UKH

Having a little time by myself,i listen to radio 4.Women question time was about tampons. I know it sad, anyway at the end they say , that a lots of womens telephoned and email to give they view on the subject.
Its a women world on radio 4
Anyway i learn that
They make some that you can use again[ washable].
So womens are you ready to do your bit and save the planete?
brixton climber

In reply to brixton climber: Dude- thanks for your very extensive photo library.

If I ever took a funny turn and thought that southern sandstone might need an exploratory visit, your photos have shown me the light.

It looks like Calverley Quarry.









Out of condition.

In reply to brixton climber: have tried an alternative called a moon cup... didnt like it... when you invent a `nice' alternative that works and can TEST IT YOURSELF then have a go about us ruining the planet!

In reply to brixton climber: bleeding heck! That's a demand you didn't wrap in cotton wool before you flung it at them.

In reply to Pauline:
dear pauline.
I was just reapeating the argument that the womens had on the radio about trying to make it more eco freindly.I didnt mean to accuse any one of you of not trying.
brixton climber

In reply to Pauline:
I agree with pauline, my friend raves on about mooncups and gave me one to try. I can safely say its not for me, I'm sure if that all I had I'd get used to it but until then I'll stick with the planet killing alternatives

In reply to Glyn Jones:

If he'd have wrapped it up in cotton wool, we'd have flung it back soaked in petrol and alight... ;oP

In reply to Glyn Jones:
Dear Glyn.
Its another world what womens talk about, we dont have a clue, i want to now more,it may help us.
brixton climber

In reply to ayuplass: Totally wasteful consumer products should be dealt with PROPERLY (ie packaging, short life electricals etc). We all have to make a compromise and some things are not as easily replaceable as a plastic carrier bag...

I've not heard of a washable tampon - My mind boggles as to how that would work, but if something similar is, or did come on to the market, I'd probably give it a go.

In reply to brixton climber: What with soloing Hate and this thread, you sure are brave

I tried the mooncup after recommendations off this site and in the last 2.5 years I have used nothing else.

I can confidently it is the most comfortable, convenient and effective protection I have tried and it saves me money.

http://www.mooncup.co.uk

In reply to Bingly Bong:
Dear bling
they do existe
They said on the radio that the main problem was that womens felt uneasy washing them[for privacy]. So maybe the ansewr would be to provide private place to wash them].

In reply to Jenny C: Mooncup and shepee: ultimate liberating uses for silicon?

In reply to Bingly Bong:

chortle that was way funny... bows down in respect!

In reply to brixton climber:

Oh oh, I know, encourage girls to be dangerously aneorexic, if they can keep their weight low enough they won't get periods.

I have a friend who uses washable sanitary towels. I've yet to meet anyone else who the idea appeals to.

In reply to Jenny C: sorry it is nasty and i cant pee whist using one! And the sizing guide was wrong for me! ( they did replace with the other size for free!)

In reply to Pauline:

I tried one a couple of years ago and it just didn't work for me either. I guess that's a problem with my anatomy but there's not a lot I can do about that. Personally looking at the size of the things I don't really understand how people can't feel it.

In reply to brixton climber: I would have thought that as a climber you can't really want to save the planet if you live in Brixton, the travel carbon footprint to walls and crags just can't be justified.

In reply to Pauline:

He can't test it himself, he's a man! And French too.

In reply to Pauline:

I will confess that at times I do find it difficult to fully empty my bladder, so either take it out or simply go to the loo more. However it is a small price to pay for the convenience of mot having to take "spares" with me every time.

Also I find it SOOOOOO much more comfy, especially in summer as due to my low flow rate tampons aren't a great idea and pads get horribly sweaty/uncomfortable. Plus I have only once had a (minor) leak which is pretty amazing, compared to my experiences of "conventional" products.

In reply to co1ps:
Dear cop.
Maybe , but at least when i get to the crag,i dont flush my blood everywhere.
I colect rubishs left by local and i dont use chalk .
brixton climber

In reply to brixton climber:

I have actually considered making & using my own sanitary products. I currently use biodegradable proucts, but they are a bit rubbish compared to the usual ones. As soon as I get my overlocker, I think I'll give it a go. I don't really think that there's anything icky about it. It's mainly marketing that's convinced women that periods are unclean, and that 'sanitary' products are needed to make our 'curse' socially acceptable.

