A post I just read has really made me think about the lack of good stuff I see on various communities about alternative menstrual products. People just don't post to say 'well it's going really well still', they only thing to post when there's something wrong.

So I wanted to post my own success story. I started using a cup in some form 3 years ago. I had a small Mooncup U.K, which is pretty much the easiest cup to open and seal, but a bugger to fold. I had some leakage issues, so switched to a Large Lunette, which I found uncomfortable. Then I tried a small Diva, which I couldn't get to open and it leaked.

Finally, I switched to a small Pinkcup (pink Ladycup) and it's been plain sailing. I should have got the smaller size according to their guidelines, but it works fine on the first day of my period. I'm very very sensitive to internal pressure (I tend to involuntarily clench my vagina when I have cramps) on the first day, so the really small Pinkcup helps catch the blood flow without hurting too much. On the second day when the cramps ease off (I get cramps 3-4 days before my period starts and they normally ease off on the 2nd day of bleeding and stop completely by the 3rd day), I use a large Diva which means I have no leakage issues and it deals very well with my heavy flow. My flow goes; day 1 - medium-heavy (frequent emptying of small Pinkcup), day 2 - UBER HEAVY RED RIVER FLOW which would soak a regular uber thick super plus tampon in about 1.5 hours or less, day 3 - heavy flow, day 4 - medium to heavy, day 5 - light and day 6 - spotting. I find the large Diva easier to fold, insert and open. On the light flow days I can normally just leave it in for about 8-12 hours and not change it very often. I forget it's there most of the time :-P

So as you can see it's been a bit of a long haul. I managed to get rid of my cups by uber cleaning and uber sterilising them and passing them onto a few more open minded friends who uber cleansed/sterilised them again to be on the safe side. I know that the idea of used cups freaks some people out, but they were barely used and I didn't want to see them go to waste!

I'm glad I've finally found a cup/cups that work well for me, I could never go back to tampons ever ever ever again. I remember getting stuck in a really dirty bathroom with no running water and being too squicked out to put my cup back in, so I used my emergency tampon. I felt really uncomfortable, dry and sore for days afterwards. I love the cups and the fact that they're silicone means my latex allergy doesn't get irritated either.

I get less leaks with the cup (like zero leaks) than I did with tampons and my vagina is healthier. I'll save a lot of money in years to come. Despite having bought/owned every cup to woman in the last couple of years, considering my flow and the amount of tampons/pads I used to go through, I've probably still saved a considerable amount of money, I just haven't tallied it up.

I do get a tiny weeny bit of leakage on the first day when I use my Pinkcup because it's small, but it's easily absorbed by a panty liner (I make my own).

Although it's been a lot of effort, I'm so glad I made it! There is absolutely a learning curve to cup usage, but then there was a learning curve to pads and tampons for me too! It took me ages to find pads that were the right shape/size/thickness for my flow, and to find ways of stopping them from bunching up and rustling. I couldn't use applicator tampons for ages because I dumbly just couldn't figure out how they worked (duh) and used the Lilets non applicator tampons which felt like candlesticks in my bajingo :-P So I think making the effort in order to save money, the environment and your vagina is definitely worth the effort!

Hi Ladies!

I've searched the IUD memories, however, most of those posts were written before the Miacup and Ladycup came out. I am currently experiencing my first IUD period (Flexi-T which is the Canadian version of the copper IUD) and it is THE period from HELL! I can't believe I can lose that much blood and still be functioning! I ordered some fabulous cloth pads, but after using a cup for so long, I can't go back to pads, regardless of how fabulous they are. I've even resorted to tampons because I'm bleeding through pads so quickly! (Ughh!) So, back to the cup. However, I have a Diva and I don't feel comfortable using it with the IUD because of the fact that it's one of the taller and stiffer cups. I had to pay for my IUD and my insertion was super painful, so I really want to eliminate as many risks as I can so I don't expel my IUD. So I'm looking to buy a new cup and wanted some advice.

