Tampons....SOS

So confession....I'm scared to use tampons.

Which may sound ironic due to the fact that I'm sexually active, but the last time I used one in high school, I wasn't bleeding enough. I've always been pretty light, but this particular day I was very light, and the tampon couldn't absorb much. It was even a "very light" tampon. Long story short, pulling it out HURT.

So it's been 2-3 years, and I am still living in the dark ages and using pads. I hate them. So much. It makes everything so uncomfortable. I believe my period has gotten a bit heavier over the years, so I was thinking of trying again..?

This may sound so stupid, but how do you know if you bleed enough for a tampon??