I know quite a few people who use the mooncup - they are also hugely popular in the states. There are also the sea sponge tampons, which again are supposed to be excellent.

Other countries do have a lot wider choice of 'sanitary' protection than we do - a lot of which are more environmentally sound.

In reply to brixton climber:

Oh, and only a very small percentage is actually blood. It's not exactly the same as an arterial bleed.

In reply to moomin:

please knit some tampons (I know you knit, and the idea amused me )

haven't tried the mooncup, but I don't understand why people use applicator instead of non-applicator tampons...

In reply to the ukc womens
Would you say that the main problem would be
the privacy[at the momemt you need to clean it]
and maybe the need to give recyclable glove.
Anything else?
brixton climber

In reply to CJD:


I've never understood this either, far harder to carry round. When I first went to America, the local Walmart (the only shop that sold that stuff) only stocked applicator tampons, we used to have to drive 50 miles to buy non-applicator ones!

In reply to ebygomm:

cardboard instead of your finger - ouch!

In reply to CJD:

Mind you, equally baffling is the people who put the plastic wrappers from non applicator tampons down the toilet, where they remain floating, flush after flush after flush.

In reply to brixton climber:


PMSL!

A dry pair of undies for me?

And you all ukc male.
would you accept your girl washing her stuff and put it back again?
brixton climber

In reply to brixton climber:

would a butt plug work?

In reply to brixton climber:

Don't be such a man. Fingers are perfectly washable. Gloves! LOLOLOLOL.

In reply to CJD:

I saw a most excellent knitted vagina the other day. I will try and find the link. There is also a pattern around for a knitted womb...

http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEwinter04/PATTwomb.html

I guess tampons wouldn't be that hard to knit. Perhaps high performance tampons knitted out of merino?

Not quite sure how you'd wash them mind...

In reply to brixton climber:
Would you be ready to wash it for her?
It could help the planete if you did.
brixton climber

In reply to brixton climber:

recyclable glovee!
do you use a rubber glove each time you touch your cock, i think not.

it's only blood, and you need as much privacy to clean it with a bottle of water, as you do to wee outdoors (not that much)

In reply to brixton climber:

Do you have much of a say in your gilrfriends sanitary arrangements?


What are they going to do? Dump you for being environmentally responsible?

In reply to CJD:

I think it's a semi religious/conservative thing, a woman shalt not put her finger (or hand if you use a moon cup) up her own fanny.

In reply to moomin:
>Dear moonin.
, im sure a lot of womens must feel bad about touching it bare hand.
brixton climber

In reply to brixton climber:

Do you honestly think that?

In reply to rock waif:

Is that the eleventh commandment?

In reply to brixton climber:

found a site selling washable tampons:

http://www.natural-woman.com/product/sea-pearl-silk-sponge-washable-tampons...


eew

In reply to brixton climber: touching what with bare hands? her own body or the moon cup with some blood on it?

In reply to rock waif:

It find it depends on how nicely I ask.

In reply to canadiankate: Awe! they look like bath sponges for munchkins!

In reply to brixton climber:

Sorry but just to add:

a) This is a perfectly natural thing we're talking about here.
b) Do you wear gloves whenever you have sex?
c) Why should women 'feel bad' about touching their own bodies *with their bare hands*
d) You somehow seem to think that periods and associated products are somehow 'unclean' - should we go back to being locked in rooms whilst menstruating? Perhaps be banned from swimming pools?

Not wishing to come across as some sort of hairy underarmed activist here, but your opion to me seems a little strange.

In reply to rock waif:
dear rock.
Taking about the tampon with blood.
brixton climber

In reply to CJD:


I tried them but the problem I found with non-applicator tampons was that I couldn't put one in straight after I'd removed the previous one. There were, erm, lubrication issues, a problem I never encountered with applicator tampons. I've spoken to other women who've had the same problem too so it's not just me.

In reply to Jenny C:

ah ha here is where we differ... try using them to dam up the great flood...icky!

In reply to brixton climber:

Dude, behave.

