Pee In Cup
Last month, on the last day of my cycle, I purchased the diva cup. The first time I tried it, it worked great. I did not pee during those hours. It worked great, no leak, I could actually see the blood inside the cup and it was comfortable.
I used it after just to get the practice of putting it in. When I peed I had a problem. I went to pee and the cup felt extremely full and heavy. I tried to pee and only a trickle came out. I removed the cup and the pee gushed out. The cup was full of pee that has been sitting in it. Not only that, it smelled bad since the pee had been sitting in it for a while.
Yesterday I saw a spot of blood twice when wiping so I decided let me try the cup again because I’m excited about having it.
I put it in. Feels comfortable. Go pee. Pee regularly comes out but at the very end of the steam, cup begins to feel heavy. I remove, again pee inside. I rinse and put back.
What an I doing wrong? Is it the position? I have a low cervix, is that the problem? I know it’s inserted all the way, only the stem is near my entrance.
Bear with me, I don’t ever think someone is a “moron” and I’m not trying to be condescending. I’m simply trying to shed some light on the situation…as questioned in this forum.
If you’re in doubt and it’s troubling you, please ask your doctor. I asked mine because this question came up countless of times in FB groups (the possibility of urine in a menstrual cup). Although I went to school to be in the medical field and I worked for an OB-Gyn, I am NOT a medical expert. I don’t believe there is one on this open forum and you don’t have to believe me or my doctor. I just share the info that I have. You can take it or leave it – your choice.
Info for those who may not know and do not read further:
There are three ‘holes’ – the urethra (where urine/pee comes out), the vaginal opening, and the anus. Without any medical anomalies, these do not share a ‘tunnel’ at any point.
Tampon vs Menstrual Cup:
Tampons – There is a possibility that there is urine on a tampon. Since the string is hanging or bunched up outside of the body near the opening to the urethra, there is a chance for urine to be absorbed by it. Can it wick enough to fill a tampon?… I’ll be honest, I don’t know.
Menstrual Cups – Cups sit inside of the vaginal canal separated by a ‘wall’. The cup is either positioned right below or right around the cervix to collect anything that comes out of it from the uterus.
Heaviness: Some people feel a weight change in their tampon/cup as it is filled. Bearing down in any way or sitting may make it more prevalent and may cause a cup to be ‘pushed out’ or ‘slip’.
Can urine slide up into the cup?: I honestly can not answer this question definitely and have not asked any doctors about this particular topic, but…
1. Gravity
2. If you lay on your back and urinate, then give it enough time to make its way through the folds of your labia, into and through the vaginal canal, squeeze between the vaginal wall and the cup, maybe a little can find its way? I mean, sperm find their way…but then again that’s something totally different.
Only had the cup in for a few seconds:
The vaginal canal always has moisture in it even if you feel ‘dry’. The cup will collect/scoop some of this up when it’s inserted.
Having a urethra a little higher up:
This still does not connect the two ‘tunnels’.
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The vagina is an amazing thing! It cleans itself out constantly in the form of vaginal discharge and cervical mucus. It’s the body’s way of maintaining a healthy pH and good bacterial balance and keeping it lubricated. It’s also the vaginas first line of defense against infection and other germs.
During different times in your cycle, you may notice a change in the discharges appearance or smell. It can be mucousy like egg whites, or thicker and stringy. It can even become watery. Some of these you may notice on a regular basis. Other times it can be thin and light enough to dry on your underwear without detection or absorbed by a tampon showing no color.
On a “normal” daily basis:
The vagina will clean itself by producing a clear, mucus-like secretion. It can also be thin and watery. Sometimes this looks more of a milky-white when it dries on your underwear. The amount will fluctuate constantly.
Before menstruation:
Right before and during ovulation, discharge is normally more stretchy and wet. The body produces more mucus at this time.
After menstruation:
Right after your period, the discharge might be browner. People may refer to this as “old blood”. This is your body cleaning it out.
Lifestyle and daily activities can contribute to changes as well, not just your body’s monthly cycle.
Some people experience a noticeably higher amount of watery discharge during and after working out/physical activities or during and after sex.
Some other things that can increase/decrease or change the appearance, consistency, and amount of discharge are:
Vaginal douches
Hygiene products – soaps & washes
Birth control
A change in Hormones
Antibiotics
Pregnancy
Diabetes
and
Medication, to name a few.
