Tampon migration (yeah, you heard me)

May 5, 2005 10:24 AM

Tampon-related question for the laaaaaaaadies...

I've never used tampons because for me it's always been a case of "tossing a twig into a flood." Just didn't work. However, I've recently started using them (at 34) WITH maxi pads, just to kind of staunch the flow a tiny bit during the day so I can, like, move without ruining my chair.

Anyway, I'm finding that after about an hour, the tampon starts to "migrate" its way out and it's driving me nuts. I use OB brand, super duty, no applicator, and those bad boys are pushed IN THERE by god. I mean, really, they can't go any farther. Is this normal? Has anyone else ever exeprienced the Great Tampon Migration? If so, any clues what I'm doing wrong or how to fix it?

posted by tristeza to health & fitness (61 comments total)

Are they coming out once they are saturated, or soon after they are put in? If it's once they are totally saturated, it can happen; it shouldn't when they are fairly new. When you first put it in, can you still feel it? I've found that the whole thing slows down considerably on the pill.
posted by fionab at 10:27 AM on May 5, 2005

I have been using tampons for 12 years and have never had this issue. You must be inserting them incorrectly or incompletely. Is there a reason you use non-applicator tampons? They leave a lot more room for error.
posted by suchatreat at 10:27 AM on May 5, 2005

Also, have you thought about using the Diva Cup or the Keeper? There was a big thread about that here a while ago. That could help a bit too, but if your flow is heavy you might have to empty it more than you'd like. And yeah, suchatreat is right - have you tried the kind with applicators to help you get it in far enough?
posted by fionab at 10:28 AM on May 5, 2005

They're like, half-saturated when they start the trip out, which is weird. I'd get it if they were, ahem, full then started the move. When I very first insert it, no, I can't feel a thing, then about an hour later it starts to feel very uncomfortable. (I'd take the pill but I smoke)
posted by tristeza at 10:28 AM on May 5, 2005

I dont' use applicators because I find that I actually *can't* get them in high enough when I do. It's only by manual insertion that they get up there. Really, they're pusing against my cervix by manual insertion, they just can't GO any higher.
posted by tristeza at 10:30 AM on May 5, 2005

How old are you? Pill + smoking is only very dangerous if you're over a certain age. I smoked for the first 10 years I was on the pill. A LOT. But I was 16-25 at the time.
posted by suchatreat at 10:31 AM on May 5, 2005

That sometimes happens to me, but only if I pee with the tampon in. Maybe that's the issue?

Or maybe it'd be better with a less-absorbent (ie., smaller) tampon? Maybe it's a fit issue.
posted by occhiblu at 10:37 AM on May 5, 2005

I only have small migrations when they are saturated.....I think you should try a super plus with an applicator. I can't think what's going wrong here. Try the plastic kind - I don't like them but they are easier to insert if you aren't used to applicators.

On preview: I was thinking fit issue too, but the other way.
posted by CunningLinguist at 10:39 AM on May 5, 2005

But occhiblu, your muscles hold the tampon in, so it shouldn't be sliding out, especially if it's a super absorbent model!
posted by suchatreat at 10:39 AM on May 5, 2005

It's normal. If they're all full up, they may start to slide out, particularly if you're exercising or moving around a lot. Other nether-region activity like taking a dump or "bearing down" when you pee can also, unfortunately, cause this. Docs don't talk about this too much but there are a lot of different ways for your insides to be arranged, some of which are much more condusive to things like tampons, cervical caps, keepers, diaphragms and so on. You could have a tipped uterus, a short vagina, a low cervix etc. All of these are fairly normal but might make teampons a hassle. Mimi Smartypants calls this Your Vagina Mileage May Very and notes that while it has never happened to her, it has happened to others. Tampons are different though and I'd recommend something with a different cotton/whatever configuration before you give up entirely.
posted by jessamyn at 10:39 AM on May 5, 2005

Are you widening the bottom of the OB with the string & your finger? I think it actually tells you to in the instructions but I used them for quite awhile before I figured that out. I find having that width at the bottom helps. I wonder if kugel exercises would help too?
posted by BoscosMom at 10:40 AM on May 5, 2005

You are probably inserting the tampon too high if you are pushing it up against your cervix. You want to insert it high, then tug the strings gently until you feel some resistance. This moves the tampon into place so it's settled in by your vaginal muscles. Check out the pictures on this page. See how it sits kind of low?
posted by astruc at 10:41 AM on May 5, 2005

I've had that problem with OB tampons--generally when they've been in for a while or if I've been running around a lot that day. Another brand with an applicator might work better, or perhaps something wider? I find that if I don't really expand the OB by using the string at the end, they're a lot more likely to go road trippin'.