I am really considering the Ladycup (the pink one!) or the Miacup. Any suggestions on either of those and their capatibility with IUD's? I also have to consider which one'll stand up to my monster periods. I've heard that the Lunette is also good. Any ladies here use a Miacup or Ladycup and have an IUD? 

PLEASE offer me your opinion, as I've been bleeding for almost two weeks now and I can't handle using pads. I MISS MY CUP!

I'm involved in a food co-operative with a grocery and recently sent out a bunch of emails to cup companies to try to get info and/or samples for people to look at, so that we can place bulk orders. I have a Keeper but it seems like the Lunette is the only silicone cup currently available here.
I received this email from the Lunette people recently. Sorry that it's so late! Only one day left for any people in Australia (or maybe anywhere, although you might not need to) interested in getting a Lunette:
(sorry about the different font and colour, i don't know how to change it)

"As a big Thank You to you for registering your interest and support of Lunette through our website and for your patience, we are offering you 10% Discount off all purchases. All you need to do is type in this code "sep2908" when prompted at the checkout (valid until Sep 29th).

 

We will also extend this introductory discount to your family and friends- so make sure that you let everyone know about this fantastic offer so they can join you in being liberated from 'strings and wings'.

There are only a few days left to order from the mylunette website and receive 10% discount off all products! The introductory period is almost over!!!  This is a limited offer and is only valid until Sep 29 this year!!"

 

I started with a small divacup 2 years ago at 18 years old, and it worked for awhile. However I found it hard to clean and the suction too strong/some poking, so  I switched to a Lunette (before it had a small size) and was happy for about another year.

I've been off the pill for about a year and found that my cervix is very low recently.. I know because I'm charting and my luteal phase just now reached a healthy length, and that's when the cervix problems started. I used to only have the problem of feeling a "wall" in there using tampons.

But now, I can put the cup in with some resistance, but it starts to leak after a few hours and constantly "bubbles" and protrudes out of my vagina. I am sure it is inserted right. When I change it, it feels like the cup has sucked my cervix "down" and it is hard to reinsert right away! I saw the memories and saw something about folds that help guide the cervix "in the cup".. could this be a solution?

I live in scandanavia now so I can take a brief walk and buy the smaller Lunette right now, but I'm short on cash, and want to be sure first that my problem can't be solved other ways, as I already own two cups! Thanks for any help.

I have used, over the last few years, Insteads (intermittently for a few months), a Diva (for almost two years), a Moooncup(UK) (for about three cycles now) and a Lunette (this week), all small sizes (except Instead, for which small sizes are unavailable).  I'm 24, nulliparous, no HBC, average to heavy flow.

• Comfort-wise, all cups are about the same when inserted properly.  When Insteads are not fully opened, they are painful.   I also could not lie down with an Instead inserted because it was painful.  I have no trouble lying down in any other cup.  I prefer the shorter cups to the Diva, but do not find the Diva uncomfortable.
• Seal and suction in all the cups is roughly equal.
• In terms of ease of use, I'm confident in placing the Mooncup(UK) as the most user-friendly cup.  It's the only one that has opened consistently easily for me, most likely because of the stiff rim.  With the Lunette, Diva, and Instead cups,  I found that sometimes I could insert them easily, and sometimes it would take upwards of a half an hour to re-insert a cup properly.  I'd recommend the Mooncup(UK) for anyone who experiences muscle tension during their period - if it causes you to involuntarily clench your muscles, it will not allow the less-firm cups to pop open, which might allow leaks. 
• There have been other posts about capacity for the bell-shaped cups.  I'd estimate that an Instead holds about as much or even slightly more than a small Diva.  For those with a heavy flow, a Mooncup(UK) might require some backup overnight and more frequent emptying during the day; however, the fact that it's easy to re-insert makes use during the day easier.
• For exercise, all the above cups are ideal - no leaks, shifting, or discomfort.
• While I'd recommend any cup over pads and tampons, I recommend bell-shaped cups over Insteads, and the Mooncup(UK) out of the bell-shaped cups I've tried.

Heya!

This is my first day with the Lunette I received nearly a month ago...
So this is my journal about my first cycle trial!!

