I quit using tampons ages ago, when the toxic shock problem arose. Having my period this time, I though how tired I was of wearing "mattress" pads and getting the sensations of unloading when I got up in the mornings. I was wondering if anyone has ever used a "Keeper" and what it was like. My major concerns are fitting it and keeping it clean.. I'm 45 and the only thing I'm looking forward to about menopause is NO MORE PERIODS! Any help would be appreciated...Thanks! Harmony

-- Harmony (harmonyfarm57@hotmail.com), May 03, 2002

Answers

I use a Keeper and I love it. If you have any particular questions feel free to email me directly.

-- Micheale from SE Kansas (mbfrye@totelcsi.net), May 03, 2002.

I tried it for a couple months but did not like it at all. I have a tipped uterus which is probably why it was so uncomfortable. Believe it or not I sent it back and got my money refunded.

-- Nancy (nannyb@huntel.net), May 03, 2002.

Ummm,what is a keeper?

-- Johna (in central TX) (marcnjohna@aol.com), May 03, 2002.

I've been pregnant and/or breastfeeding for most of my 13 year marriage (6 kids) so when I do get my period, I really hate it! I finally decided to get the Keeper, and although I only used it for two cycles before becoming pregnant again, I still liked it. One problem I did have is that it leaked at night - maybe having had 6 kids, I was "larger" down there or something. So I wore a pad at night. But overall it was still great. It might feel weird inserting it and removing it at first.

At your age, though, will this be cost effective? If you spread the cost ($30-some, as I recall) over your possible remaining pre- menopausal years, is it not cheaper to use pads? Or is cost not as important as comfort?

-- Christina (introibo2000@yahoo.com), May 03, 2002.

We are talking about the little rubber cup-like thingie - right? I'm SO glad someone asked this - I've been wondering about those for years. Seems to me the thing would be cost effective for anyone expecting to continue having periods for at least 6 months. Even the generic tampons and pads are several dollars a month! How long will one of these last? And are they good for times when the flow is really heavy?

-- Deborah Stephenson (wonkaandgypsy@hotmail.com), May 03, 2002.

Just curious here as I am spayed and have been for many years(the smartest thing I ever did!). What is the opinion of the medical community re this Keeper thing? I guess I am concerned about keeping the flow there instead of releasing it to go out of the body? Just wondering about any health risks. LQ

-- Little Quacker in OR (carouselxing@juno.com), May 03, 2002.

I haven't used them because I really don't think it is healthy. Think about it. Nature provides a system to flush out our womb periodically (no pun intended), and it seems a bad idea to stop it up for any length a time. You're going to have bacteria and blood and mucus idling around in a warm place looking for trouble, so to speak. That, besides the toxic shock thing is why I don't use tampons. We don't plug up our bowels for the sake of convenience or to save on toilet paper & water, because we know our bodies need to get rid of stuff when it needs doing. Undoubtedly, there will be plenty of people who do use Keeper type gadgets without any problems, just as there are/were lots of women who didn't get toxic shock from tampons. I just think Nature's way is usually the best, often for a variety of reasons science cannot yet quantify or comprehend. Just my 2 cents.

-- snoozy (bunny@northsound.net), May 03, 2002.

Does any one cut up cloth and wash them out? Like homemade pads. I am just curious.

-- Jennifer (jfisher4@midsouth.rr.com), May 03, 2002.

They work pretty well, and while there is some leakage (as happens with tampons too), at least you're not throwing away a half-used one when there is what some may call "clot bypass". And it is wonderful when backpacking. Also much better than that "Instead" product--easier to use, and reuse, whereas Instead is a one-time use only product, and plastic, which means it will take forever to break down in landfills.

Keeping it clean is not a problem--warm water and soap, let it air dry.

Most of the US medical community does not know about it--it is, I believe a Canadian product. I don't think it is any more of a hazard to the body than an IUD or a diaphraghm.... Reason you don't see it advertised much in mainstream publications is that while it might not put tampon/napkin companies out of business completely, it would certainly eat into their profit margins.

-- GT (nospam@nospam.com), May 03, 2002.

