Long Nails vs Menstrual Cup

So... I recently took the putacupinit quiz (gives you a recommendation for a menstrual cup based on several questions: kids or no, vaginal birth or cesarean, heavy or light period, high vs low cervix) which recommended the Lily Cup for me (no kids, heavy flow, high cervix).

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I received my Lily Cup on Friday (I started my period Wednesday the 20th) & was so excited I basically ran to the bathroom & jumped in the shower (the videos I watched recommended inserting the first time in the shower).

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Let me tell you... it F’N HURT to put it in!! The best way to describe the pain was a pinching sensation. I boiled it down to user error and a lack of personal lubrication due to the shower.

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The next two days... still painful every time I would insert! I had zero leakage & removal was pretty straight forward, so I determined that user error couldn’t be the issue.

I went on a deep dive of the internet & finally confirmed my issue: my NAILS (not sure why it took THAT long to figure it out!?!?)!!

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I found a video on putacupinit that addressed the topic of nails, but the woman had little baby nails, not NAILS... she could NOT relate. Her solution was to dig your nails into the cup, instead of having them more in line with the cup when inserting (that might work if your nails are only 2mm’s long).

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I then found a YouTube video where a woman described a similar experience, painful insertion... she said it felt like she was literally cutting her vajayjay!! Her recommendation was to switch to a menstrual disc... specifically the Ziggy Cup. She said that since finding the Ziggy Cup (it’s more of a disc), that she has had zero issues with her nails causing any pain.

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I really would like to continue using a menstrual cup & don’t mind switching to another product... but I’ve already spent $30 on a Lily that I can’t use & don’t want to keep buying products that go to waste!

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Anyone have REAL experience with LONG nails that has found a solution (that doesn’t involve going back to pads or tampons)??

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The product I purchased initially:

My NAILS (& no, I have no desire to shorten my nails... they make me happy 😊)

🆘 HELP!! 🆘

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My vajayjay can’t take another beating!!