rebeccad
Trail Wise!
Writing like a maniac
Posts: 12,693
|
Post by rebeccad on May 23, 2016 21:11:27 GMT -8
Only fair--equal time for those not yet experiencing the joys of menopause. Guys, this is TMI. Go away.
I know we've had these discussions before, but it came up in the Newbie thread in the TR, and I thought it might be good to have the conversation here.
I kicked it off by noting that wherever you are in your cycle, unless you are clearly way past menopause, you should always be prepared for the period from hell while on the trail. I'm here to add a few bits of experience about dealing with that.
Pack out tampons & pads, and all their wrappings, applicators, etc. I usually use a discreet system, with a small paper bag inside a zip-lock. The paper bag keepsicky stuff from being obviously visible, and the zip-lock contains it all. For the sake of minimum bulk and trash, I prefer OB tampons with no applicators. Never bury tampons.
Tampons, if 100% cotton, can be burned, but it takes a VERY hot fire to completely burn something like that, so I don't recommend it. Plastic wrappers, etc., of course do not burn.
Many women like to use a menstrual cup, especially while hiking, since this eliminates the need for lots of tampons to haul around used or unused. I haven't been able to make them work completely for me, but if a cup works, it's a great solution, and environmentally sound! Practice at home. It can get messy.
Heavy bleeding and cramping on the trail is a real downer. If that's your reality, you may need to think about work-arounds. When we went to Peru in 2014, and I knew we'd be spending most of a month trekking above tree-line (and surrounded by men), I went on the pill to dodge the problem (it mostly worked). Back when my periods were predictable, I could schedule major trips to miss them, but...see my first bit of advice. I once ended up using my baby's diapers to improvise, because I'd just had a period before we left home, so I didn't need to haul that stuff...
Ladies, feel free to chime in with advice, questions, or just your favorite horror stories.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on May 24, 2016 3:57:42 GMT -8
Thank you for bringing this up. This is not a comfortable topic for a newbie to ask questions on. Your system is fabulous! Thank you for sharing.
|
|
Piper
Trail Wise!
Posts: 47
|
Post by Piper on May 24, 2016 5:29:37 GMT -8
I absolutely agree with everything you said, especially the pack it out part. Nobody wants to see your used toilet paper laying around soggy and nobody wants to see your tampons laying around either. I spent the better part of my childbearing years doing the same ziplock inside discrete paper bag routine but then 15 years ago I had a revelation/revolution. My son and I were getting ready for a Grand Canyon Rim-2-Rim 9 day trip and there was no hope of not having a period during that time. So, after a lot of research, I invested in a Diva Cup and a set of menstrual sponges. The menstrual sponges worked great for low/medium days. The Diva Cup, with minipad (or even maxi) on high days worked great. And that, for the perimenopausal woman who knows what I mean by HIGH, means something. Long story short, I never bought or used another tampon after that trip. Not one. The Diva Cup lasted the entire 15 years and is now retired, maybe I should put it on Ebay The menstrual sponges I eventually replaced with a sea sponge (same thing) cut to correct size from our local health food store. Yes, it will take a bit of practice and yes you will have to be comfortable with your own body, but I road tripped and backpacked with this system for a decade and a half. Frankly, I feel stupid that I didn't discover it earlier and save $$$$$$ and landfill waste.
|
|
foxalo
Trail Wise!
Life is infinitely stranger than anything the mind could invent.---Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Posts: 2,359
|
Post by foxalo on May 24, 2016 5:49:39 GMT -8
This came at a perfect time, as I expect to be dealing with this on my trip. I too am a big fan of OB, because of the packaging and ease of carrying discreetly. I'm at the point where my periods are a lot lighter than they used to be, but every couple months it changes and becomes very heavy. This could be one of those months. Lucky me! I'm also dealing with fibroids, so I never know what to expect. My doctor has been keeping an eye on them, since they've been slowly increasing in size over the last couple of years. They as a whole other element to cycle issues.
|
|
rebeccad
Trail Wise!
Writing like a maniac
Posts: 12,693
|
Post by rebeccad on May 24, 2016 9:28:18 GMT -8
Piper I have seen menstrual sponges, and keep meaning to try them (though they aren't available everywhere). They do seem a perfect solution to the kind of issues I'm having now, and maybe wouldn't have the problems I have with the Diva cup (let's just say the plumbing isn't plumb and some bad deliveries ruined a few things). I assume they'd operate more like a tampon.
|
|
VAN
Trail Wise!
Posts: 133
|
Post by VAN on May 24, 2016 10:46:08 GMT -8
I have been using a diva cup thanks to prior discussions on this forum. I love it! I use it every month. Just wash in the shower and boil at the end of each cycle. I have heavy days for day 1 and 2 and need to empty every 2-3 hours. But, I have no leaks and no worries. I was a super plus heavy tampon user before.
If you are out in the wilderness, just dig a cat hole to dump, and wipe clean with a body wipe or warm soapy water and wash cloth before reusing. I love not having the trash to pack out.
|
|
Piper
Trail Wise!
