Sensory - the tampon

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This is overshare, just so you know.
I avoided it for years, but recently I've been forced to start using tampons. And it's horrible for me. Painful, uncomfortable, disgusting. They say you're not suposed to feel them, but I sure as hell do, and yes I've inserted it corrently. It icks me out dealing with all that anatomy, and it feels horrible. Just trying to get the thing installed takes a lot of breathing work and ends up with me sweating.
Any other aspie females have sensitivity to this? I understand most NT females don't think tampons are a big deal at all.
It also bugged me because it's just another simple thing in life that isn't a problem for others, and that hurts me.

if it's making you nervous, you'll tense up, and it'll hurt.

Not me.

yeah I've had a lot of difficulties too - I had to use them at one stage and it was very problematic - even ended up needing to go to emergency department once because I couldn't remove one - LOL

I have to ask, how is one forced to start using tampons?

Yeah, it took me years to finally learn how to use one. For me, they are painful to put in, so I'm sore for awhile - but it doesn't hurt when they're actually in. Maybe you need a smaller size tampon. As for the work, it will get easier and less frustrating with practice - I know it doesn't feel that way, but trust me ...

And as for it being an NT/Aspie thing ... an NT acquaintance in my dorm admitted to me that she STILL didn't know how to use a tampon, and we were freshmen in college!

I wonder if it's the foreign object inside that is bothering you or the tampon itself? Tampons can really dry out a vagina if there isn't enough blood, so a small size might help.
I ask because I use a menstrual cup and I don't feel it when it's in. I can feel it when I put it in and when I take it out, but when it's in there, I can't feel a thing.
How is it that you're "forced"? I'm guessing that pads went up in price? Or are you boycotting them?

Okay...I boycotted all paper products years ago. Two months before I got a menstrual cup, I used old cut up T-shirts that I fashioned into pads and washed them later. 20 years ago, I would have found that gross, but I've grown up since then. There's less odor with the cloth and I don't mind washing them. It's better than spending the money on paper products that produce more odor and can be sticky and feel weird against my skin. The cloth is great, but sometimes not convenient for public activities. Happy to find that menstrual cups existed, so I got one. Seven months in, I boiled it like usual right before using it, and forgot it on the stove, and it burned and melted. Got a new one. Then got a different brand last summer. It's fantastic.
If the tampons are too much, consider using cloth. Google "handmade pads" or something like that, and if you click around long enough, you'll find actual sewing patterns ready for you to print out for assistance in sewing your own pads. Plenty of advice out there about handmade pads.
Or, you could just jam some cut up T-shirts in your panties. Grab your old T-shirts you won't wear in public, the soft ones with the ink and spaghetti sauce stains. Can't say you'll love it, but can say it's worth a try.
oh, to answer your question, I don't think I'm as sensitive as what you describe, because I didn't feel tampons inside me when I used them. Usually had trouble getting them in, though. They always seemed crooked, no matter how straight I made the initial placement.

You might try a different brand. Some tampons are long and thin (tampax), and I have found that they are vastly less uncomfortable than the short, bullet-like ones (unfortunately, all of the 'eco-friendly' ones that I've ever seen).

I've tried a couple of times. CANNOT use them. For one, they really hurt. I think I must be too tight (I'm a virgin). For two, even with just part of it in there I can feel it and it really really bothers me. I don't mind pads at all.

For the record, foreign objects on my person are NO GOOD. Can't do contacts or fake nails either.

With being "forced" - maybe a wrong choice of words, but it's for work. I work in a very male-dominated, physical job and one day at work, the stupid pad (which never seem to work on me) slid or something, and I got blood on my pants and could have died from embarrassment. I simply couldn't do the job having to duck-walk, paranoid the pad would leak, and running into the bathroom every half hour. Plus there was going to be blood everywhere in the physical stuff, and since I work with men, it'd be mortifying and another reason for them all to believe women can't do the job.
Plus I'm a tiny person + a virgin so messing around in that area is painful anyways.

I hear you. Since I started this job, I've had to stick things in my body - tampons and contact lenses. All to look normal and try to make up for my body's inequities. Never had to deal with fake nails, thankfully. Why exactly do people want fake nails, anyways?

I got fake nails for my prom cuz "everyone else was doing it." The minute I got home I started cutting at them. They were short but still there. I couldn't take it! I went down in my dad's basement, got various tools out, and scraped them off my fingers.

I don’t think you have that much of a sensitivity to tampons, this is perfectly normal.

Tampons are dry and absorbent so dry-out the vagina, many women feel uncomfortable as a result – also tampons cause vaginal damage whenever a woman uses a tampon, it’s just that some women feel it more due to nerves in their vagina’s, because the tampon may sit lower down, or some women just get used to the sensation because they feel they have no other option. The fact you're small and a virgin makes no difference, your vagina is no different to that of a non-virgin, it's made to allow a whole human being through; it may be an issue of tensing up so your vagina is becoming tense thus preventing insertion as well as friction from the tampon itself.

