My Time with Softdisc

I am always looking for options when it comes to living holistically.

One way that I am mindful is how I treat my body during my cycle. I do not use any and every product when it comes to tampons and pads. Why? Because my vagina is not a toxic waste landfill. It is not a place to house hazardous waste while plugging up the ‘bloody volcano’… too graphic?! You get the point though, hmph.

In all seriousness, let me share some information with you from Mercola:

1. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates tampons and sanitary pads as medical devices, a classification which offers the manufacturers certain protections and holds specific tax status as well.
2. Manufacturers of medical devices are not required to disclose all ingredients in their products, but the FDA recommendsthey provide generalinformation about the material composition used to produce the product. Individual ingredients are not required, but listing materials such as cotton, rayon or nylon is suggested.
3. Today, most cotton is genetically engineered (GE) and soaked in pesticides as it is not a consumable product. However, inserting a GE cotton tampon into your vagina several times each month may be worse than ingesting pesticides from GE food, considering the highly permeable nature of the vaginal wall.

The vaginal wall is made up of tissue that is more spongy or absorbent than the rest of our skin. Therefore, it is much easier for our bodies to ‘soak up’ chemicals that may be found in tampons and / or pads, as tampons / pads are pressed against these tissues for hours at a time. The vaginal tissue is full of blood vessels and lymphatic vessels thus giving direct access for these chemicals to enter the body. These chemicals are rapidly absorbed and can have a major impact on our health. So with that said, I am very picky about what I put up in me – from the food I eat to the way I plug the volcano (lol).

The other day I went to Kroger to grab some tampons; they carry a brand that I use, NatraCare. While perusing I saw, Softdiscs. I read the box, googled it and put them in my cart. I have been contemplating using a menstruation cup and thought this may be a good transition product. I purchased the box of 14 discs for 9.99, went home, read the package insert, watched a video on how to use it and waited for Aunt Flo to visit.

(The discs are disposable and can remain inside for up to 12 hours.)

My Review: Insertion was not that hard. I pinched the disc in half, slid in and downward, then release settle on the pubic bone. It did not feel like there was anything there and for the first 2 hours or so, I was going to the bathroom, every 30 minutes to check for leakage. Eventually, I forgot about the disc. 

About seven hours in, I went to the bathroom and realized that it was time to swap things out. The removal process was a little bit tricky and messier than I would have liked. I was seated on the toilet, which was helpful in keeping the mess contained but the shower may have been better. I saved the wrapper and used it to place the disc in upon removal after letting the contents go in the toilet. Talk about a lot going on, it was. I inserted a new disc and this time I did not go to the bathroom as much checking for leakage. As a matter-of-fact I jumped around, did some squats and stretches and the disc seemed to stay in place. Before going to bed, I laid down a towel because this would be our first time sleeping together and, well, I didn’t want any problems. Needless to say, we had a good night.

Bottom line: I would use the discs again. As a matter-of-fact, I still have some left so they WILL be getting used. The first time it was a little tricky because I was trying to figure it all out. **IF you do not like the sight of blood, this may not be the option for you because you are going to see blood.** I like that you get longer usage out of it, there is less waste and it feels as if nothing is there. (And for those who may want to have a little fun without the mess, this is an option, as the disc is a bit of a barrier 😉.)

Have you used Softdisc before? Share your experience in the comments. Are you interested in trying them? Nothing like something new, right 😉. ‘