Choosing A Menstrual Cup

[TheConfusedOne]

Hey all,

As some of you would know, I had an allergy testing done because I wasn't sure if I was allergic to silicone as I had hives after wearing a knee compression sleeve that had a silicone band. Well... guess what... the doctor had me tested for pretty much everything that they usually test for... but not silicone... Wtf facepalm moment because I very clearly told him that the sleeves had a silicone band, or so the company told me. He had me tested for latex (negative), but not silicone... Of course, the hives could've appeared from the pressure of the sleeves as they could get pretty tight... or just plain irritation from the skin not being able to breathe... But it would've been really nice to have been able to completely write off silicone as an allergy I might have!

I have and used 2 different toys, both made of silicone. I don't seem to be getting any sort of reactions from them... besides the burning that I have explained in the past that seem to be coming from lube. I've tried KY silicone based lube and that one burned, but then, I've also tried Astroglide water based, the natural ingredient one as well as the sensitive skin one... Both burned too, though apparently, they burn the hubby as well, some kind of warming feel to them? Weird. I plan to discuss about the burning with my GYN again when I go visit her soon. We had thought maybe it was either a silicone/latex allergy or the OCP I was on that was causing it. Now that I'm off the pill, we'll have to discuss further and stuff.

In the meantime, I'd like to switch to a menstrual cup. I have never used tampons and recently tried using Flex discs. (Does anyone here know about the change in company? It's no longer "Instead Softcup", but "Softcup" and "Flex" from The Flex Company!) The discs are pretty amazing, but holy periods are they expensive! Especially when they're not reusable!

So how do I decide on a menstrual cup? I know most of them are made of silicone and I believe the Keeper is latex? What other materials are there? If there is a hypoallergenic one, perhaps I should go with that instead of trying out a silicone one... For something that I'll be putting inside my body non-stop for 3-5 days, I don't think I want to risk an allergic reaction.

[Karyn]

Unfortunately I don't know of any menstrual cups that are made of something other than latex and silicone: silicone is considered to be pretty hypoallergenic, so it could be tough finding one that isn't silicone.

If a menstrual cup doesn't work out, there are a few other reusable options you could try. Cloth pads are one possibility; they're a bit pricey but last many years if you take care of them properly. Sea sponges are another option, although they're a bit harder to find.

[TheConfusedOne]

I kinda hate the feeling of "waterfalls" and goopy blood trickling down between my labia, which is why I found flex such a delight. So not sure I'd enjoy cloth pads haha. I've heard of sea sponges, but don't they degrade pretty quickly, especially the more you boil them?

I guess worse comes to worse, I'll just stick to using softcups, at least they're a LOT cheaper than flex.

I did some googling and according to this: https://menstrualcupreviews.net/
MeLuna is made of TPE? What is TPE?

[Karyn]

I'm not familiar with TPE, but you could certainly get in touch with the company and ask! Also, I just re-read your initial post and saw that you're not allergic to latex (I must have read that wrongly the first time) in which case a Keeper should be just fine for you if you want to try one.

As for sea sponges, I don't have any personal experience with them and don't know much about them, other than that they are a possible alternative to tampons/cups/pads. However, I'll ask the other staff and volunteers and see if anyone else can give you more information!

[TheConfusedOne]

I just asked them on FB about the TPE, apparently, they use TPE because there have been increasing cases of silicone allergic reactions! TPE is the material used to make baby bottle nipples as well. Interesting find! The flex discs are made of a medical grade polymer blend too, I intend to ask them if what they mean by that is "TPE" tomorrow. If so, I guess I'll be getting myself a MeLuna! I'm not having any reactions to the flex, so... getting excited LOL!

I heard the Keeper was not user-friendly and many have found it uncomfortable is why I wasn't considering getting one. It took me quite a long time (like, a couple years!) to get used to my husband's penis and even until now, I'm still "tight" for him, especially in new positions. I was very very nervous when trying the flex, it was even a bit painful the first time I tried. Basically, reading a lot of negative reviews about the Keeper has caused me to shy from it...

Btw, is it better to have 2 cups? Like, hygiene-wise? I'm reading that the cups should be taken out and disinfected every 8-12 hours, wouldn't that leave a gap between usage?

[Sam W]

Glad your investigation was successful!

With the cup, you really only need one. When you take it out to empty it, you rinse it with a very gentle soap or cleanser to clean it and then pop it right back in. It's only out for a few minutes at a time (if that).

[TheConfusedOne]

Well, The Flex Company says that their discs aren't made from TPE, so that's kinda confusing... Should I go ahead and get myself a MeLuna? Looking at the price, it's slightly more expensive than 1 pack of 8 flex discs, so very much so cheaper in the long run. I'm just really worried about having a reaction from something that isn't cheap at all, because that would be a complete waste. I mean, I can't exactly just give it to someone else after using it! I was able to try the flex at only 4$ with their trial, so it wasn't too bad...

Good to know though, that all I need is to clean it with cleanser!

[Alice O]

Yes! When you empty the cup, only a quick wash is needed. In addition, it is often suggested to boil the cup for 5-10 minutes in between cycles.

(As an avid user and big fan of menstrual cups, very excited for you!)

[TheConfusedOne]

I'm still undecided on whether I should go ahead and buy a MeLuna...

In the meantime, I'm curious about what happens when a cup or disc is too full, either due to extremely heavy flows or accidentally leaving it in for longer than 12 hours. Does the seal then break and overflow?

[Karyn]

Yep, when a menstrual cup is overfull, it just leaks the same way that you would get leaks from a tampon that had absorbed all it could. If you do get a cup, you'll get a sense over time of how often you need to empty it to prevent leaks.

[TheConfusedOne]

Ok, thanks! I've never used a tampon, so I had no idea what really happens haha. All my mum would tell me is that tampons are leaky bastards rofl