On preview, I agree with BoscosMom.
posted by hamster at 10:42 AM on May 5, 2005

Hee hee hee, kugel exercises!

I think you mean Kegel, not kugel...

Anyway, I agree with widening the base, though I have the same problem although not as quickly. But I hardly ever have it at all with the Keeper. The previous AskMe thread, full of Keeper & DivaCup love, is here. I still have to use a pad as well, same as I always did with tampons, but I never bleed through anymore.
posted by librarina at 10:49 AM on May 5, 2005

OB recently introduced the new "Silk Ease" design, which, well, may have certain consequences (easy in, easy out...)
posted by insideout at 10:57 AM on May 5, 2005

What jessamyn said. Everybody is put together a little differently and if they don't work for you, they don't work for you. I doubt that you are doing anything wrong or have any kind of medical issue. I have the same attitude towards tampons as I do towards contact lenses. Really really glad they were invented and are an option, but the PIA factor is just too high to deal with except on rare occasions.
posted by rainbaby at 10:59 AM on May 5, 2005

Another brand with an applicator might work better

Tampons are something I find I can't buy generic; it's Tampax (with applicator) or nothing. You might want to try them.

And I'm liking the Diva Cup (purchased after the AskMeta thread about it) for all but my heaviest day or two- if you're really heavy, it might be a PITA.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 11:00 AM on May 5, 2005 [1 favorite]

Definitely try a different tampon; get a multi-pack so you can try different absorbancies one day. OB just doesn't work for me, for whatever reason, but they do have a cultish following. So try another few brands: Playtex has a "Silk Glide" with tapered cardboard applicator, and there are lots of others with plastic applicators. Go for the kind with the tapered end, at least to start, because they're easier to insert. Try a Keeper or Diva too, just to see if that shape (held lower, I believe) works for you. I've actually found that the super tampons are harder to deal with, so perhaps go for the regular and change it more often, as a trial.
posted by fionab at 11:01 AM on May 5, 2005

My two cents:

Try different brands. If nothing works, you probably have a short and/or tilted vaginal canal and there's nothing to be done.

Also, you might try inserting the tampons to the left, right, behind, etc. your cervix and see if that makes a difference.

And incidentally, I'm glad you're not considering the pill, even if just for the smoking issue. Anyone who would go on the pill simply to regulate their period should exhaust all their options, then maybe simply learn to deal with their body's natural function.
posted by Specklet at 11:11 AM on May 5, 2005

The OB is designed to get wider when wet. Try Tampax; I always found that they get longer when wet. That might help them stay in place.
posted by theora55 at 11:25 AM on May 5, 2005

Specklet, I'm not trying to derail, but statements like that make me cringe. Often heavy flow is joined by debilitating cramps and/or migraines. I get migraines enough from my period that it makes me vomit and feel like an axe is grining my skull; it takes me out of the world for three days once a month. My hormones drop to a level that basically makes my body go into shock; there are ways to regulate this with the pill, and I don't always think it's a matter of "learning to deal with my body's natural function." I know it's not something that should be the first choice, but super heavy flow isn't always a single-symptom issue, and the right pill has literally changed my life. YMMV but I simply put it out there as a factor to consider. Anyway, back to the migrating tampons!
posted by fionab at 11:26 AM on May 5, 2005

Anyone who would go on the pill simply to regulate their period should exhaust all their options, then maybe simply learn to deal with their body's natural function.


Why? I see nothing wrong with it. Some women have incredibly frustrating, painful, or heavy cycles. The Pill is an excellent option for them. I think saying "Just deal" to these women is pretty rude.

