Question Strictly For The Ladies! It May Gross Out You Guys!

[Creed3]

Hello Ladies,
I am just wondering about something and thought maybe someone here could answer my question. We all have to be so careful when it comes to infections. What about using tampons during your cycle. They can cause that certain kind of infection can't they? They always have the warning written on the box. Any of us who are on Coumadin also know that we bleed heavier and longer. They say the more absorbant the tampon the higher risk of infection. Just wondering what you gals think. Do you think there is anything to be concerned about when using tampons?

Take Care!
Gail

 

[nadi]

Gail,

That is a good question and one I never thought about.
I know the warning is for toxic shock but is it an infection?
I think I will be asking the Dr about this, unless someone here knows the answer to you question.

Take care,

 

[LUVMyBirman]

Hi Gail

I think they are referring to yeast and toxic shock. Neither of which are bacterial. Toxic shock can be fatal.

I had a problem with yeast infections (caused by antibiotics) first year after surgery from a bad winter of catching every infection my daughter had. Immune system was lower from surgery.

Anyway, since surgery I use pads when I am home.....tampons when I am away. Tampons are ok...... and I don't think they are harmful as long as you religiously change them.

TMI here for the guys I am sure.

 

[Gail in Ca]

I have always used tampons and continue since my surgery 3 yrs ago.
Never had a problem. I bleed pretty heavily the first couple of days and they have worked well for me.
I can't wait until they stop altogether, but so far, I am still regular as clockwork, darn it.
Gail

 

[bvdr]

Hi girls ,

The way I understand it is that the problem is at it's worst when an super absorbant tampon is used when the flow is very little and it sort of adheres to the ******l wall. This can cause some local irritation and a break in the lining that becomes a port of entry for infection. In addition, when removed some debris is left that is a vehicle for growing bacteria. On heavy flow days there seems to be less of a risk.

Yeast infections are a different issue and I don't remember if they were ever linked to Toxic Shock Syndrome or not. I saw somethig advertised on TV about an upcoming program about Toxic Shock but I don't remember when it is.

 

[Creed3]

Thanks Ladies!

Thanks Ladies!

Thanks for all of your thoughts regarding this subject. I wear pads most of the time. The reason I even started thinking about this is because our family just joined a private pool. Since I have been on coumadin I seem to bleed a lot longer than I used to. I didn't want my periods to affect me being able to take the kids to the pool, so I wanted to wear tampons more often. I ended up buying the tampons for a heavy flow, but they are not the super super absorbant ones. I chose the one in the middle. Since the coumadin, my flow is heavy most of the time, but sometimes it lightens up and I think it is stopping and then bam, another heavy flow starts. Thanks again for all of your input.

Take Care!
Gail

 

[Gnusgal]

Just last week I recieved this email from a friend of mine. It made me pay attention. And since the subject came up, I thought I'd share.

------------------
Dear ladies,

I know this subject is rather embarrassing, but I was glad my sister passed this message to me, and I hope you will send it along to other women, too.

A woman I work with started using the new Tampax Pearl 5 months ago and that's when she started getting yeast infections. They got worse and worse every month and being experienced with yeast infections, she used over-the-counter treatments. They didn't help. She finally went to her doctor, who did a PAP Smear, which didn't reveal anything. As it got worse, she finally went to her OB-Gyn, who also did a PAP Smear. It didn't test positive, but bacteria showed up.

She was then given a prescription to treat a yeast infection and went home. She went back as it got worse.

One day while using the bathroom, a clump of something came out.She had no idea what it was initially and threw it away. She quickly thought better of it and wrapped it up and brought it with her in a Ziploc baggie to yet another visit to the doctor. She had figured out what it was herself and the doctor confirmed it. It was the Tampax Pearl fibers. They had been collecting for the past 5 months! ! She even took an unopened tampon and showed me how the fibers come off so easily. You wouldn't notice because the applicator covers it. And how many people open up a tampon and inspect them?

