# A woman topic: men beware



## quinn (Nov 8, 2013)

Stretch yoga pants, long shirt to cover bum 
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## SullysRider (Feb 11, 2012)

I use tampons, so no one notices anything. I had to start using tampons for swim team so I've never had to deal with pads and breeches. Not sure how that would work to be honest. Is using tampons out of the question?


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## Viranh (Apr 7, 2013)

I find riding in a pad horrendously uncomfortable, never mind whether anyone can see it. I use a cup for the short time that I'm at the barn riding. However, I do not think you can see a thin pad through my full seat breeches, so I'm not sure that would be a problem. You may want to have a pair of breeches just for this kind of thing though. I know I am prone to leaks which can be embarrassing and expensive on pretty tan breeches. I usually wear a worn out pair during that time so I don't ruin a good pair.


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## horseNpony (Sep 27, 2013)

I only ride once a week so hell no would i miss a lesson just cause my body is being a pain. I ride in a thin overnight pad with bike shorts. For the week i pretty much live in bike shorts, i will wear then everywhere. Also, wear dark pants, not tan or white ones, i always wear my navy joddies. I've never had any problems, just make sure you change your pad often.


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## Corazon Lock (Dec 26, 2011)

Go with tampons, and back it up with a panty liner if you have doubts. That doesn't show with tight breeches. 

I find pads uncomfortable when I ride. They chaff.  

Just make sure you're conscious, if you can be, of how heavy your period is going to be that day and when the last time you changed was. With tampons, you can usually tell when they're getting full because you can feel them start to come down your cervix a bit, at least with me. It is the cervix right? Horrible question to ask, I know, but I never said I was a gyno haha!


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## Heather121 (Apr 18, 2014)

Menstrual cups are great. You can't feel them at all, and you can wear them for up to 12 hours before changing them. Unlike tampons, they collect the menstrual flow instead of absorbing it. I have only had small leaks on my heaviest days when it became full. Even then, some of the air is displaced when that happens, so you know to change it before you really have much of an issue. You can literally do anything you normally would with a menstrual cup. I can't see myself ever going back to pads or tampons.


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## NBEventer (Sep 15, 2012)

Yep I swear by the diva cup! It actually helps with cramping as well as you have no chemicals hanging around there like you get with tampons/pads.

On super heavy days if I want to be cautious I use the diva cup and a cloth pad. Cloth pads are not nearly as bulky and more comfortable. Wash them in vinegar and water and hang to dry.


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## JohnWayne (Mar 26, 2013)

I use sponges and a panty liner. The sponges are a natural sea sponge, worn internally like a tampon, but softer and I find, more comfortable. They are kinda expensive at the outset but reusable so save money in the long run. It does help to have access to a sink though as they have to be rinsed. For SAR missions where I might be in the field for days I use regular pads, but they do chafe....
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## Heather121 (Apr 18, 2014)

NBEventer said:


> Yep I swear by the diva cup! It actually helps with cramping as well as you have no chemicals hanging around there like you get with tampons/pads.
> 
> On super heavy days if I want to be cautious I use the diva cup and a cloth pad. Cloth pads are not nearly as bulky and more comfortable. Wash them in vinegar and water and hang to dry.


I use the Fleurcup. They are wonderful, aren't they?!


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## mnevans (Apr 13, 2014)

Out of curiosity how much specialty items are needed for the cups? like rinse bottles and the such and have you ever had any problems with it coming out or not inserted correctly and having a mess? I have never used the cups before and I usually have to wear a tampon and a pad on my extremely heavy days and was wondering if a cup would cut it on the heavy days?


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## Viranh (Apr 7, 2013)

The cup inserted correctly is fine by itself, and doesn't generally require anything extra, although you may want to have a bottle of water to rinse it if you don't want to walk out to the sink holding it in a public restroom. If not inserted correctly they will leak slightly, but not significantly, so it is a good idea to use a panty liner while getting the hang of it.


