Girls! Pads or Tampons?

[phalaena]

Pads. I use Natracare it's organic, biodegradable, and free of chemicals used in commercial brands. I tried tampons when I was younger and I screamed a bit when it was time to take it out...never again. I tried cups but they were very uncomfortable to me. There's a warning not to use it if you have a tilted uterus or pelvis or something. I don't think that's my problem but I can only use external products. I guess I'm too sensitive.

Eventually I'm switching to handmade pads that I can wash and re-use. Just so I'm not throwing numerous pads away every month.

[paperwishes]

I use tampons + pantyliners because I have a really heavy period and I don't want to feel like I'm wearing a diaper. I sleep in pads though because I don't like the idea of sleeping with a tampon in (TSS fear~~)

Menstrual cups gross me the eff out.

[drjohnhwatson]

I've always used pads. I'm a bit...well, I tend to think the worse with anything medical, and so I was always overly concerned about TSS. I don't relish the thought of sticking something inside me, and I figure it would be my luck that it would end up leaking anyway so I would wear a pad as extra precaution even if I DID use a tampon. Or the cup. Which sounds a bit uncomfortable after looking through the posts describing it (for me, anyway. Ya'll do what you gotta do if it is preferable and comfortable for you ^_^ ). I also had a horror story ages ago from a friend about a mutual friend of ours who wanted to see what a tampon was like and apparently tried it when she wasn't on her period and got it stuck, eventually having to use a butter knife to help her get it out .

Although I gotta say, my last time of the month was just a nightmare and I might as well have not been wearing anything with how well the pad served me!

[The Wreyck]

Pads. I bought tampons this one time and couldn't figure out how to use them (or rather, was too scared to really use them), it's a rather embarrassing experience...

My introduction to the world of masturbation was actually my exploring that area down there in order to become more comfortable with it all in my trying to figure out how to use tampons. I was too embarrassed to ask, but I couldn't stand pads and just HAD to start using tampons. Was months before I felt confident enough in my knowledge of my nether regions to use a tampon.

[binary suns]

[Kazu]

I use pads. I'm not too keen on the idea of sticking something up there. If it's true you barely feel your tampon when it's in I worry I'd forget it's there so... And the whole taking it out process doesn't sound fun. I don't particularly like the feeling of pads but I've gotten used to it over the years

[NJMoose]

if I needed them, I'm pretty sure I'd be using tampons, because thats what ( i think) my sister used when we were younger, and like, I copied everything after my sister. so.

it is possible that like, if you can feel them move around, that I wouldn't be able to wear them, but then again, I'd probably be more irritated by the contact of pads, but I dont know. I'm not female :P

menstral cups look like their made from the (so far unidentified) materiela that ALWAYS makes me itch. I dont know what material it is, but it like always makes me itch, like even touching it with my hands and then scratching my nose, my nose itches.

Most menstrual cups are made from medical grade silicone or some sort of silicone rubber.

the difference is with softcups which use a harder silicone rubber and plastic. Both are supposedly hypoallergenic.

Ive never had issues with tampons and irritation, however I have had the not so fun diper rash/ pad rash reaction from certain high synthetic pads. Which is probably the most irritating thing about pads for me.

[wildphoenix1984]

Originally I used tampons for convenience (I couldn't get pads to stick to my pants and not me!) I did use a Mooncup for a number of years, but there's been some concern as to if it irritated some of my innards as when I went to get my first smear test, it took several tests for them to get a sample that hadn't bled as soon as they touched it in situ, which was related to a rough spot that only appeared after I started using the 'cup (This could've been age though, or could've been other things - and no, I'm not allergic to rubber).

I didn't want to go to pads but I am for the moment. If I have no problems with my next smear I may have to continue with pads. I still use the 'cup when I go swimming though, as I'm only using it for a couple of hours at a time.
I will say I found it so much better than tampons for comfort once I got used to where it fitted though. Even if mine did leak during my heavy times.

[AnimalLovingFreak]

Pads. Tampon horror stories give me the heebie jeebies.

[xLiraelx]

Yeah, pads disgust me sooo much, can't stand to wear them anymore. Tampons, and I've used sea sponge tampons and diva cups

[ficgal]

Tampons are too much of a pain. I'd rather not have to deal with that unwanted visitor.

