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How can I handle multiple months of menstrual cycles on a long trek like the Appalachian Trail? I am asking about how to handle the mess. Here are my personal considerations:

  1. Using hormonal birth control to skip five months of periods is not an option for me.
  2. I'm concerned about the amount of space pads or tampons would take up in my pack, not to mention the amount of trash that would accumulate.
  3. I'm of the opinion that 27 is a bit young to be having a hysterectomy (though I have considered it).

Are there any other options out there?

EDIT: May, 2016 (four years later): This video by Emily Graslie of The Field Museum in Chicago explains in great detail and from years of experience how women handle menstruation on field expeditions, including information she has gathered from other women in the field about what worked and did not work for them in practice.

Clare Steen
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    @Mat Banik: Interesting, yes, but I will not be looking to be pregnant or lactating while on the AT. And I think that taking a five-day break every time I'm on my period is sort of out of the question, though we will definitely have to slow our pace a bit. – Clare Steen Feb 03 '12 at 14:23
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    I would also ask around your local marathon running club to speak with women that are in training for marathons or ultra marathons. Yes the intensity is higher and the time on the trail shorter, but most women I know have reported a large reduction in menstrual activity when their bodies are working hard on a regular basis. For most, the problem happily solves itself without needing artificial hormones. You might even start training for a marathon to see how your body responds. – bmike Feb 03 '12 at 15:56
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    On the AT you can get to towns all the time, why not just act normally, store used pads/tampons in a WAG bag, then dump them in town? – Ryley Feb 03 '12 at 20:26
  • @bmike: I was wondering if amenorrhea might kick in. I was hoping I'd find females here that might have done extended hiking, but I think I have connections where I live to marathon runners-- great idea! – Clare Steen Feb 03 '12 at 20:38
  • @Ryley: I would love for things to work out that way, I'm mostly anxious about timing trips through town-- I wouldn't want to keep soiled pads in a WAG bag for two weeks at a time. – Clare Steen Feb 03 '12 at 20:38
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    Clare, really that won't be an issue unless you make it one - you can get to towns as often as you necessary. I have hiked the CDT and PCT and even on those trails you hit town weekly. People I hiked with said that on the AT they hit towns every 3-4 days. – Ryley Feb 04 '12 at 02:47
  • +1 For the question. My wife has asked me the same thing... My approach was something along the lines similar to how bears prepare for hibernation... she didn't think it was very funny. Kidding aside, I'm glad you asked. – Justin Self Feb 04 '12 at 04:46
  • @Ryley: Thank you for the reassurance. Clearly, I need to do a bit more research/thinking about timing. :) – Clare Steen Feb 05 '12 at 15:29
  • Long, long after the fact follow-up: At least for the time being, I have resorted to using a system of pads and multiple quart- and gallon-ziploc bags. Only been out a few nights at a time this way, but it has worked so far, even in bear country (at the GA/TN border in the Cohuttas). – Clare Steen Jan 12 '13 at 21:15
  • Came across a video that was so chock-full of helpful information that I felt I had to add it to this question. – Clare Steen May 05 '16 at 12:57
  • @ClareSteen Maybe you should post it as an answer, instead of as part of the question. If you can include critical points in the answer that would help if the video link dies. – James Jenkins May 06 '16 at 17:11
  • @JamesJenkins, yes, I think you're right. I need to make that happen and include my field experiences from the past four years of intermittent weekend backpacking trips. – Clare Steen May 06 '16 at 17:17

4 Answers4

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Try a menstrual cup. The advantage being that you only need one (maybe having two is a good idea) and that it can be washed.

furtive
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  • I like the idea. I love that silicone is so safe, and I love that it can be boiled to sanitize it. I'm now having trouble finding how to clean them, since that might be hard while on the trail. – Clare Steen Feb 03 '12 at 20:39
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    I chose the menstrual cup as the answer because I can see being able to handle the mess of the cup, and also because I can see that boiling will keep the cup sterile. Some sources online, including the Diva Cup website, say that you only really need to wash the cup with soap once a day-- and I think that's doable. I hope camp soap will work. ;) – Clare Steen Feb 06 '12 at 16:23
  • If you don't have access to water you could use these specially designed wipes for menstrual cups: https://www.lunette.com/products/lunette-cupwipes – PussInBoots Oct 01 '19 at 10:21
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This question really made me curious as my wife has asked me the same thing. If you end up finding a better solution than anyone on this site can provide, I ask that you would please share it.

I searched the web for a bit and found this website.

Allow me to quote the part I found most important.

Sponges Isabelle Gauthier of Blood Sisters, an organization of women in Montreal, created a publication called Hot Pants which describes the use of sea sponges for menstruation. Often sold as cosmetic sponges in pharmacies sea sponges can be inserted into the vagina and can be left inside until saturated. The sponges should be soaked overnight in water with white vinegar before and after each period. It is necessary to dispose of the sponge in the garbage once it begins to fall apart.

Pros: This option is environmentally friendly and chemical free.

Cons: Being aware of the saturation level of your sea sponge may be the last thing on your mind as you portage across a rushing creek. Although Gauthier insists that the sponge will not get lost "up there" it may be difficult for some to get used to reaching up to extract the sponge. There may not always be fresh water available to rinse your sponge.