We are NOT going back to geronimo!!!


(here's hoping the under 30's get the reference)

In reply to brixton climber:

It's lunchtime... I'll come back to this thread later.

You are certainly breaking new ground on this one!

In reply to canadiankate:

I guess you have to remember not to mix them with the whites when washing

In reply to moomin:
Dear moonin.
yes i think some women dont want to touch it, they dont want to look at it.
They have to deal with it, but doesnt mean they like it.
brixton climber

In reply to Jenny C: I've never used anything other than my mooncup since I got it about 2 years ago and I have to agree - really comfortable and convenient. It's also much safer than tampons because it has no bleach on it and no risk of Toxic Shock Syndrome (I know someone who got that - not nice AT ALL).

As to this whole issue about whether women mind touching themselves with their bare hands. What??!! I have no words...

In reply to brixton climber:

or...how about making them yourself? http://fernandfaerie.com/HCmulti/3tamponbw400.jpg

anyway, i use non applicator due to the fact that they actually work. feel terribly guilty though. but organic/natural ones are so much more expensive!

In reply to Pauline:

A friend (with a high flow rate) has said that with conventional products she has to get up 2 or 3 times in the night to "change", with the Mooncup this is reduced to just once.

In reply to Alyson:


You don't believe that they exist?

They do, I know people who had/have issues with this sort of thing. It's certainly not healthy but some people do have that mindset.

In reply to brixton climber:

Well I'm sure there are plenty of men willing to give a hand/finger/arm.


Do tell how you know this, it's very interesting.


Glyn

In reply to Alyson: ah but can you `feel it' inside you *all* the flipping time... I could not very nice...even when i completely removed the little stalky thing?!

In reply to canadiankate: sponge tampons, do you think you could go swimming wearing them?

In reply to brixton climber:

Ok - if you say so!

Whilst never having been a big fan of the whole period thing (Ooo, my period, whopee!) it's certainly never been something that's filled me with disgust. It's just part of me, and part of my femininity.

When you have a wank, do you make sure you ejaculate into a jar, to stop yourself coming into contact with your own sperm?

CJD - Yarngina!

http://knitterrooney.blogspot.com/2007/08/yarngina-monologue.html

In reply to Pauline:

I'm with you, could feel it all the time even if it wasn't uncomfortable. I so wanted it to work as well. I had issues with it when I squatted to pick stuff up as well (I was shelf stacking at the time)

In reply to John Wood:

God No! Yuk.

In reply to Pauline: you have to put it right up by your cervix, then you can wee and not feel it either (same as normal tampons). and there's no nasty string hanging down that gets covered in excretement

In reply to rock waif:

Might not be much left in the pool!

In reply to moomin:



He's French, he probably uses it as a base for Hollandaise sauce.

In reply to Pauline:

No, I am far less aware of it's presence than with a conventional tampon. Yes it takes a while to get used to putting it in correctly (probably not helped as I previously used applicator tampons), but once sat correctly I honestly can't feel it.

In reply to moomin:
dear moonin.
I really dont have an opinion on this subject, im just try to undestand why not all womens use an sponge tampon[i got some anserw already].
privacy
hygien
confort.
Im a man, i try to find solution that all.
brixton climber

In reply to rock waif:

Yeah, but you'd be walking like John Wayne when you get out...

In reply to Alyson:
dear alyson.
The issue was to touch the tampon with blood.
brixton climber

In reply to Bingly Bong: Either that or they'd have to refill the pool...

In reply to ebygomm:

Blimey, it's hard for me to imagine being uncomfortable with some aspect of your own body. That's really quite sad.

In reply to Jenny C & Rock waif: I will keep trying... but it is really frustrating, especially as at the mo i am bleeding approximately 3 out of 4 weeks As for putting it up near the cervix, I quote from the mooncup web site `. You do not need to push the Mooncup menstrual cup up high into the vagina, the vaginal muscle will keep it in place.' So I have not been putting it up high... so i had to cut off the stem... would i still be able to get the damn thing out if i put it higher??

In reply to moomin:
You sound like a frustrated women having in period time.
brixton climber

In reply to Pauline:
I have cut the whole stem off and never had any problems removing it. Push down (as if you were going to the loo) and you can easily get hold of the base to pull it out.