Remember, I hesitated about the sizes. I finally took size 2. I bought it on Leastore, they have a very good customer service (I ordered first size 1 and sent an e-mail to change the size, they answered quickly and updated my order), and the shipping was very fast (ordered it on Saturday, received next Wednesday!)!
Bonus: in the enveloppe, there were two candies!

I had a dry run when I received it, I had several trials before getting it in (I wasn't able to keep the holding), and the first removal was... ouch!I removed it unfolded so it hurt the hell! The second trial was better .
I used origami fold.
What is the difference between origami and punch-down fold?

I stored my cup in its little bag but I don't like it, the fibers stick on the cup, I saw really cute organza pouches, I'll try to have one...

Just to know, the first day, I have light flow, the heaviest are on the 3rd and 4th day.

Yesterday night, I saw my period had started so I put  my cup on and it was far easier than a dry run!! I was afraid it wasn't sealed (I didn't hear or feel the pop) so I checked with my fingers. I wore a pad to feel secure.

So I woke up and OMG no leaking!! My cup was 3/4 empty but as I said, the first day is really light. I removed it without dirtying too much the toilets, emptied and rinsed it with water but as there were some viscous stuff, I had to wipe it first with toilet paper.
I guess it would be better if I first wipe it and then rinse it, because of eventual toilet paper fibers...
It took a lot of time to insert/remove, as my fingers were wet and didn't grap the cup... I won't trim the tab to feel confident and to maintain the cup while i grab it to remove it!

I could feel the cup, because it was really low (it was the same with tampons) but I tried yoga with it (for those who know a bit about yoga, I even tried Hanumasana, i didn't feel any discomfort!!)

It took me time to insert/remove it, and I must train before starting school!....

And I know there were topics about it, but I wonder how girls in dorms do...
Isn't it embarrassing to rinse it in the lavatories, in front of everyone? Especially when your cup is full of viscous things?

And i have others questions:
how do you know when you should replace the Lunette?


I'm so happy with my Lunette (I'm usually very enthusiastic with things that actually work!) so my last question is:
what to do with all the tampons left? :p

Lol, here I am again

I'm so happy cause I inserted, wore for two hours, and removed the small size Lunette! - with considerable effort, but for my first wet run, it was satisfying. (I've kept the computer with the browser window open at Menstrual cups on, the entire time, to feel "supported")

Some factors slowed down my progress: very tight coochie, long fingernails, difficulty relaxing (I've general anxiety)

Insertion in shower didn't work, but I had success sitting over the toilet, using the origami fold. I aimed it towards the floor a little, as people here recommend. The weird thing is, I did not feel or hear a pop. When I inserted a finger to feel the rim though, the cup was completely suctioned with the vagina wall.

I walked around with the cup and it felt very comfortable - I couldn't feel it except for the pointy thing (will trim that, I guess...) I realized it's impossible to tell when blood is leaving the cervix when on the cup. When you're wearing a pad, it passes between the sensitive bits. That could be potentially icky for me in the future... I'll have to be checking the cup every couple of hours for fear of leaks.

Anyway, removal took much longer. I couldn't break the seal. When I tried pushing the tip of the rim, the cup simply turned around on its axis. Each time I pushed, it hurt me as well, for some reason. I decided to try squatting in the shower, and it worked. I positioned one finger on the tail of the cup, and pushed the rim in with another finger (different hand) while bearing down. It worked at breaking the seal, and I just slowly pulled the tail down while keeping the cup folded on its way out.

So I  can't 'wait to do this again tomorrow, but I was surprised at how much fluid the cup accumulated during two hours. Half of the cup was already full. Hmm!

I have a smaller diva right now. We have this love hate relationship with each other. I never really got putting it in and popping it open down. I've tried widening the holes, putting it inside out, and some other things. All to no avail. So I've been doing my research on the different cups and I've got it narrowed down to two. The Lunette and the Lady Cup. My flow is pretty normal so I don't need a cup with a big capacity. I don't really know what to look for in a cup other than the size though, so I've just been thinking in generalizations. Hoping to find one that opens easily, but since the Diva seems (from what I've read) to be one of the toughest ones to master, I think any other cup would be better.

