let's talk tampons
The majority of the male population reading this just got the heebie-jeebies. The majority of the female population reading this just let out a collective sympathetic groan. However, the reason for today's post on girly inserts is quite serious.
A week ago today, my best friend's daughter was complaining of flu-like symptoms - dizziness, nausea, weak knees. By Friday she had spiked a temperature and started going into shock. On Saturday, we almost lost her. She was one of those statistical anomolies that ends up with TSS - toxic shock syndrome, the whole point of that little piece of paper folded up in every box of tampons. Not so you men can open it to ogle the creepy cartoon of the sectioned woman spreading her labia with her fingers. (We know you've looked. It's OK.)
Now, her Mom isn't sure if her daughter was using tampons for too long, or too powerful of an absorbancy, or if her vaginal pH just happened to be off enough, or if other infections she had going on contributed, but the fact of the matter is, a little 13 year old girl laid up in the hospital fighting for her life the other night - something that, quite frankly, was avoidable. Here are the facts, straight up:
Tampons contain bleach and other chemicals to make them all sparkly white and government approved. Although they come in standardized absorbencies, many women lean towards the higher absorbencies to minimize the frequency of having to change it; if the tampon has not absorbed enough moisture, removal can be painful and can actually cause damage to the vagina. Tampons are made from cotton and/or rayon, either of which can leave fibres in the vaginal canal. Tampons screw up the vaginal pH, and interfere with the vagina's natural process of sloughing cells and bacteria. And unless you tuck, there's pee on that damned string after you go to the bathroom. You can use Sea Pearls (re-usable sea sponge tampons) but again, any use of tampons is associated with a risk of TSS, especially once you've already had it.
Let's talk pads now. You can buy commercially made disposable ones, or you can wear reusable, washable cloth pads. Most women prefer tampons over pads for comfort and convenience reasons - it ain't fun waking around with a banana-sized wad between your legs. It makes swimming a no-go. It's more discreet tucking a tampon in your sleeve and sneaking off to the potty than whipping out your winged panty surfboard. And if you're wearing Lulu Lemon yoga pants... never mind. The other problems associated with mentrual pads include increased possibility of yeast infections, transfer of bacteria (e coli) from the anus to the vagina or urethra, and allergic reactions. My personal biggest beef with pads is the fact that they don't lock in that odour - and yes, ladies, let's admit it - menstrual blood in a pad or a tampon smells no different than raw hamburger. Or raw hamburger with baby powder shuffed on it if you're into the scented pads. It's simply because blood meets air and smells like *that.* You won't get TSS from a pad, though. A UTI maybe, a week off from synchro practice, but highly unlikely you'll be laid up in the hospital with your liver and kidneys shutting down.
There is option C, which I am still shocked to know how few ladies are aware of: menstrual cups - little discs specifically designed for internal use, made from hypoallergenic, surgical silicon, perfect for Lulu Lemon even. The most common ones around these here parts are the Diva Cup, and Instead Cups, though there are considerably more on the market.
The Diva Cup sits in the vaginal canal and collects the flow as it travels down the canal. They are reusable up to 10 years (wash with hot soapy water and re-insert), can be safely worn for 12 hours with no history of being associated with TSS, and hold way more flow than even the highest absorbency tampon. Because they are worn in the vaginal canal, it could make intercourse interesting...
Instead cups are silicon cups worn further up in the body, positioned high in the vagina right at the opening of the cervix where a diaphragm would go - so it doesn't interfere with intercourse at all (sorry - they have no contraceptive abilities.) They are marketed as disposable, but it's fairly widely accepted that you can in fact re-use them for up to an entire cycle if, like the Diva Cup, they are washed with hot soapy water. Silicon is silicon - run 'em through the dishwasher if you feel so inclined... They cost only slightly more than tampons and pads. And although they, too, can be worn for comparatively long periods of time with no risk of TSS, they do not collect as much flow as the Diva Cup can.
Both the Diva Cup and Instead option produce considerably less waste than disposable cloth/paper feminine hygiene products. However, they are not biodegradable, and as a 'disposable' product, that might be a concern for you. You can buy special washing products for menstrual cups. I guess the biggest drawback is to clean up while using the Diva Cup and/or Instead - I imagine it might be weird to be in a restaurant and see someone standing there in the bathroom with their pants around their ankles rinsing the blood from their feminine hygiene products...
Though they were introduced around the same time as tampons (which almost failed until the applicator was introduced) the number one reason menstrual cups haven't caught on is because women are weirded out at the thought of putting their fingers in their vaginas. Especially while they are bleeding. Get over it.
My girlfriend's daughter is lucky - she's doing much better now, and may get to go home today or tomorrow if she continues to improve, but will likely be off schoool for at least another week. The doctors said that had she not been such a healthy athletic young woman, she likely wouldn't have pullee through. I'm confident she'll be OK in a couple of weeks - she managed to muster the strength to kick me in the butt as I got up to leave yesterday for teasing her about how hairy her legs were...
For more information about TSS please go here.
For more information on tampons, please go here.
For more information on fabric pads please go here.
For more information on Diva Cups, please go here. (They even have a handy store locator...)
For more information on Instead cups, please go here.
For a comparison of menstrual cups, please go here.
A week ago today, my best friend's daughter was complaining of flu-like symptoms - dizziness, nausea, weak knees. By Friday she had spiked a temperature and started going into shock. On Saturday, we almost lost her. She was one of those statistical anomolies that ends up with TSS - toxic shock syndrome, the whole point of that little piece of paper folded up in every box of tampons. Not so you men can open it to ogle the creepy cartoon of the sectioned woman spreading her labia with her fingers. (We know you've looked. It's OK.)