[Jezebel Blue]

My choice is "other", because I use menstrual cups and cloth pads.

[bramzambies]

I loathe pads. It's like wearing a tiny, itchy, sticky diaper. No thank you. I was resigned to using them in high school because my mother was in the "virgins can't use tampons" camp. Eventually I just started buying them myself. Of course tampons are uncomfortable in a different way, but I find they're the lesser of two evils. I did consider buying one of those Moon Cup things but never got around to actually trying it, and now I have no reason to since I decided to give up my period altogether. I've been on the pill for about two years (hormone reasons) and haven't had a period in about 8 months now. Sugar pills and naysayers* can go punch themselves in the face for all I care, it's nothing but a nuisance, I never asked for it, and I won't sit idly by and suffer through the physical symptoms and gender/body dysphoria every month when I have the option to avoid it completely.

*ie. "You shouldn't do that! Skipping your period is bad for your health!" Like, it's not freaking building up in there, you have been misinformed. Kindly get out of my face and let me decide what I want to do with my own body.

[pyroshadow]

Ohh man, sorry if this ends up TMI, so I'll hide the 'extra' bits xD

It's always amazes me everyone's different views on which is worse =/ I feel like maybe one day we'll get something awesome to all agree it's best.

but my periods are screwed, I'd get super heavy ones for 8-10 days with 14 days in between them if I was lucky,

So I tried tampons and they were super uncomfortable and I could only get them in by lying down and buying applicator ones, I've hurt myself pretty bad with tampons several times from slightly in correct insertion that made it almost impossible to walk from crap, but removing a barely used one is painful as hell.

I've found pads (and liners) are way easier, BUT it varies HUGELY ON THE BRAND there's like 20 in my super market and only 2 I can buy without it feeling super weird, these are my fav http://ubykotex.co.nz/pads the draw string bag is handy, they dont do the whole "fit to your underwear" that libra do (who are also good), but the texture of the pad is comfortable and I carry around baby wipes to help keep the area clean.

I started to look into those cup things when I came off the pill,

because it stopped working for me after being on it for 5/6 years and they tried all sorts of others and higher dosages and stuff,

but the idea of sticking something up there still creeper me out, eventually I was talked in to getting a mirena, best decision ever, ...once you get past the getting it done part, luckily I had amazing super awesome female doctor and nurse who told me I handled it well... most of you lucky people would after 3 months stop getting your periods for the 5 years its active! I unfortunately still have an over ambitious womb cleaning system, but I often get away with just liners now with only 1-3 days of needing a pad.

/end the wall of text

[FreyLokey]

I usually wear pads cause they are easier and not as messy and I find tampons hurt sometimes or they feel uncomfortable. I use the wings ones cause I find the ones without move around and cause a mess. If I'm having a super heavy time then I do use tampons with a pad for protection at night.

[DivinePrince]

I used to be on a birth control pill. It took only 2 months before I stopped bleeding completely.

I am currently on the Depo-Provera Birth Control injection. It lasts 3 months. I started 2 days ago, no spotting or bleeding.

I am planning to use this for a few years and then look at getting a Hormonal IUD ( Lasts 5 years before it needs changing)

I am so fucking happy I made the decision to stop my periods permanently. I have mental illness, they'd get worse on my period and I'd become self-hating. Also extremely irregular periods were no fun because I never ever knew when they would come. Sometimes they even skipped a month on me and catch me off guard when it started again.

I fucking love whoever came up with the idea of hormonal birth control. i fucking love you.

[Ficulnean]

If anyone answers . . . what are menustral cups. Oh, nevermind. An other option is always necessary, apparently.

[awkwardfeminist]

Cup! Some days I use days pads - sometimes the cup is just a lot of hassle when I'm experiencing heavy flow or lots of cramps. Sometimes I feel like it increases my cramps, sometimes I just feel like pads are easier for the shitty days when bedrest is pretty much the only option. I don't really like pads, at all (I was a long time tampon user before I bought my cup), but somedays I just don't want to insert anything.

