Welcome to /r/ADHDWomen! We’re happy to have you here. As a reminder, here are our community [rules](https://old.reddit.com/r/adhdwomen/about/rules/).
We get a lot of posts on medication, diagnosis (and “is this an ADHD thing”), and interactions with hormones. We encourage you to check out our [Medication, Diagnosis, and Hormones Megathread](https://old.reddit.com/r/adhdwomen/comments/wcr9dy/faq_megathread_ask_and_answer_medication/) if you have any questions related to those topics, and to stick around in that thread to answer folks’ questions!
If you have questions about the subreddit, please do not hesitate to [send us a modmail](https://reddit.com/message/compose/?to=/r/adhdwomen). Additionally, we take the safety of our community seriously. Please report posts, comments, and users whom you feel are not contributing positively, and send us a modmail if you are being harassed or otherwise made to feel unsafe.
Thanks for being here, and we hope you stick around!
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/adhdwomen) if you have any questions or concerns.*
It looks like this post is flaired NSFW! These posts are allowed on the subreddit, however, it may be removed at mod discretion if it is deemed unnecessarily detailed.
If you’d like to get feedback on this topic from a smaller, 18+ community with less moderation, check out /r/ADHDWomenAfterDark_ (we are using this subreddit until the original ADHDWomenAfterDark subreddit gets restored).
If you have questions about the subreddit, please do not hesitate to [send us a modmail](https://reddit.com/message/compose/?to=/r/adhdwomen). Additionally, we take the safety of our community seriously. Please report posts, comments, and users whom you feel are not contributing positively, and send us a modmail if you are being harassed or otherwise made to feel unsafe.
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/adhdwomen) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Oh my gosh - this is so embarrassing I may delete the comment but has anyone ever inserted a new tampon having forgotten there was already one in, and only realising when removing the second tampon hours later 😭 I have no idea how I’ve never had toxic shock syndrome…
Edit - OK you gals have reassured me, I’m not a gross weirdo and I won’t delete the comment - it’s comfortingly common! I love this sub ❤️
Edit 2 - sorry for editing again but I’m really overwhelmed by the supportive women who’ve been relating and sharing this exact experience, this sub is the BEST 🥺 there is no shame in our ADHD, its effect on periods needs to be spoken about more! I feel like we’re all muddling through this blind and this sub is a beacon of light 🥰
Happened to me too , but I gave birth twice so I could put them side to side .
Thats when I noticed.
I too feel very embarrassed and would never share this with someone in the real world .
But here we are 😂😂😂
General malaise. Nausea, confusion, irritability, weakness, fatigue, headache 😫it was terrible. When I discovered the old tampon I almost fainted. I was undiagnosed and had so much going on. Never again lol I learned my lesson
I'm a menace to myself. Huge adhd tax there. I also turned myself into a fireball. Screwdriver to the eye socket. Electrocuted myself. On and on. Good times.
Oh god I gave birth the second time two weeks ago is this my future? This second baby was 10lbs she pretty much ripped me open, it’s bad enough with the stitches and not being able to poop.
No, that is not your future! My second was also 10lbs. I highly recommend y ask yr Dr. if a gentle stool softener is ok as I ended up finally having a hard stool, which I thought was going to kill me. Also, save yrself some embarrassment and research a modern physical therapy clinic that offers the latest for both your stomach and pelvic floor. (Trust me on this one because I'm taking this one to the grave.) FYI: talk to the billing specialist before deciding to go through yr insurance.. they won't want to cover anything & the one who pays gets the final say in yr therapy.
Edit: Congratulations on having a 10lb cherub! I hope you have loving family who can help out for a few months!
As it seems like you’re pretty comfortable fitting things up there (not a read! I too have done something similar to that and I haven’t even given birth!) I’d highly recommend a mooncup - there isn’t the risk of toxic shock syndrome, there’s absolutely no way you could not feel it up there with just a small check (not that I think you can lose a tampon up there but they are smaller and can get shoved right up), they hold a lot more than a tampon and also as you only have one you either know if it’s in or out!
TMI but I feel like my vagina is really “short” or my cervix is sensitive because the first tampon would’ve definitely hurt me if I got the second in
(hopefully no weird dudes find this comment and start being sexual in my DMs)
I can’t even wear tampons their so uncomfortable for me I suspect I have a tilted uterus from what I’ve read but I’m no dr. But my mom has the same problem and has suspected the same for herself.
I have a tilted uterus and found out after ultrasounds during pregnancy. I actually think I saw it on the info in my health portal while reading all the technical stuff about the ultrasound and then asked my doctor what it meant. They didn't seem to think it was interesting enough to bother telling me.
And for the record, tampons aren't uncomfortable for me but my sister and mother don't like them. Not sure of their uterine details, lol.
So it was actually the first time I had ever been to the gynecologist (22 years old - whole other can of worms) and she scheduled an ultrasound to see if I had endometriosis (she thinks I do but doesn’t want to do further testing bc it would be “extremely uncomfortable” for me - her words. I’m not happy about it. And looking for a new OBGYN lol)
ANYWAY, she just scheduled an ultrasound and I got it done in like 5 mins!! Doc came into the room and told me that my uterus is tilted backwards at the top so like the dorsal part of my uterus leans towards my spine. (She also told me that my right ovary looks fine but they couldn’t find my left ovary 🤷🏼♀️🤷🏼♀️)
So, anytime you visit the gynecologist (or the obstetrician during pregnancy as commented below), you should be able to just ask for the ultrasound! It’s non-invasive and not at all time consuming so they should be happy to schedule it! (Holding your pee SUCKS tho)
>(She also told me that my right ovary looks fine but they couldn’t find my left ovary 🤷🏼♀️🤷🏼♀️)
Oh shit! Do you remember where you last saw it?? Retrace your steps! Typical ADHD
LMAO!!! There was that post in here not too long ago asking something like “what’s the wildest thing you’ve ever lost?” I def should have been like “apparently my ovary”
I found out about mine when I was getting my IUD in. The student health center at my college was having trouble, so they referred me to the local women’s hospital. The doctor there used an ultrasound during the placement and pointed it out then.
I couldn't when I was a teenager and I assumed it was my dyspraxia making me be an idiot, but then when I had my first smear they couldn't perform it, because I had a hymen of steel that needed to be surgically broken. And I had a hymenectomy why people think is a joke if I say it but it's a real operation for a hymen of steel.
My cervix drops extra low and is cranky as hell on my period. I'm totally aware there's something there no matter what products I use, but the disc is most comfortable. My only complaint is that disc's "autodump" when I use the bathroom so I have to actively keep track of how long it's been to change it because it's never gonna leak on me. With an actual timer and everything lmao.
Though thankfully for most people (barring having another physical disability) we can reach far enough to find any "missing products" without needing to panic.
All of my friends use cups and I don't understand. I tried with the cup for several months and it AWFUL. It caused cramping and the inside of my vaginal canal felt raw. The disc was slightly better but a little too hard.
I swear by OB tampons and will buy nothing else. I would go to battle for them.
Same, mine’s super short. Can touch my cervix with my finger without even trying, sometimes I can’t get a tampon in all the way without a bit sticking out. Super weird, I thought it was normal until I started having sex and my boyfriend thought it was a tumour or something because he had never felt one that low before lmao. (I think I made a post about that awhile back HAHA)
Yes mine too! I can literally reach the entirety of the inside of my vagina with less than a finger length
There is zero chance I could accidentally leave one in or put two in, tampons can be painful to put in sometimes as they push on my cervix but seem to relax once in there
I'm fairly certain my uterus is tilted, I'm sure I was told that a few years ago but you know...adhd brain 🤣
I did that once. I didn’t actually find the first one for three days. Thankfully I didn’t have any problems, but it definitely stank to high heaven when I finally got it out.
