Tampons

[lo-li-ta.livejournal.com]

Stupid question time!

Tampax was on sale, so I brought that instead of my usual pads (I'm 20 and have never used tampons before). As long as I use pads at night and wash my hands before&after application I should be safe from TSS, right? Again, I wouldn't have chosen tampons, but money is tight and they were so much cheaper, and I just want to double check on TSS.

Comments

[ktshot1110.livejournal.com]

Ive used tampons for about a year now...and NEVER use pads(not even at night) and TSS usually only occurs when you leave in a tampon for like a week i BELIVE. Hope that halpped.

~katie

[valancyjane.livejournal.com]

TSS isn't something you "catch." My understanding of it is that if you leave tampons in for a long time (like, a day or more) the bacteria balance in your vagina gets thrown off. You are at risk for TSS if you use tampons that are more absorbent than you need. When you pull a dry tampon out of your vagina, you create small tears, and if the right kind of bacteria gets in those tears, that's when you can get TSS.

I have used tampons for years, at night and during the day. Never had any problems.

[balmofgilead.livejournal.com]

in addition to not using a higher absorbancy than you need - make sure not to leave one in for more than 6 (or, at the most, 8) hours.

the longer the same blood has been sitting around in the tampon, the more bacteria can possibly grow in it, i suppose.

as long as you follow the guidelines, though, the risk of TSS is really pretty low - 17 in 100,000 , i think.

[lo-li-ta.livejournal.com]

Thanks a bunch guys! I'm sure there won't be any problems, and maybe I'll even grow to like them as well.

[longpig.livejournal.com]

Man, once you get used to tampons, you'll never want to wear a pad again. I used to be squeamish about tampons; I could never see myself using them regularly. I only started because of a period that decided it was going to start in the middle of a vacation... I'm switching to a cup atm, but I could never, ever go back to pads. They feel like diapers, no matter how thin they are.

[ide-cyan.livejournal.com]

If you can save up the equivalent of your tampon or pad budget for a couple of months, you could buy a menstrual cup, and then you wouldn't need to spend any more money on menstrual products for the next ten years. (At least, once you got used to it.) And cups have an even smaller risk of TSS than tampons, because they're not absorbant.

Check out the_keeper for more info.

[irememberaurora.livejournal.com]

yup. i got my keeper for $20, and i can use it for 10 years. i never use tampons or pads anymore. AND, it's way more convenient, comfortable, and good for you than tampons. you can also check out thekeeper.com (http://www.thekeeper.com).

[babybloodheart.livejournal.com]

TSS can occur even without tampons, as I understand it TSS is a result of a certain bacteria multiplying and creating certain toxins that are then absorbed into the blood system. Tampons however increase the risk (and don't fool yourself, TSS is rare but still a risk especially with tampons like Tampax which are made out of man made materials), they particularly increase the risk if they are left in longer than recommended or if you use a higher absorbency.
However if you use tampons you should know the risks of TSS and ALL the other risks - this includes risks of infection due to tampons absorbing fluids and disturbing the natural PH levels etc. and risks that come from Dioxin in chlorine bleached tampons.
If you don’t want the risks then use safer products, as you already said you usually use pads, but if you are thinking of a change try using non-chlorine bleached tampons and pads, Gladrags/Lunapads, sea sponges or menstrual cups.

[aliryn.livejournal.com]

I've heard that there's a greater risk of TSS associated with using plastic applicators instead of cardboard ones...

[babybloodheart.livejournal.com]

I haven't heard of this, I don't see how this could be a risk considering the the aplicator doesn't go into the vagina.
The oly problem with plastic aplicators is the extra waste entering into the environment, there is no health risk, or at least none I can think of,

[balmofgilead.livejournal.com]

it could have something to do with the plastic applicators being more likely to make small nicks/cuts on the vaginal walls...i believe small cuts are known to increase the risk of TSS. i've never heard that about the plastic applicators though, so it's just a thought.

it's a shame, cause plastic applicators are easier...though i've found i was able to salvage the boxes of applicator OBs and tampax that i bought by pulling them out of the applicator and just putting them in using my fingers....strange but true :)

TSS can occur without tampon usage.

[lindsey-nichole.livejournal.com]

I had toxic shock syndrome when i was 11. i got in because i had strep throat and it got into my blood stream. it turned into strep-b bacteria which is similar to staph infections. i didn't start my period until about a year and half after that.

as long as you are careful with tampons you will be fine. i believe half the cases of TSS each year aren't even tampon related, guys can get it too.

much to my parents dismain and concern i started using tampons a few months after my period started, and i haven't used pads since. i'm currently checking into the keeper and such but tampons are definitely alot less messy than wearing a pad.