And what fionab said on preview.
posted by agregoli at 11:28 AM on May 5, 2005

That happened to me, too. The half-falling-out tampons that didn't seem to stanch the flow anyway. I hate to sound evangelical, but the Diva Cup changed my (menstrual) life -- I went from soaking through seemingly endless half-falling-out tampons and pads a day to using the cup and being able to go all day without leaks or changes, wearing nothing thicker than a pantiliner. Seriously, it's worth looking into!
posted by youarejustalittleant at 11:35 AM on May 5, 2005

Do they still make the "instead" cup? That might help...I like OB but they are fussier, maybe a different brand would be the best bet.
posted by yodelingisfun at 11:38 AM on May 5, 2005

I could never get tampons to be 100% effective for me. It wasn't just the issue of heavy flow, it seemed that no tampon was shaped right to be of good use. Once you have to double up on your methods, it's time to consider other options. I did pads-only for a while, but they're just not comfortable. I decided to give the Diva Cup a try and I haven't looked back.

It does take a few months to get used to using it (inserting and removing), but it's so worth it. I never have to change it more than twice a day, and I've never had to change it in public. It's so freeing to not have to worry about it for 12 hours.
posted by MsVader at 11:39 AM on May 5, 2005

Sorry to continue the derail, but I apologize if I ruffled any feathers.

The pill has been linked to breast cancer, but aside from that, it's my personal belief that anything that prevents your body from functioning naturally is a bad idea. I also firmly believe that when you are ailing, you should address the cause, not the symptom.

That said, I have been known to take Advil for cramps, and I still drink cheap red wine, even though I know it makes my cramps worse.

I've seen many, many women have their symptoms vanish from so-called alternative medicines. In fact, every woman I know that had debilitating cramps, migraines, etc. who tried dietary changes, acupuncture, herbal remedies, homeopathy, etc. found that their symptoms went away or were reduced to a manageable level.

It is not natural to have hormone fluctuation that are so severe you have those horrible symptoms. For those women who "just have incredibly frustrating, painful, or heavy cycles", there's something going on with bodies that needs to be addressed, and taking drugs is a poor solution.

Again, sorry for the derail and any unintentional rudeness.
posted by Specklet at 11:44 AM on May 5, 2005

I've used Tampax pretty regularly since I was an adolescent, but last summer I went on an extended trip out of the country and took along OB (took up less space in the suitcase). And I had the same problem with OB as you are describing, and I never had that issue with Tampax. Plus, I find the Tampax are just more comfortable to insert and to wear.

I also used the Instead cup for several years (I guess the DivaCup is a similar product). I liked it a lot, but my flow has lightened over the years, so I don't need such heavy protection anymore. It's still great for nighttime use, though.

Try different brands and different absorbancies. Hopefully, you will find something that works for you. Good luck!
posted by luneray at 11:45 AM on May 5, 2005

You are not alone. My innards are "tipped" a bit forward, which is no biggie, but causes such problems.

I finally gave up on tampons just because they were such a pain without payoff, and I use two pads end-to-end (overlapping a bit) so I don't ruin anything. And I change them a lot.

I do think everyone has a good idea about trying different brands, and I may do that myself.
posted by frykitty at 11:47 AM on May 5, 2005

Tampons always did that to me, too, no matter how soaked they were. They would 'migrate' so much that in an hour or two it would be sticking out of my vagina. For that reason (and a few others) I will only use them as a last-ditch emergency.
posted by rhapsodie at 11:57 AM on May 5, 2005

Do they still make the "instead" cup? Yes. I know you can buy it at Target...
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 12:19 PM on May 5, 2005 [1 favorite]

Hm. I never had the slippage issue, but I third or fourth or what-have-you the DivaCup notion. I have tremendously heavy periods and it's a godsend, moreso than tampons were.
posted by angeline at 12:20 PM on May 5, 2005

Re: the pill-as-period-help issue - one of the docs I work with is in a lifelong crusade to end menstruation by use of the pill - www.noperiod.com is her study website. Part of hger theory is that it's actually not natural for women to menstruate every month, but that "modern" women only do because we're not having babies all the time anymore. Interesting stuff.
posted by tristeza at 12:57 PM on May 5, 2005

"The pill has been linked to breast cancer, but aside from that, it's my personal belief that anything that prevents your body from functioning naturally is a bad idea."