So onto little things about each cup... I love the simplicity of the lady cup. It doesn't have a lot of ridges, and I read that the silicone is soft and very flexible, but it still opens relatively easy. I also like that it seems to be easy to fold and keep folded. I tend to have problems keeping the diva folded as I go to insert it. And I read that the cleaning was easy. Oh, and when I looked on their website I saw they were going to have blue cups... which looks really nice.
The Lunette I like simply because most people that I've noticed who have them seem to be totally happy with it and have hardly any problems. I hear a lot of positive things about it which would help lessen any nervousness I might have with it. It also has smooth sides on it with no major ridges. I'm not sure on how it pops open and such, but I'm sure it would be better than my diva.

So what are everyone elses thoughts and opinions?

So I got my small size Lunette cup in the mail a few days back and today I started my period. And after wrestling with the cup for nearly an hour, I finally succeeded in putting it in! It was a little bit painful but then I heard the 'pop' sound of the cup opening inside. Now I feel pretty comfortable... but is the stem supposed to poke out? It doesn't bother me all that much but I think I can 'feel' the cup because of it. Currently it's poking out about two notches and I'm not sure if I should go ahead and trim it or wait. Any advice?

Hi there!

I have two cups; one Mooncup (B) and one Lunette (size 2, the bigger size). Tried the Mooncup UK and liked it. But I needed a cup with bigger capacity as I am a very heavy bleeder so I went for the Lunette. However, what I didn't count on was:

1. The Lunette is poking me all the time. (Even made me wetting my pants once! Luckily I was at home!)
2. The Lunette is extremely painful to remove.
3. The Lunette holds just as much as the Mooncup because the Lunette is squeezed together (as a very flat oval) when inserted, which means the volume is diminished. (Use a menstrual cup, fill it with water and hold it between your index finger and thumb. Squeeze it and you will se the water running over the edge. My Lunette is very "squeezed"  when inserted)

Conclusion/lesson;
1. I have the wrong shape/size for the Lunette. I must be the first one which the Lunette doesn't work on, considering "everyone" raves about the Lunette! 
2. A bigger cup doesn't automatically mean you will get more volume out of it! It depends highly on how well it keeps its shape while inserted.

(I have tried the Mooncup UK during three periods, and the Lunette during two of them)

I hope my input regarding sizing might help someone else in their buying decisions! All the best to you ladies!

I have a couple questions....
I have only used tampons a few times mostly because they hurt a lot when I take them out. Do you all think that this would happen with the Diva Cup, too? I'm super scared to try, but I really want something different than pads. ick.

Second, I read that the lunette cup is the best one for teens. Is this true?

Thanks for your time :)

I've been emailing Sarah-May, the Lunette distributor for UK and she sent me these emails:

"I agree with your comments.  This is how it is in the UK:

Hi all!
3 questions here.

1)Miacup shipment and package:
Anyone who can tell how the package from Miacup looks like, and how big it is in inches or centimeters?
From people who bought from the site, cause im not sure if the gift cups they sent out was different package?
And what do they write on the package,  do they write $48.96 as value?
Im not asking because it have to be discrete, but because of customs here were i live.
Im thinking of ordering next month, but i really hope it will go through customs... Cause else its about $40-50 extra costs...
But i cant get it out of my mind ;-)

2)Mooncup uk and extra cramps:
Last period i used my Mooncup uk (i usually use Lunette) and i had more cramps. Does this have a connection? The mooncup design bothers me, its not very comfortable for my body so i thought that might cause the cramps.

3)Holes on Lunette: 
Does anyone here have the same problem as me, that the Lunette holes is difficult to clean? It like its not a clean cut, but have edges, and its annoying. It have been like that all the time, and i do prefer the mooncup uk holes because its a clean cut, and i can easily get them clean, even without soap, with Lunette i use tons of soap and have to clean the holes by putting rolled up papertowel in them.




