Bloating and Pain after insertion
I am a new cup user. I have the Diva cup. I am over 30 but have had no kids. Neither am I a virgin if that makes a difference. At any rate I have a very very heavy flow. I have frequent problems with anemia because of my period.
I’ve never been able to use tampons. Not even the super slims.
Insertion goes well enough and feels at least somewhat comfortable but after just about twenty minutes it begins to hurt. I feel incredibly bloated and god help me if I should cough or sneeze the pain is incredible. It hurts without the dive cup to cough or sneeze while on my cycle. It also hurts to urinate or go number 2 while on my period but with the diva cup these things becomes worse.
My sisters all use the diva cup and so do my neices. They all said these issues went away but this is my third cycle trying to use one. What am I doing wrong? Can I just not use a cup?
Hi There!
I’m sorry for the delay in reply. I was away from home for a sad family event and returned just yesterday.
In the passed I had experienced very heavy and long periods which kept me from leaving the house. I was anemic and felt faint and tired all the time.
Doctors tried to regulate my period by giving me birth control. It made it worse. They scheduled a D&C (where they dilate the cervix and scrape the uterus) but I refused. They finally prescribed a high dose of progesterone to shock my period into stopping. That worked…for the most part.
I would definitely seek a doctors advice if your periods are this severe. If they don’t feel like you need medical attention, I would at least ask if you can drink Yarrow or Raspberry Tea or take it in pill form to help slow some of the bleeding. I still take Yarrow supplements when my periods are longer and heavier than normal.
Anyhow, on to the Diva Cup…
First of all we’re all different, so even if all of your sisters and nieces are using the Diva Cup, doesn’t mean it’s the cup that’s going to work for you.
The Diva Cup is a long cup. The small and large are the same length. The diameter of the rims are the difference, which in turn lessens the capacity.
One thing some people find comfortable, is to turn the cup inside out. This will make the cup shorter and more narrow. However, if you can’t reach or remove the cup without the stem, this might not be a good solution for you.
If you don’t have any problems removing the cup without the stem, I would suggest trying this since it’s free.
If the Diva Cup still feels uncomfortable or gives you pain, then I would move on to try another cup.
Do you know if you have a low or high cervix? Does the cup feel too long for you? Do you feel like you need to urinate more frequently or have a slow stream flow when you do?
You might want to try a different size or shaped cup and maybe something a little softer.
Here are a couple of videos that might help you find what will work for you or narrow down some cups for you.
How to Locate & Measure your Cervix
If you’re still unsure about your cervix height, you might want to consider picking up a cup that is offered in two different sizes, like the Venus Cup. This will allow you to try both sizes to see which one feels more comfortable, yet still easy to insert & remove.
If you have any questions after these videos or you want some suggestions on cups based on what you’ve seen/heard, I’d be happy to give you some leads.
Until then, I’m so sorry that you’re having problems with your Diva Cup and I hope that you can find something else that works for you.
Good Luck! <3
