Tampon stuck

[QueenBing]

This is the first time ever this has happened to me and I’m now age 43. I put a tampon in this morning, forgot about it until now, went to change it and I can’t get it out. I’m on day 4 of my period so there’s not a lot of blood flow.

I’ve tried squatting, pushing, using lube…it’s not budging. I can’t reach it and I can’t feel the string. Is it likely to work its way down overnight? How long do I give it before I phone the doctors? It’s seems overkill for a 111 call but I could phone my gp surgery in the morning. I’ve got no TSS symptoms. There’s no one here with me who could have a rummage around either. Argh!!

100% sure you haven’t already removed or it fell out in the toilet earlier on in day?

Is it definitely still there?

I had this, it was a bank holiday weekend so I had to go to a walk in centre. Mortifying.

I've no idea how it happened. I guess maybe it was faulty and there was no string when I put it in - it's one of those things you're not sure whether you'd notice it not. Or maybe the string somehow fell out? Either way, I couldn't find it.

I had this happen a few years ago. Slightly different as the string actually had come off. I’d been at a water park, and it came off somehow. I had to go to a walk in centre and they removed it for me. I couldn’t reach it with my fingers and was actually pushing it further in every time I tried. Make sure you definitely can’t find the string. If you really can’t reach it, I wouldn’t wait until morning, have you a walk in centre or minor injury unit nearby?

When I had it removed, it was water off a ducks back to the nurse, said she’s had it many many times before.

It might be quicker to go to a sexual health clinic if there's one near you or the practice nurse

If you can find it but not get it out could you have a bath so it gets wet? If it's the lack of flow that's causing the issue.

Have a bath have a rummage under the water yes water will get in there so don't use bubbles

Try in the bath. Water will get in there and make it heavy so it will sink a bit.

Forgot to say, I’ve had a bath and it didn’t help. It’s definitely still in there because I can kind of scratch the bottom of it but I can’t pull it out and I can’t feel the string. I can’t get my fingers up far enough to grip it and I daren’t use my tweezers!

Had this happen. I bought aquarium tweezers ( super long like almost 12 inches) to grab it out

Doctor … the only way 👍
don’t be embarrassed it happens a lot

Essential to get it out or you could get toxic shock syndrome, which can be VERY serious.

I’m seriously questioning if my vagina is weird. I can definitely touch my cervix when masterbating. How high up can a tampon go that you can’t reach it? That just makes no sense. Even if you can’t reach the cervix, the tampon length would mean you could reach. Are vaginas really that varied?

I was just thinking this too. I know it happens so it's not that I think op is making it up but I can get right in there 🤣 iyswim

A friend had this happen in school. I wonder why people use tampons. You don't have this grief with a reusable pad or a cup.

Personally I would book in with the nurse in the morning.

Nobody due home soon who could help? I know my husband would help me if needed.

I can touch the bottom of it with my fingernail but I can’t feel the string and and can’t get my fingers up high enough to pull it out. Maybe my vagina is weird or I’ve got short arms/fingers?!

I’ve done a 111 online thing and it said to contact my gp surgery in the morning.

Nope, I’m on my own with the kids tonight. Boyfriend not back over until Tuesday.

Have you got long forcep tweezers in your medical kit?

That's all the GP/nurse would use, I assume.

Can you squat down and really push like you’re having a poo and try and get it out? I had to do this when a menstrual cup wouldn’t come out.

Yes but they'd be able to see what they're doing. When it happened to me she used a speculum to see, and then some sort of clamp/grabbing thing to pull it out.

The idea of poking around in my vagina with tweezers and hoping what I pinch is a tampon makes me wince.

Years ago one broke off in half inside me. I went to our local A&E and they removed the bit that was stuck with a speculum and I presume tweezers - they said they see it all the time. I would ring 111 even though you've done a consult online just to be on the safe side

Try and 'birth' it out.

The first time I tried a cup I couldn't reach it and started to panic. Using my Internal muscles to bring it down worked. I've never had a child but the technique worked.

Well that's put me off tampons for life! Really hope you get it out OP personally I wouldn't be waiting until morning I'd not be able to sleep until it was sorted.

I've had this. The string had become wrapped around it so not hanging down. I managed to locate it with two fingers and loosen the string enough to pull it. It had been in more than 24 hours at that point.

When it happened to me years ago it had sort of gone up in a pocket inside. I could feel my cervix but the tampon felt like it was stuck up in a corner and I couldn't reach it.