Upsets in the pH and good bacteria balance can lead to vaginal infections.
Changes in the color, amount, consistency, or smell of the vaginal discharge are some signs that there may be a problem. Others may include burning, itching, clumpiness, irritation, or pelvic pain.
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, it may be a good idea to seek the advice of your doctor. They may check for Yeast Infections, Bacterial Infections (BV), or STIs, and can treat them accordingly.
Again, ask your doctor if you have concerns.
Congrats on your purchase and your success during your first try with a menstrual cup!
I’m glad that you found a cup that felt comfortable for you…at least while you are wearing it. However, having a slow urine stream leads me to believe that the Diva Cup might be a little too firm for you.
Signs that a cup might be too firm are: feeling like you need to urinate more often, feeling like you don’t completely empty your bladder when you do urinate, a slow urine stream, and constant constipation while using the cup.
You might want to try a cup that’s a little softer than the Diva Cup. If you like the shape and size of the Diva, you might check out the Casco Cup, Halo Cup, Green Cup of Maine, or Hesta Cup. They’re all the same great cup but under different private labels, (shop around for the best price). They’re a tad softer and might ease that pressure off of your urethra allowing you to urinate as regular.
As for urine in your cup, the only way that that can happen is if the cup is sitting outside of your body covering the opening to the urethra, that you’ve inserted the cup into the urethra (highly unlikely!!), or that you happened to be removing the cup at the same time as urinating and happened to catch some on the way out. The vaginal canal and the urethra/bladder are separate openings.
However, you’re not the only one who’s experienced a clear liquid in the cup upon removal. Our uterus and vagina are always cleaning itself out. It’s not always in the form of blood but discharge as well. It can be thin and water-like, creamy, or even thicker like eggs whites.
Vaginal Discharge and Cervical Mucus
I don’t think there’s anything “wrong” with you, it’s just the body’s natural process. You probably didn’t notice it before because it was absorbed by a pad or tampon.
Again, congrats on making the switch! <3
I’m well aware that the urethra and vagina are two separate areas. I too have had the issue that I will go to the bathroom, feel the diva cup get heavy and start to slip. When I take it out, it is full of pee. Does my bladder push it down? Does the urine slide up into the cup? It is frustrating and gross because I work in a public school and have to make sure I wash my hands before and after I go to the bathroom. Still better than tampons.
Thank you! I just got one to try out and am also not on my period right now. I put it in and immediately felt the urge to pee. So I sat down on the toilet and nothing came out. I felt the cup sliding down from inside and so I pulled it out and my pee splashed all over my hand and then I finished peeing with yhe cup out and heard the stream. Having only had yhe cup in for less than a minute, it was absolutely urine that filled the cup up. I was totally confused since I know there are 3 holes, so I consulted the seemingly all-knowing Google and this is the ONLY post I’ve found that doesn’t say I’m 100% incorrect. I’ll try it again while not on my period and maybe push further up (but then will have a harder time getting it out). If that doesn’t work, I guess it isn’t for me (especially since there isn’t any support in things to try since it “physically can’t happen”).
I can confirm that it happens because it happens to me too. Every forum I’ve looked at has had nothing but condescending responses about how it can’t possibly be urine, but it is. I think it’s just a matter of some people having a urethra a little higher up than others. It doesn’t happen every time to me so I just make sure to wash the cup when it does. I had the same problem with tampons.
I know for a fact it is urine. As previously mentioned. I tried practicing using the cup without my period. Urinating leaving the cup inside of my body. After finish urinating, remove the cup and it’s yellow urine in the cup with the overflow of urine feeling into the toilet.
Urine does not come from the same “hole”. Unless you have a medical condition that your urethra is connected to the uterus, there is no way that your cup is filling with urine while it’s inserted. The cup sits around or right under the cervix. It collects what comes out of the uterus through the cervix. Urine is held in the bladder and is not collected in this same cavity.
However, as I stated previously, your vagina cleans itself by way of mucus and discharge. They can be white, yellow, brown, green…all meaning different things, and have different odors.
If it is in FACT urine, I would suggest contacting a doctor for treatment as unwanted bacteria may harbor and cause infections.