Very sore after using menstrual cups, which one to choose and how to avoid this?
Hi all,
I’ve been using menstrual cups for about two years now, but occasionally I am forced to switch back to tampons and pads because of soreness after using the cup. Currently I’m using a Monki x Lunette cup. Generally speaking I don’t have problems with using the cup itself, it opens perfectly and stays put. But when I take it it’s a real struggle (not that I can’t relax properly and have to force it out, but it just feels too big maybe and never comes out smoothly) and always leaves me with a really sore vagina (inside and outside), and after a few days so bad that I can’t even bike. When I bike using the cup it’s always pushing down on my saddle through my labia, even though I cut off the stem.
Basically: I’m looking for a cup that doesn’t do this to me. I think I have a low cervix. Apparently I’m super sensitive but the cup shouldn’t be too soft or otherwise I’m afraid it won’t open. The grip rims on the bottom hurt me, the stem hurts me (even if it’s cut off) and the upper anti-spilling rim also hurts me. Help??
Hi again!
There are a few cups that I’ve pulled down that might work for you.
I went with something that was either shorter than the Lunette, or “bell-shaped” but approximately the same size. Bell-shaped cups with a flared rim seem to ride up and sit a bit higher in the vaginal fornix. The rounded base will also be more comfortable as they don’t end in a point like the “V” shaped cups.
All of these cups are softer in the body and the rim than the Lunette small:
Lena “Sensitive” version – Small – As this version was created to be softer than their original version, the silicone is softer throughout the cup, including the grip rings. The grip rings on the “sensitive” version aren’t as firm as the grip rings on the Lunette Cup.
LaliCup – Small – This cup was designed with a unique channel pattern on the body. It allows this cup to fold easier and smaller than the average cup, while also helping the body of the cup to open once the pressure on it is released.
Ruby Cup – Small – This cup is the shortest cup of my suggestions. While the grip rings look large, they are rounded and pliable. The stem has grip dots on it but the dots are not firm. Since this cup is on the smaller side, you will lose some capacity.
If you have a heavier period, you might also consider the Sckoon Cup in a large size.
This cup is a little longer than the small Lunette. However, because it’s a bell-shaped, has a flared rim and a rounded base, it may ride up and side higher. The rim is only slightly softer than the rim of the Lunette, but the body is a nice gummy (squishy) silicone. On a side note, I did not add the small Sckoon to the list above because smaller size feels much more firm than the larger size.
Again, you can use the link to my “Cup Comparisons” to see and compare these cups to the Lunette and each other.
