I listened to your discussion about the Museum of Menstruation on the Howard Stern Show on Monday, May 4, 1998. I had actually visited your Web site a couple of months ago and was intrigued with all the information you have on the history of menstruation. However, you didn't mention Playtex at all on Monday, so I wasn't sure if you are aware of our breakthrough and innovative new product: Playtex® Gentle Glide® Odor Absorbing Tampons. They're the first and only non-deodorant tampons with a unique all-natural layer that actually eliminates odor by absorbing it . . . without any fragrance or scent!
Enclosed are samples for you to add to your vast collection of products! Enjoy!
Sincerely,
Cindy Kordas
Associate Product Manager
Playtex Tampons
Deer misterr finnle
we was A-GOIN' ta tote a baskit o'vittles down ta the city of a april weeknd, but Violet-Bernece she got her...um...she was feelin' poorly an we hadta wait til May. anyWays, we got ta the Liberry (thay got one o'them new cypherin' deals down there 'n all), an we was a-lookin' up "bears+bleedin'+killing the womenfolk+such" when up popped yer munthly deal! Ever sence Sharlene-Judith got hersef et by a bear on her way out ta the privvy las July, the menfolk been a-goin' on about how it by God wouldda been a difernt deal if'n she hadnt been a-bleedin' an all. butt she was a-gnawin' on a chicken leg on her way out there, 'n the womenfolk is a-sayin' it musta been THET made the bear tear up Sharlene! an you, bein' one of 'em, know how menfolk go on about women's cyclin' makin' bears commence a-slobberin' an a-tearin' folks up, like its our fault or somethin! witch, it makes more CENTS ta say the dang bear was a-slobberin' over thet fried chicken! THETs what got her kilt! [I believe you're right.]
anyWays, me 'n Violet got a kick outta yer munthly book 'n we woulda red more if'n Villot hadna kep a-throwin' hersef in front of the t.v. set ever time that Liberry feller walkt bye. but She was ashamd. y'know? AN we dint see NUTHIN' abaut no BEARS nowhar in theer! [They missed the odor section.] so, thank-u sinserly an we wil DEFFINITly be back nex time we make it ta the city, but Villet says brang a dikktionery with us ha ha!
Ruthie-May PineTree
(it don't effekt me anyWays since ol Doc Samson commenced a-cuttin' on me lass yeer sayin' "yA got TUMMERS in thar the sizz o'cranshaw MELONS, Ruthie-May!" they dint think I was long fer this world, y'know? but here I am, by God!
I tried Instead. I hated it. It didn't stop anything and it was too hard to use. A diaphragm works better. I use it for sex during menstruation anyway.
I listen to Howard Stern and I must admit that I heard of this site when you were on the show. You didn't mention anything about cups and I was going to write and say that there were alternatives to pads with wings (!!!) and pink plastic applicator tampons that smell like pledge until I actually checked it out. So I take back my initial response. And I'd like to add my experiences.
I found The Keeper a couple of years ago and it worked great for a year or two (once I trimmed and trimmed the end and got used to fitting it in) and then it started to leak. I was getting a bit frustrated and decided that I was going to have to go back to tampons. So into the drugstore I went and found the Instead cup just sitting there. I had never heard of it and was a bit reluctant to spend so much money on something disposable, but I went for it anyway. And I think I'm in love. It doesn't leak (for me) and I have much more confidence in it that I ever had with tampons. It doesn't get in the way of sex and our sheets stay clean. It also avoids the look of horror on my boyfriend's face when he sees just what he was getting himself into.
When I was reading the letters, and people were saying that Ultrafem is going out of business, I was at work and didn't think it would be appropriate to cry. But I must admit I found I was quite upset by the whole thing. I have been using one cup per, well, period, but now I'm a bit nervous about throwing them away. In fact, I just went and stocked up on a couple more boxes yesterday. I think it is so sad when these sort of things don't work. I'm not a hippie and I work in an office. I shave my legs and pluck my eyebrows and I have no problem using these things. I tell my friends and some try one or the other. I am sad that these things may disappear from the shelves but I guess if they do, I'll get a diaphragm to take it's place. I just wish more normal women would figure it out and help keep the good things on the market.
Boston.
Since I can't call a "voice," or even access a workable Web site, [both the Instead Web site and 800 number are unworkable] I am stupefied as to where to ask questions, or whether I can even get a response from a "user" as to what difficulties I might be having or if there is anyway to work out the difficulties, so here goes . . . .
I tried Instead, and they are quite comfortable and easy to use and wear. However, I have been told in the past that I have a small cervix and I've been known to tilt (though not all the time). I've also discovered that apparently I have a small vaginal canal as well because even when I insert correctly, and I feel comfortable, I can still feel a portion of the cup in my vaginal canal. Obviously, this discounts the "one-size-fits-all" theory and the claim that a woman's partner cannot feel Instead. I can't possibly imagine my partner not feeling Instead as I can feel it without even using my whole finger.