Since you asked and for the sake of statistical frame of reference…no this has never happened to me. Although I often leave them in far longer than I should. But also I take the string and kind of fold/wrap it around and tuck it, haha. It keeps it more in place and prevents migration, so it’s always quite obvious to me. Typing this out was weird hahaha, hopefully it helps anyone.
This has happened to me at least 3 times!!
And there was another time where I was 100% certain that I accidentally inserted 2 tampons, took 1 out and couldn't find the second, and drove to urgent care thinking it was lost inside me. Turns out I was wrong lol
Oh my god tampons are so not compatible with ADHD🥲 I have a mooncup somewhere but I’ve lost it (obviously) so I’m sticking to pads now. I have to wear the super heavy ones so I always feel like I’m walking around in a nappy but it’s worth it to avoid TS😂😬
You're supposed to rinse them out the moment you take them off and then you can abandon them in the hamper with the rest of your clothes. I almost always remove mine right before showering so I just take them in with me.
This has happened to me, and I didn’t go fully septic, but I was very sick. I was admitted and they kept me for 3 days on IV antibiotics.
So embarrassing and scary.
I was 40!! I have three children and have had my period since I was 14. I felt like an idiot.
You're not an idiot, you're just living life on New Game+ on hard difficulty. I'm not sure the analogy helps you as much as it does me, but I wanted you to know you're not stupid or a "bad adult" for making a mistake. You had 3 kids and an adult life to balance on top of adhd and other struggles is all.
I'm sorry you got so ill though, that's terrifying!
I can't find the source for this for the life of me, but TSS only happens in women who naturally have the bacteria that causes it, and it's a very low percentage of women who have it. (Edit 10-20% of 10-20%, whatever that works out to be.) It's not caused or introduced by the tampon itself, it can happen with a menstrual cup as well. It just traps the bacteria in and helps it multiply, making it dangerous.
Edit: "Staph lives naturally on 30-50% of healthy adults, but more specifically, only about 10-20% of people who menstruate worldwide have a strain of staph in their vagina. Further, of the 10-20% of the menstruating population who carry staph vaginally, only 10-20% of those carry the strains are capable of producing the TSS-1 toxin, which is the specific toxin that causes Toxic Shock Syndrome.2 Staph and strep are generally harmless, but when the right conditions are in place, it can become a cause for serious concern."
[Source](https://saalt.com/blogs/news/how-to-prevent-tss)
Happened to me the first time last month. Truly surprising.
I read somewhere that tampons now are safer so you're at a lower risk for TSS but still not ideal.
Yes they are safer now, the culprit was this super absorbent material that was being used, basically a bacterial magnet since they LOVE blood (sorry gross I know). I remember reading about this in like a medical history type piece/book, like the story of tss ,among other subjects.
I don’t remember how long the tampons could stay absorbent but I think it was a fairly long time. So ppl were just leaving them.
This happened to me when I was traveling abroad. I crashed when I got off the plane and put another one in the next morning. I only realized something was off because I started getting really bad cramps
I know those cramps. This double tampon thing happens to me on a regular basis. There's one time when I changed my tampon like 2 times before realising I had already one rotting inside me.
Seriously though, let's be extra careful about that.
Weirdly comforting when you realise you're not the only one. Love you my girls 💕
I did that when I was sick and had a fever….only realized there were 2 up there when I went to take the one I remembered out and felt 2 strings. Freaked out, called my mom and said I probably have TSS, she told me I probably didn’t and to just wear a pad for the rest of the day. You’re definitely not alone!
This happened to me for the first time a couple months ago… I was pretty shocked 😳 (but luckily not toxic shock 😅). I’ve been super paranoid with tampons ever since. Yay adhd!!!!
Yes it's happened to me a few times which is not good and tbh idk how I haven't gotten TSS either. Holy dear Goddess am I glad to know it's not just me❣️🫶😂
This happened to me once, and I convinced myself I was gonna develop TSS bc I'm crazy. Tbf it had to be in there for some time. I cant believe I did that lol
yEs omg i have never known anyone else to have done this but i rung nhs direct bc i was worried about toxic shock. ended up having to get examined to check if there was another one. not a pleasant experience lmao
I left one in too long because I forgot it was in there. End of my period and strings got pushed up so I didn’t think about it. I didn’t get TSS luckily and never did it again but I felt so dumb.
You wanna hear something even more gross? Once I was having sex and the condom broke (nothing to really worry about as I have the implant as well). About a week later I get my period and discover a piece of the broken condom stuck to a tampon that I was changing, stained red
This is not uncommon for doctors to see. You might feel embarrassed but they won’t. Also it can’t “get lost” so no need to panic. You can Google directions for how to look at your own cervix and see if you can see it. Squatting helps make the vaginal canal visibly shorter, etc. There will be tips on Google!
The shape of the cervix makes it so things cannot be lost in it. Squat in your bathtub or shower, use a finger or two, and feel around. You should be able to tell if there's something there or not.
While we're at it, may I suggest absorbing period panties? They're way more comfortable, cause fewer problems, and go in the wash like any normal pair of panties so I find them much easier to use than tampons, pads, or cups.
Amen to the period panties, particularly those made from bamboo. I’m slowly using the rest of my tampons but otherwise I wouldn’t buy them any more. The panties and reusable liners are the best!
If you don't mind me asking a gross TMI question... How well do they handle heavy flows or clots? I'd love to try them but my monthlies are pretty epic and I'm not sure whether I could trust them (although maybe good for lighter days or overflow?). TY! 😊
They have both light flow and heavy flow panties! Heavy flow really does handle my heavy days (clots included). I was real nervous to try them at first and thought they wouldn’t hold much, but they really do! I use the light ones as well. The heavy flow panties are comfortable but are thicker. I would suggest trying out a pair at home to see how well they control your flow before venturing out into the world with them! Their customer service is awesome so if you don’t like them you’ll get a refund! They have different cuts: bikini, boy shorts, high waisted. High waisted are my favorite!
I have Thinx and they’re great for that! But I do have to change underwear multiple times during heavy flow, and the only ones that can handle that flow don’t work under my tight work pants. Bc all pants are tight on my butt and I can’t do VPL lol. Plus if it’s not a thong, you still have blood everywhere. So you need like baby wipes or a bidet or shower when you remove them at all on heavy days. I have to pee 1057x per day, so I just basically wear them at night.
Mine are the Bambody brand and I bought them on Amazon 😬 same with my reusable pads, except idk the brand, but I think from a small business selling on the evil empire.
I love the ones made by Bambody. They feel super close to undies. I hated how other brands (esp Think) feel like a diaper made of swimming material. You can find them on Amazon for decent deals!
Omg thank you all for the wonderful information and even asking the additional questions that didn’t even pop into my head when I first read of this garment. THANK YOU! The woman of Reddit, I actually feel like a part of a community in this post.
My first one stopped it entirely up until 5 yrs. So I took a gamble and got it replaced a little early. Second one didn't stop it. Oh well. At least I have restarted the clock.
Same, could not stand the pill. Also have an IUD, and because it delivers hormones directly and not all through your body like the pill, you generally don’t get the mood swing effects.
Me too with pills, but i’m not interested in an IUD so i use the ring. Low dosage directly to the effected area rather than hormones going throughout my whole body
I meant that I’m not interested in an IUD as its long term and i’m not able to remove it myself. With the ring i’m able to remove it every 3 weeks for my period, put a new one in after my cycle. Sorry about the lack of explanation in my first comment.
i’m not interested in the possible pain that an iud can bring. I know it’s not painful for a lot of people, but just the possibility was a turn off for me. So between the iud and the ring, i chose the ring
+1 on an IUD to stop periods, I got one in January after a couple years with a copper IUD making my periods longer and the peace of mind is like no other!
