I’ve never been able to use tampons and the few pelvic exams I’ve had have been awful. They hurt so bad and my obgyn has had to drug me to even get me to show up. I was recently referred to pelvic floor PT and officially diagnosed with vaginismus. The PT has been helping me use dilators but right now I can only use the smallest one. She told me I could attempt a small tampon this weekend if I wanted.
I confided in my older sister about it because I didn’t want to make up an excuse for why I am not swimming today if I couldn’t get the tampon in. She’s a nurse so not a lot of things phase her. She said if I could fit a finger then I would definitely be able to use a tampon. But I tried for over an hour and it just wouldn’t go in. I started crying because I was so frustrated and I’m tired of not being normal. My sister asked if she could help me and promised it wouldn’t be a big deal to her. She had me lay on the bathroom floor and she was able to get it in finally. I just feel like a child and I’m so embarrassed. She told me she sees stuff like this all the time and she’ll never tell anyone but I still feel so stupid.
Any similar embarrassing or funny stories to make me feel better?
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My boyfriend had to help me get a nuvaring out once, and he was not a medical provider. I was mortified!
Your sister is great for so calmly helping and reassuring you. I think if anyone had to help with this, aside from your PT, a nurse sister was the best option.
Got a tampon stuck when I was about 13 – my mum had to help me get it out. Didn’t use them again until I was 18 and even now I won’t use them unless whatever I’m doing is really pad-unfriendly.
They’re little fuckers, you’re not alone.
Not a tampon, but a menstrual cup. I traveled out of state to go camping on vacation at a time when they lifted covid restrictions a bit, but I was still very very stressed about proper precautions and catching covid. I was also on my period during my entrie camping trip. My last day of vacation was a gynecology visit to have an IUD inserted. I was laying on the table thinking to myself, “Man, I haven’t seen my menstrual cup in a while, it’s usually in the shower until I go to sterilize it, I wonder where it is?” At the same time the doctor is attempting to insert the speculum and he meets resistance and asks me if I insert things into my vagina. Was like, “Normally no.” And I immediately remembered where the menstrual cup was. I had forgotten it for close to a week. Just spaced with all the packing and traveling and trying to stay extra cautious. I was mortified.
He extracted my cup and the smell was so rank, there was so much dark blood. I apologized profusely, tried to explain myself and why I was so frazzled. The observing female doctor that was in the room as my standby told me they’ve seen and pulled out worse things. It must have rattled the doc inserting my IUD, because he couldn’t get the first one in on the first try, he had to take it out and they had to open up a second IUD and insert it fresh.
They tried to brown bag my menstrual cup for me to take home and i was like, “no thanks, I’ll just get a new one.” I couldnt get out of that office fast enough. I guess its a testament to how comfyy menstrual cup was to not remember it was in for a week.
When I first started, my mom tried to show me how to use tampons and I refused. I thought it was gross and didn’t even want to hear it. About six months later, I had started and was getting ready for school. I went to change my pad and got blood on my white shirt. I was so mad. So I decided to get a tampon. I glanced at the directions and figure it couldn’t be that hard to use. In the diagram it showed the full tampon, then what’s left of the applicator after the small got pushed down into the bigger one. For some reason I inserted the tampon, and pulled out the smaller tube, leaving the top half of the applicator and the tampon inside me. It was so uncomfortable and hurt so bad.
I got to school and asked my friends how they could use tampons and if it was normal for it to hurt so bad. I lasted until 8:30, and borrowed .25 cents from my English teacher to use the pay phone to call my mom to come pick me up. (She had already left for work when I was getting ready for school). She left work, picked me up, and had me explain what happened. She couldn’t stop laughing for like 10 minutes. I felt so dumb when I realized what I did wrong. So, so dumb.
I was running late to a job interview, started my period at literally the last minute at home so sorted myself out and grabbed a few tampons and shoved them in my trouser pocket. The interview was a group interview, I was a teenager and there were quite a few people from my old school there who knew me pretty well. At the start of the interview we had to stand up and step into the circle of people and introduce ourselves and as I stood up, one of the tampons came out of my trouser leg as there was a hole in the inside of the pocket, it rolled across the floor and came to rest in front of one of the interviewers. Had to do the walk of shame to pick it up. Cried in the car on the way home. Didn’t get the job.
I had one pop out I was pushing so hard to poop. In the public restroom. No machine to buy a tampon or pillow.
I had to create a pad out of the 1-est ply tp ever. I’m pretty sure it was 1/2 ply. Then we still had other errands, etc. Quick stop at Walgreens. Back on track.
Give yourself some grace. Let your sister help you. You probably weren’t able to because you were stressed the eff out. (((Hugs)))
honey none of that sounds like you should be embarrassed! you went through something painful and have a health condition – give yourself some grace 💗