annie b Posted May 4, 2006 Report Share Posted May 4, 2006 Thankyou littlegreensquirrel for this thead. I have been thinking for many years about the horrendous way we all just put our sanitary ware down the toilet. I could never understand why there were no incinerators anywhere. Years ago my father used to take all the sanitary ware to his allotment and burn them. He would never for one moment have allowed us to put them down the loo. I have always felt incredibly guilty that during my adult life I have not been in a situation that allowed me to do this. I stumbled across this website about mooncups whilst trying to find alternative methods and wish I had know about these years ago as I am now on the cusp of 'The change'. Whilst it may be too late for me to make a change I will try to encourage others to use them. As for cleaning them could they be submerged in something like a babys bottle sterilising solution or even denture cleaning tablets? just a thought. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LisaLQ Posted May 4, 2006 Report Share Posted May 4, 2006 Do you think tampons are sterilised at manufacture cos they're not?! And as the Nurses that use to deliver the talks to women for Tampax used to ask...'Do you always sterilise everything that you 'insert' into you?' Be a few men put off sex for life if you did. No but you get warnings with your tampax telling you of the risks of TSS, which apparently (forgive me if I'm wrong I'm just going on what I've read on this thread) is not a risk with these things. Yet they go in the same place, the same length of time or longer, and you reuse them after just rinsing them. Now, I dont get that - surely if TSS isn't an issue with them, it's not with tampax either - I mean, you dont see people just rinsing off their tampax and shoving it back in. You think at least wiping with some sort of antibacterial (you know, like those ones you get when having your ears pierced) wipe would be recommended. Of course, I dont know whether that's an option considering where it's going. Nope, I'd much prefer something you chuck away rather than something you just rinse under a tap/bottle of water. We use soap to wash our hands after going to the loo - you'd think there would be some risk of infection from these things, considering they're kept in a warm damp environment (sorry for being graphic). And yes, I do find pots full of sloughed womb lining pretty disgusting. Just like I dont like touching bogies, poo and I'm not following the Rolf Harris pint of p*ss diet As for the men problem, I've not had one who's lasted all day before (or up to 8 hours should I say), but if they did, then I'd probably want to sterilise their widgy just for the chance of a break.... Ps. Just to add - aren't most sanitary towels and tampons biodegradeable? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wickychoo Posted May 4, 2006 Report Share Posted May 4, 2006 (edited) No but you get warnings with your tampax telling you of the risks of TSS, which apparently (forgive me if I'm wrong I'm just going on what I've read on this thread) is not a risk with these things. Yet they go in the same place, the same length of time or longer, and you reuse them after just rinsing them. Now, I dont get that - surely if TSS isn't an issue with them, it's not with tampax either - I mean, you dont see people just rinsing off their tampax and shoving it back in. You think at least wiping with some sort of antibacterial (you know, like those ones you get when having your ears pierced) wipe would be recommended. Of course, I dont know whether that's an option considering where it's going. Nope, I'd much prefer something you chuck away rather than something you just rinse under a tap/bottle of water. We use soap to wash our hands after going to the loo - you'd think there would be some risk of infection from these things, considering they're kept in a warm damp environment (sorry for being graphic). And yes, I do find pots full of sloughed womb lining pretty disgusting. Just like I dont like touching bogies, poo and I'm not following the Rolf Harris pint of p*ss diet As for the men problem, I've not had one who's lasted all day before (or up to 8 hours should I say), but if they did, then I'd probably want to sterilise their widgy just for the chance of a break.... Ps. Just to add - aren't most sanitary towels and tampons biodegradeable? Well TSS is caused by normal bacteria that live naturally on our skin. The link they found between that and tampons was mainly to do with absorbancy (i.e. using a super in for ages when the flow is only medium/light) The bacteria breeds in the warm bloody tampon, but perhaps due to the nature of insertion/removal the vaginal walls get dry/abraded in some way and thus perhaps allow the bacteria entry into the bloodstream. I am sure that with mooncups, as they are soft silicone stuff they wouldn't cause the same level of damage or be so drying. Plus though the blood is still *inside* the contact of the mooncup with the vaginal walls is minimal, unlike tampons with seem to expand to 4 times their size or more-thereby creating a bigger bacterial breeding ground. The fact is having an internal form of protection is much more convenient and the volume of tampons that get flushed/chucked per woman per year must be immense. I am sure that the tampons themselves biodegrade (everything does eventually) but I think its perhaps more to do with landfill space, the energy taken to make them, the bleaches they use to make them whiter than white and supporting a sustainable product (and a small business not a huge muli-national one like Tampax) Edited May 4, 2006 by wickychoo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
