I gave up on the menstrual cup. Here's why.

Once upon a time I used to highly recommend using a menstrual cup. I spoke about how amazing it was to not deal with leaks and how it was also much better for the environment. So many of you had asked me how to use it, insert it, get it cleaned; ya'll even asked me about cervixes and how to measure them.

But since my last post in 2020 (I think) I've only ever used the cup for about 6 months and then I completely gave up on it. Here's my story.

I think it was around 2017 or 2018 when I first learned about using a cup. I bought my first one at the Organic Supermarket and during that time there weren't a lot of information about the cup. Or maybe I just wasn't equipped enough about the things I needed to know about using a foreign object that I was about to insert in my body. Either way, I bought it because I heard so many good things about using a cup and I also watched a couple of videos of women who've been using a cup for years!

My first cup: Masmi Organic Menstrual Cup

Buying the cup without ample information on my part was a mistake. But hey, mistakes are how we learn. So even though my first choice of cup was the wrong one, it taught me that there were actually different types of cup shapes, sizes and firmness made for every cervix and vagina 😅

When I bought my first cup, there were only 2 choices:

Small: If you are below 18

Medium: If you are over 18 or have given birth.

Obviously I bought the medium size. I was way over 18 years at that time, but boy, was I so wrong. The cup didn't fit at all. No matter how hard I tried to relax, it just wouldn't get in. So I bought the small size - and mind you, menstrual cups are not cheap!

I couldn't be more wrong about the 2nd cup 🙃 Apparently, the first two cups I bought weren't at all made for my type of cervix. Even if the medium cup had fit me it was still the wrong type. They were both elongated which were made for those who have a higher cervix. Also, it was too firm, and it pushed against my vaginal/bladder wall giving me the worst cramps all day and making me feel like I have to pee every 5 minutes.

Nonetheless, I still used it for 2 cycles and by the third, I just couldn't put myself through the pain anymore. My cramps had gotten worse every time I wore it especially on my heavy days.

I gave it a rest and did some more research because I really want to incorporate cups in my life. I'm not gonna lie, I somehow had 2 good experiences with the Masmi cup despite the pain. For one, I experienced no leaks at night and secondly, on normal days, I literally went through a whole 9 hours without having to empty my cup. Those two were a game changer for me.

In 2020 (about 2 years later) I discovered the Saalt Menstrual cup.

At this point, I knew exactly what I was looking for and the Saalt cup ticked all my boxes. It was made for those who have a low cervix, it was a soft silicone which is best for those with a sensitive vaginal wall and it was dubbed as the "goldilocks cup". It was made for women with high or low cervix. Also, I have to mention, Saalt's customer service was supreme. I'd gotten in touch with them right before purchasing my cup and asked them all sorts of question before checking out. I ended up buying the Saalt soft small cup. 

The first time. It went smoothly. No problem inserting it. Once it was inside, I couldn't feel anything at all. It was extremely comfortable. However, 2 hours later, I had to take it out again due to leaking...it turns out the cup was full. I ended up taking it out every 2-3 hours because it got full really quickly. I'm pretty sure this was a size issue now because I've read that some women actually interchange 2 cups during their periods. Bigger cups on heavy days and smaller cups on lighter days.

I wore my Saalt cup to sleep for the first time and slept through the night without any leaks, thank goodness! But when I woke up, I was so thankful I was wearing a pad because the moment I stood up, I could feel the blood seeping its way out.

The second day was the same. I had to take it out and remove it on an average of every 2-3 hours. And that hurt because there's a certain way you have to fold and insert the cup and then make sure it "pops" inside so it won't leak. My vagina eventually just felt so sore so removed it and waited until the third day, my lighter day. 

My third day. Or the day that I thought it would finally be a breeze. I wore the cup and changed it only thrice (that's around 6-7 hours). BUT. Every time it was inside me, I felt nauseous. I felt jittery. I felt like I was gonna pass out. And every time I felt this way, I would lie down. I don't know if I was experiencing this because I was frustrated which gave me a similar reaction to panic attacks, or it was the cup. Either way, on my fourth and fifth day, I decided to give it a rest and thought of trying it again next month.

The next cycle came. I didn't dare wear it on my first and second day 'cause I wanted to give myself some time to adjust. I knew I wouldn't be removing my cup as much as I would on my third day so I decided to wait it out.

Unfortunately when it was time for me to wear it, I got that nauseating feeling again. I tried to wear it for a couple of hours but eventually I gave up and removed it. Once I did, I felt better. I know it takes some time to get used to menstrual cups so I tried it again the next day, but I felt the same.

Another cycle came and I went for it again. I was very determined. But I got that feeling again. I skipped this cycle and waited for the next.

For 6 cycles, it was the same and in the end, I decided to let it go.

I rode it out for 6 months because I've heard of vasovagal response. It's like a reaction from your body's nervous system and to put it simply, it's freaking out... which is what's causing your blood pressure to drop. I've read experiences from other women who said that it went away after getting their bodies used to it, but I just can't. My body just can't get used to it for some reason. 

I feel sad though. I really want to use a menstrual cup but I guess it just wasn't for me to begin with. Do I regret buying it? Sometimes I do, because it's a lot of money. Then again, at least I got to try it and I'm able to share my experience with you all.

At the end of the day, period products all boils down to personal preference. And if you still feel like you wanna try menstrual cups, I hope that this post doesn't discourage you. Just know that you have to be prepared to try a couple of cups before you find "the one". Or who knows, you might even find it on your first try.

As for me, it's a no for menstrual cups. And if you have any questions, don't be shy and drop me a line!