I wish someone could please explain to me the sudden disappearance of the Web site and the toll-free number (which by the way, you can reach, but no one answers). [The company is bankrupt; and see also the last item on this page.] I think it's a wonderful product which needs to be modified a bit to compensate for the fact that not all women come in certain shapes and sizes. And I can attest to this since a woman I know who uses Instead regularly without the problem I have, is about 6 inches shorter than I and weighs about 95 lbs. I am 5'5" and 150 lbs. and I will use the cups, because they will catch my menstrual flow, but they certainly cannot be used for "blood-free" or "comfortable" sex in my instance. I was so excited at the prospect and am sorely disappointed for getting my partner's hopes up for something that cannot possibly be. *Sigh.*
But what bothers me worse than anything is the fact that the inventor is from Montana, which is where I am from, and I thought people in my "neck of the woods" were much more responsive to the concerns of ordinary people who desperately want to give something new and natural a try only to find out that they have been "blown off"!
I have just tried the new Instead cup, very much looking forward to all the advantages that it would hold over tampons/pads. Well, I am not ready to give up yet, but I do feel from what I have heard The Keeper cup will suit my needs better. The Instead is rather hard to reach for withdrawal. I could not reach ANYONE from the company by phone (would not even ring). I also tried to get to their Web site, again would not go through. Which put some concerns in my mind about the company. [See the letter above.]
Next, I could not seem to get the cup in the correct place. Once my flow became heavy there was a great deal of leakage, maybe due to the "one size fits all." Every time I removed it most of the blood was on the bottom of cup. I am very interested in trying The Keeper to see how it compares. I also kept thinking I would not want to have to deal with this in a public place. I have used O.B. tampons since I was about 13 years old; I'm 24-years old now and have no problem using them/or my finger for insertion. But I do feel the Instead was more than I bargained for when changing. I tried these with a very open mind. I actually looked forward to my period just so I could try them so I know I had no negative feelings towards this product.
When or if I get The Keeper I will contact you again with my results. Thank you for this Web site; it has been interesting, informative and FUN!
First of all, this is going to have to be short since it's almost 12:30 am and I have to go to school tomorrow. Yep, I'm in high school. I'm 16 years old and recently discovered the idea of cups on the Web. One day when my whole house was out of tampons I was sent to the drug store with my boyfriend to buy some, and I got Instead because I knew that if I didn't have an alternative, I would have to try it and not quit if it got messy. So I tried it.
Removal at first was really tricky and I kinda got a bit messy but it was fine. The only thing that I didn't like was that one day in the middle of class I felt something and I realized that I managed to tip the whole freaking thinger over, which was a few hours worth of blood leaking through my underwear as my teacher signed my pass. It was very frustrating.
Then I heard about The Keeper. I bought that and tried it out and loved it. I found a little leakage in the beginning, but I found that if I change it every couple of hours when I'm at home and once during the day at school, I'm fine.
The bathrooms I have at home are fine because the sink is right next to the toilet, and while I understand how some women would dislike using them in public bathrooms, it's not all that bad. Just use a bunch of toilet paper to soak everything up and wipe it up as best you can. One day I had an all-day competition and it was wonderful. I tell people that I am a self-containing unit.
And for those who say one is better than the other and for those who aren't sure, try both. They're both a bit odd to get used to sometimes and you might like one better than the other or you might like both and use them for different things.
Oh yeah, two more things. Where did the whole thing about the cutting edges come in?? I must've missed something 'cus my Keeper never did that to me.
Last thing, I hope.
I find it appalling that my sister and mother, while they applaud my adventures in feminine hygiene, are disgusted at the thought of touching their own blood. Personally, the idea had to grow on me but I really don't mind anymore. I find that it's a way that I'm connected to the moon cycles and it's my body's way of telling me that all is right with the world.
I also find it appalling that some men use menstruation as another means to subjugate women. Most of my male friends have learned painfully that they do not ever ask me if I'm on the rag when I'm upset. And there are too many stories about superstitions like bears smelling the blood or plane accidents when women pilots were menstruating. I wholeheartedly agree that if this were a man thing it would be revered and thought of as special and meaningful.
I will end by quoting one of my favorite Ani DiFranco songs. You all should check her out; she's a great singer and her lyrics are so awesome. They just say so well what I'm thinking.
I go and find the only other woman on the floor,
The secretary sitting at the desk by the door.
I ask her if she's got a tampon I can use.
She says, "Oh honey, what a hassle for you.
Sure I do, you know I do."
I say, "It ain't no hassle, no,
It ain't no mess.
