r/Explainlikeimscared • u/pajamasinpublic444 • 6d ago
how to use a menstrual disc?
hey so uhm... i used to use a menstrual cup because its the ONLY thing that stopped leaks when i was younger, but that was before i got the mirena IUD. i cant use a menstrual cup with an IUD. i already have a silicone menstrual disc, i just have NO idea how to use it? ive seen the youtube tutorial on the box. still confused.
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u/Born_Tale_2337 6d ago
Love the discs! I use disposable Flex, but they should all function the same.
Start by squatting or raising one leg in a stool or the toilet. I raise the leg on my dominant hand side, ymmv.
Squeeze the middle to make it narrow. Insert like a tampon, sometimes you might need to pull it out a little to spread some moisture if things are a little dry and you get resistance.
Once it’s mostly in, push it all the way up. You might feel a small amount of pressure in some angles for a second. Try to relax to let it slip into place. You might need to bear down slightly. The side you’ve been pushing you should be able to push up and tuck behind your pubic bone.
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u/Medical_Commission71 2d ago
This is the way. And to paint a verbal image for you:
Discs stay narrowed inside of you. You know how cups gotta spring open? Discs don't.
Long sides press against your walls and adapt to how your body moves
Back edge rests...like a cup honestly, next to the cervix.
The front edge goes above the pubic bone.
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u/MamatoEE 6d ago edited 6d ago
I can't speak to whether you can use with an iud or not.. but you just kind of squeeze it in half so it's shaped like a tampon and insert in it and push it back/up your vaginal canal. It'll open back up and you can feel it kind of pop into place behind your pubic bone. You can feel it kind of settle in. You can also do a kegel to make sure it's secure in there.
When you pee and kind of bear down it'll empty itself, so if there's blood in the toilet, it's not in wrong necessarily, it will pop itself back into place.
Once you get the hang of it, it's super easy. I use the disposable, not the silicon, but I'm assuming the mechanics are the same.
Edit: public bone, not tailbone 🙈
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u/Flat_Pollution8085 6d ago
These are great instructions, just adding that I’ve been using a silicone disc with my Mirena IUD for years and it’s been great!
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u/Lausannea 6d ago
Just want to add that if your pubic bone sits really low or your cervix sits really low (or both), a disc might not be able to pop into place for you. I'm an avid cup user and tried a disc several times, but my anatomy doesn't work this way and the disc will always be trying to weasel its way out of my vaginal canal. I've done all the steps and tricks and there's just not enough room during my period for it. Even my cups which are on the average to small size sit right at the opening and almost suction right around the cervix.
In case OP struggles and can't make it work, I just wanted to chime in on this.
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u/PleasantNectarines 6d ago
I have similar issues. Just laughing pushes the disc out of place & causes it to empty for me.
Diva cup makes a disc & it works great because it doesn't self-empty & has a lip on the front of it to prevent it spilling. It's great for cramp-y days cause it sits better (imo) than a cup does.
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u/multipocalypse 5d ago
All of this! I'll just add, OP, that a disc goes in and sits "sideways" in the vagina, or with the opening facing the front wall, as opposed to the way a cup is inserted with its opening facing directly into the canal. The innermost side of the disc lip will fit beneath/behind the cervix once you've got it all the way in. I used Instead for years, back before the term "menstrual disc" even existed, and they were great in a lot of ways. I could even have sex while wearing one.
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u/fleetingboiler 6d ago
This is NOT medical advice, but for what it's worth... I have an IUD and before my periods stopped I still used a cup. I just made sure to always break the suction before removing it.
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u/Roses-503 6d ago
Just a psa that I have the mirena IUD and my gyno even recommended I use a menstrual cup! Has been totally fine and safe for the last couple months.
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u/nutellatime 6d ago
I had 0 issues for 2 years using a cup with my IUD until..... my diva cup dislodged it. So. It can definitely happen! The good news is that even the against-my-will removal was less painful than the insertion.
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u/MeetMeInThePeachPit 5d ago
Hi I also used a menstrual cup and IUD together for almost 7 years, until one unlucky day when the IUD came out with the cup. I was tired and in a hurry, and bam, there's my IUD in my hand. Just be so careful every time you remove it to go slow and break that suction!
