This is a fascinating thread! Personally, I haven't used tampons in about ten years. I used to get yeast infections all the time, but then I quit using tampons and haven't had one since.

Ahh Desszzzz ...I don't see the govt-anti/govt in black and white. Sure there are heaps of people that are good (I'd say most!) working in govt. It isn't the people working in govt. so much that I'm weary of - it is the handful of those who have real power over making decisions (or turning a blind eye for their own selfish interests!). Just take a look at Clinton - ulgh - long list of strange happenings with him..and a lot of people seem to just glaze over!! Amazing...
But, I betcha in 50years - kids will be reading about him, and saying things like - What was the public THINKING?!

I'm mainly referring to the bucks behind big business which is where the power lies. There are heaps of things that are 'suppressed' because of money. So, it DOES happen. For e.g. it is not in the interest of certain companies for reports of 'whatever' to get out, because they either have to take their product off the market OR modify - and all that costs BUCKS! So - powerful lobbies make their moves to do what they can for their interests...since time immemorial. It's always happened and always will. Human nature.

BUT, I WHOLEHEARTEDLY agree that information needs to be reliable and not erroneous! So, if you see something that strikes a cord and you know something - then great!!! Blow a bit of warm wind back through . Keeps things real and right, imo.

I read the links posted here and I had some big doubts about asbestos in particular - not so sure that claim is true. It would be interesting to find out if any INDEPENDENT testing has taken place - to find out once and for all if that accusation is true or not.

BUT - I recall when Tampax Tampons used to be made of 100% cotton...why the change? I remember thinking and wondering about that years ago..
And why the need for bleaching?? Who cares what 'colour' natural unbleached cotton is..but then, our current society seems to associate WHITE with cleanliness and sterility.

Well - I'm now the soon-to-be owner of a KEEPER ...I'll let anyone know how it goes, Lol - if anyone is curious about that product. Should be here in a week or two . Very interesting idea - ingenious - and I'll be very pleased if it is comfortable, clean/unmessy and works well!!!
Regards ,
Lisa

Well good luck with it Lisa. I got menapause around the corner so I won't have to worry soon. Ya know though in our efforts to be healthy we almost have to throw out every thing and people kind of settle on their own thing...like I won't use any of the usual makeups cause of the chemicals in it..I will only use natual (I do mean as 100% natural makeup as I can find) and cleansers and I won't use hair color except for Vitawave or an herbal color cause I don't want chemicals on my body in no way, shape or form. I won't even use nail polish. I do remember though in 8th grade going home for lunch with this girl and to my amazement they still used rags for sanitary napkins and washed them. Cause I saw her mother folding all these rags and I was like what is this? I was amazed. I thought the "wings" thing was a great invention!(hope the men aren't lurking on here ) after years of ruined underwear. And I do want to tell you all ..if you are young enough to never have worn the sanitary belt you are lucky!!!! Talk about chafing.

[This message has been edited by dessie (edited 28 February 2001).]

I love this board!

Where else would I have found out all this?

To be honest I have had my supisions about this industry for some time. But it's something, I try not to think about too hard... It has niggled at my conscience to be so environmentally unfriendly as well.

So the Keeper looks like I great idea.

I love to do water aerobics 2 or 3 times a week and it's a pain when I can't because of menstruation. Tell the truth I've been using my Dutch cap to stop the flow for an hour so I can carry on with the work outs! So this would be are far better idea.

Tampon industry look out!

Also I resent paying VAT on them. Those of you who pay VAT know what I mean!

Deb

I also think paying taxes on sanitary ANYTHING is just too much to ask...as for feeling a little weary of the men lurking on this thread...don't worry. For one thing, the majority of humanity is female--so menstruation is something most human beings deal with as part of life--the norm, by any standard. Certainly men should find a way of "handling" it for that reason alone....Sadly, about the only smart male comment I heard about the whole subject came from Henry Rollins (yes! Henry Rollins, the big old screaming punk rocker...). He wrote that asking women to pay for pads, tampons, cramp medication, or days off work without pay (if menstrual pains are particularly bad) should be illegal! Women should be supplied with these things free of charge and to the full extent of their needs.
Why? No menstruating women=no life. Simple as that.

Even if there is no asbestos in the fibres of our tampons, they are still quite dangerous if they have dioxin (even in trace amounts, as that is all that's necessary to be deadly), bleaches, and fibres such as rayons in the mix. I think products like the keeper, or wildly printed cotton pads (they also come shaped like the "winged" pads, and attach with velcro), or just safely made non-bleached paper products are great alternatives...innovations created by very smart women, all of them. Certainly, these enterprising inventors deserve greater success and support of other women...Tampax and Proctor and Gamble don't seem quite as deserving.

Divina

Divinia, the comment about men....it was said in fun..get it?

Brrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!!

This is why I use cloth! Cloth diapers and cloth pads (that wrap around and are held in place with a snap). Asbestos or no, dioxin or no, cancer or no...it's just plain healthier to use 100% cotton cloth. Healthier for me and my babies, and healthier for my environment. If I can stand the extra laundry just about anyone can!
Hannah Sprague, mom to 6

You mean, "handling" it could be taken...literally? Yikes...

Divina

Well, this is almost a new topic, but I did a bit of research on menstrual cups after reading the rave reviews on The Keeper site.
Like everything in life, it's not perfect and there has not been conclusive testing on the safety of menstrual cups apparently, so the jury is out as to their safety regarding proliferation of bacteria within the collected cup of blood.
The reason this is of concern relates to their analogy with cervical contraceptive caps which I think, but am not 100% certain, have been banned in the US, although not in the UK. I don't know why cervical caps are more dangerous than diaphragms - possibly it relates to where they sit in the vagina? [caps are higher than diaphragms]
Anyway, I thought Lisa and any others considering menstrual cups would like to know about this since obviously the manufacturers don't mention the absence of research in their marketing info.

Anna I was wondering about that. I don't think I'd want to keep one in place for more than a couple of hours no matter what they claim and I definitely wouldn't want to mess with it in a public washroom.

Hey Hannah I used cloth diapers for my son too and it was great.