 

I have some good news and some bad news. The bad news is that despite trying different folds and lube in my vagina and on the rim of the cup, I can not get my Lunette size 2 inside. I tried doing it sitting on the toilet with my legs spread as far as possible. Then, I tried to insert it standing up and squatting. The second method had a little more success, but I could not get it in all the way without it popping before I needed it to. Fortunately, I could prevent it from injuring me.  The good news is that with the lube, I was able to push my index finger further than I normally can. I think I was able to insert it as far as the vagina itself. Also, I can fit in two fingers, though they can not go as far. Any advice? I think my period is very coming soon.

Hi,

I've just finished my 3rd cycle with the Lunette. I really want to love it but still got a big problem with it.
It's leaking when I lay down and move in bed. I also noticed - now that I got back to school - that I have the same problem when I'm sat for a long time. When I stand up and go back home, I can feel the cup moving a bit, and air going in and out. As the seal is broken, it leaks, and I can't replace the cup properly as there are no toilets in the streets and it is not very discreet to do that in public.!

First I thought it was not really sealed when I put it in but I checked several times and it was properly sealed. Plus, it's working fine when I put it in and just walk or sit for a short time during the day.

Then I wondered whether it was because of my cervix position, which is very low, and could disturb the Lunette position, but I came here and found at that it was not a problem since the cervix was "in" the cup. And that is exactly the position of my cup when I use it.

I really don't want to give it up but now I'm not at ease when I go to school with it or when I sleep, or even when I go to the cinema, the restaurant.... and I really don't want to use pads with it...

Maybe the Lunette is not the right cup for me. ?...

I thank from advance advices from those who faced the same problem and went through it, or from others who could give me a piece of information.

PS :I'm 19 and childless

PS 2 : I'm french so pardon me for possible faults or incoherent sentences!

Finally I have the cup I ordered (smaller size)! The lady I dealt with on ebay was super nice and helpful. I love the brushed-silicone feel of the Lunette. However, I didn't expect it to be so small! Sizewise, it's half of what I expected. I feel like I'm holding a Thumbelina in the palm of my  hand. I'm just worried that on heavy flow days I'll have to empty the cup every 1-2 hours. I tend to get a lot of clotting so I'm sure that would contribute to leaks?

I know I posted here a few months ago in a frenzied sort of panic trying to figure out what kind of cup I should get. I settled on a Lunette... whichever one is the bigger one. For those of you still debating the whole cup thing, or even for y'all who like success stories, I'm posting the TMI stuffs after the break~ I dunno, I found it was helpfull to see what other gals with similar situations or body types got.
( Yatta! )

First of all I'd just like to say, this place is great! I've been suffering hell the past few days and would probably have given up on my new cup if I hadn't found this place.

I've been having long, excessive bleedings for a long time now, and I've nearly ruined myself on tampons this year, so I finally made the decision to try a cup. I bought a Lunette, because it was the biggest, most stable looking one I found. It arrived during one of my "in between" bleedings, and I thought that was a good time to try it out. After a couple of days of trial I got it to work ok and then put it away when I didn't need it anymore. Then this thursday I got my real period, which is really heavy, and looked forward to using my cup. Didn't work, at all. For some reason all the blood ended up outside and I couldn't figure out why. I took it out and put it in again so many times my whole pelvis ached and my fingers where raw from washing. Also, I found the lunette very stiff and hard to fold and insert, so I became very sore. Eventually I gave up and went back to tampons. Searched for hours and hours online to find help.

And then I came here. I didn't even know there were other ways to fold a cup than the c-fold! I didn't get any instructions with my cup, I just followed the advice on the website I bought it from. Anyway, after reading through a ton of posts here I decided to try again, with another fold, and really figure out why it was leaking. I thought maybe the cup was too long or too narrow, because somehow my cervix ended up outside the cup. But it wasn't outside the front of the cup, where it should be if the cup was too long or too far in. It was off to the side, behind the cup. As if during my period it sags down to the left. It didn't matter how far in I stuck the cup, I had to find a way to weasel my cervix inside. This ultimately means I have to wear my cup diagonally. It takes a bit of fingerwork, but it gets there. I don't know how good the suction is though, since it seems to slip down into a straight position eventually, but I haven't had any major leakage since. (Yay!)

