I got my period again. There was a bit of brown discharge the day before, so I put the cup in preemptively, which was a good call!
I’ve now put the cup in several times with the fold in the back (folding in half), and every time it just pops open right away.
My only “complaint” about the cup is that I forget that it’s there and that I need to check on emptying it 
People who trim the stem: is it sharp? Or is it easy to trim it without it ending up sharp and poky? Tempted to trim before my next cycle, but concerned I will ruin my cup my making it poky and bad.
Mine was not pokey at all. I trimmed it to the base and it was like the stem never existed.
Is it just as easy to remove without the stem?
The instructions for mine said the stem was not for removal, so I’m not really sure what it’s for except to remind you that it’s there and assure you that it’s in the right direction?
Removing was fine, I just pushed like I was trying to poop and it would come out
Alright, I’m going to try it!
Removing the stem made it so much more comfortable for me. No regrets.
I need to try this with mine. Mine might also be too big, I think it’s a Lena but in the larger size? My pelvic floor PT gave it to me when I was trying to get pregnant because a company had sent her some for free. I’ve only used it for a few cycles so I’m perfecting that technique but the stem is usually poke-y so maybe it needs to go. Worst case I can get a new one since this one was free.
If the stem pokes you, take it off!
The stem might help keep it from tilting? And I think helps find the bottom of it for removal. Still don’t need the whole length though!
Troll body decided 20 days was a good enough cycle length so I trimmed my stem off today and gave it a go. We’ll see how it works. I do think my stem kept mine from tilting but I also think that was the problem, I feel like my anatomy is such that it needed to shift some and the shift meant bad poking by the stem
I cut off the stem because it was a gross color and I do find it harder to remove now. Most people seem happier with the stem cut off, but I preferred it the other way. I hear that hydrogen peroxide could have removed the discoloration.
Hydrogen peroxide makes them like new. Mine was like 5 years old before I ever used it, super stained. Had boiled and everything. It was a huge change.
No stem 4lyfe! I was able to insert it correctly both times I tried yesterday and it was comfortable enough to sleep in which was a first. Super happy about this.
In regards to removal, mine has ridges around the bottom that make it super easy to grab, plus I could never grab it only by the stem to remove anyways. I always needed to squeeze the bottom to break the suction.
Second month for mine. Thanks to being a few days late, I got to experience camping with it. No way I was doing removal over a pit toilet (even though I’ve not yet dropped it, didn’t want to take that risk), but I worked out a system that included a lot of baby wipes and hand sanitizer. All’s good!
Second Month Updates
I wanted to post this a while back but got distracted. A few things changed. My trick of inserting with the fold in the back stopped working. However, I figured out a different fold that seems foolproof and pops right open (fold to front).
GOOD:
BAD:
The other thing that happened twice, so now I have a theory about it, is that when my bladder is very full and I really have to pee, it pushes the cup lower and blocks the pee hole! So there I am, desperate to pee and nothing comes out until I use my finger to push the cup up and then I pee all over my hand. I should start packing some wipes so that I can clean my hands and just remove the cup so that I can properly pee in these cases.
So I’m not as enamored with my cup anymore but I still think it’s better than pads, especially at night and for reducing environmental waste.
Oh no, that’s terrible or at least super inconvenient! I wonder if a softer cup would work better for you. Or a shorter one?
Mine is already soft! I got the Lena Sensitive. I also think it’s short because it doesn’t look as elongated as others I saw.
I think I just have to make sure I’m not holding my bladder when I use it 
Mine did that. The cup would block the urethra. I would just take it out to empty it and then pee. Gross hands are the price we pay as people who menstruate.