[Hazel lights]

Pads. I'm really squemish when it comes to the idea of inserting anything into my vagina and I've never been able to do it. I'm so glad to hear there are lots of other people who won't wear tampons, I thougt I was weird for never having worn a tampon. Also is it really that common for the birth control pill to stop your period? I know that in some cases it can slow and then eventually stop your period, but I'm on it and I have a regular period that's perhaps on the lighter sidd and I assumed that's how it worked for the majority of people who take the pill.

[RK800]

Can't tell if I've commented here before but.....

pads.

Definitely pads and almost always biodegradable ones at that (thinking about trying those cloth ones some time). The idea of a tampon or cup irks me.

[LeaveOnYourColours]

First, only pads. Then, only tampons.

Now...

MENSTRUAL CUP.

I'll be using it for the first time on my next cycle. I've never been so excited to bleed my guts out and cramp up so hard I see stars for 7+ days. :P

Pads felt weird to me and, as a student who sits for hours a day, I'd get an itchy crosshatch pattern pressed into my skin. Awful.

[Grumpy Alien]

I'm not physically capable of using tampons.

[Bezzy-Loo]

I have to use both. I'm a heavy bleeder.

I'm going to have to look into menstrual cups though. This is the first I've heard of them,

[MishMeesh]

I've been researching getting a menstrual cup over the past several months. I'm tired of buying pads and tampons. -_-

But at the moment I use both pads and tampons depending on the situation. I feel like most of my friends who have periods use tampons, and when I told them I'd only ever used pads some of them were like "what?" I honestly never used tampons until about a year or so ago. My cousin actually got TSS and it was really bad. She almost died. So I was really weary of tampons. But the convenience of them eventually won me over. I still mostly rely on pads. I only have a couple of days per cycle that I use tampons, just on the heavier days. (TMI: having to remove a dry tampon is one of my least favourite experiences and should be avoided at all costs.)

By the way, U by Kotex pads are waaaay more comfortable than Always pads. Way softer and less irritating wings, too. Always pads used to make me itch and they feel papery in comparison. Kotex pads feel cloth-like. Be kind to yourself and stop using Always pads.

[Mulan]

I'm pretty old school so, pads not tampoons. In fact I've never ever used one. I didn't know about the other options until today.

[C8H7N3O2]

Pads.. no 2 ways about it. Super absorbancy is a must and I can't be forced to visit the bathroom every hour.

When I was younger -before I needed any of this- I would get those kits from school with the deodorant in them, take them home and read the tampons. They freaked me out and TSS terrifies me.

Sort of recently I actually tried a tampon... so when I say it was weird, utterly wrong, and a complete fail - I'm not exaggerating.

By the way, U by Kotex pads are waaaay more comfortable than Always pads. Way softer and less irritating wings, too. Always pads used to make me itch and they feel papery in comparison. Kotex pads feel cloth-like. Be kind to yourself and stop using Always pads.

Always has never done me right. Like.. When I was a youngin I didn't know any better and it was before they changed the form or whatever. The new stuff doesn't absorb too well. Tried Kotex and the texture was a little off. The brand I travel all over for and find absolutely perfect in every way is Stayfree.

[kaysir]

Tampons because the way pads feel bothers me more and tampons usually work better for the majority of activities I get up to.

[Pengwyn]

Pads. It means I don't have to fiddle about down there and I don't have something sticking in me.

[Shamala]

Pads. Not comfortable with the idea of sticking anything in there.

[*a*rteest]

Pads. I've heard of Diva cups for years but have never sprung to try them. I'd like something a little more environmentally friendly but I worry that my flow is just too heavy for anything else but a pad, changing it every two hours or so.

Tried tampons and that's a little too biological for me, plus I can feel it in there because I have to use HEAVY flow ones and it's annoying. And I leaked all over the place anyway. Plus i'm just too scatterbrained to remember to take them out so I'm a TSS case waiting to happen.

I'd love to try reuseable cotton pads (because I think I'm allergic to the material on regular pads) but most days due to work I'm not in a place where I can clean them.

I realize I will probably never have sex, and I'm a virgin at almost 40 but I've already had taken birth control pills to regulate my out of control flow, and I'm childfree so I've had my tubes tied.

Tying my tubes is STRICT birth control and nothing else, but the Pill does NOT work the same way for women as Viagra does for men. The pill is MEDICINE. it helps you control your crazy periods and it prevents ovarian cancer. I was taking The Pill AS MEDICINE and not as birth control.