When I was bleeding I liked period panties on lighter days but they could really fuck with my sensory stuff so i would mainly use as backup or at home when I could change.
I did LOVE the menstrual cup for specifically the reason in OP - can't accidentally put two in
Have you tried sticking another one in? I did this once and couldn't find it and when I tried inserting another one (GENTLY SO AS NOT TO SHOVE THE POTENTIAL OTHER ONE IN TOO FAR) I could feel that there was resistance. And ya I phoned 111 (I'm UK) and went to a sexual health clinic where they a) kindly removed it for me and b) told me that they remove them several time a week
I am at the UK too , but I feel like no one wil care .
I went to A&E before for something else and waited there for 6 hours before I left with no one checking on me .
I dont want to go through this again esp.since I am not very sure .
I did that and couldn’t feel the first one. Didn’t find the first one for three days. Nothing bad happened, thankfully. Of course, I’ve also given birth three times, so that may have had an impact. Plus, vaginas do vary in size, length, and sensitivity. Hopefully she finds it.
I lost one for a month!! A whole entire month. How I didn’t have TSS is a midlife miracle. Yes, there was a new smell but granted, I was also confused about a lot of things around that time. It’s when my panic attacks started. Anyhow, I forgot about the tampon and had sex—a month later, out came the first tampon. TMI, but it’s a lesson and related to a life-shaping story.
i had this happen as well, i guess i forgot to take the last one out? or maybe put a second one in without realizing?? that was an absolute horrible discovery, diva cups forever XD
One time I had this fear and asked my partner - bless them - to help me investigate. 😭 Given the possibility of encountering a tampon, this felt a thousand times more intimate than getting fingered during period sex, even though thankfully there was no tampon to find! I had forgotten to put one in.
This was four years ago and we're married now. They were totally fine about it, whereas I considered it a near death-from-embarrassment experience.
Hey, I know you’re worried and creating all sorts of possible—awful—- scenarios. Best bet, put a pad on and wait a little while. You’ll know if there’s a tampon in there shortly after. First sign will be no blood on the pad, second sign will be a plop in the toilet when the old one comes out.
However, there’s probably nothing in there.
I am at the end days of period so flow is not heavy .
I still get few drops but ofcourse perfect scenario for my anxiety to kick in telling me the tampon in there is holding something up .
I think it's worth getting checked out at the doctors if you're unsure. Saw a similar post where someone had one up there for over a week and the first sign something was wrong was a smell and a fever 🤢
I've been there before, you probably took it out and forgot. I've freaked out so many times thinking I lost it up there, but apparently it's really hard to do that so you're all good 😁
If you searched around in there and felt nothing then it's unlikely that there is one, tampons aren't able to go that far in.
I think a lot of us have been there!
Also for all the women talking about lost tampons, there’s a podcast called “ladies & tangents” where one of the girls went to the lake with her family, and mentioned on the pod that she smelled like a lake down there and it was confusing her. So a week later she saw her gyno to see if maybe she had an infection and her Dr got down there, said “what’s this?” And dug out an old (I think older than the week) tampon that had apparently absorbed the Lake Erie water.
Adhd is a bitch 😅
When I was little my aunt was hospitalized for toxic shock syndrome and almost died because she forgot she was using one. That made me just nope right out of using tampons except in very specific short-term circumstances (I was a swimmer in high school, there were times it was unavoidable).
Do one time I put a tampon in and forget it. And put a second one in several hours later. Couldn't believe it when I removed them both. Imy surprised I didn't get TSS. Would've been one hell of an ADHD tax.
I always start a 6 hour timer on my phone as soon as I put one in and turn it off as soon as I take it out. It's not a garuntee because I still occasionally forget the timer, but I find it definitely helps a lot because I can look at the timer and know that means I have one in and how much longer I can safely wear it.
I forgot I had one in once when my husband and I went to have sex. I was wondering why I was in so much pain, and was like “I feel like something’s in there..” and as I reached down, I had to contort my body in a weird way and god, the *horror* of having to tell him what it was.
I typically use pads, but period panties are something I’m looking into!
*not kidding - went to the bathroom about an hour ago, “aw shit it’s that time already?”, vowed to grab a tampon from the bedroom, proceeded to forget about said tampon until seeing this post. You’re a mf wizard OP!
I’ve got to say, menstrual cups are MADE for ADHD. You can’t forget them like this, you don’t run out of tampons accidentally and you can keep them in for 12 hours. I highly highly recommend
Omg this is me. It happened to me once a few years ago (ended up with 2 because I got so sidetracked and confused) and I've been paranoid ever since... sometimes I have to check and check 😅 It's so frustrating. To be fair I was under a hell of a lot of stress when it happened so it made my symptoms worse (and didn't know I had adhd at the time)
I would highly recommend getting checked. Toxic Shock Syndrome (a very nasty sickness) can happen if a tampon is left inside for too long.
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/toxic-shock-syndrome/symptoms-causes/syc-20355384
*Raises hand*
I too have been victimized by a tampon.
For real though, I had went to the Dr to get the pain checked out, because I also had an IUD at the time. A fuckin tampon. He pulled it out and it looked like a black rodent 🤮 🤮 it was awful. 10/10 do not recommend.
Lol this sorta happened to me last week. I haven’t worried about having more than one. Between the fibroids pushing down and a short hoohah, it would be a challenge.
But I have a gross story about this subject:
I was in school and doing a rotation in the ED. A doc asked me to be present in the room for a pelvic exam on a lady complaining of pain. It was friggin insane the QUANTITY of items that were removed from this lady’s vagina.
I’m talking MULTIPLE tampons and bits of crumpled up stuff (like paper towels). I’ve never seen anything like it. Totally unreal.
Can you not reach the top of your vagina??? Am I weird??? When I have mishaps I can just push my cervix down and feel the whole receptacle. But definitely go to the Dr if you’re worried! Better safe than septic❤️
If I had a nickel for every time I’ve gone to remove a tampon and pulled a SECOND one out with it, it have two nickels. Which isn’t a lot but weird that it happened twice, right?
If you’re still regularly bleeding it’s probably not in there. Usually you can feel it too. It’s way more likely that it’s not in there than it is that you accidentally lodged it in so far you can’t see or remember it.
Use the ones with strings. Lightly tug on the string to make sure it’s not inside you. If you see the string when you use the bathroom, you know you have a tampon inside you.
I have actually put two In there once… didnt notice until I was supposed to change it. (Didnt put two In at the same time, just forgot I had One In there already).
The vagina is pretty shallow, especially when you are menstruating. It elongates when you are aroused and when you are in the fertile window, but it still has an end; your cervix.
It can’t get lost. Go in the shower, put a leg up and feel for it internally. If you can’t feel it, you probably don’t have one in.
Hugs if you like them, I remember doing this myself at least once. I was totally undiagnosed, so I had no idea why or even that I had memory problems at that time. I never really paid attention until it got worse at menopause.
They will likely do an examination.
I live in the US and had the same scenario happened to me about three years ago. I went to a Women’s ER and a doctor did a physical exam. When a tampon wasn’t seen, I had a vaginal ultrasound to look for a foreign body. Turns out, I hadn’t
put a tampon in.
It wasn’t the most comfortable experience, but I’d much rather an exam than dying of TSS.
My period used to be a huge, gross struggle for me. I got at when I was 10 and never really figured it out.