If you want to talk in depth away from the public forum, email me.

In reply to brixton climber: no, it's just very odd to think a woman living in this Century, would have a problem with touching her own blood.

is it a French thing, I thought French women are more comfortable with their bodies, not less?

In reply to brixton climber:

you sound like a man living on borrowed time! :0)

In reply to Jenny C: thanks for the offer... i'll have another try with it and give you a shout if still struggling! It's stuffed in a drawer at the moment in frustration hehe

In reply to brixton climber:

Not at all actually. Day 12 for me, so should be ovulating any second now

You sound like a repressed man that has issues with women.

In reply to moomin:
>

Isnt that odd - I get PMT at that time and am perfectly fine whilst on bleed days...

In reply to rock waif:
dear rock.
My mistake so, that show how little i know about womens.
meanwhile i can undestand why womens would go for the quick option for disposable tampons.{not to have to wash them in the morning is a good excuse].
Anyway weldone for the one' who use the eco one.
brixton climber

In reply to brixton climber: thank you for congratulating me

In reply to Toby S:

I think women are wonderful, they do however, have 3 design faults;

1) the intake is too close to the exhaust

2) they leak

3) they are unable to write their names in the snow

In reply to Bingly Bong:

Weird! Day 21 for me. Spot on, every cycle. Hormones are strange things.

In reply to Pauline: i deleted what I said above, but that's really the easiest time to put it in imho

In reply to rock waif:

But not really practical every time is it?

In reply to ebygomm: no

In reply to Nevis-the-cat:


But I only have a very short name...

In reply to Ava Adore:

Yes, but your snowflake punctuation is appalling

In reply to Jenny C:
I think Mooncups are ace. Okay, you have to *shock* come in contact with a part of your own body but I don't really have a problem with it. As someone else said, it eliminates the need to carry around spares. Saves a lot of money too!

I don't know about Brixton Climber, but I wash my hands after going to the toilet! So I'm not bothered about getting a bit 'dirty' beforehand as I'm perfectly capable of cleaning myself!

What an odd repressed attitude.

In reply to Glyn Jones:


punctuation is the one thing we can do in the snow.

In reply to rock waif:
dear rock.
well deserved
the radio 4 was very interesting in is own way,The buisness in tampons is booming and the search for the ultimate eco tampon is still so far away.
Meanwhile, they do have eco tampons,and the reason why womens dont use it[the majority of them], its because
they dont want to wash it in front of other.
{that what i undestood on the radio].
brixton climber

In reply to Clare A:


PMSL laughing

Isn't Mooncup Frank Zappa's daughter?

In reply to Nevis-the-cat:

Moon Unit I fink.

Not close enough for a cigar, but you do do win a roll up.

In reply to 999thAndy:


If I tell you she spoke the part of the Valley Girl on the eponymous song, do I win a packet of Swizzels?

In reply to Pauline:

No, I can't feel it at all. Not unless I really squeeze! Honestly, I don't notice it even when running, biking or whatever. I think it's brilliant!

I think mooncup is great. I cut the stalk off and it is best quite high up.

I can't feel it at all when it is in right.

Oh and I can write my name in the snow, what makes you think we can't??

In reply to marsbar:

wow, that's really impressive directional control

In reply to John Wood: Its all in the hips!!

In reply to brixton climber:

Did you know that in Roman times people used to wipe their arses with a sponge on a stick. This would be far more environmentally friendly than all the toilet paper that we use. Why don't you do this?

Maybe for the same reason that women tend to use disposable tampons? Convenience mainly, and hygiene I suppose.

By the way, seeing as I am pregnant and therefore not having periods, do I win your approval for not using tampons? I am also intending to use washable rather than disposable nappies for the baby. Maybe we could get a large size nappy for you so that you do stop using toilet paper?

In reply to brixton climber:

Eww.. I don't use them anyway but I wouldn't like to pull one out that's soaked in bloody and hold it and clean it with my hands etc..

Sounds a bit nasty to be honest..

In reply to climbingpixie:

Yep me too. I stopped using non applicator tampons because they made me sore.

In reply to ranger*goy:
Snap.