Disclaimer, this article contains descriptions about blood and bleeding so if you are squeamish, then this might not be for you.
So while I was using cups, I became aware of menstrual discs. Never thought about trying them because removal looked hard (thanks to my short fingers) until the Lumma disc came out. This disc has a ‘tail’ on the rim so I felt brave enough to give it a go.
What is a menstrual disc?
A menstrual disc is another internal device that is inserted to collect the blood, unlike the menstrual cup though, it does not rely on suction to stay in place. Rather, it sits in the vaginal fornix, tucked behind the pubic bone.
*Image curtesy of Putacupinit
How do you insert it? It looks even bigger than a cup!
While they definitely look big, menstrual discs are easily collapsable. The rim is pinched to become long and narrow and is in my opinion easier to insert than a cup.
Why you should try one
As mentioned previously, menstrual discs do not rely on suction to stay in place so for those with IUDs, a disc may give you a better peace of mind. If the cup just doesn’t work for you, then maybe the disc will. I wanted to try one as I would always leak on my heavy days with my cup. Another thing that you could do with discs but not cups is that you could have penetrative intercourse during that time of the month.
My experience with the disc (specifically the Lumma)
The only reason I gave discs a go is because the Lumma comes with a tail on the rim. Kim from Period Nirvana raved about it which was enough to convince me to try. I decided that the first night of my period was when I was going to test it out so when that time came, I was a little nervous but also curious whether it would solve all my leaking issues. Inserting the disc was easier than I had anticipated, the disc became very slim and streamlined after I pinched the sides together, it just slid right in.
The more difficult part was tucking it behind the pubic bone. I had no idea if what I did was correct, I couldn’t feel it so I just hoped for the best and went to sleep. The next morning, I woke up dry and there was no morning gush like I always had with the cup. Wow, I thought, is this a fluke? I sat on the toilet and started pulling on the tail and lo and behold, a night’s worth of blood just poured all over my right hand. It was the most messy removal of any device I have ever used. Even now, with a lot more experience, removal is still messy and I don’t think there’s any way around that. The rest is pretty much the same as a cup - rinse and reinsert.
My thoughts
Overall I really like the Lumma disc. It solved all my night time leaking issues which is mind blowing! It only leaked on me when I was sleeping once and that’s because the disc popped out of my public bone. As for day time, I still leak sometimes which may be down to user error. I find removal a lot easier but messier than a cup so that’s something to consider, especially if you don’t have access to a sink (ie public bathroom). The key to success is to make sure that the disc is sitting behind your cervix and not next to it and that you wedge it well enough so it doesn’t pop out from behind your pubic bone. Another pretty cool feature of the disc is the ‘auto dump’ function where every time you go to the bathroom, some of the contents will get emptied while you are on the toilet without having to take the disc out. This can also be a downfall as at times it will empty a little if I’ve engaged my pelvic floor so I always wear period undies as backup. Comfort wise, sometimes I could feel the tail poking me a little but it’s a trade off I’m willing to make as there’s no way I’m cutting that off!
Summary
Overall, I really like the Lumma disc and I feel like it has reduced my leaking to the point where it’s no longer a concern. I don’t leak at night time anymore and that was my biggest gripe with cups. As for during the day, I’ve had times where I didn’t leak so I feel like my leaking could still be down to user error.
Pros
- Only need to change twice a day
- Comfortable ie can’t feel it when placed correctly
- When it works (ie no leaks or discomfort), you forget you’re on your period
- Discreet as it’s internal so in theory it’s fine for physical activities but in my experience, I find it less reliable than a cup due to the auto dump function
- No extra laundry unlike cloth pads, just empty, rinse and reinsert
- Health benefits - chemical and fragrance free
- Reusable – use the same disc every cycle, no landfill waste
- Auto dump without needing to remove
- No suction, ideal for use with IUD
Cons
- The biggest con is that the removal is SUPER MESSY! Bloody fingers (and possibly hand) is unavoidable
- You have to really know your body and be comfortable with insertion as it is more involved than a cup. Your finger will have to go pretty deep to push the disc behind the pubic bone. I find removal of the Lumma disc to be very simple and less intrusive than a cup but again, MESSY!
- There’s a learning curve so you won’t master it first go
- You could do everything right and the disc may just not work for you
Verdict
If you feel comfortable enough after reading this article about the messiness of removal, I would highly recommend that you give discs a try. I only used the Lumma so I can’t comment about the other ones out on the market but I’ve had great success with it and hope you will too. Periods are still a pain every month but it’s a sign that your body is healthy and strong enough to support life. I used to hate my monthlies but with the discovery and use of reusable menstrual products, shark week has been greeted with a lot less dread.
*If you want to try the Lumma disc, wait for their buy one get one free deals which happen quite often! This article is not sponsored.
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