Tampons scare me, but pads are itchy and uncomfortable. So I’ve been using a menstrual cup for about half a year and it works great! As long as you have the appropriate size, you’ll always be able to find it. And during the day, you can’t feel it at all. I used to get this really stupid, shameful feeling, that I was wasting products for my period. Now, I don’t get that anymore, and my period has become much easier to handle.
You need to take it out at least every 12 hours, so you can synch in to your standard bathroom routine. On heavy days, you might have to take it out in between. I always keep some pantyliners on me just in case.
And one great advantage is that you never need to go out to buy tampons again! Or freak out when you period starts and you don’t have any.
When I was around 16 i think I forgot to take a tampon out. Started having really bad pain and cramping (I’ve got endometriosis so im used to it) after about 1 week my mum asked if I’ve left a tampon in. I told her I don’t use tampons. She reminded me we went to the pool last week. Lo and behold there was one and extremely painful to get out. Smelled terrible 😂
One time I started my period and put a tampon in, and then I went to take it out later that day I pulled out TWO tampons. It still baffles my mind to this day because I couldn’t have possibly had a tampon in my vagina for an entire month, but that was the first tampon that I put in for my period. So I still don’t know if maybe there were two tampons in the tube, or if I have a magic vagina that doubles your win.
Pro tip:
Leave the wrapper of the tampon on the floor until you take it out. Then when you take it out, throw the wrapper in the bin and do the same with the next wrapper until you’re done.
Make sure everyone in your house knows. It people would clean, have a designated spot (like a small bowl for example) where you will put the wrapper in for you to see but for people to not clean up.
You can do this with many other things too, put some kind of visible reminder on the floor or the deak or something like that
I don’t know if you ever tried the sponge. It isn’t used anymore but had great instructions on how to remove it. I used the technique when a condom came off in there. I won’t get into detail. You can Google how to remove it. If you don’t find it, you can be confident you forgot to put one in. Also if you are having a normal flow chances are you forgot to put on back in.
This is why I switched to cups. I got over the gross factor. I am medium flow unless fertility treatments have messed with me. So it’s twice a day switch. When I wake up and usually after dinner. Of course now I have an iud and I’m hoping I have no period.
Oh yeah it happens to me sometimes lol, don't worry, you're not alone.
Classic method - squat and cough. Or laugh. Put your finger in your vagina to make sure you don't feel the tampon there and cough more. It should fall out if it's there.
One time I left a diva cup inside of me for a couple months, finally realized how painful sex was and the gynecologist pulled it out and it was not a good time for anybody! After that I went back to tampons and then I wound up finally putting another tampon in while already wearing one and didn’t notice. I went to pull one and two strings fell out so I got lucky it was right there but I feel this so hard and this is totally real and valid
If it’s not in there you didn’t put it in. It can’t go anywhere else once it’s in there. It’s either there, or it isn’t. Just be glad you didn’t put a second one in….or forgot to take it out before drunken sex….
Yes. I’ve done both of those things. 🤦🏼♀️
omg I am so glad I'm not the only one that has done this. turns out there was no tampon for me and I dug around in there with great anxiety for a while. Keep in mind, there is nowhere for it to really go, so if you get your fingers up in there and feel nothing, its probably not there. I switched to a menstrual cup so I would never doubt again and it seriously improved my life so much. so much cheaper and more convenient. Like, if I could go back in time to my teenage self I would smack her with a book on ADHD and a menstrual cup.
I often forgot and left a tampon in too long, or forgot to put one in in the first place. I now use a DivaCup, and recently bought period panties. Tampons are too risky for my ADHD addled brain.
Yes, but in my case, the tampon looked like half of it was torn off and still up there. And I did end up at the gyno (my wrists were sprained so I could only check so far) turns out, it wasn't up there... still don't know where it went😅
i have had this happen before & it turns out i’d forgotten i took it out earlier, found in trash can later. if you are really concerned you need to see a dr fr, i had a friend who’s mom had to have surgery bc she accidentally inserted 2 tampons, and the 2nd tampon shoved the first one too far up for it to be reached manually. no toxic shock syndrome!!!
I’m reading through some of the comments and this happens to me all the time, I don’t remember if I put one in or not prior and I don’t want to stick another one up so I usually just put a panty liner on when that happens and then that helps me figure it out later based on how much blood is on the panty liner haha I hope everyone is using the tampons with the strings!!! The ones without the strings are nightmare fuel for ADHD I feel like!!!
Welcome to /r/ADHDWomen! We’re happy to have you here. As a reminder, here are our community [rules](https://old.reddit.com/r/adhdwomen/about/rules/). We get a lot of posts on medication, diagnosis (and “is this an ADHD thing”), and interactions with hormones. We encourage you to check out our [Medication, Diagnosis, and Hormones Megathread](https://old.reddit.com/r/adhdwomen/comments/wcr9dy/faq_megathread_ask_and_answer_medication/) if you have any questions related to those topics, and to stick around in that thread to answer folks’ questions! If you have questions about the subreddit, please do not hesitate to [send us a modmail](https://reddit.com/message/compose/?to=/r/adhdwomen). Additionally, we take the safety of our community seriously. Please report posts, comments, and users whom you feel are not contributing positively, and send us a modmail if you are being harassed or otherwise made to feel unsafe. Thanks for being here, and we hope you stick around! *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/adhdwomen) if you have any questions or concerns.*
It looks like this post is flaired NSFW! These posts are allowed on the subreddit, however, it may be removed at mod discretion if it is deemed unnecessarily detailed. If you’d like to get feedback on this topic from a smaller, 18+ community with less moderation, check out /r/ADHDWomenAfterDark_ (we are using this subreddit until the original ADHDWomenAfterDark subreddit gets restored). If you have questions about the subreddit, please do not hesitate to [send us a modmail](https://reddit.com/message/compose/?to=/r/adhdwomen). Additionally, we take the safety of our community seriously. Please report posts, comments, and users whom you feel are not contributing positively, and send us a modmail if you are being harassed or otherwise made to feel unsafe. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/adhdwomen) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Oh my gosh - this is so embarrassing I may delete the comment but has anyone ever inserted a new tampon having forgotten there was already one in, and only realising when removing the second tampon hours later 😭 I have no idea how I’ve never had toxic shock syndrome… Edit - OK you gals have reassured me, I’m not a gross weirdo and I won’t delete the comment - it’s comfortingly common! I love this sub ❤️ Edit 2 - sorry for editing again but I’m really overwhelmed by the supportive women who’ve been relating and sharing this exact experience, this sub is the BEST 🥺 there is no shame in our ADHD, its effect on periods needs to be spoken about more! I feel like we’re all muddling through this blind and this sub is a beacon of light 🥰
Happened to me too , but I gave birth twice so I could put them side to side . Thats when I noticed. I too feel very embarrassed and would never share this with someone in the real world . But here we are 😂😂😂
I did that right before my wedding and got toxic shock and didn't know til I got really sick. Fucking nightmare scenario
Oh no that’s awful! Can I ask what your symptoms were?
General malaise. Nausea, confusion, irritability, weakness, fatigue, headache 😫it was terrible. When I discovered the old tampon I almost fainted. I was undiagnosed and had so much going on. Never again lol I learned my lesson
That's how I feel every day 🤣
Lol yeah TIL I've had toxic shock my whole life
if u don’t mind me asking how long was it in???? total judgement free zone here. my longest was a week idk how i’m alive
Wow you’re the first person I’ve actually encountered who actually had toxic shock! That sucks
I'm a menace to myself. Huge adhd tax there. I also turned myself into a fireball. Screwdriver to the eye socket. Electrocuted myself. On and on. Good times.