Uh, everything I've been reading has said that it's a good idea to be ON the pill for awhile as it prevents many diseases. Has the thinking changed (not that I care, I'm still gonna take it)

And uh, that's your personal belief. For many women who have irregular periods, going on the pill is healthier, as it regulates them and keeps them more even keel (Emotional-wise too).


It is not natural to have hormone fluctuation that are so severe you have those horrible symptoms. For those women who "just have incredibly frustrating, painful, or heavy cycles", there's something going on with bodies that needs to be addressed, and taking drugs is a poor solution.


To YOU it's a poor solution. For many, it's a godsend. Your answer doesn't work for everyone, that's all.
posted by agregoli at 1:03 PM on May 5, 2005

Do you have children? Weak muscles down there from childbirth can affect fit.

I have the same problem you do and solved it by changing brands and exercising. I still rarely wear a tampon without a pad, but at least I can go about daily life without worrying about leakage (as much.)

One other thing-it helps if you lift up one leg when inserting. Depending on where your cervix is, the darn thing can get caught in front of it and then start falling out. What you really want is to have the tampon parallel to it. OR at least that is what works for me.
posted by konolia at 1:03 PM on May 5, 2005

I've used several types of tampons with different results: some migrating with OB, none with Tampax. Discontinued using any tampons because I'd still have to wear some sort of pad. Due to occasional heavy flows (one out of every three or four cycles) I've resorted to the frykitty solution. I've also given strong thought to trying Depends. Yeah, they can be that heavy.

Hurry up menopause!
posted by deborah at 1:18 PM on May 5, 2005

I'm stepping out of the pill vs. no-pill debate because that is not the question here, and because there are various studies proving both ways. There is no one answer for everyone, but as agregoli says, it was a godsend for me and I've tried everything under the sun. Tampax are much better than OB for me. But on a much happier level, welcome back konolia, we've missed you :-)
posted by fionab at 1:20 PM on May 5, 2005

"The pill has been linked to breast cancer, but aside from that, it's my personal belief that anything that prevents your body from functioning naturally is a bad idea."

Uh, everything I've been reading has said that it's a good idea to be ON the pill for awhile as it prevents many diseases.

In fact, my doc told me that staying on the pill instead of switching to a non-hormonal method might help prevent the uterine cancer with which my grandmother was just diagnosed.

Also, abortion has been "linked" to breast cancer, too, and I think (if I remember correctly) that the pill = breast cancer folks are related to the abortion = breast cancer folks, and I know that those people are not my friends.
posted by librarina at 1:24 PM on May 5, 2005

I've also given strong thought to trying Depends.

I'm not the only one! I'm not the only one!! YAY I'm not nuts! (I haven't actually done it, but have seriously considered it for overnights).
posted by tristeza at 1:27 PM on May 5, 2005

Oh, sorry for continuing the derail. Back on track: I know said it already but I really, really love the Keeper.
konolia suggests lifting one leg but I find that squatting down like I'm about to sit works really well for inserting the Keeper and might be good for tampon issues as well, especially if there's a tilting problem.
posted by librarina at 1:27 PM on May 5, 2005

It's also a relief for me to hear ..er.. see someone else has thought of Depends as well, tristeza. But that doesn't mean you're not nuts.
;-)
posted by deborah at 1:35 PM on May 5, 2005

I'd say jessamyn is right. I use Tampax with applicator and the same thing happens to me. It moves from where I put it when I start moving. My flow isn't like Niagra so it doesn't come out or pose a problem, but I know when it's been in there awhile and is full, it comes pretty close. I think with me, the tampon likes to be in a certain place and moves there. My suggestion is to try different brands. OBs seem so tiny that they'd be swimming around until they get caught in your flow.