Posts: 47
|
Post by Piper on May 24, 2016 11:07:20 GMT -8
Rebecca, the sponges do operate exactly like a tampon, except they are washable and reuseable. I actually bought mine on-line but after "wearing them out", just went and bought a little soft sea sponge that was a fraction of the price and cut it to size. At first I was a little dubious about getting them clean (ehhhhhhh) but after rinsing them out it became apparent everything that needed to go away did. They worked great. The problem with the Diva Cup, for me and it sounds like maybe for you too, is that it was my heavy day artillery and as such was A. always under pressure LOL, B. because of A never really trustworthy without a minipad or even at night a maxi and C. that baby had to be where it needed to be or it was not comfy (once properly installed it was "invisible" I would compare it, on those Niagara Falls day to a 2 at a time super plus tampon situation. With that said, I loved it. It did the job beautifully. For me, as a teacher who can't just leave the room willy nilly leaving a group of 30 high schoolers, those days were the worst part of "aging". I feel a little goofy being so frank on here, but hey....that's what it is all about.
|
|
rebeccad
Trail Wise!
Writing like a maniac
Posts: 12,693
|
Post by rebeccad on May 27, 2016 16:40:51 GMT -8
I feel a little goofy being so frank on here, but hey....that's what it is all about. I know. Me too. But shoot, this stuff is real and if we don't talk about it, who will? I don't have good enough muscle tone for the diva cup, though it works very well at night when I'm not running around, and I love that it doesn't leak.
|
|
|
Post by hippiebutterfly on May 30, 2016 6:17:24 GMT -8
When I went backpacking with my still menstruating friend last summer, she was on her period. We talked about what she was using. She used the Diva cup, but also had washable pads - kind of like a Lightdays Pantiliner. I'm not sure when she emptied her Diva cup, but I'm pretty sure she emptied it into the 8in hole she dug for elimination. The washable pads were a line of defense for accidental leakage and she would clean it in the brooks. Not sure if any of this is right, but she left no trace. If I was still menstruating, I would do the carry out too. When I was menstruating (hysterectomy 2003) I used OB tampons and pads. I like rebeccad's idea of the paper bag inside plastic. I am a big proponent of leave no trace, so that's an excellent idea.
|
|
|
Post by riversong on Aug 3, 2016 8:20:10 GMT -8
It's good to see a frank discussion. I personally don't want to deal with packing out used feminine products, wipes or toilet paper. I bring 2-3 Earth Girl pads, whether menstruating or not, and am always washing one or two and wearing a fresh one. These work well for me paired with quick-dry synthetic undies. I use a bandana for a pee rag, and wet it down at rivers and use it as a "wet wipe" whenever I can. The sun washes it clean as it hangs on my pack. A dry pee rag works fine too. I ALWAYS hike in skirts because they are so much more comfortable and practical. Skirts keep your v aired and happy, and provide for modesty when you have to do your business on the trail. At camp, you can wash, air out and go commando. I rarely use diaper wipes, but use my pee rag to wash at water sources several times a day. The sun kills bacteria, and it never smells like anything but mountain air. Wash when you urinate near water sources, change your pad a couple times a day or as needed, and you'll feel sparkly, fresh, and funk-free with nothing to pack out. I have found I don't need to use soap except for occasionally --- water, breathable cotton and fresh air work fine. Earthies are easy to change several times a day without having to remove your pack. I rarely use diaper wipes, and think that their use correlates with ladies who struggle with getting funky, like in a bad way. But that is another topic....
|
|
rebeccad
Trail Wise!
Writing like a maniac
Posts: 12,693
|
Post by rebeccad on Aug 3, 2016 16:35:43 GMT -8
I bring 2-3 Earth Girl pads, whether menstruating or not, Those look nice. I have a cotton pad or two that I've had for years and never used much, but recently in the Sierra they were perfect as my body couldn't make up it's mind ("will I or won't I?"). At this stage, I'm reluctant to invest in more such stuff (I keep hoping each box of tampons will be the last), but those pads might be worth it.
|
|
|
Post by riversong on Aug 5, 2016 5:00:57 GMT -8
They are great if you won't give up your cotton! They used to have a set of 5, which has been plenty for me, but I don't see that set available currently. They patterns make me smile . One of my favs is my sock monkey Earthie... - I grin just knowing I have it on until I switch it to the psychedelic Owls. It's the little things. :D
|
|
|
Post by Campfires&Concierges on Nov 7, 2016 11:29:03 GMT -8
Ugh, kudos to all of you who deal with this on the trail. I prefer the pharmaceutical approach which ensures I don't have to worry about it, and can specifically time it for before or after a trip
|
|
foxalo
Trail Wise!
Life is infinitely stranger than anything the mind could invent.---Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Posts: 2,359
|
Post by foxalo on Nov 7, 2016 11:34:31 GMT -8
I've tried the pharmaceutical approach, so that I could avoid it on a beach vacation I took several years ago. That ended up being the worst decision ever. I had an extra long period that month. It sucked!
|
|
rebeccad
Trail Wise!
Writing like a maniac
Posts: 12,693
|
Post by rebeccad on Nov 7, 2016 12:18:49 GMT -8
I've tried the pharmaceutical approach, so that I could avoid it on a beach vacation I took several years ago. That ended up being the worst decision ever. I had an extra long period that month. It sucked! That sort of thing is definitely a risk. I've been reluctant to do any such thing because I didn't react all that well to the pill when I was on it just for birth control, way back. Messing with our hormones is not to be taken lightly, though for the vast majority of women it works just fine. On the bright side, I've been 8 weeks without just now, and am again hoping it's all history for me!
|
|