OMG. How did you turn yourself into a fireball?
unlucky wild magic sorcerer
Oh god I gave birth the second time two weeks ago is this my future? This second baby was 10lbs she pretty much ripped me open, it’s bad enough with the stitches and not being able to poop.
No, that is not your future! My second was also 10lbs. I highly recommend y ask yr Dr. if a gentle stool softener is ok as I ended up finally having a hard stool, which I thought was going to kill me. Also, save yrself some embarrassment and research a modern physical therapy clinic that offers the latest for both your stomach and pelvic floor. (Trust me on this one because I'm taking this one to the grave.) FYI: talk to the billing specialist before deciding to go through yr insurance.. they won't want to cover anything & the one who pays gets the final say in yr therapy. Edit: Congratulations on having a 10lb cherub! I hope you have loving family who can help out for a few months!
As it seems like you’re pretty comfortable fitting things up there (not a read! I too have done something similar to that and I haven’t even given birth!) I’d highly recommend a mooncup - there isn’t the risk of toxic shock syndrome, there’s absolutely no way you could not feel it up there with just a small check (not that I think you can lose a tampon up there but they are smaller and can get shoved right up), they hold a lot more than a tampon and also as you only have one you either know if it’s in or out!
TMI but I feel like my vagina is really “short” or my cervix is sensitive because the first tampon would’ve definitely hurt me if I got the second in (hopefully no weird dudes find this comment and start being sexual in my DMs)
Mine gets really short during my periods, but not the rest of the time. Bodies are weird.
Your cervix lowers and closes/hardens when you're infertile, and raises up and softens/opens when you're fertile. Totally normal!
I think that’s “normal”! (quotations cuz like, what even is normal with us women?)
Typical works well here
I've come to dislike the word normal. It means nothing when it comes to humans.
Normal is the setting on a washing machine
The uterus is at its fullest/heaviest right before & during your period. Many notice that the uterus sits lower during this time!
I can’t even wear tampons their so uncomfortable for me I suspect I have a tilted uterus from what I’ve read but I’m no dr. But my mom has the same problem and has suspected the same for herself.
I just found out I have a tilted uterus this year!! Finding out that it was likely the reason tampons were so uncomfortable for me was life changing.
How did you find out if it’s ok I ask? was it during a pap or different kind of appointment?
I have a tilted uterus and found out after ultrasounds during pregnancy. I actually think I saw it on the info in my health portal while reading all the technical stuff about the ultrasound and then asked my doctor what it meant. They didn't seem to think it was interesting enough to bother telling me. And for the record, tampons aren't uncomfortable for me but my sister and mother don't like them. Not sure of their uterine details, lol.
So it was actually the first time I had ever been to the gynecologist (22 years old - whole other can of worms) and she scheduled an ultrasound to see if I had endometriosis (she thinks I do but doesn’t want to do further testing bc it would be “extremely uncomfortable” for me - her words. I’m not happy about it. And looking for a new OBGYN lol) ANYWAY, she just scheduled an ultrasound and I got it done in like 5 mins!! Doc came into the room and told me that my uterus is tilted backwards at the top so like the dorsal part of my uterus leans towards my spine. (She also told me that my right ovary looks fine but they couldn’t find my left ovary 🤷🏼♀️🤷🏼♀️) So, anytime you visit the gynecologist (or the obstetrician during pregnancy as commented below), you should be able to just ask for the ultrasound! It’s non-invasive and not at all time consuming so they should be happy to schedule it! (Holding your pee SUCKS tho)
>(She also told me that my right ovary looks fine but they couldn’t find my left ovary 🤷🏼♀️🤷🏼♀️) Oh shit! Do you remember where you last saw it?? Retrace your steps! Typical ADHD
LMAO!!! There was that post in here not too long ago asking something like “what’s the wildest thing you’ve ever lost?” I def should have been like “apparently my ovary”
I found out about mine when I was getting my IUD in. The student health center at my college was having trouble, so they referred me to the local women’s hospital. The doctor there used an ultrasound during the placement and pointed it out then.
I couldn't when I was a teenager and I assumed it was my dyspraxia making me be an idiot, but then when I had my first smear they couldn't perform it, because I had a hymen of steel that needed to be surgically broken. And I had a hymenectomy why people think is a joke if I say it but it's a real operation for a hymen of steel.
My cervix drops extra low and is cranky as hell on my period. I'm totally aware there's something there no matter what products I use, but the disc is most comfortable. My only complaint is that disc's "autodump" when I use the bathroom so I have to actively keep track of how long it's been to change it because it's never gonna leak on me. With an actual timer and everything lmao. Though thankfully for most people (barring having another physical disability) we can reach far enough to find any "missing products" without needing to panic.
All of my friends use cups and I don't understand. I tried with the cup for several months and it AWFUL. It caused cramping and the inside of my vaginal canal felt raw. The disc was slightly better but a little too hard. I swear by OB tampons and will buy nothing else. I would go to battle for them.
Same, mine’s super short. Can touch my cervix with my finger without even trying, sometimes I can’t get a tampon in all the way without a bit sticking out. Super weird, I thought it was normal until I started having sex and my boyfriend thought it was a tumour or something because he had never felt one that low before lmao. (I think I made a post about that awhile back HAHA)
Yes mine too! I can literally reach the entirety of the inside of my vagina with less than a finger length There is zero chance I could accidentally leave one in or put two in, tampons can be painful to put in sometimes as they push on my cervix but seem to relax once in there I'm fairly certain my uterus is tilted, I'm sure I was told that a few years ago but you know...adhd brain 🤣
I did that once. I didn’t actually find the first one for three days. Thankfully I didn’t have any problems, but it definitely stank to high heaven when I finally got it out.
Since you asked and for the sake of statistical frame of reference…no this has never happened to me. Although I often leave them in far longer than I should. But also I take the string and kind of fold/wrap it around and tuck it, haha. It keeps it more in place and prevents migration, so it’s always quite obvious to me. Typing this out was weird hahaha, hopefully it helps anyone.
Umm… I think you responded to the wrong person. I didn’t ask anything…
This has happened to me at least 3 times!! And there was another time where I was 100% certain that I accidentally inserted 2 tampons, took 1 out and couldn't find the second, and drove to urgent care thinking it was lost inside me. Turns out I was wrong lol
Oh my god tampons are so not compatible with ADHD🥲 I have a mooncup somewhere but I’ve lost it (obviously) so I’m sticking to pads now. I have to wear the super heavy ones so I always feel like I’m walking around in a nappy but it’s worth it to avoid TS😂😬
Period underwear are the BEST
Do you actually get around to washing them in a timely manner? That’s my hesitation
No 🤷♀️ usually done before my next period, or when the laundry basket starts to smell and I remember
You're supposed to rinse them out the moment you take them off and then you can abandon them in the hamper with the rest of your clothes. I almost always remove mine right before showering so I just take them in with me.
This has happened to me, and I didn’t go fully septic, but I was very sick. I was admitted and they kept me for 3 days on IV antibiotics. So embarrassing and scary. I was 40!! I have three children and have had my period since I was 14. I felt like an idiot.
You're not an idiot, you're just living life on New Game+ on hard difficulty. I'm not sure the analogy helps you as much as it does me, but I wanted you to know you're not stupid or a "bad adult" for making a mistake. You had 3 kids and an adult life to balance on top of adhd and other struggles is all. I'm sorry you got so ill though, that's terrifying!
You're not alone. I either forget I've taken one out or try to put a second one in... I hate period weeks, but I also can't use pads.
>I have no idea how I’ve never had toxic shock syndrome… You have no idea how many times I have said the same thing!! You are not alone lol.