According to this OCs may increase your risk of breast cancer and certain cancerous liver tumors, decrease your risk of ovarian cancer, long term use increases cervical cancer, but it is from 2003 and is probably part of the Bush Administration's campaign to keep OCs away from women. Other benefits of OCs.
posted by scazza at 1:36 PM on May 5, 2005

I occassionally have migration when I use Tampax or the store brand. I don't have the problem when I use OB. It is an infrequent occurance for me, so I buy whatever's handy. I wonder if the string is pulling against the pad and slowly being inched out that way?

Off topic:
If I could get rid of my period forever, I would in a heart beat. I tried Seasonale and loved it. Granted, there was a little weight gain. I'm back to the regular old pills because my insurance (blast them) won't cover Seasonale nor will they allow for continuous pill dosage (blast them again!) despite that being their recommendation.

As far as using homeopathics, herbal remedies and the like, I view that approach as being in the same line as taking a pill. No matter how you look at it, you're taking something to alter your body's current state. Just because it comes from a plant does not mean you're ingesting fewer chemicals or that you even have any idea what all is in what you're taking. I find it offensive that people assume that "all natural" means something is 100% safe.
posted by onhazier at 1:40 PM on May 5, 2005

Specklet, I don't understand your logic: "For those women who 'just have incredibly frustrating, painful, or heavy cycles', there's something going on with bodies that needs to be addressed, and taking drugs is a poor solution." Actually, drugs are a great solution. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't know of any "natural" remedies that affect one's cycles or heavy flows. Many of the women who experience this could have PCOS or endometrial cancer or other diseases and birth control is frequently a viable solution for many of these conditions.
posted by crapulent at 1:51 PM on May 5, 2005

I have the Keeper but haven't used it in a long while because I can't seem to insert it right about half the time, and I end up leaking all over the place. Does practice make perfect?

Regarding the Pill, I think every woman needs to make her own decision on whether to be on it. There are plenty of options out there- so many that if a woman doesn't want to be on the Pill she shouldn't have to be. The Pill, like any medication, has risks and side effects. Some people might find these risks aren't worth it, others are happy to put up with them. It just depends on the individual woman!

My own experience with the Pill is that I can't take it because it aggravates my depression and causes me to gain weight. I found that taking vitamins (especially a flax seed oil supplement), eating healthy, getting enough sleep, and exercising have all but made my (previously bordering-on-PMDD) PMS all but disappear.

oh, and... I've never had tampons fall out before. But the more I think about it, the more it makes sense that it could happen! AT ANY MOMENT!!! ooooooh
posted by elisabeth r at 2:17 PM on May 5, 2005

Derail follows, skip it if you like:

it's my personal belief that anything that prevents your body from functioning naturally is a bad idea.

Having a monthly period is not normal functioning.

For the past umpteen thousand years women have typically been pregnant for most of their child-bearing years. This means that they have typically NOT had periods every month.

homeopathy

Oh, I think that says about all that needs saying, unless you're going to qualify that bit of lunacy with "the placebo effect enables the mind to change the body."

We now return you to your regular programming.
posted by five fresh fish at 2:28 PM on May 5, 2005

I've never had a bit of luck with OB! It didn't absorb, AND it travelled.

Hate OB. Hate.
posted by taz at 2:29 PM on May 5, 2005

Just a little more on the "periods are unnatural" topic, from the noperiod.com website above:

100 years ago, the average woman had fewer than 50 periods during her life. Now, the modern woman could have 450 lifetime periods and spends almost 1/2 of her life with monthly periods.

Besides being pregnant, another way to avoid having periods -- e.g., by delaying puberty -- is to be malnourished. And so very natural!
posted by Aknaton at 2:44 PM on May 5, 2005

Five Fresh Fish, that comment came out of the fact that women these days may have 1-2, possibly 3 kids. That means, that they're maybe only missing 3 years of periods, due to pregnancy and breastfeeding, but many women used to have many more kids, and breastfeed for much longer. The idea is that our bodies aren't used to ovulating and bleeding each month, and that suppressing that somewhat can be useful for some types of preventative problems.
posted by fionab at 2:48 PM on May 5, 2005

I've never had any slippage, but here is my favorite story: my old boss actually had a tampon fall all the way out. She was wearing the loose scrub pants and tennis shoes we all wore (we worked at a blood bank) and she suddenly got a funny look on her face and shook her leg a few times...and a tampon fell out onto her shoe. Splot. A coworker handed her a paper towel; my boss covered the tampon, picked it up, and hucked it in the handy biohazard bag...and nobody else saw a thing, we don't think.