Right now it's the only power that I possess.
These businessmen got their money,
They got their instruments of death,
But I can make life
I can make breath."
That last line is my fav: but *I* can make life and *I* can make breath.
Anyway, I really need to get going. Thanks for an awesome site and don't worry, I'll be back and I'll bring my friends along.
I heard you on Howard Stern this morning and think what you are doing is gross, but I think you ought to have something on Ultrafem, which is a company that makes a latex insert that holds in the blood [Instead]. The company has major management problems, and the stock has plummeted into the pennies. I don't think there is an Internet site about them, but I got the following [from an Internet chat site, thus the references and speaking to unknown persons], which is a letter talking about their problems
ULTRAFEM QUESTIONS
1. Was the Quiet Period broken by the underwriter? There is an SEC regulation that states: The underwriter can not issue research within 90 days of the IPO. This is so traders can not influence the stock. Research was issued on 3/19, the company went public on 2/22.
2. Ultrafem included in their investor packet an article by a doctor who works for them. THE ARTICLE DOES NOT DISCLOSE THAT HE WORKS FOR ULTRAFEM. He is a STOCKHOLDER. Listed on page 34 of the prospectus.
3. Problems with the article: 4/15 (Contemporary OB/GYN journal). He states that the INSTEAD can be use during sex. What will happen when the INSTEAD is filled with menstrual fluid and the thrusting of the penis pushes the menstrual fluid back up into the fallopian tubes? Studies have shown that endometriosis is caused by embedding cells into the fallopian tubes' walls.
4. The retracted press release statement by Ultrafem on 5/21. The CEO was trying to compare Ultrafem with another company. Hype: trying to play the AIDS story. I can only shake my head on this one.
5. A comment on 6/17 from someone on this board about advertising in the third quarter. That is privileged information. Someone is trying to hype the stock. By the way, the advertising firm sits on the board of directors for Ultrafem. Very cozy. Pages 32 and 42-43 of the prospectus.
6. In a press release, 7/30, they state that Ultrafem had an independent study: The Clinical Trials. The tests for the study were done by a doctor who works for Ultrafem. THIS WAS NOT DISCLOSED IN THE PRESS RELEASE. Is this an independent study ? She is a stockholder. Listed on page 34 of the prospectus.
7. Research group on page 29 of the prospectus states: The company is not aware of other consumer research regarding the satisfaction of consumers with currently available feminine products. They Have Got To Be Kidding!
8. The problem with the product being too messy. Do we use the glove or not. (I.e., being removed when filled with fluid.)
9. The problem: not many women would feel comfortable with inserting this product. This is not going to go in by magic. Digital Insertion. Unappealing.
10. Will the glove be latex? Big problem with people being allergic to latex.
11. Is the product biodegradable? No. It is neither flushable nor biodegradable. Cost? About 16% more than tampons. Page 28 of the prospectus.
12. Has this product been done before ?? Yes. The Tassaway cup in the 60's [and The Keeper and Tassette, and the original cup before World War Two]. The stock shot through the roof, and the company went bankrupt. The product did not catch on. [See the history of menstrual cups on this site.]
13. Studies by a NY research firm that found that these markets have brand loyalty, and TSS risks will mean nothing to consumers. I.e., smoking risks, people still smoke. This product is too radical.
14. Short interest is growing in the stock.
15. The major problem: The problems associated with inserting an object into an anaerobic environment. By doing this, you are breaking a seal. You use the terms: microorganisms and toxins and E. coli, but fail to make any correlation with fluid inside a woman. A test tube is the perfect environment for growing bacteria. This could be the very reasons why major manufactures have not bothered with this product, i.e., possible lawsuits.
16. The press release on 7/30 states the FDA gave them a 12-hour time clearance. The prospectus states on Page 3, the FDA only gave them 8 hours.
17. The news on page 30 of the prospectus: Regulatory status of the material used in the process of the Instead. Read that one too. Could be a problem.
18. On page 24 of the prospectus they state that the Instead is not recommended for women who have had toxic shock syndrome, use an IUD or have ANATOMICAL ABNORMALITIES. What does this mean ?? Is a yeast infection, urinary tract infection or endometriosis considered an anatomical abnormality? Won't the Instead increase the chance of the infections getting worse? The test-tube-like environment.
19. Page 29 of the prospectus: The concept positing research states that the company is not aware of any other consumer research regarding the satisfaction of consumers with currently available feminine protection products. I CAN NOT BELIEVE THAT! I FOUND AT LEAST FOUR STUDIES ON THE WEB! On page 4 of the prospectus they state that "Due to the inherent limitations of market research and consumer testing to accurately indicate consumer preferences, the results of such research and tests may not accurately reflect Instead's actual market potential. You Bet!!
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