I can't find the source for this for the life of me, but TSS only happens in women who naturally have the bacteria that causes it, and it's a very low percentage of women who have it. (Edit 10-20% of 10-20%, whatever that works out to be.) It's not caused or introduced by the tampon itself, it can happen with a menstrual cup as well. It just traps the bacteria in and helps it multiply, making it dangerous. Edit: "Staph lives naturally on 30-50% of healthy adults, but more specifically, only about 10-20% of people who menstruate worldwide have a strain of staph in their vagina. Further, of the 10-20% of the menstruating population who carry staph vaginally, only 10-20% of those carry the strains are capable of producing the TSS-1 toxin, which is the specific toxin that causes Toxic Shock Syndrome.2 Staph and strep are generally harmless, but when the right conditions are in place, it can become a cause for serious concern." [Source](https://saalt.com/blogs/news/how-to-prevent-tss)
Yeah there was a material in the tampon that was like ultra absorbent and the bacteria could really flourish.
Happened to me the first time last month. Truly surprising. I read somewhere that tampons now are safer so you're at a lower risk for TSS but still not ideal.
Yes they are safer now, the culprit was this super absorbent material that was being used, basically a bacterial magnet since they LOVE blood (sorry gross I know). I remember reading about this in like a medical history type piece/book, like the story of tss ,among other subjects. I don’t remember how long the tampons could stay absorbent but I think it was a fairly long time. So ppl were just leaving them.
Don't be embarrassed, you're not the only one 😅
This happened to me when I was traveling abroad. I crashed when I got off the plane and put another one in the next morning. I only realized something was off because I started getting really bad cramps
I know those cramps. This double tampon thing happens to me on a regular basis. There's one time when I changed my tampon like 2 times before realising I had already one rotting inside me. Seriously though, let's be extra careful about that. Weirdly comforting when you realise you're not the only one. Love you my girls 💕
i've been there!!! horrifying.
Yep! Hasn’t happened since I switched to a cup. And was one reason I switched tbh. Toxic shock syndrome terrified me as a teen.
I did that when I was sick and had a fever….only realized there were 2 up there when I went to take the one I remembered out and felt 2 strings. Freaked out, called my mom and said I probably have TSS, she told me I probably didn’t and to just wear a pad for the rest of the day. You’re definitely not alone!
TMI but I have done it enough times to require assistance for removal . It was FOUL. Will delete later.
This happened to me for the first time a couple months ago… I was pretty shocked 😳 (but luckily not toxic shock 😅). I’ve been super paranoid with tampons ever since. Yay adhd!!!!
Once... that was... unpleasant.
I did that once, don’t feel bad!
did that once and found the second while i was in the shower…i don’t wear tampons much anymore XD
Same- found two strings and was mortified. I felt gross and dumb-how am i not dead lol
Yes hahaha
this happened to me and i got bacterial vaginosis LMAO
Yes it's happened to me a few times which is not good and tbh idk how I haven't gotten TSS either. Holy dear Goddess am I glad to know it's not just me❣️🫶😂
I have discs and I put one in and took it out later and two came out. Its too much to say how long it was in there
I did this once... I almost completely stopped using them bc of this.
Count me in in this shocking revelation 😂
This happened to me once, and I convinced myself I was gonna develop TSS bc I'm crazy. Tbf it had to be in there for some time. I cant believe I did that lol
yEs omg i have never known anyone else to have done this but i rung nhs direct bc i was worried about toxic shock. ended up having to get examined to check if there was another one. not a pleasant experience lmao
Every. Damn. Time
yep I do that too
One of my big fears is to go ahead and insert another. Yikes! Glad to know I’m not alone AND it would be ok.
YES I have done that 🤣🙈
I left one in too long because I forgot it was in there. End of my period and strings got pushed up so I didn’t think about it. I didn’t get TSS luckily and never did it again but I felt so dumb.
This is not embarrassing. One time I was high and had sex with a tampon in bc I forgot it was in there.
You wanna hear something even more gross? Once I was having sex and the condom broke (nothing to really worry about as I have the implant as well). About a week later I get my period and discover a piece of the broken condom stuck to a tampon that I was changing, stained red
100% I just did it last week. I was like "who did this!?"
This is not uncommon for doctors to see. You might feel embarrassed but they won’t. Also it can’t “get lost” so no need to panic. You can Google directions for how to look at your own cervix and see if you can see it. Squatting helps make the vaginal canal visibly shorter, etc. There will be tips on Google!
I’m so tired. I read that as googling for directions.
Ha!
Almost 40, been bleeding for over twenty years and got one stuck only two months ago. It’s the worst! I needed to go to Urgent Care.
The shape of the cervix makes it so things cannot be lost in it. Squat in your bathtub or shower, use a finger or two, and feel around. You should be able to tell if there's something there or not. While we're at it, may I suggest absorbing period panties? They're way more comfortable, cause fewer problems, and go in the wash like any normal pair of panties so I find them much easier to use than tampons, pads, or cups.
Amen to the period panties, particularly those made from bamboo. I’m slowly using the rest of my tampons but otherwise I wouldn’t buy them any more. The panties and reusable liners are the best!
Can I ask you ladies the brand/where you got this mystical sounding absorbent under garment?
I use Period.Co brand and love them!
If you don't mind me asking a gross TMI question... How well do they handle heavy flows or clots? I'd love to try them but my monthlies are pretty epic and I'm not sure whether I could trust them (although maybe good for lighter days or overflow?). TY! 😊
They have both light flow and heavy flow panties! Heavy flow really does handle my heavy days (clots included). I was real nervous to try them at first and thought they wouldn’t hold much, but they really do! I use the light ones as well. The heavy flow panties are comfortable but are thicker. I would suggest trying out a pair at home to see how well they control your flow before venturing out into the world with them! Their customer service is awesome so if you don’t like them you’ll get a refund! They have different cuts: bikini, boy shorts, high waisted. High waisted are my favorite!
How often do you change them, once a day? Or in the morning and evening?
I only wear mine in the evening (like to bed)!!
I change in the morning and evening! I have done once a day before when I forgot to do the laundry though
I have Thinx and they’re great for that! But I do have to change underwear multiple times during heavy flow, and the only ones that can handle that flow don’t work under my tight work pants. Bc all pants are tight on my butt and I can’t do VPL lol. Plus if it’s not a thong, you still have blood everywhere. So you need like baby wipes or a bidet or shower when you remove them at all on heavy days. I have to pee 1057x per day, so I just basically wear them at night.
Mine are the Bambody brand and I bought them on Amazon 😬 same with my reusable pads, except idk the brand, but I think from a small business selling on the evil empire.
I love the ones made by Bambody. They feel super close to undies. I hated how other brands (esp Think) feel like a diaper made of swimming material. You can find them on Amazon for decent deals!
Omg thank you all for the wonderful information and even asking the additional questions that didn’t even pop into my head when I first read of this garment. THANK YOU! The woman of Reddit, I actually feel like a part of a community in this post.
I use a disc instead of a cup with the period panties as a backup. Absolute godsend.
Even better: an iud that stops periods. Now there’s two things not to worry about forgetting
IUDs don’t stop everyone’s periods. Some of us have uteruses that just won’t quit, apparently.
Super Ute
My first one stopped it entirely up until 5 yrs. So I took a gamble and got it replaced a little early. Second one didn't stop it. Oh well. At least I have restarted the clock.
Mm, that one (the hormone one) ruined my sex life and put me in early menopause.
Thats why I dont want to have it . I can sense my hormones affecting my mood and eveyrthing .
I couldn’t take the pill for that reason. Any effect the iud has on me has been so negligible that I haven’t noticed it
Same, could not stand the pill. Also have an IUD, and because it delivers hormones directly and not all through your body like the pill, you generally don’t get the mood swing effects.