She'd be pleased to hear about this thread.
posted by climalene at 3:51 PM on May 5, 2005

I've had migratory issues with tampons, but only when they were too big. The worst offenders - I can't remember the name, but I think it was a something-pearl - were super-heavy hardcore tampons that unfolded, accordion-like, as soon as they got any moisture on them at all. Felt like I'd folded a pad and stuck it up there. Ow.

Try different sizes and different brands.

Also, wriggle them around inside you when you put them in. If it's fitted and located correctly it'll stay put and generally be unnoticeable. It won't move when you do, much less by itself. If it's not, you'll be very much aware that hi, there's a wad of cotton wedged up in my places. Applicators are good for leverage, they're like handles you can use to maneuver the thing into place. Spread your knees apart, tilt your spine two ways at once, use one hand in front and one hand in back, hike up a leg, do whatever it takes -- it's not like anyone is watching.

(If you're planning for the insertion to double as performance art, we've got bigger problems than fit.)

Everyone knows about coiling the string and tucking it up between the labia for easy retrieval later, right?
posted by cmyk at 4:17 PM on May 5, 2005

The string coil/tuck rates as the most useful thing I have ever learned reading online.
posted by astruc at 4:35 PM on May 5, 2005

Everyone knows about coiling the string and tucking it up between the labia for easy retrieval later, right?

Easier than just grabbing it while it hangs down into the thin air? Maybe this is part of my problem....the string just hangs out, I don't have to search for it...?
posted by tristeza at 4:48 PM on May 5, 2005

I have the Keeper but haven't used it in a long while because I can't seem to insert it right about half the time, and I end up leaking all over the place. Does practice make perfect?

Well, if the Keeper is totally wrong for your body, no, of course, but for me, YES, definitely. It took a while to find the right method of getting it in and out. Squatting/crouching helps, as I mentioned above. Also you can trim the little grabby tube at the end so it doesn't stick out to where you can feel it anymore. That helped a lot - I thought it was coming out but really it was just that the tube was too long.
posted by librarina at 5:02 PM on May 5, 2005

Derail con't.

Whoa, whoa! Hey, I apologized for ruffling feathers, made it clear that what I was stating had to do with my personal beliefs, and told no one to "just deal." I'm dismayed at the vituperative tone of some of the responses. My comment was made good-naturedly, as is this one, so please don't jump down my throat. And you all missed my main point, which was that if you are taking the pill to regulate your period, you are treating the symptom, and not the cause of your ailment. Which I don't think is wise. It is my personal belief that one should examine the causes of the ailment in order to learn how best to eradicate it.

There are studies that show that the pill has both benefits and drawbacks. To each his own. For those of you who want to menstruate less, go right ahead. I think it's weird, but who knows, maybe the negative side effects of the pill are outweighed by the benefits of not bleeding. And I'd like to state for the record that although I do believe there is a link between breast cancer and the pill, I certainly don't think there's a link between breast cancer and abortion. Never even heard of that one.

As far as using homeopathic, herbal remedies and the like, I view that approach as being in the same line as taking a pill. No matter how you look at it, you're taking something to alter your body's current state.

Yeah, but you're not altering it indefinitely: you're taking a substance to get well, like vitamin C when you have a cold. And there are little to no side effects with herbal and homeopathic remedies and acupuncture, unlike chemicals. In my opinion, that makes them safer.

Actually, drugs are a great solution. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't know of any "natural" remedies that affect one's cycles or heavy flows.

But this is exactly my point: there are most definitely many, many "natural" ways to alter your cycle! If you are interested in some of the basics, please email. I think many people have a knee-jerk reaction when someone mentions alternative health care when in fact, they have no idea what is being alluded to.

Many of the women who experience this could have PCOS or endometrial cancer or other diseases and birth control is frequently a viable solution for many of these conditions.