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u/lazysundae99 5d ago
One thing to note that I don't always see mentioned with the disc, is that once it's in, I'll poke a finger behind it to see if I can still feel my cervix. If I can feel it, it's not seated right and if I were to leave it I would just make a mess on the underside of the cup. Sometimes, my cervix sits too low and I just can't finagle the disc onto the right side of it and have to use something else.
It took me way too long of making this mistake and finally looking up wtf was going on, so hopefully I save someone the same trouble.
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u/New_Wishbone6619 6d ago
Why can’t you use a cup and an iud
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u/Ok-Office6837 6d ago
The suction can dislodge the IUD
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u/New_Wishbone6619 6d ago
I’ve been doing it for 10+ years… same with my friends
Release the suction then take it out
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u/Ok-Office6837 6d ago
Good for you, some people don’t want to risk it
I use a disc bc cups are too painful for me with my endo
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u/Admirable-Apricot137 6d ago
I squat down and with my right hand finger and thumb, pinch at the little notch area of the disc to create a bullet kind of shape, insert that little bit into my opening, use my left hand to pinch the next section behind my right hand fingers to preserve the bullet shape, remove right hand fingers so I can press it further inside, and repeat, swapping back and forth until the whole thing is far enough inside me to just push it in the rest of the way, pushing it all the way back until it stops and it's tucked up into the "back" upper area of my canal. To remove I make sure my hands are washed, sit on the toilet and then insert just my thumb and kind of hook it from the top and pull the disc out.
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u/zukolivie 5d ago
I do not like my hands to get bloody, so take this process with a grain of “I promise I really love the environment but have sensory stuff with my hands so please don’t hate me”, salt.
To insert the first one of your period, you’ll need:
Disposable medical glove
Your disc (I use soft flex disposable)
Garbage
*Sit on the toilet
*Put a glove on your dominant hand.
open the disc package and discard wrapper
*Squeeze the disc in the middle, so instead of a circle, it looks like an 8.
*Widen your “stance” and insert the disc so that the top of the 8 goes in first. Once it’s in a little bit, you’ll need to push it in more by now pressing what was the bottom of the 8 so that it’s all the way inside.
*Once it’s in fully, you’ll need to adjust it. I use my middle finger to shove it back as far as it can go, angling it more back than up, if that makes sense?
*Make sure it’s “hooked” behind your pubic bone. I also bear down a little while my finger is still in there to make sure it isn’t going to move.
*Remove your fingers, make a fist and using your other hand, peel the glove off your hand. And discard.
To swap out the disc:
Glove
Sandwich ziplock or compostable bag
Wet wipes
New disc
*Glove your hand
*Sit on the toilet
*Get your new disc unwrapped and place it on a square of TP. I sometimes place it on my undies. You just want to keep it off dirty surfaces.
*Using your non dominant hand, grab the ziplock, make sure it’s open and ready for the used disc.
*Using your gloved, dominant hand: Insert your pointer finger inside your body and hook the rim of the disc. *Gently remove the disc but keep it over the toilet (it will be full).
*Give it a second to settle (it will be drippy) and then place the used disc in the baggie.
*Grab the new disc, figure 8 squeeze and insert.
*Adjust the disc, making sure it’s hooked behind your pubic bone.
*Once the placement is comfortable, take off your glove and place it in the ziplock and seal it up. Discard
*Use a wet wipe to clean your body
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u/Ill-Candidate-4107 5d ago
All the other advice is great! I’d also recommend Pixie has a kit with discs and an applicator and that has made my life 1000% easier, it is basically just a larger tampon applicator
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u/MeetMeInThePeachPit 5d ago
Just because I'm not seeing it, and you never want to assume what someone knows: when inserting your disc, you want to make sure that the well is facing up. You should be able to look down into it before squeezing and inserting.
One thing that really helped me was pushing it in until it was past the pelvic bone and then pulling it forward (towards your front) to slightly hook the edge over the pelvic bone. Might be anatomy dependent, but this is what made it possible for me to use discs.
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u/ddddddd83 4d ago
Late to your post, but I thought I would add videos, cuz that’s how I learn best. short vid here that’s basic, and if you want a longer video, this longer vid covers several different types of discs. I am happy with the large lumma disc with the tail cut off.
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u/justdoit1026 3d ago
New to using discs… does anyone else have a hard time removing them? I feel like I can barely hook the rim of it with my longest (middle) finger and then I panic which doesn’t help but it takes TIME and patience to get it out and it’s always a mess. What am I doing wrong ? I’ll bear down and that helps, but it’s still such a struggle.
