.

really dont want to stop using it as it is fab when it works!!

Franny&Zooey is the woman you need. Sorry i can't help i love mine and mine's ok. You've done all the stuff i would have suggested. Good luck~!

How short did you cut the stem? Could you have snipped the bottom of the mooncup by mistake?

Sometimes the little holes get blocked and this causes leakage, I think.

thank you for the replies!

Mawbroon- about half an inch left so dont think I have snapped it but it would have been very possible for me to do this

pickie - sorry if TMI, but I find it really hard to seal the mooncup if I don't have an empty bowel.

You don't have to answer this, but have you had any changes in the bowel department recently?

to check if you have snipped the bottom of it or otherwise made an extra hole, just fill it with water over the sink and have a look.

No other bright ideas sorry. Other than to say I have used mine for months and months, and sometimes I find that I don't insert it quite right. If that happens 2 or 3 times in a row and it leaks a bit I start to get a bit about the mooncup.

mawbroon - no not TMI (maybe in RL) but no bowel movements are the same.

thanks lollipop, handy tip

I've had mine for about 4 years - have just realised that I now seem to need liner as back up. And, yes, it drops.

Am convinced it's the pelvics, but not convinced squeezing exercises work.

Anyone tried one of those Femtone things?

Message withdrawn

i always use a liner as back up for mooncup. i sometimes get really big clumps of stuff and that can cause leakage. have a look at what is in there.

Am finding exactly the same, having used the mooncup for 7-8 months - it's now mooncup with liner and I'm beginning to think why bother?

Will clean the little holes scrupulously & experiment once again with position which I thought I had sussed.

Sorry if I sound REALLY thick - but I had never heard of a mooncup until now. Have just looked at the website and it looks like a great idea - but you mention little holes? What are these for?
I have really heavy periods and need to use a super plus tampon AND a sanitary towel. Would a mooncup work for me or am I too heavy? (period wise that is!!)

Glad its no only me but hope there is a solution as really like the mooncup principle

Katch - looked up someting similar as started doubting my pelvic floor muscles bit would be good to hear feedback from a user

fishie- true lately I seem to get bigish liver like lumps in there but dont see how that can cause leakage

tmi alert:

Could any "lumps" either partially block the little holes, or if they are expelled quite quickly slightly push the mooncup out of position?

We need Franny...

ahhh good point as it only seems to be leaking at beginning of period and that is when I get the lumps.

Nat1 in answer to your question there is some technical reason for the little holes, something to do with helping it to stay in place with in theory no leakage.

Imo a mooncup will hold at least the same as a super tampon - probably more. Even if you use a pad as well, either for reassurance on heavy days or because you really need it, you are still potentially cutting out the bill for the tampons.

Mine leaks too at the beginning of my period, although there is blood in the mooncup, blood also seems to leak down the sides.

heated- so only at beginning of period too how strange! Have you always had that or only after using it for several periods?

Mine leaks on the first day of my period. I think it is because I can't get it in high enough early on as my cervix sits very low on the first day. (WAY TMI sorry)

Also the instructions say to have it sitting really quite low but I find it works better for me and is more comfy (and better held by my crappy pelvic muscles) if I put it a bit higher than recommended.

Interesting about the lumps - I've noticed them too lately - are they to do with age (now 45)?

I still think a mooncup plus liner is better than all the hassle of tampons/ towels, I'm just a bit disconcerted at the evidence of going to the dogs/ ageing.

Also, I felt mooncup use was, in a small way, making up for all those disposable nappies I used.

Those of you who use liners as a back up. Try washable ones for night time. I find they are no good for day time as they move around your pants a bit and get out of place. Fine at night with tightish knickers though.

Hi Pickie, sorry you're having problems too, reading all the positive MC threads, I did think it was just me though!

Had a few leakage problems the first couple of months which I put down to just getting used to the mooncup, then a couple of really good months no problems which made me a complete MC convert and then gradually the leakage has got worse.

I've been thinking:
a) positioning
b) maybe boiling it every month to sterilise has made the mc too soft? It's a bit less rigid now
c) my pelvic floor is rubbish!

Is there an option on the mooncup website to ask them? Interesting point re the sterilising method.

if you get clots (sorry I know its really ewww), then it makes the cup overflow, always has ime. If it's not clots then no idea try emailing them on their website ???

Heated- good point re the boiling at it has made my mooncup also very soft and flexible and I seem to be able to feel it move if I lift something up heavy or squat. Think will email mooncup and see what their advice is.

Lollipop- washable liners? Where can you get those?

Katch re lumps I am 33 so not sure of it has got anything to do with ageing