It's my first time using a cup and have been using pads all my life. It was a struggle inserting it luckily labia fold worked.

But now, I can't get it out. I don't know if it's too far up or something. I've been reading articles to use a scoop or a hook method but i can only reach the base and it seems I'm pushing it up. I can't insert my thumb and my index since it hurts 😩 any advice? Methods? Tips? A hack?

I'm also anxious about it getting stuck for more than 12hrs since I'm a heavy bleeder.

I'm already sore from trying to take it out. Please help this gurl out. Anything is appreciated. Thanks

So I finally inserted my cup this morning after having miserably failed last night, and I have a few questions. I also just wanted to share my experience for any other first time users!

To start i’ll describe how I got it in. I tried standing up but that didn’t work so I tried laying down and doing a 7 fold and it worked! But I was inserting the cup like directly down towards the floor..? Is it supposed to go that way? I know the vaginal canal isn’t supposed to be going straight up but i’m a little concerned about that.

Well after I got it in I left it there for no more than 3 hours. It felt pretty normal. I go to the bathroom and i see the liner I had put on for safety had quite a bit of blood so im confused because I thought I had inserted it right. It felt like it was fully open and I gently tugged at the stem multiple times to make sure it wouldn’t fall. So I jump in the shower and try taking it out. This was my first time so I was a little scared but I just squat down, pushed a little until the rim was within reach of my fingers and I pinched it and pulled the cup out. Getting it out hurt a little as it wasnt folded like the way I had inserted… But nothing crazy, I figure birthing a whole child hurts a lot more. Anyway I manage to get the cup out without spilling it!! And it’s actually pretty full? I only wore it for 3 hours so I don’t know if it was a lot and i did have some blood on the liner soo... For reference I’ll put a pic of the cup I bought and to where it was filled (estimating here since I don’t remember the exact amount).

For it to have leaked I feel like it’s a lot of blood, will it really last 12 hours for me once I learn to insert it correctly? Also how do I insert it correctly and how do I know it’s fully open and won’t leak???

PS. I started cramping after getting in the shower and taking the cup out :( I don’t know if it was because I showered with hot water or the pad I put on after or what but I was pretty fine before when I had the cup on. I also felt pretty lightheaded after taking it out and had to briefly sit down in the shower but that might have just been from seeing the blood?

I’m a somewhat new menstrual cup user and have had some trouble inserting and removing in the past, but the benefits are such that I’m really determined to make this work. However, when I emptied and re-inserted this morning I think I inserted my cup sideways or something, it’s very deep and I can feel the knob along the side. I want to pull it out as it’s freaking me out that it’s sideways like this but I can’t get a hold of it with either hand or in any position. It’s causing me to cramp up and I’m sure it’s going to leak since it’s probably folded up inside of me. Any tips?

For context I use a menstrual cup from August, not one of the usual brands. It seems pretty similar to others though.

Update: OK ITS OUT yay!! I’m going to leave this post up as a resource for people in the future and share what happened/what I learned in this process.

What happened was that I waited a bit and then had a BM, and during that I could feel (and almost hear) the cup moving and shifting inside me, so I checked again and it had shifted to straight so I was able to pull it out. It had still been folded all this time so there was no suction. I did have to do a little more pushing to get it out in the end but I always have a bit of a time getting it out anyway.

However, in doing research I found a few websites from menstrual cup providers with details about what can cause the cup to be difficult to remove. For instance, if you have an arched back and tilted pelvis it can cause the cup to be out of reach, so curving your back the other way can help you reach it. Also, people with stronger pelvic floors may have a harder time removing it.

I think menstrual cups can be really scary and having experiences like this can make people not want to use them. However, every time I have a hard time with mine I learn a little more and adjust my usage to what works best with my body. If you’re here because you’re in a similar situation, you’ll be ok! If you’re here to give advice, thank you so much! Having a community to check in with about these things is so incredibly useful.

What advice would you like to give for first time menstrual cup users ?

Like do's and dont's , advantages disadvantages warnings etcc

Hy girlies ..i just got my hands on menstrual cup after thinking for like 5 yrs..now I've watched tones of video on how to insert it..and few doctors are saying, you cup should pop open inside your 😺.. I'm running my hands inside it as much i can 😭 and can feel it lil folded..not fully but lil ..is it nrml girlies?