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## Jumper Princess (Apr 28, 2014)

Just more questions! How do you clean it normally? Do you need more than one?


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## OutOfTheLoop (Apr 1, 2012)

I used the cup once, I found it was just dirty to me. I made a mess taking it out, and three it away, not going through that again! I hate periods. I got mirena 6 yrs ago and havnt had a period since! I would go with a fresh tampon right before you ride and use a thin pantyliner to catch any oops.
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## FoxyRider22 (Feb 26, 2013)

I love my cup! My period used to be horrible! However after getting the cup I can honestly say that one time I literally FORGOT that it was my time of the month! I'm an active person and it only leaks once in a great while! Everyone should own a cup!
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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

just an aside, but when I ceased having periods, and entered menopause, the loss of the hormones brought on killer hot flashes, irritability, memory loss, belly fat increase, loss of skin tone, and lack of sleep. I would trade all that for periods any day.


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## Viranh (Apr 7, 2013)

The silicone just rinses clean with plain water. It's a good idea to boil it every month though. Otherwise I don't do anything but rinse it off. You only need one, although some brands work better than others for different body shapes, so you might accumulate more of them. 

I get unbearable cramps from tampons, but I can tolerate the cup. Most pads make me feel like I'm wearing a diaper, and I get rashes from them.  The cup is the best thing ever.


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## Peanutbutter (Apr 23, 2014)

I use Natra Care pads, and normal riding pants(full seat!). 
I know you can get these stretch things to wear underneath riding pants to straighten out and hide panty lines etc..Might be worth looking in to?


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## karliejaye (Nov 19, 2011)

Another cup advocate here! I have major issues with disposable things and landfills, as well as health concerns with pads and tampons so i switched to the cup for those reasons, but even if I didn't care about the other issues, I would stick to the cup now because it is the best thing ever! Never leaked (except for the very first time using it, still learning, etc) and never had to deal with yeast infections like I would with tampons (sorry if tmi).
The meLuna brand from Germany actually offers different depths and ridgidities as well as different "handle" options to suit different vaginal depths and muscularities. I have been using 1 cup for over a year now and followed the manufacture's recommendations: rinse with COLD water, then clean with boiling water, this helps prevent staining while sanitizing the medical grade silicone.
Hard to beat, especially for riders who are active. The ONE downside I have found is it does take practice and being comfortable with your bodies inner workings and anatomy.


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## bitinsane (Jun 5, 2013)

pads are horrendously uncomfortable anytime! I've always used tampons and it's hard for me to understand why everyone doesn't use them! lol when I ride during that time of the month I'll put on a small panty liner as well as a tampon. Just in case ya know!


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## verona1016 (Jul 3, 2011)

I just recently got a cup and suppose I haven't quite got the hang of it yet. I made the mistake of wearing it for the first full day while I was on business travel and had some minor pinching all day long and could feel it there, kind of like the "full tampon" sensation Corazon Lock described :-/ I'll give it a try again next time, but if I don't get the hang of it I might look into a different brand or just go back to tampons! I have pretty light periods, so the main draws for me were no smell and no need to carry extra tampons/liners with me.

Another thing to consider is decreasing how often you have a period- I've been using Nuvaring for forever and (with my gyn's approval) have kept it in an extra week to delay my period for special events, but just recently got more curious about skipping the week without it entirely and just putting in a new one right away. For now I'm trying 3 month increments (3 rings, each in for 4 weeks) and you know... I don't miss my period at all


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## Zexious (Aug 2, 2013)

Two words: periods suck.

I can't remember if I posted on this thread or not... (and this is slightly TMI x,x) but I used to get absolutely horrendous cramps. Like... to the point that I would vomit and have to leave school/work. 
The pill (which was admittedly purchased for a different reason) has helped tremendously. I very rarely get bad cramps anymore. 

As far as how I deal with it... I can't say I LOVE any product that's out there xD Tampons are... meh. I use them because they don't hinder what types of clothes I can wear. But if I don't plan on doing anything or going anywhere, I just use a pad x.x


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