Mooncup

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Do any of you use one and if so, what are your thoughts on it?

I'm considering switching to one but I'm still not sure.

For those who don't know what it is: clicky!

I have tried a few brands of menstrual cup (Divacup, US mooncup), the UK Moon cup is my favorite because of the firmness, shape, and thick rim.

You'll just have to try it yourself to see if you like it, everyone's experience is different.

i want onee. been talking with some girls I know on another forum though and they sound tricky

I LOVE menstrual cups.

Mooncup (UK) was the first brand I used, that was about nine years ago, it's one of my favourite because it is a good shape and firmness plus the company on the whole are great. I've also used a Divacup, Lunette, MeLuna and I currently use a Ladycup - I've also used softcups and I use a diaphragm as a menstrual cup for mess-free sex during menstruation - possibly TMI

They're safer and more hygienic so no known risk of TSS or vaginal infections as with tampons, no risk from toxin exposure as with commercial brand tampons/pads (e.g. dioxin - may pose increased risk of endometriosis, certain forms of cancer, as well as general allergies and irritation), and where as tampons can increase cramps cups can lessen cramps. This makes them more convenient too as they can be worn for twice as long as tampons (12 hours) and unlike tampons they can be worn with any flow, including overnight and before menstruation. They hold more flow and have light suction so don't leak like tampons too. Cups are also greener, more comfortable, cheaper, companies are ethical, and they can help you monitor flow and cervical changes.

I suffer from Menorrhagia, tampons and pads simply were not enough to handle my flow so I was stuck in the house for several days every month and kept having to wake-up early to deal with the blood-bath in the morning, where as with cups I rarely leak - even if I do leak it starts light so you get some warning, it's not like the full flood when tampons leak, so they're a must for heavy flow. Also with tampons and pads I had chronic infections, since switching to cups I've not had one infection. Honestly, best thing I ever bought, I'd never even consider going back to tampons.

They can be tricky to use - but so can anything at first. I had no problems, as long as you're comfortable with that sort of product it doesn't take long to get the hang of them, it's also handy that you can do dry-runs or practice in the shower before you need to use them. Once you get the hang of them it becomes second nature and easier than tampons/pads as you don't have to change as often, worry about leaking, unwrap new tampons/pads, wrap-up and bin used products or carry round till you find a bin, no carrying spares or running out either. If you have problems there's support from the menstrual cup support community - http://www.menstrualcups.org - plus if after a few months you're still struggling you can sell the cup on their sister site and either cut your losses or buy a different brand. So it's not a huge loss.

If you do buy one online consider using the following affiliate link - http://www.mooncup.co.uk/wc.php?u=1741 - cheaper than most stores, and 20% of the sales goes to support women's health projects.

Last edited by Bloodheart on 11 May 2011, 1:55 pm, edited 1 time in total.

I use the Lunette, and I would/could never go back to anything else but a cup. I had a few difficulties getting it out the first time, but when you get the hang of it it's so easy. I like that I don't have to change it as much, and I sometimes even forget I'm on my period, it's that comfortable. You also save money and they're better for the environment and yourself. Only when I started using the cup did I realise how drying and unpleasant tampons are, and I never had any problems with tampons. I just prefer the cup that much. No more wearing pads at night as well, whee.

I use a Ladycup and it's great. It's save me loads of money and it's much more hygienic than tampons.

Interesting. I have never heard of these things. I might have to get myself one...

I got a size 1 Lunette but ended up returning it for a refund. I can feel even mini-tampons when they're properly inserted, so with the cup it was like walking around with a sausage between your legs. People say that you should keep trying. My fingers were too stiff and weak to keep folding it during menstruation, so I practiced in between. Didn't help. I now use mainly cloth pads.

But everyone's different, so it's worth a try.

Is this something that's only sold in Europe?
Because I have to say, I'm no spring chicken and I've never heard of this....

Nope, they're sold world-wide; Mooncup/MCUK and Femmecup (UK), Divacup (Canada), Keeper/Mooncup (US), Alicia and She Cup (India?), Cup Lee (Russia), Fleurcup (France), Green Donna (China?), IrisCup and Naturcup (Spain), Lady Cup and Yukki Cup (Czech Republic), Lunette (Finland), MeLuna (Germany), Miacup and MPower (South Africa), Miss Cup (Brazil).

They're better known in the US thanks to Divacup and also [disposable] Instead Softcups are widely known so increase awareness of the [reusable] menstrual cups, in the UK Mooncup is sold in most high-street Boots stores plus we see advertising in tube stations and even seen some advertising on TV - I think here in the UK we're less squeamish about such things.

Cup companies are normally only small women-run companies who make very little due to cups being a one-time purchase, and most of these brands are also very new, so basically this means cup companies don't have the billions that tampon and pad companies do to spend on advertising and tampon/pad companies can fund school programs to tell girls that tampons/pads are their only options. Cup companies rely largely on word-of-mouth, and up until fairly recently women were not comfortable about discussing such things.

I was ( and still am) thrilled by the concept of menstrual cups, and couldn't wait to try one out, but, sadly, while they may work for a lot of people, they do not work for me. That's not to say I wouldn't recommend others to give them a try. All bodies are different.

I've been using a mooncup for a few years now and I prefer it.

They look quite uncomfortable, I'd much rather stick with pads.

In my experience, Monkey, they are not any more uncomfortable to wear than a tampon. Once you calm down and stop freaking out and going all tense, you can hardly feel it's there. It's removing it that was the issue for me. Removing it (or, should I say, ATTEMPTING to remove it) could not be accurately described as "uncomfortable." Rather, it would be better described as "excruciating."

If some people get on well with it, all well and good. Those of us who don't prefer to carry on using our pads or tampons!

Where as in my experience cups are a lot more comfortable than tampons to wear - no drying, no additional, no soreness from friction, or string cutting into you - and to both insert and remove as they're smooth so slide in rather than cause friction, removal shouldn't cause this much pain unless using the wrong type of cup for your body, tensing-up, or not breaking the suction.

Well, as I pointed out already, if it works for others, I'm glad for them.