I can tell you that I wouldn’t use tampons again if you paid me, I used tampons right from my very first period – I didn’t know any better, I was only 11 at the time – they caused constant infections and couldn’t deal with my flow, they always felt uncomfortable to insert because of that friction, it's like the same horrid feeling as licking a cotton t-shirt *cringe*

A few suggestions;

If you want to continue to try using tampons.
Try organic brands such as Cottons or Natracare, where as commercial brands like Tampax or OB are made from rayon organic brands are made from cotton which is softer and not as absorbent so causes less drying and less friction on insertion. Organic tampons are also hypoallergenic so no chemicals to cause additional irritation. Organic tampons may have less risk of TSS, vaginal infections and increased cramps associated with tampons too. Go for non-applicator as they are less complicated, give more control over depth/direction, and these also tend to have rounder tips – always use lowest absorbency, try inserting during heaviest flow, and use lubrication such as olive oil or KY jelly. Try masturbating as when aroused the vagina will naturally relax and open making insertion easier, also try practising purposefully relaxing your vaginal muscles so when you do try to insert a tampon you can relax them on cue to make it easier.

Other types of tampons.
You can use soft tampons or wet tampons such as Gynotex or Beppy – my thought here is that these are basically smaller and made form soft synthetic sponge, wet tampons are coated in lubricant so may be easier for you to insert. You also have sponge tampons like Jam Sponge, cloth tampons or crocheted tampons.

Menstrual cups.
BEST THING EVER – seriously.
They’re internal like tampons but collect flow rather than absorb so not drying, they are bell-shaped cups usually made from silicone so there’s no friction from insertion, unlike tampons cups really can’t be felt. Cups don’t absorb, have no harmful ingredients and don’t allow bacterial growth so no known risk of TSS, vaginal infections or long-term health risks associated with tampons. This means they can be worn for 12 hours, with any flow, even overnight or before your period so more convenient, plus they hold more flow so don’t leak as much as tampons or pads. For you I’d recommend checking out Ladycup in the larger size (small size is really too small, a large Ladycup can look big but it's really not much bigger than tampons and still far easier to insert, they are a very small/short cup, smooth and very flexible so the easiest to insert. This is a good article about menstrual cups; What Are Menstrual Cups?

Softcups.
Similar idea to menstrual cups only diaphragm-shaped so sit higher in the vagina, they are trickier to use because getting them in the right position can be tough, although Instead are about to release a teen version with a narrower rim that may make it easier. They have similar benefits to menstrual cups, although they can leak as don’t hold as much flow, and softcups are disposable (although can be used a few times before disposal). You can also use a diaphragm as a menstrual cup, kind of a hybrid of menstrual cups and softcups.

Pads.
I am going to make an educated guess – you use commercial pads like Always or Bodyform, right? Try organic pads by the brands I mentioned above with organic tampons. Better still would be to use cloth pads such as Lunapads or Party In My Pants (PIMP pads), or you can get them cheaper on Etsy.com – these allow air flow and chemical-free so more hygienic and as they’re cloth they’re more comfortable, as they fasten with snap-fastens it means they don’t gather-up or move about as much as disposables when they come unstuck. Good article about cloth pads; Eight Myths About Washable Menstrual Pads Dispelled

Pad-type options.
Period panties are an option, like Lunapanties which are underwear with pads built-in, or Remii which are underwear with leak-proof layer so worn with pads they’ll help prevent leaks. Period belts like Reddy’s or Dr White’swhich are extra long pads held in place round your waste so they don’t move about as much thus offering more protection. Or interlabial pads which are a hybrid of tampons and pads that sit between your labia to catch flow as it leaves your vagina.

Point is - you have options, no one ever needs to use a tampon.

Wow, all lot of info in this thread is complitly new to me! I never even knew there was such a think as a menstrual cup. Reading about it, it really does sound like the best thing ever. Makes me wonder why I've never heard of it before. It sounds like a very eco-friendly and economic alternative.

This is kinda funny because I just helped my 9 year old daughter and 9 year old step-daughter put on fake nails, and put a set on myself, too.

But, Kiseki, there's a solution you can buy that will deactivate the adhesive of the fake nails so they can be removed without damaging your enamel. I realize you'll never put yourself in this position again, but please check to see if there's something to help you out before you take such drastic measures.

I have no idea if I was doing it right or not, but I tried it once I never did it again. My at-the-time boyfriend and I were going to a concert downtown in Philly a few years ago. I got my period all suddenly because my cycle is irregular all the time. I didn't have a pad. I was meeting him at the place we both worked at because he was just getting done his shift. I asked a female co-worker if she had any pads, but all she had was a tampon, with a cardboard applicator or whatever it's called. It hurt so bad I had to take it out in 2 minutes and I was extremely sore for the rest of the day. I felt better by nighttime. Luckily, another co-worker had a pad for me. And I'm pretty sure being a virgin had nothing to do with it, because teens that are still virgins seem to have no issues with tampons!