Cost: Pharma Plus sells a bag of 3 natural sea sponges for $6.49. Gauthier approximates that a single sponge could last "six months if you take good care of it." A lifetime of menstruation could be yours for just over $100.00

Site: http://www.logy.org/~alana/blood.htm

Article: How to Handle your Period while you Enjoy the Great Outdoors

Author: Beth Clarkson

Upon further investigation, you should take care to thoroughly clean the sponge before first use and subsequent uses (obviously). This site notes they are no longer sold as hygiene...things... (not sure what to call them) as they have been known to contain bacteria.

Here's the relevant stuff:

Your concern about ocean pollution making sea sponges potentially dangerous is justified. In fact, this is the reason sea sponges are technically no longer allowed to be sold as menstrual products. In late 1980, menstrual sponges sold commercially were examined by a University of Iowa laboratory and found to contain sand, grit, bacteria, and various other contaminants. Other studies have found chemical pollutants and fungi in sponges sold for menstrual use. The Centers for Disease Control have documented a least one case of toxic shock syndrome associated with the use of a sea sponge.

Site: http://www.foodrevolution.org/askjohn/49.htm

Article: Menstrual cycles and sea sponges

Author: John Robbins

EDIT

The more I research about this issue (which I should probably stop now) the more I see that most women vastly prefer a menstrual cup, particularly the Diva Cup

EDIT 2 Just ran across this article about bears and menstruation. It is hypothesized that the odors from used tampons and pads attract bears. If bears are attracted to them, my very uninformed opinion is that other carnivorous animals may be attracted also. So I hope that immediately eliminates the use of pads and tampons for you.

Site: http://www.yellowstone-bearman.com/menstruation_data.html

Article: Bears and Menstruating Women

Author: Kerry A. Gunther

Justin Self
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    +1 for the amount of research you did, whew! I would be wary of sea sponges personally, as they are, well, dead creatures. I would be concerned about lingering bacteria or microorganisms, but-- it's still something worth researching. – Clare Steen Feb 05 '12 at 15:28
  • FYI: DivaCup is just a brand. There are about 200 menstrual cup brands in the world. So it's important that you find the right one. Tip: Take the quiz at https://www.menstrualcup.eco to find your perfect menstrual cup match. – PussInBoots Oct 01 '19 at 10:12
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I would highly recommend a menstrual cup. That's what I use while camping and hiking as they're light easy to carry and generate little-to-no trash. You can simply pour out and bury the blood rather than packing out a load of dirty tampons.

However keep in mind that there is a learning curve associated with each type of cup, and there are a LOT of different cups. Some may not work for you at all depending upon your shape. While a lot of women swear by the divacup, it doesn't work for me at all, but I've had amazingly good luck with the instead softcup (they sadly discontinued their reusable cup though).

I'd recommend trying as many cups as you can out in the months leading up to your trip so you can make sure you have some thing reliable when the time comes. Don't leave it to the last minute!

The silicone ones (like divacup) are easy to clean, especially if you're packing a small propane stove or you're planning to build fires along the way. Give it a rinse in water to get the blood off and then boil it for a few minutes to sterilize it daily and you should be fine. Be careful to rinse it a lot if you decide to clean it with soaps, as soaps can be very irritating to your privates.

Another option to consider in conjunction with the cups is using hormonal birth control -- not to stop periods, but to reduce them. I know this wouldn't work for me as it gives me nasty side effects, but when I was on it my flow was significantly reduced and much more manageable in conjunction with the cups (I'd only have to empty them the minimum recommended amount which was once every 12 hours), vs now when I have to empty them every 6 hours or so, depending on the cup. Each woman is different and this won't work for everyone, but it might help if you have a heavy flow.

edit: I'd highly recommend buying a second cup once you find the type that works for you -- that way you don't have to free bleed while you're washing the other one, and have a backup in case one breaks/tears/gets dropped into a river

Kwuz
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    Just want to point out that DivaCup is just a brand. There are about 200 menstrual cup brands in the world. Not all brands fits all bodys - and i'ts VERY important that you find the right one for YOUR body. I highly recommend you check out https://www.menstrualcup.eco first, before investing in menstrual cups - the service will assist you in finding the right cup. HTH. – PussInBoots Oct 01 '19 at 10:16
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As others have already mentioned, a menstrual cup is perfect for traveling, and in your case, trekking.

  • Less to carry around - you only need ONE menstrual cup
  • If you don't have access to water there are specially designed menstrual cup wipes that you can bring along
  • Some menstrual cups can even be folded down to just a couple of millimeters and stored in a thin case so that it takes up even less space
  • Your cervix might change position during your period which means that it might be a good idea to have one menstrual cup for different parts of your period, e.g. if your cervix sits lower some days, then you could use a low cervix menstrual cup, and a taller cup when it's not sitting as low.
  • Also, I would highly suggest that you give your menstrual cups a few cycles before going on adventures. Try them out at home first for a couple of cycles and see what works and get comfortable wearing them.
  • And finally, don't buy just ANY cup, do your research, because not all menstrual cups fit all anatomies. If you want to maximize your chances of finding the right menstrual cup as much as possible then check out PUSSYFIGURATOR Menstrual Cup Finder. It's an interactive (and fun!) quiz, with 10 questions about your menstruation and lifestyle, you answer the questions, submit the form, and you get your results. You can then compare and read more about individual menstrual cup. It's definitely worth trying out.
PussInBoots
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