My understanding is that TSS is from letting blood etc. sit too long near your vagina. You can get TSS from wearing pads too long just like you can from wearing tampons too long. I use natural tampons that aren't full of nasty chemicals and such. I change them often enough that nothing really sits too long in there. At noght I war a pad because the flow is lighter and I want to give everything a chance the empty. (Pads at night are better thatn tampons--so says my Dr.) Anything that keeps blood and the like inside or near you for too long no matter what contraption is doing it is asking for trouble. Choose which device works best for you and just keep it clean and change/empty/whatever often (at LEAST every 8 hours).

-- Erika (misserika129@hotmail.com), May 03, 2002.

I also have a Keeper, and have been mostly happy with it. The "mostly" is because some months I am just too crampy and it seems to make it worse. (I can't use tampons either those months.) Other than that I think it's great. I don't believe there has been a case of TSS attributed to the Keeper, although I realize that there are probably not millions of users. Also, I don't think that bacteria would be a concern for a healthy person, but I am not a medical professional. Merry

-- Merry (biggdogg@wcta.net), May 03, 2002.

I use "Instead"s which is sort of like the Keeper. Basically, I got a great sale and bough the equivilent of 6 Insteads for 6 bucks...they will last me for about 2 years. Still the Keeper is supposed to last much longer...I should get one. Someone mentioned they can increase cramping, that is true. It doesnt always but there are the occasional days....ugh! I never understand the women who seem to mourn menopause...I cannot wait for the day!

-- Najia (najia274@yahoo.com), May 03, 2002.

LOVE it!!!!!

I've been a fan of the Keeper since I began using it eight months ago. I haven't needed any other protection whatsoever.

The owners of the company are a mother/daughter team. If they could fund the type of advertising campaign that the U.S. companies in this industry do, I would wager that there would be a huge number of women choosing this alternative method.

As for it being unatural...no way. The keeper is emptied and washed at least twice a day. The body still sheds the blood as is needed. The flow is not stopped up in the uterus, it's just collected in a rubber cone that looks a lot like an acorn! Another big bonus that many women may not know is that because the blood does not come into contact with the air, there is none of the odor normally associated with "that time of the month."

Environmentally, there is less disposable stuff to add to the land fill, and washing the Keeper only requires as much soap and water as one needs to wash one's hands. Also, one Keeper can be used for up to ten years or more.

Most problems with the Keeper, like leakage and discomfort, are problems with positioning it properly, which may require some practice. If I find that it pinches, I know that I just need to reposition it a bit. Positioned properly, it can't be felt.

Frankly, I think the Keeper is a great invention!! Go to the website (something like www.keeper.com), and you can read a lot of testimonials posted there.

-- Sharon/WI (pinnow@inwave.com), May 03, 2002.

I must be living in the stone-ages!!! I've NEVER even heard of such a contraption!! It sounds like a great device. I wish I had heard about these things a long time ago! But too late now, I'm only 33 and just had a complete hysterectomy 2 mons. ago. Had fibroids. But I'm not complaining. I've had all my children and you just can't imagine how not having a period frees up one's life! Where did you all hear of this Keeper? Just interested...

-- Michelle Thomas (mpthomas83@hotmail.com), May 03, 2002.

I've heard about the keeper. The author of the Tightwad Gazette uses it. Personally I wouldn't use it because even tampons seem to make me really crampy. So I always use pads. I have seen cloth reusable pads at Wellspring/Whole Foods.

-- Anita in NC (anitaholton@mindspring.com), May 03, 2002.

Click For The Keeper

-- ~Rogo (rogo2222@hotmail.com), May 03, 2002.

Jennifer, I use bird's-eye diapers folded into a pad. I got the instructions from Countryside mag. When I need to replace these, I'm going to try flannel material.

-- Bren (wayoutfarm@skybest.com), May 03, 2002.

I'm glad you asked this. I was wondering about it also. Sounds good from what others are saying-I might give it a try. I noticed several people asking about where they heard of it-I've seen it advertised in CS for quite a while.

-- Terri in WV (mrs_swift_26547@yahoo.com), May 03, 2002.