Well, it hasn't ended yet. When she went in last time, the doctor went to get some cultures, but found that her cervix was bleeding and it prevented her from getting all the cultures that she needed. The fibers from the tampon were cutting her and making her bleed; but the blood is having a hard time getting out, so there was a lot of old blood in the way when the doctor tried to take the cultures. Right now, she is not being treated for anything, not until they can figure out how to treat her. Poor woman is uncomfortable and in pain! Most likely, they'll have to do a D&C to clean it all out.

Another girl that I work with also has been using them for a few months and has been having problems, but couldn't figure it out. She won't be using them anymore. I have used a few, just to try them, but will be throwing out any that I have left. I am also going to go home and inspect my regular tampons to see if fibers come off of those also.

By the way, my friend's doctor is writing a letter to the company and my friend is looking into filing a lawsuit. This is affecting her in every aspect of her life. She is also very afraid now of TSS. She told me and every woman she knows in order to get the word out, so no one else has to go through this. I said I'd spread the word. I know a yeast infection is an awful thing to experience, but this is so much worse!

Ladies, spread the word and take care!

 

[MelissaM]

This is an urban legend!

This is an urban legend!

This email is an urban legend. Any time you want to verify the validity of such an email, just plug key terms into the search engine. . .you would be amazed how many "real" sounding emails are myths (or at best, only contain a grain of truth). There are a bunch of sites that debunk urban legends, one of my favorites being Urban Legends.com

There is a whole page on this particular email, but here is the meatiest part:

The warning message quoted at the head of this page, which purportedly describes the experience of a Pearl user who suffered continual yeast infections and then found that fibers from Pearl tampons had been accumulating inside her for five months and caused her cervix to bleed, is similarly unlikely. Yeast infections are normally caused by a fungus, a particular problem when the normal biological balance of the ****** is disturbed (e.g., through changes in hormone levels during pregnancy, use of birth control pills, and the normal fluctuation in pH level of the ****** during menstruation). Nothing about the Tampax Pearl tampon suggests that it would be the cause of a increased incidence of yeast infections, as it's made from the same materials as just about every other tampon. The same reasoning applies to claims of fiber residue and ******l bleeding or ******l ulcers: these are problems which are occasionally experienced by users of all brands of tampons and long antedate the development of the Tampax Pearl. (Fiber residue, which also occurs with all brands of tampons, isn't really even a health concern, as the stray fibers are quickly sloughed off by the ****** along with other menstrual material.) This issue sounds all too much like a rehash of the apocryphal claims about tampon manufacturers using asbestos in their products to promote bleeding and thereby increase sales.

All that can really be verified about this latter e-mail is that the Amy Strand who started the message is indeed a real person.
http://www.snopes.com/toxins/tampax.asp
Melissa

 

[sylviayasgur]

i'm no doctor, but i've been using tampax tampons since i was a teen.
i think the trick, as mentioned before by gina, as long as you change them frequently they are fine to use.
i think i read somewhere that problems can arise if/when they are left in place too long.
that would make sense, not to sound disgusting, but wouldn't that harbor bacteria on its own that way?
i am also very loyal to tampax since they_like aspirin_ have been around forever. my daughters like to try all the new things, so i get reviews from them.
good luck and enjoy the pool!
be well, sylvia

 

[joy]

I use Tampax Pearl, and have never had a problem with that kind of thing. I like the fact that they hold a lot of blood! I used to use playtex, but when Tampax came out with pearl, I just switched. I don't know why. I think when you have heavy periods, you HAVE to change them, I go through like 2 an hour some times. That's super plus absorbancy, ladiesI'm not worried about TSS. Take it easy, and don't worry about TSS, Creed, just enjoy the pool!

 

[Sherry]

I just discovered the Tampax Pearl brand several months ago and find them to be a godsend since I bleed so heavily and am a teacher. I just posted on the Coumadin forum about these types of issues. I had mentioned the ablation procedure which apparently cauterizes the walls of the uterus and cuts down on the bleeding. My OB is looking into whether this is a good procedure for me. Anyone else take this route???