Of course you should see a doctor if you suspect you have any of these conditions. Of course sometimes drugs are the way to go. All I was saying is that for cramps, migraines, heavy bleeding, etc. (that are not the result of something like endometriosis) I think other options should be explored before resorting to drugs.

And five fresh fish, as for your homeopathy snark, check out some links on double-blind clinical studies on it.
posted by Specklet at 5:27 PM on May 5, 2005

Still derailed, but herbal remedies most certainly are putting chemicals in your body. In fact, when you think about it, at least you know exactly what's going in when you take the Pill - substances that have been very well-studied that are doled out in very precise amounts. Herbal supplements, on the other hand, are generally not regulated by the FDA, their effects are generally not well-studied [if they've been studied at all], and they consist of not just one but some unknown number of different chemicals whose effects on the body are also unknown. In everyday use, despite being something that is taken daily for years and years, the Pill has few to no side effects on most women; even in the long term, the vast majority of women who use the Pill are perfectly healthy. On the other hand, most herbal supplements haven't even been the subjects of long term studies, so their long-term side-effects are essentially unknown. No medication [and if an herbal supplement actually has any effect on your body, it's acting as a medication] is as innocuous as a vitamin, and if you're stuck with a really nasty menstrual cycle and you need to medicate yourself with a given herbal supplement a week out of every month to 'get well', you are using it long-term. With unknown consequences. What you put into your body is your choice, of course, but the fact that an herbal supplement was picked and not synthesized doesn't make it any less of a chemical, nor does it automatically render the supplement more safe for your body than actual medication.
posted by ubersturm at 5:56 PM on May 5, 2005

OBs fall out of _everybody_. I'm with everyone who says try different brands and sizes. I use tampons with a cardboard applicator because I could easily visualize an entire landfill made up of nothing but plastic applicators over the course of a lifetime, but use whatever works for you.
Since no one else has mentioned it, there's no rule that you can't use them two at a time. You may have to find the right kind, but use something with an applicator and aim one of them up each side of the cervix. This sounds awful, but if you do it right, you'll never know the difference, and they don't fall out, and for bonus points you don't have to change them quite as often. The fact that there's two of them keeps them from migrating. You probably don't want to try this unless you have children.
Disclaimer: YVaginaMV, and this is my stealth login because I am not admitting this to a gazillion people I don't know.
posted by deep_cover at 5:30 AM on May 6, 2005

My favorite brand of tampon is Kotex (not very environmentally-friendly, I suppose, what with the plastic applicator and all). They stay in place and hardly move at all. The flat tip of the cardboard Tampax is just plain painful, IMHO. I have a fairly light flow, which actually got lighter after I had a baby (however, my baby arrived via c-section, so YMMV).
posted by cass at 9:13 AM on May 6, 2005

heh. Your Menses Might Vary? Ah, that acronym will never be the same now!
posted by five fresh fish at 9:27 AM on May 6, 2005 [1 favorite]

OBs fall out of _everybody_.

That's not true. I hate any non-OB tampon because they are too long and don't expand out the way OBs do. Then again, I have a cunt of steel and nothing gets out without permission. So.

To address the question, I too would recommend the Diva Cup (over the Keeper, for reasons made clear on that other thread, and over tampons because it's just so much better). One thing to be aware of re: leaks & cups is that having to pee can make it leak. So you should go to the bathroom as soon as you know you have to, as opposed to using my normal method of holding it till I die because I'm reading & don't want to look away from the page.

On the pill derail: Specklet, I'm with you in finding the whole no-period thing creepy. Though I wouldn't presume to tell other women what to do, I found the pill made me miserable, paranoid, and all-around crazy. I prefer a day of pain to that, though I prefer a day of Valium even more.
posted by dame at 10:05 AM on May 6, 2005

as opposed to using my normal method of holding it till I die because I'm reading...

That's a path to bladder cancer. Please don't hold it in forever.
posted by five fresh fish at 1:17 PM on May 6, 2005

I'm pretty sure the cigarettes will kill me before the pee does, FFF. But your concern for my health is charming.
posted by dame at 1:32 PM on May 6, 2005