Thanks Rogo!! I am now officially educated. Again, I wish I had known about this thing before. But I have a sister that I can't wait to tell. Thanks again.

-- Michelle Thomas (mpthomas83@hotmail.com), May 03, 2002.

I also thought the keeper was a great idea when I first saw it. I asked my dr., who is an md and a medical herbalist. She specializes in women's health. She says that the blood is meant to flow out of the body, and should not be held inside. Aside from the considerations about growth of microorganisms, etc, keep in mind the energetics of the body, how energy flows through it, in harmony with the natural flow of one's cycles - kind of like the way the tides are affected by the phases of the moon.

In ancient cultures, the women would spend their "moon time" together, sitting on some absorbent bedding, such as moss or grass, and bleed into the earth. They would weave or spin, or work on some kind of hand work, and socialize. It was a time of rest from their usual daily tasks, which other women did for them. The younger girls would bring them their meals. It was a social time for them. Check out the book called "The Red Tent" for a beautiful description of how womanhood was viewed in an ancient culture.

I know that this is not how we live now, but it makes you think about a lot of things. One of my teachers said, just stay home, soak your pads, relax. It was so comforting to hear someone say that! How many of us are aggravated by this natural function of our bodies, because we expect ourselves to function through it, instead of listening to our own needs?

I really like the home made flannel pads. They are so soft and comfortable. They can be washed and reused.

Just my two cents. :)

-- Christine Baillie (towanda515@yahoo.com), May 04, 2002.

I have been using the Keeper for I think 5 months and LOVE it! Once I gave birth to my son, I thoroughly enjoyed not having to deal with periods for 10 months (due to breastfeeding) and wanted to make that time of the month as easy as possible once my menses returned. So I tried the Keeper, knowing that if I didn't like it, they would take it back within 3 months of my purchase. No chance of my returning it- -it's wonderful!

I gave my doc a pamphlet on it and he was impressed. I've given all my pamphlets away so don't have them for an easy reference right now...have to request more I guess. Here is a link from where I bought my Keeper. It has lots of answers to your questions: http://www.eco-logique.com/p-keeperfaq.htm#Is%20it%20safe

As far as cloth pads...I have also moved to those. I bought some off of a Work At Home Mom site and love them! They cost much less than the cloth ones on the mainstream market. They are made of flannel w/a breathable nylon layer to prevent soaking through, although I've never had a problem with that using the Keeper. If you want the lady's name that makes them, let me know and I will give you her name...She also makes pantiliner ones that are even less bunchy.

Anyway, guess that's all for now.

Hope this helps, Tanya

-- Tanya (rtaugs@yahoo.com), May 04, 2002.

Thanks for bringing up this subject. I bought the keeper last year, and I am having difficulty inserting it. I find that some months I'm too 'crampy' and it's just awkward to use, so I go back to tampons. Can anyone offer help?

Thanks

-- chickadee (chickadee@treetops.com), May 05, 2002.

Having your period in an ancient culture was not viewed as a beautiful time. It was considered a curse and the reason they were separated was that the men could not touch them.

In some ways, hill people still cling to this idea. The women are not allowed in the garden during their time.

As for periods, the keeper wouldn't have done me a bit of good as I bled heavily. Menopause is wonderful! No more running to the bathroom in the middle of the night hoping you make it in time. No more missing work or worrying about what color of pants you wear.

The only thing I didn't like were the mood swings. DH had to build a support group of other husbands whose wives were also going through it. LOL! I had done it without hormones. For the first couple of years I was tired all of the time, but I actually started feeling better about myself as a woman and a lot freer once I adjusted to it. Sort of like getting your second wind. Your priorities change a little too once you know your life is half over.

Gives you something to look forward to....

-- Stephanie Nosacek` (possumliving@go.com), May 07, 2002.

Yes, it's true that in many cultures, a woman's moon time was not considered a beautiful thing. That's why I thought this book was so wonderful to read, because it's about a culture that had a more positive outlook. I find it refreshing to get a message that's not negative, and that makes me feel like my natural body functions are really okay, not a terrible thing. :)

-- Christine Baillie (towanda515@yahoo.com), May 08, 2002.