Does anyone else have this issue? Does this mean my uterus is tilted too? Because my gyno never commented on it. It's okay, though, I don't feel the cup even if it's very askew. There's plenty of sideways room in there even if the entrence itself is narrow. And I'm very happy to have found the 7-fold. Much easier to get in now. :) I was worried I would have to buy a different cup, something I can't really afford right now, but now I'm glad I stuck with it. I really want this to work, and be rid of those awful pads and tampons forever.

Hi there!

I just found out about menstrual cups and all the pros comments just apalled me! So I ended buying a Lunette at Leastore.
I took size 2, 'cause I'll turn 20 soon and I have heavy flow but being virgin and a total newbie about cups, am I right?

I snipped the remaining 7mm of my Mooncup stem off the other day, as I knew I never used it to remove the cup so I thought I might as well... however I didn't consider for a second how much I used the stem for putting the cup in!  I tug on it etc to check the seal and when I tried using it stemless (just a little nub left) it was kinda hard to do!  D'oh!  Has anyone else done this (realising they were wrong to snip, not snipping in itself)?  Did you get used to it?

I'm using my new Lunette today, but I'll probably switch to my Mooncup UK (B) this evening as it'll be the start of the last 36 hours of my period and the Lunette will be overkill (and I still want to use my Mooncup because I *do* love it) so hopefully I'll get used to it stemless!

I'm getting on well with my Lunette.  It arrived yesterday lunchtime when I'd been on for 24 hours.  I was worried by the seemingly-vast size (I got the bigger cup for the capacity) when I saw it, but I just put it out of my mind, boiled it and tried... it worked first time (7 fold) without much discomfort going in.  I found it slightly harder to fold than my Mooncup, but the firmness meant that it popped open a bit quicker - more of a forceful pop than the Mooncup but not uncomfortable.  I got a seal first time.  It's very comfortable and I like the flat stem as it's not jabbing me at all I think it's a better design for comfort and ease of cleaning.

I kept it in 8 hours before my first emptying which is getting on for twice as long as with my Mooncup during the second day - I only emptied it because it had started to leak (just a drop but I felt it and went to empty).  When I looked I saw that it was only just past the first measuring line so I don't think it would've leaked except the position I was in (slouched on the sofa with my laptop on my tummy and my legs up on the back of the sofa) caused it to lose its seal somehow and I noticed when I stood up.  The same thing happens sometimes with the Mooncup.

I emptied it again just before bed (2am) to be sure, and then this morning I hadn't had any leaks at all.  I was up to just past the first line again.  After I had emptied and washed my cup I got my Mooncup out of the cabinet and filled my Lunette with water to the point it was at and emptied it into the Mooncup - it came up to the holes!  

Breaking the seal has been much harder than the Mooncup because it's longer, less squishy, and takes up more room; so it's more difficult to reach to hook a finger or thumb over the rim, but I've not had any pain on removal as I've used folded it to remove it like with the Mooncup.

The very smooth inside of the cup is nice from a hygiene point of view, BUT I've found a couple of times that the angle I'm holding the cup at causes the water to bounce straight out like a fountain (luckily not going all over me or the floor!) without filling it up!  So I'm going to have to be careful of the angle.

I'm now really really really REALLY excited about Shark Week coming around again so I can work out exactly how often I need to empty on each day - I'm hoping I might be able to empty just 4 times on the first day which will be a huge improvement from every 2 hours with my Mooncup!   I might even take a pencil and paper into the bathroom and make a chart for future reference!

Sorry if this has already been posted, let me know if it has.

