An Alternative To Tampons? Try A Menstrual Cup

Dear Madame X,

Every time I have my period I get an yeast infection. Every damned time! (Talk about messy). My doctor says that tampons might be messing with my ph balance and throwing everything out of whack. That leaves me with pads which make me feel like I am wearing a diaper. Are there any other options out there for someone who doesn’t want to walk around smelling like period all day?

Surfing The Crimson Tide

Dear Surfing,

Unfortunately, there are actually a lot of women who suffer with regular yeast infections around the time of their period.

I am going to recommend you try alternative menstrual products, so hopefully this will help, but if not please do go back to your doctor and see what else might be causing this. It’s not fun to deal with, and somehow I don’t think just wearing tampons will do it, but let’s see how you go with this first.

A menstrual cup is what I am going to recommend you use. There are several different kinds but they all do the same thing. They work by collecting the blood in a small cup that sits in your vagina. You need to dump the blood out and wash it every few hours, then put it back in. They are better for vaginal health because they do no absorb moisture and they also cannot cause toxic shock syndrome, which tampons can. Not to mention you will be saving money in the long run because you can use it for years, plus you will be doing your part for the environment (have you ever thought about how many tampons and pads must be in landfills?! It’s horrendous!).

There are different types available, some are made with latex and some with silicone. There are two sizes, one for women who have been pregnant and one for women who have not.

It’s internal so you won’t walk around smelling like period, and, as a woman who has used these for almost nine years, I can say with confidence they definitely are amazing!

Here are a couple of websites to help you start your search. Have a look to see what is available where you live, but you can also buy them online off the suppliers. There are lots of choices, so see what you like the look of. It may take you a couple periods to get used to, but once you do I guarantee you’ll love it. And the good thing is that some of these companies have money back guarantees if you decide it’s not for you.

And you can also buy environmentally friendly pads if you prefer. In fact, once you start investigating, there really is a whole world of menstrual products and history out here waiting to be discovered. Check out the Museum of Menstruation if you are interested in learning more.

Madame X is a master of sex. She is adamantly pro-sex which she translates to pro-fun and pro-safety. An avid practitioner of the activity, she has also been trained in the technical dos and don’ts. No mere agony aunt, she knows of what she speaks. Send her your questions, comments, and concerns about sex and relationships here.