Ehhh.... Female Health Blog? I wouldn't read this if you're a boy!

The past few days have been absolutely miserable. The entire student body has come down with some nasty cold. It's a cross between a severe sinus infection, strep throat and H1N1 (that's at least how it feels). On top of catching this nasty cold last Sunday, my seizures are flaring up like a cold sore. Does anyone else experience more seizures when they have a cold? It seems like that happens to me a lot. But on the other hand, I'm going through my transfer from Vimpat to Felbatol. I'm crossing my fingers though!



I also wanted to bring up something that women don't usually talk about EVER, much less on their blogs... PERIODS! So I've been calculating what I spend, and I realized that I spend about $30 a month on my feminine hygiene products. At my local H-E-B Grocery, a box of my favorite tampons is $7.50 (ish). A small box of panty liners is about $5. And looking at my last receipt, those dreadful, overnight pads (a.k.a. adult diapers) cost almost $10.00. To be safe, let's add that pack of thin pads we use just in case that costs another $7.50. It's ridiculous. So let's add that up.

$7.50
+ $5.00
+ $10.00
+ $7.50
_________
$30.00... exactly. And that's rounded down a few cents plus tax.

So the same day that I realized this, I was looking up a place online where I could buy tampons, and pads cheaper. Instead, I found out about something that I never knew existed: the menstrual cup. It immediately sounded like something totally disgusting and painful, but as I read on, I realized that many women (mostly outside of the U.S.) are absolutely in love with them. It makes sense because one cup can last up to 10 years, but they recommend you replace them every 1 to 2 years. They also have virtually NO leaks for up to 12 hours. Each cup is made of medical grade silicon, so no bacteria can live upon its surface. You simply clean, and reuse. I went to a gillion different sites and every single testimonial said the same thing: "I love my cup". There are even YouTube channels, support groups, and even hotlines for troubleshooting and questions. There are no shown medical risks from using a menstrual cup, only benefits! Many women report no longer having cramps since the menstrual cup sits lower in the vagina than a tampon. Not to mention (this is new to me) that tampons are bleached and contain absorption chemicals and pesticides that can be harmful to you! Best of all, there is no risk of getting Toxic Shock Syndrome. I was pretty much sold after reading the testimonials and watching the youtube videos, and after much thinking (and looking at my reciepts) I sat down and picked out my own cup. There are a variety of brands, most of which are in other countries but they still sell internationally...

The Keeper/Mooncup: USA
The Diva Cup: USA/Canada

SheCup: India, Brazil, Canada

MiaCup: Africa

Lunette Cup: USA, Finland

MeLuna: Germany (These are too cute)

LadyCup: Czech Republic, USA

FemmeCup: United Kingdom

Fleurcup: France

The Green Donna: Brazil

MPower: South Africa

Yuuki: Czech Republic

Two upcoming brands are the Alicia Cup and Naturcup from Spain.

I shopped around, compared prices (and levels of cuteness) and I decided to go with a LadyCup. It looks like this:



Mine is actually turquoise but I couldn't find a good picture of one. They come with one cup, a cute little storage bag, a box, and instructions. After everything I've read and heard, I'm anxiously awaiting my cup (and my period!) so I can try this thing out! At only $35.00, it's a great price to pay for something you can reuse for a year or more. I just wanted to get the word out for those of you who might not know about this great alternative. I am definitely going to be doing a review post once I've tried mine out! I'm sure you are all thinking it's very scary looking but I encourage you all to go green and try something new!

Also, if YOU aren't necessarily interested, there is another great thing about menstrual cups. As you know, there are many places in this world where women are confined for a week each month because they can't afford tampons, pads, etc. On top of all the stress they have each day, worrying about their periods shouldn't be life's biggest problem. If you go to the Femmecup Website you have the option to buy a cup and GIVE a cup to a needy woman in another country! This could be a gift that will keep on giving time and time again. If I knew this before hand I definitely would have bought a Femmecup first :)

Hm, well that's all for tonight. Check em out, maybe you'll like them, maybe you wont! Have a good night and a happy period!