What to use instead of pads and tampons

[chubb4]

I’m 40 and have only ever used pads for my period. I would love to use tampons but they literally make me recoil and heave. I think it’s something to do with the texture of them, I have a weird thing about cotton wool and they feel like that to me.

I was thinking about trying a moon cup but can’t quite get my head around how they stay up there and how they could be comfortable. It’s quite a lot of money to shell out for something just to try out if it doesn’t work. I do hate pads though, they are synthetic and often make me feel uncomfortable.

Is there any other options? Period pants are ok for lighter days but I don’t really like them for heavy days especially when I’m out all day.

Another vote for period pants. You can pair with a washable pad and remove it halfway through day if you’d rather but I’ve never had an issue wearing one pair of heavy flow pants for the equivalent of a work day.

To be fair, it’s all anecdotal my findings - and they’ll be bias because I was specifically looking for women in the same position as me. But it wasn’t a small number that I found! I would certainly recommend anyone in the same position to dk a little research before deciding to spend money on a mooncup.

I can use tampons, but I can always feel them in me - presumably because I can’t get them high enough?

I suppose you could buy small thin cotton cloths and use them. I've used gauze in the past. I also hate sanitary pads as they sometimes irritate me

These all sound wonderful. I'd love to try some but fear I'd be wasting money. I have had to switch to using incontinence pads (the old tampon and two maternity pads just wasn't cutting it anymore) it doesn't sound like the period pants would handle my flooding.

it doesn't sound like the period pants would handle my flooding

Have you spoken to your GP about flooding @NoisyHiker ? Tried tranexamic acid to reduce bleeding?

I am another period pant convert. We use the long leg ones as DD floods and they give her peace of mind that nothing would be able to get out before she could change. She also has the little waterproof zip pouch with a fresh pair in that she takes in her backpack. I haven't tried Wuka but Modibodi are good and M&S if you have a lighter flow/end of period days. I would say my main advice if buying first time is to go for the black rather than lighter patterns.

Moon cup was a game changer for me - especially as I got older and periods got more unreliable. Cut the stalk off and get the right size. Honestly it was so much more comfortable and easier.

Very relieved I'm past all that now.

A cup has been amazing for me. I can't feel it. There is not the horrible dried out sensation that tampons give me or the unpleasant messy sensation that pads give me. I don't have to buy new products all the time. It will generally go the whole day without needing to be emptied.

My cervix is so far off to the left that it has been commented on by the HCP performing every smear I have ever had and I don't have any trouble at all placing the cup and it staying in place- although I have to remove the stem/ball else at the angle the cup sits it would just jab the inside of my vagina all day. My cervix is also low, so I was worried a cup wouldn't work- the Me Luna Shorty has been the holy grail for me there.

I couldn't handle periods at all, I have opted out for years by taking the pill without the hormone withdrawal bleed -there's no need for the bleed, the man who invented the pill thought women would go insane without it, so put in a 7 day no-pill gap.

I love cups as i dont like the feeling of free bleeding into my knickers (even with period pants - i use them as backup) but i do find they can be messy. I work from home so am never really changing them in public, or very rarely. There are new cups that have an applicator you could try? I dont actually like the moon cup brand as much, I find it quite rigid I prefer the softer ones. You can get super cheap ones from amazon, try that and see if you like the concept. It’s very personal.

I changed to a moon cup after DD1 and it has been a revelation!

the first 2 cycles I used them with pads until I got used to changing and inserting properly. If you can feel it, it’s not in right!

I also found that using a mooncup has eased my cramps significantly. It was almost like tampons weren’t just absorbing the period, but the vaginal fluid, making me feel drier and uncomfortable.

The moon cup is good, stays in easily, but takes time to get used to putting it in and out.

I cut the stem off mine completely as more comfortable for me (but probably easier to get out if you don't - but main trick is to squeeze it in on itself prior to taking it out).

Empty, rinse and put back in, sterilise between periods.

Agree with PP after 3 periods you will be away and it quickly pays for itself with savings on pads plus more environmental.

I’ve got a tilted cervix and tampons are painful for me as are all smear tests. So I’ve never tried moon cups. I’ve also had a condition where the inside of your cervix grow on the outside and had to have it cryogenically removed. I mostly take the pill without break now as the breaks gave me really bad headaches from oestrogen withdrawal. For the odd occasion I’ve had a break I generally use washable pads now. TCS eco brand is my go to. Cheap ones off amazon are awful but the ones made by small companies have been fab. My kids both use period knickers. Again they have a variety from TCS eco and also some from WUKA - the multi size ones are great. Always buy the best absorbency now, even for their lighter days. Safety. Took a while to buy enough so they can go a week without having to put them all in the wash. They also sometimes take a washable pad of they’re worried or going to be out all day and think they need back up. They also prefer full front and back absorbent sections as well as we have all noticed we bleed front/back at different times depending on what we are doing.

The only period pants we have had trouble with have been cheap ones which basically turned out to be hardly any absorbency. Flowette were the first one we tried and nearly put us off buying them but we realised they were just not absorbent enough. I was put off buying Primark ones as worried they might be similar and not good for heavy flows. My kids definitely both have heavy periods which can also last over a week.

Mooncap. £15 spent 15 years ago

Interesting! I have a retroverted uterus and always used Tampax, which are long and thin rather than Lillets, which are short and fat. The former were very comfortable, the latter most definitely weren't! Perhaps it's worth experimenting!

I've got a flat cup, which goes up to the cervix and lies flat against it.

Menstrual discs. Not cups - these ones have the charmingly named "autodump" feature which means you can empty them without having to remove them. I discovered them in the US last year and they are amazing. You can get reusable ones on Amazon and they aren't terribly expensive in most cases.

I can see washable pads don't work for you.

Highly recommend a mooncup, I used mine for over ten years and then unfortunately a prolapse meant I couldn't manage it anymore. I was gutted, it was brilliant 👏.

Can I ask all the mooncup ladies what you do if you need to empty it but you’re at work or in a public loo? I can’t imagine rinsing one in the sink there? Do you just clean up with loo roll or wet wipes? Also, how do you feel when it needs emptying?

I’ve just cleaned it out with loo paper if there’s no sink.

I started with a menstrual sponge and then progressed to a cup for the last 10 years of my periods.

I’d definitely try a cup. I’m 46 and converted a few years ago, to cup and / or period pants. I would say with disposable pads I find a lot of them irritating best to try one’s made from bamboo/ cotton which ard much less irritating.

I’ve never rinsed mines at a public sink. I tend to opt for places with single use facilities or if unavailable I’ve always got a bottle of water in my bag.

I have a Lena cup and it’s great. I also have reusable pads for very heavy day two and that’s it. It’s wonderful.

Don't you then end up with blood all over your hands? I've never tried a moon cup but also wondered how you clean it out when it public.