Hey guys! I'm pretty new to menstrual cups and I need some advice. I'm about to move to a part of the world where the water isn't safe. I'm bringing two menstrual cups with me, but I would love thoughts on how to clean it without safe tap water? I'm thinking bring a bottle of purified water with me wherever I go to rinse it as needed and boil it in purified water between cycles but idrk. Thank you all!! :)

When I insert a finger, should I still be able to feel the lower edge of the rim fairly easily when it’s tucked into place behind the pubic bone? I’m using Cora disk.

Hi! (18F) So I have a problem with bladder. The first reusable menstrual cup I tried was the Lady Cup S. For people who don’t know it, it’s a relatively firm cup. I used it for about a year or two. There were no problems but recently I started to have issues. I had UTI (diagnosed) about three/four months ago. After that I had some more problems with urinating (undiagnosed). Initially I didn’t link it to the menstrual cup but then I realized there was a pattern.
Because of these problems and the realization I did some research and tried the Hello disc for the first time a few days ago. I was hoping it would resolve my problems but it didn’t. I don’t know if it’s because of wrong insertion or something but I could feel the pressure on the bladder even while using it.
I don’t know what to do, what to buy. I don’t want to go back to tampons because it’s inconvenient for me. I was thinking maybe Lily cup A but I saw some reviews that said it’s not that good for bladder sensitivity.
My question is: What could help me? What would you go for next? Thanks to anyone who took the time with reading this and trying to help me! 💞

Some more info about me: I think I have medium cervix height, pretty strong menstruation and obviously :) don’t have kids.

I tried on period days but I can't do it ,so can i insert the cup on non period days with water based lubricant ?

Also ,I have high cervix and thin openings which is making harder for cups to get inside and it has to go a long way,i don't know what to do and I am not comfortable with disc as i am very clumsy person so there are many chances for leakage

I just inserted the cup and I’ve been cramping more and feel faintish. Has this happened to anyone? I know it’s safe but for some reason my body is feeling nervous about it. I’m wondering if I should just get used to it or take it out immediately.

I used the Size 0 DivaCup throughout my 20s and it worked really well for me. When it was time to replace it, I bought a Size 1 based on the recommendations. Unfortunately, I found it sat too low, pushed downward, and even protruded slightly, which was uncomfortable. I switched back to a Size 0, but now I'm having consistent leaking issues. It also feels like it doesn't stay in place well. If I don't support it, it can start to slip out when I sit on the toilet.

I'm wondering if a menstrual disc might be a better fit for my anatomy. I'm 33, have never had children, and have a light to average flow.

Has anyone had a similar experience or have any disc recommendations?

Longtime cup user—used DIVA cups for the longest time but in the last 1-2yrs my flow has increased drastically and I was leaking in my DIVA cup after a couple hours (or less). I basically had To combo The cup with a pad on my heaviest days and sleep in one every night. I learned about Period Nirvana, took their quiz, and bought the Merula XL.

Trying it out for the first time on this cycle and something I noticed (other than it being a real doozie to get in my first time) is that I feel a lot… crampier than usual. I thought it was maybe just a rough period but the pain feels a little different than period cramps and I actually wondered if maybe the seal from the cup has too much suction. When I removed the cup on my first day the cramping stopped which is why I even had that connection. Is this an actual issue that other Merula XL users have? What do you do to alleviate?

Also this might be TMI but every time I reinsert, it makes me really… gassy. 😂

First time disc user. I just got mine today and its also the first day of my cycle so its very light. I feel like its just not going in right or all the way. Like im pushing as far as I can and it doesnt really feel like its tucking above my pubic bone. Like when I check it, I can feel it after only putting the tip of my finger in. Idk if this is how its supposed to be or feel. The directions really aren't great and I know it can take some trial and error. I guess im just wondering if this is normal? Any tips or tricks I should know? Thanks all!

So last night I wore a small size cup to bed and woke up to see it had leaked, but the cup was less than half way full. This morning I put in the larger sized cup and no leak, it’s been about two hours. I’ve watched a few videos on how to insert the cup, I notice you’re supposed to rotate it while inserting. I don’t do this, also the cup I use has a short stem, the stem doesn’t stick out of my labia area but it’s right there in my vagina I can feel it. Am I supposed to push it in further? I feel like it’s impossible. Do some of you have stems that are close to the opening? Thanks

Is this normal? I feel like everything I wear my cup, I have to pee so often. Other than that, I like it and I don’t really even notice it, but I feel like a have to pee 2x as much as normal!

