Long Hikes & That Fun Time of Month...

[fraufrack]

I've been using DivaCup for 1/2 a year and it has changed my life! I spend more time training for & competing in endurance races & triathlons than I do hiking; DivaCup gives me a lot more confidence & comfort in those activities than I had before.

I've only had to use it on one of my hiking trips so far. I wasn't supposed to start until after the trip, but packed it to be safe and boy was that a blessing. I cleaned it w/ Dr. Bronner's peppermint soap, which is what I clean it with when I'm not hiking, also. The little holes can be a little tricky to clean, but it still definitely beats tampons, IMO.

I was on the pill for ~5 yrs and went off 1 yr ago because I needed to rely on it for actual birth control & couldn't take it at the same time each day. We (husband & I) ended up using backup anyway. Condoms are cheap & who was I trying to impress with clear skin now that I was married? So, my acne & cramps returned, but all else was mostly the same as when I had been on the pill. To me it was worth it; I'd rather have an extra $20-something each month and take a couple ibuprofens. Now I can rationalize buying some spiffy gear

ymmv.

[fraufrack]

oops. sorry y'all.

[desert spirit]

So much wonderful information. Thank you all so much for taking the time to share and pass on your experiences

[Penne]

I want to recomend the website http://mon.thly.info It trakes your monthly for you. Personally it took me by surprise every month. I've been using the website for 3 months (sept-nov) and this was the first month it was correct, but I think now that it has some dates to work from it will be correct more often. I don't know how helpful it will be on a thru hike because your body changes so much, but I'm going to give it a try.

[lizzieGAME09]

Have any of you heard anything about or use Norplant? It's bc that's inserted into the under part of your arm and lasts for three years. My doctor suggested it as an option for bc when I explained that getting the pill refilled on the trail would be very difficult. She said her patients love it. I have extreme pmdd systems - exhaustion, mood swings, etc - that would be a killer on my thru without some help. The shot doesn't seem like a good option for me. What do you think about Norplant?

[BarleyRain]

My understanding is that Norplant is not currently available in the U.S. Many women I've talked to rave about the Diva cup. Depending on your future plans, the Mirena IUD is an option to consider. It is inserted into the uterus and releases hormones that not only prevent pregnancy (for 5 years) but also result in lighter or no periods for most women. Usually menstrual cramping is also lessened.

[windex]

Seasonalle is the way to go... you just have to take a pill everyday and put the next month's in your bounce box.
I haven't had to deal with periods in the backcountry since I went on it. Great product... and didn't affect me as much as the other BC pills I had.

[Gypsy Heart]

I've had a Diva cup for 3-4 months (maybe a little longer), and I really like it! I haven't had the chance to use it on a hike yet, but I think it's going to work very well.
Here's a forum I went to before buying mine. They have LOADS of info on menstrual cups.

[llano]

I've been wondering, too. My period gets REALLY heavy (changing a pad every hour, can't use tampons because of leakage) for about two days. Anyone with the same situation use the Diva Cup or Keeper?

I have been using the Diva Cup for about 8 yrs now and love it. I also have about two days of heavy flow, I do use a light pad along with the cup in case of leakage (this happens when my flow is really heavy), and have to empty the cup more often. Overall I have found it much more convient than tampons and more comfortable than pads. I really love it for backpacking because I don't have to worry about carrying a lot of supplies, or packing out used tampons.

[Free Spirit]

I've been using mine for 4 months now. I'm still having one issue though. The part of the insertion process where it is supposed to "pop open" is not happening automatically like the directions say it should. I've had a few instances where I thought it had, and it didn't, and then guess what...surprise mess later in the day. This is my only issue w/it, otherwise I love it, but am at a loss as to what to do about this. Anyone else deal w/this and if not, any suggestions as to what might be happening? I follow the directions as closely as I think anyone could. I really want to gain confidence in this thing, because I think it is totally the way to go on a hike, but I can't be stressing about it functioning properly either. Thanks ladies!

Ok,

so I'm a Diva user too, and I would never ever go back to disposable products.

Here's my method on how you know if the Diva cup has popped out:
Once the diva cup is inserted, take hold of the tab and the cup around the tab and twist. If your diva cup will not twist in a full circle, then it isn't popped out. I just keep wiggling or twisting it till it pops out. Most of the time it is fine though, but this is the way that I know that it is perfectly positioned.

[bonnie]

i have to echo the sentiments of the diva cup crowd--i have been a repeat visitor to this thread, but was considering the tampon-in-a-bag route, because i was unsure about the cup, cleanliness, etc. anyway, i purchased mine as an impulse buy at a gear store after the salesperson said they couldn't keep them on the shelves. i read the livejournal posts, researched different folding techniques, and am a total convert. interesting to see how it goes on-trail.

[Mrs Baggins]

I'm 53 with zero menopause symptoms so things are still going along as though I'm in my 20's I've always planned trips and hikes around it because of a very heavy flow. But a 3 day trip was planned for this past weekend and it was too late to call it off when I realized the timing. So I figured I'd deal with it and go. I won't do it again. Besides having to carry all of the extra stuff (pads and tampons and a bag to dispose of them), my mind was constantly on whether or not I needed to get off the trail to change, the awful feeling of knowing when I had waited a few minutes too long, the pain and irritation of tampons, the bunching up and irritation of pads (and I'm allergic to adhesives, so when they bunched and the sticky part was against my skin too long I got a very itchy rash), having to get up more often at night, and more. When we planned a thru-hike in 2007 I took the Pill on a continuous basis to put a stop to it while hiking. When the hike didn't work out after just a couple of weeks and we hit the road for 3 months of travel I had enough to get through the whole trip and more with glorious freedom.

[trixie]

I've had a Diva cup for 3-4 months (maybe a little longer), and I really like it! I haven't had the chance to use it on a hike yet, but I think it's going to work very well.
Here's a forum I went to before buying mine. They have LOADS of info on menstrual cups.

Thanks so much for the link to the forum! After using my Diva cup for the past 6 months or so, I went on my first longer hike - 11 miles - and was distraught when it randomly started leaking (and not overflowing). Haven't had that problem since I figured out how to make sure it had popped open. They have a great chart and lots of information on that forum and hopefully I'll find a solution to this or a different product that fits better. Thanks!

[Chelly]

I've been doing a little research on the DivaCup and there's one question that I still have. What happens with the actual liquid? If it gets absorbed, where does it go? Is it like a sponge in a cup?

[LaurieAnn]

Chelly... it's merely a cup. Then you dump the liquid. I personally love the Diva Cup. I didn't realize how much until I had my baby and had to use pads for awhile. Pads just leave me feeling gross and tampons tend to be no good for me as I have heavy periods. Not to mention that there is a risk of TSS with tampons because they are absorbent and you have to pack that grossness out.

Here is my review on the Diva Cup...

Are you a Diva?

[fanlynne]

Hiking IMHO puts a lot of stress on the body, and it adapts just fine. Many reports of women who actually have their periods naturally stop after a month or two, anybody have this experience?