border collie Posted May 4, 2006 Report Share Posted May 4, 2006 And yes, I do find pots full of sloughed womb lining pretty disgusting. Just like I dont like touching bogies, poo and I'm not following the Rolf Harris pint of p*ss diet SISTER! CHILL! LEARN TO LOVE YOUR BODY!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pboae Posted May 4, 2006 Report Share Posted May 4, 2006 The TSS that is associated with tampons is a form of Staph bacteria. It needs a food source, and a warm moist place to live and breed. An absorbent tampon is an ideal environment. A mooncup, or similar, is made from silicone, it won't hold the heat like a cotton type material, and there's nothing for the bacteria to grow on, so it's a much smaller risk. Having said that, TSS is pretty rare, and only causes a couple of deaths a year, and they aren't all associated with tampon use. Tampons and pads take around 6 months to degrade in a landfill. Plastic applicators, and plastic packaging, backing strips, etc, won't degrade in your lifetime. There's also an increasing problem with human biological waste in landfills (i.e. sanitary products, nappies, etc) polluting ground water. Rain passes through the landfill taking the bacteria with it that then breed in the ground water, which is either tapped directly, or eventually finds it's way into streams, etc. Water treatment works are having to be adapted to cope with this increase in bacteria, but that doesn't help people who draw their water direct from wells, or the animal, plant and insect life that survive in and around our waterways. If you know your waster goes direct to an incinerator, it's not such a big issue, but very few people know exactly where their waste is going, most councils send waste to more than one site, and they will be mixed between incinerators and landfills. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClazUK Posted May 13, 2006 Report Share Posted May 13, 2006 Having faffed about thinking of buying one for months, I just bought mine on Ebay. I *might* report back So far so very, very good And amazingly, less cramps, too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
border collie Posted May 13, 2006 Report Share Posted May 13, 2006 So far so very, very good And amazingly, less cramps, too. ooooh might order one now Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abigailj Posted May 13, 2006 Report Share Posted May 13, 2006 They send me all queasy just thinking about it. I couldn't do it Noooooooooo noooooooo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobbysmum Posted May 14, 2006 Report Share Posted May 14, 2006 re P&G I emailed the Company that sell Mooncups this morning and they replied saying they are a small independent ethical company that employees 5 staff based in Brighton they have absolutely no links with Protector and Gamble at all Sam Sorry if I caused confusion. I cant remember where I saw P&G mentioned now. I must have got my wires crossed. I'm afraid I do alot of that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClazUK Posted May 14, 2006 Report Share Posted May 14, 2006 They send me all queasy just thinking about it. I couldn't do it Noooooooooo noooooooo I'm actually finding it MUCH less ewwww than tampons 'n' stuff. And much quicker and easier and comfier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happylittlegreensquirrel Posted May 14, 2006 Report Share Posted May 14, 2006 I'm actually finding it MUCH less ewwww than tampons 'n' stuff. And much quicker and easier and comfier. I won't say I told you so Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gooster Posted May 14, 2006 Author Report Share Posted May 14, 2006 when i used one, it hurt when I took it out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owlish Posted May 14, 2006 Report Share Posted May 14, 2006 when i used one, it hurt when I took it out Do you think it might get better with practice? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClazUK Posted May 14, 2006 Report Share Posted May 14, 2006 It does, trust me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mooandboo Posted May 14, 2006 Report Share Posted May 14, 2006 Why are you all whispering? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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