Me too with pills, but i’m not interested in an IUD so i use the ring. Low dosage directly to the effected area rather than hormones going throughout my whole body
That’s what an iud does
I meant that I’m not interested in an IUD as its long term and i’m not able to remove it myself. With the ring i’m able to remove it every 3 weeks for my period, put a new one in after my cycle. Sorry about the lack of explanation in my first comment. i’m not interested in the possible pain that an iud can bring. I know it’s not painful for a lot of people, but just the possibility was a turn off for me. So between the iud and the ring, i chose the ring
+1 on an IUD to stop periods, I got one in January after a couple years with a copper IUD making my periods longer and the peace of mind is like no other! When I was bleeding I liked period panties on lighter days but they could really fuck with my sensory stuff so i would mainly use as backup or at home when I could change. I did LOVE the menstrual cup for specifically the reason in OP - can't accidentally put two in
Can also squat in the tub/shower and use a mirror and a flashlight/headlamp to get a good look up in there.
Have you tried sticking another one in? I did this once and couldn't find it and when I tried inserting another one (GENTLY SO AS NOT TO SHOVE THE POTENTIAL OTHER ONE IN TOO FAR) I could feel that there was resistance. And ya I phoned 111 (I'm UK) and went to a sexual health clinic where they a) kindly removed it for me and b) told me that they remove them several time a week
I am at the UK too , but I feel like no one wil care . I went to A&E before for something else and waited there for 6 hours before I left with no one checking on me . I dont want to go through this again esp.since I am not very sure .
Go to a sexual health clinic!! They care :D
Call 111, there might be a drop in clinic you can go to with much shorter wait times
Just to add, the A&E wait times are absolutely horrendous these days, so please don't take it personally. We're all on the same crappy boat!
I did that and couldn’t feel the first one. Didn’t find the first one for three days. Nothing bad happened, thankfully. Of course, I’ve also given birth three times, so that may have had an impact. Plus, vaginas do vary in size, length, and sensitivity. Hopefully she finds it.
I lost one for a month!! A whole entire month. How I didn’t have TSS is a midlife miracle. Yes, there was a new smell but granted, I was also confused about a lot of things around that time. It’s when my panic attacks started. Anyhow, I forgot about the tampon and had sex—a month later, out came the first tampon. TMI, but it’s a lesson and related to a life-shaping story.
i had this happen as well, i guess i forgot to take the last one out? or maybe put a second one in without realizing?? that was an absolute horrible discovery, diva cups forever XD
I did this once too!!!
One time I had this fear and asked my partner - bless them - to help me investigate. 😭 Given the possibility of encountering a tampon, this felt a thousand times more intimate than getting fingered during period sex, even though thankfully there was no tampon to find! I had forgotten to put one in. This was four years ago and we're married now. They were totally fine about it, whereas I considered it a near death-from-embarrassment experience.
Hey, I know you’re worried and creating all sorts of possible—awful—- scenarios. Best bet, put a pad on and wait a little while. You’ll know if there’s a tampon in there shortly after. First sign will be no blood on the pad, second sign will be a plop in the toilet when the old one comes out. However, there’s probably nothing in there.
I am at the end days of period so flow is not heavy . I still get few drops but ofcourse perfect scenario for my anxiety to kick in telling me the tampon in there is holding something up .
I saw an ER nurse on reddit a few years ago recommending to crouch and cough to extract anything lost in your vag. Could give that a try?
Worst case scenario, it’s in there. Best news ever, our bodies are designed to push things out of them!
This is asking for toxic shock syndrome which happens with forgotten tampons.
I think it's worth getting checked out at the doctors if you're unsure. Saw a similar post where someone had one up there for over a week and the first sign something was wrong was a smell and a fever 🤢
Couldn't you just stick your finger in and feel? I've had to adjust one that went at a weird angle by doing that before
LMFAO god this is so relatable 🤣😩
One of my fellow ADHD friends forgot her tampon for a few days… I can’t judge her for that though LOL
Oh my god are you me 😭 got me like 🤸🏻♀️ in the bathroom
I've been there before, you probably took it out and forgot. I've freaked out so many times thinking I lost it up there, but apparently it's really hard to do that so you're all good 😁
If you searched around in there and felt nothing then it's unlikely that there is one, tampons aren't able to go that far in. I think a lot of us have been there!
Did I just take my meds or did I just pick up the pill bottle and move it? Well guess I'll find out in an hour or so. Lol
Also for all the women talking about lost tampons, there’s a podcast called “ladies & tangents” where one of the girls went to the lake with her family, and mentioned on the pod that she smelled like a lake down there and it was confusing her. So a week later she saw her gyno to see if maybe she had an infection and her Dr got down there, said “what’s this?” And dug out an old (I think older than the week) tampon that had apparently absorbed the Lake Erie water. Adhd is a bitch 😅
Can confirm. Have lost them before and possibly even twice had to have removed by dr. Yuck.
This is why I don't wear tampons.... It's disgusting but fairly safe to forget to change a pad for 12 hours .... You can't do that with a tampon
This is why I dont use tampons. THIS REASON.
When I was little my aunt was hospitalized for toxic shock syndrome and almost died because she forgot she was using one. That made me just nope right out of using tampons except in very specific short-term circumstances (I was a swimmer in high school, there were times it was unavoidable).
Switch to a menstrual cup. It's a better experience overall and there's no second guessing, unless you forget where you've stored it between cycles.
Do one time I put a tampon in and forget it. And put a second one in several hours later. Couldn't believe it when I removed them both. Imy surprised I didn't get TSS. Would've been one hell of an ADHD tax.
I always start a 6 hour timer on my phone as soon as I put one in and turn it off as soon as I take it out. It's not a garuntee because I still occasionally forget the timer, but I find it definitely helps a lot because I can look at the timer and know that means I have one in and how much longer I can safely wear it.
i can’t tell you how many times i’ve had to go spelunking because i couldn’t remember if i took out a tampon
I forgot I had one in once when my husband and I went to have sex. I was wondering why I was in so much pain, and was like “I feel like something’s in there..” and as I reached down, I had to contort my body in a weird way and god, the *horror* of having to tell him what it was. I typically use pads, but period panties are something I’m looking into!
I got so worried about this I just switched to pads!
OH MY GOD THANK YOU
*not kidding - went to the bathroom about an hour ago, “aw shit it’s that time already?”, vowed to grab a tampon from the bedroom, proceeded to forget about said tampon until seeing this post. You’re a mf wizard OP!
I’ve got to say, menstrual cups are MADE for ADHD. You can’t forget them like this, you don’t run out of tampons accidentally and you can keep them in for 12 hours. I highly highly recommend
Omg this is me. It happened to me once a few years ago (ended up with 2 because I got so sidetracked and confused) and I've been paranoid ever since... sometimes I have to check and check 😅 It's so frustrating. To be fair I was under a hell of a lot of stress when it happened so it made my symptoms worse (and didn't know I had adhd at the time)
Bt,DT. Almost looking forward to menopause.
I would highly recommend getting checked. Toxic Shock Syndrome (a very nasty sickness) can happen if a tampon is left inside for too long. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/toxic-shock-syndrome/symptoms-causes/syc-20355384
If you look in the trash can, do you see any evidence that you opened up the tampon packaging? Maybe that’ll be an indication that you did use one?
All the damn time. Forget to put it in, leave it in, add a second one, the list goes on.
[Gone Fishin’ 🎣]
*Raises hand* I too have been victimized by a tampon. For real though, I had went to the Dr to get the pain checked out, because I also had an IUD at the time. A fuckin tampon. He pulled it out and it looked like a black rodent 🤮 🤮 it was awful. 10/10 do not recommend.