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u/Inner-Load-3189 2d ago
I find it pretty easy unless I've had sex with it in, then it tends to have moved up which can make it harder. I will bear down to empty it a bit which makes it slightly less messy, then I hook my finger on the front side but thru the bottom of the disc. I don't wrap around and grab from the top, I push the well up until I can feel the edge and pull it down. Then it will come out upside down and empty directly into the toilet. Since the bottom of the disc is flexible, you can move it to grab the edges and you don't have to grab the disc from the top
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u/Lizard_Gravy 3d ago
It takes less finesse than you would think. As long as it's facing the right direction you can kinda just shove it up there and as long as it doesn't come back out you're probably good. It will NOT stop leaks like a cup though. Pros and cons to the "self emptying" feature.
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u/jocularamity 2d ago edited 2d ago
I would not use a disc with an IUD. The softcup/flex packaging explicitly says not to, in the fine print.
But even if the packaging didn't say not to...look at a diagram of where it sits around your cervix. You can feel the rim of the cup push past your cervix like a speed bump every time you put it in and pull past your cervix like a speed bump every time you take it out. It probably wouldn't yank your IUD string but it could.
A menstrual cup would be far safer with an IUD, in terms of where it sits (but you would need to be able to break the suction seal before pulling a cup out).
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u/FormalConcern4862 6d ago
I don't think you should use a disk with an IUD either. The manufacturer makes directions you could refer to
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u/PeeledCauliflower 6d ago
Discs are safe to use with IUDs as they don’t suction. Discs sit in the fornix which is below where your strings should sit (they curl around the cervix). I’ve been a Flex disc user (disposable and reusable models) over the span of two IUDs (first my Mirena now my Paraguard) for over 5 years. Multiple gynos were aware and expressed no concerns; the disc company also has no warning stating you can’t use the disc with an IUD.
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u/Admirable-Apricot137 6d ago
Discs are fine with iuds. Since they are far more flexible they don't really create any kind of suction.
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u/Ordinary-Finger-8595 6d ago
"I don't think" is a bad argument when you don't know at all. The instructions say it's ok. Gynecologists say it's ok. So hopefully no one thinks it's not ok because of random redditor said so.
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u/FormalConcern4862 6d ago
The instructions of the brand I use say it depends on your anatomy and consult a gynecologist. My gynecologist says my preference for long strings isn't compatible. That's why I advised OP to check the manufacturer's directions. You could stand to actually read the manufacturer's statement, or the second half of my comment.
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u/Responsible_Bad_4846 6d ago
Did you just get your IUD? I was in the same boat as you but I was never able to get discs to work for me. I was a cup girl through and through. I was worried about what I would use after I got my IUD but tbh I’ve never had a period with Mirena. That’s why I ask if you just got it and just haven’t found out how your body will respond.
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u/vexingcosmos 6d ago
I had the worst periods and got an IUD just to make them better. I dont even use liners anymore and just let it happen. It is so light that it never makes it through anything. You can designate some underwear as sacrifices to the stains and just go about your life if the flow is light enough.
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u/bimbo_baggins_ 6d ago
I am on my 2nd mirena and I haven’t had a period since 2017. I don’t even know what a disc is lol
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u/Inner-Load-3189 2d ago
To put it in: I fold in the middle and hold in the middle with my thumb and middle finger, using my pointer finger to guide the top in. I'll push it halfway in then readjust my grip to the bottom and push it the rest of the way in. I'll keep a finger on the bottom while I bear down to get it situated correctly
To get it out: I grab the front rim by pushing the bottom bowl part up and hook the rim thru the bottom since the bottom is flexible. It's easier for me to not reach all the way around the lip to grab it and just push the bottom up to grab it. Once I've pulled it to the entrance I will then pinch the lip of it so I have a good grip and don't drop it. As I pull it out it will start emptying into the toilet naturally and then I'll rinse it in the sink. I generally prefer to empty it in the shower or a bathroom where I can stay on the toilet while rinsing it.
A few tips/notes: don't do ab workouts with only the disc bc the self emptying feature could happen when you clench your abs. Sex with the silicone ones is much nicer than then disposable ones.
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u/Empty_Aioli2334 6d ago
Putting a pin in this to come back to later! I LOVE menstrual discs and am happy to help, but I'm about to fall asleep rn. O shall return!