Lunette is now sold in Australia (via http://www.mylunette.com), with a discount on both the bulk packs (sold with pads or padsm cup wipes and cup cleaning gel) plus an extra 10% off if you've been on the mailing list. Type "sep2908" when prompted at the checkout (valid until Sep 29th). They say the offer is extended to my 'friends and family,' and you guys are all my friends so why not :P

The postage is free within Australia, and for the rest of the world (in AUD):
New Zealand.....................$6.40
Asia/ Pacific......................$7.50
USA/ Canada/ Middle East....$8.50
Rest of the world................$10.00

After discount:

1 cup - $47.25
Deluxe pack (cup, wipes, cleaning fluid, 2 cloth pads) - $72.45
Starter pack (cup, 2 cloth pads) - $58.95

You can also buy each of those items separately.

Remember, if you're purchasing multiple items that the 10% discount will be over EVERYTHING except shipping.

:)

Today I decided to try my size 2 Lunette. I turned 20 yesterday, so I assumed that the cup would be easier to fit in. Currently, I can fit in a finger ( index or middle) fairly easily, but two fingers (index and middle)  takes some struggle and I can not get them as far as one finger. I looked up the folds on here and I was able to easily do all of them except for the Origami fold. Then, I boiled some water in the microwave and put my Lunette in a another cup, then poured the hot water over it and left it to soak for 30 seconds. I hoped that this would make it easier to insert. However, being a virgin, I realized that I could not get my Lunette to go inside when I used the C, 7, or Punch-down folds. I do not know whether it was because I was sitting down on the toilet (maybe I could try sitting with the seat cover down) or if I was unknowingly tense or if I just have a very small opening. I began to feel slight pain at the opening of my vagina, so I decided to stop for today and try again tomorrow or on the weekend. I really want to try and get the Lunette in before my next period, so any help would be much appreciated.

I posted this on IUD Divas...but thought I'd share it here too as I learned everything I know about cups here! Thanks!
I've had my paragard since Feb 08. The insertion was painful but mostly just felt super-weird [i've never had kids nor been pregnant].
My period is longer, stronger and meaner now that I have the Paragard - but it's totally worth it.  And my period has gotten less intense with each month. [The first two months were pretty insane]

Anyhow, I'd never really heard much about menstrual cups until I started doing research about IUDs. I finally got a Lunette in May 08 -- I picked that one because it's supposedly ok to use with IUDs. I love love love it. It was kinda hard to get used to it - but it's so much better than tampons! Not to mention greener etc. I highly recommend use of a menstrual cup with IUDs. I didn't start using one til after my third period. I'd been using tampons and I don't really see how tampons are any safer than a menstrual cup! Especially with my heavy-ass paragard period, I was blood-letting through super & superplus obs like every 3 hours.

Now before I switched to the Lunette, I was sorta worried about strings and expulsion cause I definitely could feel the strings more when I was on my period [cause the cervix sits lower or whatever]. Plus my BF [who's not huge or anything] could totally feel them and said they were really pokey. so I had my gyno trim my strings at  my yearly appt.  Awesome! Now I don't worry at all about yanking it out AND my bf can't feel pokey strings anymore. Everybody wins!

I recently found out about the existence of menstrual cups (funny how we all managed to not notice them for so long, isn't it?), and now of course I want one.

While I realize that no one can tell me which one is the best cup for me, I was wondering *how* to make the decision. My determination to buy locally narrowed it down to products available in-store in Madrid, Spain (that would be the Lunette) or in Massachusetts (Diva or Keeper Mooncup). I went on and read reviews on the different brands. But: how do I know if I want a soft cup or a stiffer one, a bigger or a smaller one, for instance?

If any of you have good advice on how to "guess" these preferences before buying a cup, I'd be very interested in reading it. And if not, I'll just go and try one, I know that many of you have already listed their personal favorites here :)

This isn't a particularly important post, but I got my Lunette this past Saturday. I decided to order the size 2 since it was larger and I'm turning 20 next week. I ordered it off this online store called Leastore  because they were offering a deal for the cup with a bottle of cleaner. Well, it came in and I was surprised at how small it was. It looked bigger on here, but that's probably due to the zoom on the image. I'm going to try it as soon as I clean my bathroom and I hope it goes well on my first dry run. One question though: Do I have to boil it before I use it? I remember reading that instruction for the Diva Cup on the Diva Cup website.