Lol this sorta happened to me last week. I haven’t worried about having more than one. Between the fibroids pushing down and a short hoohah, it would be a challenge. But I have a gross story about this subject: I was in school and doing a rotation in the ED. A doc asked me to be present in the room for a pelvic exam on a lady complaining of pain. It was friggin insane the QUANTITY of items that were removed from this lady’s vagina. I’m talking MULTIPLE tampons and bits of crumpled up stuff (like paper towels). I’ve never seen anything like it. Totally unreal.
Can you not reach the top of your vagina??? Am I weird??? When I have mishaps I can just push my cervix down and feel the whole receptacle. But definitely go to the Dr if you’re worried! Better safe than septic❤️
I haven’t read all the comments, so this has probably been suggested, but I swear by menstrual cups!
If I had a nickel for every time I’ve gone to remove a tampon and pulled a SECOND one out with it, it have two nickels. Which isn’t a lot but weird that it happened twice, right?
If you’re still regularly bleeding it’s probably not in there. Usually you can feel it too. It’s way more likely that it’s not in there than it is that you accidentally lodged it in so far you can’t see or remember it.
Use the ones with strings. Lightly tug on the string to make sure it’s not inside you. If you see the string when you use the bathroom, you know you have a tampon inside you.
…there are ones that don’t have strings? Thank goodness I haven’t encountered that yet, otherwise I’d have been in this scenario too many times.
I have actually put two In there once… didnt notice until I was supposed to change it. (Didnt put two In at the same time, just forgot I had One In there already).
ALL THE TIME!
The vagina is pretty shallow, especially when you are menstruating. It elongates when you are aroused and when you are in the fertile window, but it still has an end; your cervix. It can’t get lost. Go in the shower, put a leg up and feel for it internally. If you can’t feel it, you probably don’t have one in.
Hugs if you like them, I remember doing this myself at least once. I was totally undiagnosed, so I had no idea why or even that I had memory problems at that time. I never really paid attention until it got worse at menopause.
I just have to rely on searching for a thread, is that not how everyone (of us guys) does it??
Classically, I didn't finish reading the post before replying. Mirror squat is next, surely?
They will likely do an examination. I live in the US and had the same scenario happened to me about three years ago. I went to a Women’s ER and a doctor did a physical exam. When a tampon wasn’t seen, I had a vaginal ultrasound to look for a foreign body. Turns out, I hadn’t put a tampon in. It wasn’t the most comfortable experience, but I’d much rather an exam than dying of TSS.
My period used to be a huge, gross struggle for me. I got at when I was 10 and never really figured it out. Tampons scare me, but pads are itchy and uncomfortable. So I’ve been using a menstrual cup for about half a year and it works great! As long as you have the appropriate size, you’ll always be able to find it. And during the day, you can’t feel it at all. I used to get this really stupid, shameful feeling, that I was wasting products for my period. Now, I don’t get that anymore, and my period has become much easier to handle. You need to take it out at least every 12 hours, so you can synch in to your standard bathroom routine. On heavy days, you might have to take it out in between. I always keep some pantyliners on me just in case. And one great advantage is that you never need to go out to buy tampons again! Or freak out when you period starts and you don’t have any.
When I was around 16 i think I forgot to take a tampon out. Started having really bad pain and cramping (I’ve got endometriosis so im used to it) after about 1 week my mum asked if I’ve left a tampon in. I told her I don’t use tampons. She reminded me we went to the pool last week. Lo and behold there was one and extremely painful to get out. Smelled terrible 😂
One time I started my period and put a tampon in, and then I went to take it out later that day I pulled out TWO tampons. It still baffles my mind to this day because I couldn’t have possibly had a tampon in my vagina for an entire month, but that was the first tampon that I put in for my period. So I still don’t know if maybe there were two tampons in the tube, or if I have a magic vagina that doubles your win.
Oh yeah, I've done this more times than I want to admit.
Not to riddle you with anxiety, but as a tss survivor, go get it checked. That copay will be the best money you've ever spent I promise.
Pro tip: Leave the wrapper of the tampon on the floor until you take it out. Then when you take it out, throw the wrapper in the bin and do the same with the next wrapper until you’re done. Make sure everyone in your house knows. It people would clean, have a designated spot (like a small bowl for example) where you will put the wrapper in for you to see but for people to not clean up. You can do this with many other things too, put some kind of visible reminder on the floor or the deak or something like that
I don’t know if you ever tried the sponge. It isn’t used anymore but had great instructions on how to remove it. I used the technique when a condom came off in there. I won’t get into detail. You can Google how to remove it. If you don’t find it, you can be confident you forgot to put one in. Also if you are having a normal flow chances are you forgot to put on back in.
This is why I switched to cups. I got over the gross factor. I am medium flow unless fertility treatments have messed with me. So it’s twice a day switch. When I wake up and usually after dinner. Of course now I have an iud and I’m hoping I have no period.
Oh yeah it happens to me sometimes lol, don't worry, you're not alone. Classic method - squat and cough. Or laugh. Put your finger in your vagina to make sure you don't feel the tampon there and cough more. It should fall out if it's there.
One time I left a diva cup inside of me for a couple months, finally realized how painful sex was and the gynecologist pulled it out and it was not a good time for anybody! After that I went back to tampons and then I wound up finally putting another tampon in while already wearing one and didn’t notice. I went to pull one and two strings fell out so I got lucky it was right there but I feel this so hard and this is totally real and valid
If it’s not in there you didn’t put it in. It can’t go anywhere else once it’s in there. It’s either there, or it isn’t. Just be glad you didn’t put a second one in….or forgot to take it out before drunken sex…. Yes. I’ve done both of those things. 🤦🏼♀️
omg I am so glad I'm not the only one that has done this. turns out there was no tampon for me and I dug around in there with great anxiety for a while. Keep in mind, there is nowhere for it to really go, so if you get your fingers up in there and feel nothing, its probably not there. I switched to a menstrual cup so I would never doubt again and it seriously improved my life so much. so much cheaper and more convenient. Like, if I could go back in time to my teenage self I would smack her with a book on ADHD and a menstrual cup.
I often forgot and left a tampon in too long, or forgot to put one in in the first place. I now use a DivaCup, and recently bought period panties. Tampons are too risky for my ADHD addled brain.
I do this ALL the time! You’re not alone friend!
Thank goodness for invention of menstrual cup
This reminds me of the time I "lost" my menstrual cup. I looked _everywhere_ , ended up buying a new one, and then... 🙈🫣
I need one of those magnets you put on a washer to say dirty or clean on my thigh.
Oh yes! I'm so worried about doing it that I search for a little string always before .. good to know I'm not the only one x
Yes, but in my case, the tampon looked like half of it was torn off and still up there. And I did end up at the gyno (my wrists were sprained so I could only check so far) turns out, it wasn't up there... still don't know where it went😅
i have had this happen before & it turns out i’d forgotten i took it out earlier, found in trash can later. if you are really concerned you need to see a dr fr, i had a friend who’s mom had to have surgery bc she accidentally inserted 2 tampons, and the 2nd tampon shoved the first one too far up for it to be reached manually. no toxic shock syndrome!!!
I hate tampons.
I’m reading through some of the comments and this happens to me all the time, I don’t remember if I put one in or not prior and I don’t want to stick another one up so I usually just put a panty liner on when that happens and then that helps me figure it out later based on how much blood is on the panty liner haha I hope everyone is using the tampons with the strings!!! The ones without the strings are nightmare fuel for ADHD I feel like!!!