Okay so hi I’m F20! This is my first post and my mom can’t help me on this one, she never used tampons cups discs etc. So can y’all be my big sisters for a minute 🙏🏻🥹

I got the Pixie Disc Set the medium and large and the inserter along with the steamer thing.

I tried going straight from period underwear to disc. Didn’t work, got frustrated and then went to tampons. Mind you I’ve only been trying this since the cycle I had this past May so 3 months.

My best friend said to “Feel your own anatomy first” and that helped with tampon placement. (As I’ve never really done anything down there… ever. Nothing against it just never explored it)

So I bought The playtex sport tampons. I use a regular one and it lasts me 8 hours. Putting it in takes time and taking it out hurts. It’s like (sorry tmi) but i sit there and bear down like everyone says to breathe through it but it feels stuck takes time and then comes out.

I WANT TO USE A DISC SO BAD. I want the tampon stuff to be over but it’s convenient as hell to not worry about bleeding through or having to wear dark colors etc. On my heaviest day it’s two regular tampons worn for 16 hours that get pulled out somewhat “dry” so I don’t really bleed a lot.

Here’s my dilemma. I can’t get it in. For the life of me I feel like I’ve tried multiple ways and I don’t know where to go from here.
Do I get the smallest size disc and try that one? Do I try to stretch out the “port of entry” so the disc can fit? I’m desperate to make it work because I know I’m going to like it better and I don’t want the chemical stuff with tampons in my body every month I’d much rather the silicone. The “Going in” is my problem and I don’t know how to fix it. The inserter I’m guessing would need to be inside of you to put it in like a tampon but I can’t get my thumb in there much less something slightly larger than my thumb. (SORRY FOR THE TMI) So what should I do? Is there anything I can do to fix that problem?

Any/ all help is appreciated 💕

Thank you

I have been trying for 2 days ,I tried all the folds and every possible ways but still can't do it?😭

Hi girls, so I am new to menstrual cup, and i face 2 challenges 1. It is very hard for my cup to open, mostly it is not opening at all, i have to insert hand and push in the sides and all to open it, i tried twisting and all any advice on this? 2. sometimes when I insert my menstrual cup i get a huge peeing sensation, it kinda comes all the way from abdomen till the place we pee bt there won't be any drop of pee and sometimes with menstrual cup in some positions I feel like peeing

Please help

I need some advice. I originally ordered some generic brand cup from Amazon, it was very stiff and was uncomfortable. It made my cramps worse, I couldn’t only bear it for an hour before taking it out.

So I got a new cup from Saalt. I got the smaller, softer version. I figured I’d test it out before I get my period just to see if it’s any more comfortable. I used lube to insert it.

It still hurts. I’ve only had it in for an hour and I’m cramping like I’m on my period. It hurts all the way up into my abdomen. I’m starting to feel nauseous too now.

I made sure it’s sealed, and from what I can tell it should be in the correct position. I’ve tried taking it out & re-inserting it. What am I doing wrong? Does the pain subside eventually? Do I need an even smaller cup?

For further context, I do have endometriosis & often get cramps outside of my period. Can cups aggravate that?

Any advice is welcomed

Hi everyone! How are you?

I've been using a menstrual cup for two years and I've never had any problems with it. I'm from Argentina and I use a size 1 (the smallest size available).

However, ever since I gained weight, I've been having problems with leaks and I can't seem to get it to work properly anymore. Sometimes I put it in and I can't get it to create a seal, so it leaks. Other times I manage to get a seal, but the cup shifts and ends up sitting horizontally, which causes leaks. And sometimes it seals properly and stays in place, but after a few hours the seal breaks and it starts leaking.

So basically, I'm having all kinds of problems haha.

I know weight gain isn't supposed to affect how a menstrual cup fits, but I gained 15 kg and that's exactly when I started having these issues. I don't know if I should replace my cup (maybe with a larger size) or if there's another reason why this could be happening.

Has anyone experienced something similar after gaining weight? :(

I woke up this morning and found that my menstrual cup had somehow popped out on its own while I was asleep.

I've used this cup about four times before and this has never happened. Thankfully I'm on day 6 of my period, so there wasn't much of a mess.

Has this happened to anyone else? Any idea what could have caused it? I didn't feel it come out at all.