Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with tampon

tampondemonium

Anonymous — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 13:11:07 -0800

Is it ok to wear light tampons occasionally when not on your period, to help control vaginal fluids? I've always seemed to "make" a lot of vaginal fluid, so this isn't a recent thing, but has been bugging me lately. My flow/smell/consistency hasn't changed much, particularly since being on hormonal birth control. I know HBC causes vaginal dryness in some women, but it seems to have caused an increase for me (not alarmingly so, just a little more noticeable).

I don't like panty liners. With the sticky plastic underside, it's uncomfortable and is less biodegradable than some kinds of tampons. I would like to wear light tampons every now and the to help control and "catch" this extra wetness. If I don't wear them constantly, and only on an as-needed basis, how harmful is it if I wear a tampon without being on my period?

Will this tampon kill me?

Anonymous — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 21:27:55 -0800

So, um, I discovered today that I put a tampon in and I can't remember when. Guessing sometime between 48 hours and 7 days ago. I feel fine. Do I still need to worry? I'm not usually so scatterbrained, but my current cycle is all screwy which doesn't help. I got a Mirena IUD put in last August (my second), and like last time, I bled nonstop for a while and now I am bleeding unpredictably (and waiting hopefully for the no-period thing to start again). So I wear pantiliners and whenever the spotting becomes too heavy, I pop in a tampon.

I remember thinking the past couple of days that it was nice not to have spotting but didn't think much of it because it's been so random. Today I was pooping when suddenly I felt a little weird down there, and then the tampon came out. I am sure that I didn't put it in today or yesterday. I don't remember using one at all this week. It is possible that it has been in since before I had sex with my husband (twice) on Saturday, though I would hope we would have noticed something funny (we didn't).

I am hesitant to call my gynecologist's office to ask about this, because, well, I don't like the staff there very much and I don't want to become fodder for office gossip. So, I'd like to know if anyone has ever had this happen, and if so did you feel OK afterwards but then develop problems later on? Or has anyone talked to their gyno about this? I know YANAD but I know I can't be the only woman this has happened to.

To flush or not to flush

crunchtopmuffin — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 20:30:34 -0800

Woman Filter: So a girlfriend of mine and I just discovered that we've been operating under contradicting information about whether it's okay to flush tampons! I thought that you never, ever flush them. She's been operating under the assumption that it's only not okay to flush them into a septic system, but otherwise it's okay. Does anyone have any expert knowledge about this? Google was only helpful in terms of getting personal perspectives.

My Keeper has lost its shape. Should I replace it or get a DivaCup?

dame — Wed, 19 Jan 2005 19:43:39 -0800

AskMeFemmes: Keeper and diva cup question. Details, unlike blood, inside. I have been using a keeper for about three years without any trouble. Over this time, it has gone slightly oval. I assumed that this is because my cunt is slightly oval. Now, however, it is leaking--quite a lot this last go-round. Is this due to ovality? Is there anything to do about it but buy a new one? Would getting the softer, silicone diva cup prevent this from happenening again?