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.
Firstly, I’d like to thank all you ladies for sharing your experience when it isn’t the most comfortable topic; it really does help others not feel alone in their odd experiences.
Secondly, I have to comment on the anatomy conversation; yes, there are 3 openings that Generally do not connect and each exit the body at distinctly different locations. However, speaking as a nurse who has catheterized many women in my career, you might be surprised by how many women have a urethra that exits the body just inside the vaginal canal. Textbooks picture the “standard” anatomy and rarely the slightly less often encountered. Typically the exit is less than a centimeter from the vaginal opening, but in the vaginal canal nonetheless. I am one of those women, which I only learned when I needed to be catheterized for a surgery and my nurse was having a difficult time. Most of us don’t take time to look for our urethral opening.
It can make catheterization a little more difficult sometimes, particularly if the woman doesn’t have much mobility in their hips, think elderly ladies. It can also be the source of more UTIs than “normal”. It can also explain why some women feel their urinary flow is disrupted/impeded while wearing a menstrual cup, particularly a large or firm cup as it can apply pressure on the urethra through the rather thin shared wall with the vagina or block the urethral opening.
From what I can gather my cervix is also low, given that having an average to moderately larger than average partner can make sex painful since the vaginal canal is short and my cervix gets angry when it is bothered. I cramp for days after a pap smear. I have to use a “teen” menstrual cup otherwise the bottom of the cup fully pokes out. I also have not had any children, if that matters.
Now, on to urine in the cup; I’m not sure if having a vaginally exiting urethra and low cervix is what makes it possible for urine to collect in a menstrual cup, or even if the liquid in the cup is definitely or probably urine.
What I do know is that I recently began using a menstrual cup and have been experiencing pressure on my urethra, even with a small soft cup, which has created occasional incontinence when my bladder is especially full and the occasional feeling of disrupted flow of urine or dribbling and the accumulation of a watery fluid in my cup which occurs even when my period is light, but I have not experienced any occurance of UTI or yeast infection or bacterial vaginosis since using the cup.
Keep in mind that urine is Sterile until it exits the body, unless you have a current UTI or bladder/kidney infection. People seem concerned about urine being in places that it shouldn’t be, but having a sterile liquid there shouldn’t actually be a problem; the only problem is when bacteria from a foreign object (the cup or your fingers) or the outer vaginal skin is introduced into the vagina, so be sure to keep those things very clean.
My questions:
Has anyone actually had their fluid tested? What were the results?
Has switching to a different cup helped?
Have any of you ladies looked for your urethra and noticed it is just inside the vaginal canal also and have been experiencing these issues?