Now, her Mom isn't sure if her daughter was using tampons for too long, or too powerful of an absorbancy, or if her vaginal pH just happened to be off enough, or if other infections she had going on contributed, but the fact of the matter is, a little 13 year old girl laid up in the hospital fighting for her life the other night - something that, quite frankly, was avoidable. Here are the facts, straight up:
Tampons contain bleach and other chemicals to make them all sparkly white and government approved. Although they come in standardized absorbencies, many women lean towards the higher absorbencies to minimize the frequency of having to change it; if the tampon has not absorbed enough moisture, removal can be painful and can actually cause damage to the vagina. Tampons are made from cotton and/or rayon, either of which can leave fibres in the vaginal canal. Tampons screw up the vaginal pH, and interfere with the vagina's natural process of sloughing cells and bacteria. And unless you tuck, there's pee on that damned string after you go to the bathroom. You can use Sea Pearls (re-usable sea sponge tampons) but again, any use of tampons is associated with a risk of TSS, especially once you've already had it.
Let's talk pads now. You can buy commercially made disposable ones, or you can wear reusable, washable cloth pads. Most women prefer tampons over pads for comfort and convenience reasons - it ain't fun waking around with a banana-sized wad between your legs. It makes swimming a no-go. It's more discreet tucking a tampon in your sleeve and sneaking off to the potty than whipping out your winged panty surfboard. And if you're wearing Lulu Lemon yoga pants... never mind. The other problems associated with mentrual pads include increased possibility of yeast infections, transfer of bacteria (e coli) from the anus to the vagina or urethra, and allergic reactions. My personal biggest beef with pads is the fact that they don't lock in that odour - and yes, ladies, let's admit it - menstrual blood in a pad or a tampon smells no different than raw hamburger. Or raw hamburger with baby powder shuffed on it if you're into the scented pads. It's simply because blood meets air and smells like *that.* You won't get TSS from a pad, though. A UTI maybe, a week off from synchro practice, but highly unlikely you'll be laid up in the hospital with your liver and kidneys shutting down.
There is option C, which I am still shocked to know how few ladies are aware of: menstrual cups - little discs specifically designed for internal use, made from hypoallergenic, surgical silicon, perfect for Lulu Lemon even. The most common ones around these here parts are the Diva Cup, and Instead Cups, though there are considerably more on the market.
The Diva Cup sits in the vaginal canal and collects the flow as it travels down the canal. They are reusable up to 10 years (wash with hot soapy water and re-insert), can be safely worn for 12 hours with no history of being associated with TSS, and hold way more flow than even the highest absorbency tampon. Because they are worn in the vaginal canal, it could make intercourse interesting...
Instead cups are silicon cups worn further up in the body, positioned high in the vagina right at the opening of the cervix where a diaphragm would go - so it doesn't interfere with intercourse at all (sorry - they have no contraceptive abilities.) They are marketed as disposable, but it's fairly widely accepted that you can in fact re-use them for up to an entire cycle if, like the Diva Cup, they are washed with hot soapy water. Silicon is silicon - run 'em through the dishwasher if you feel so inclined... They cost only slightly more than tampons and pads. And although they, too, can be worn for comparatively long periods of time with no risk of TSS, they do not collect as much flow as the Diva Cup can.
Both the Diva Cup and Instead option produce considerably less waste than disposable cloth/paper feminine hygiene products. However, they are not biodegradable, and as a 'disposable' product, that might be a concern for you. You can buy special washing products for menstrual cups. I guess the biggest drawback is to clean up while using the Diva Cup and/or Instead - I imagine it might be weird to be in a restaurant and see someone standing there in the bathroom with their pants around their ankles rinsing the blood from their feminine hygiene products...
Though they were introduced around the same time as tampons (which almost failed until the applicator was introduced) the number one reason menstrual cups haven't caught on is because women are weirded out at the thought of putting their fingers in their vaginas. Especially while they are bleeding. Get over it.
My girlfriend's daughter is lucky - she's doing much better now, and may get to go home today or tomorrow if she continues to improve, but will likely be off schoool for at least another week. The doctors said that had she not been such a healthy athletic young woman, she likely wouldn't have pullee through. I'm confident she'll be OK in a couple of weeks - she managed to muster the strength to kick me in the butt as I got up to leave yesterday for teasing her about how hairy her legs were...
For more information about TSS please go here.
For more information on tampons, please go here.
For more information on fabric pads please go here.
For more information on Diva Cups, please go here. (They even have a handy store locator...)
For more information on Instead cups, please go here.
For a comparison of menstrual cups, please go here.
Comments
In regards to washing at work umm yeah, that could be sort of awkward LOL. The company should market a wash container as well, that you could discreetly take in to the bathroom stall with you. Hmm maybe I should write a letter...
And yes, it takes some practice, but it can be done. I used Insteads for years, but ended up going back to Tampons because they were more readily available. Effective immediately, I am going back.
Sounds like there is more info now about what causes TSS. It first became known when super absorbent tampons came on the market and right away women became very sick and even died from TSS. Most women went back to regular tampons which had to be changed more often and therefore were unlikely to cause TSS. Don't hear about TSS much anymore but obviously it hasn't gone away.
Glad the young lady is okay now. That was a close call.