Whats wrong with wearing TAMPONS?? My mother forbids me to wear them!!

[TresChic35]

I'm 22 y/o and I just began wearing them last summer. I can't bear the hot summer heat and wearing a pad...its just so uncomfortable for me! Yuckk!

Well a few months ago, my mother found them by snooping through some of my packed move-back-home (from college) boxes. I immediately made up some excuse and said that my roommate had accidentally placed it in my boxes for moving out. My mother freaked out and kept on yelling at me saying that girls are not allowed to use that and that they break something!! Oh my goodness...(sarcasm)! Well soon after, she threw out the tampon box away.

I've been using them at college, but when I moved back home for the summer, I tried to hide my tampons in a makeup bag and strategically tucked it under my bed so that she couldn't find it. Well, since my mother is quite a snoop, she found the tampons (while I wasn't home for the day) and HID it or threw it out! I am so sick of this!! I'm 22 y/o...she should let me make my own decisions about my health.


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My major at school is related to the health sciences so I know plenty about the human anatomy and other things. Does my mom NOT understand that I know EVERYTHING there about this topic?? Oh my goodness, I even now about sex and all that!! What would she do if she knew that I have knowledge about that??! Oh no... *sarcasm*!!

When I'm in school at work, I also give out condoms to students and offer guidance to them. Can you imagine what my mother would do if she found a huge bag of condoms? I can't even imagine...

[preppieblonde]

um, troll? go away dirty old man.

[kittykittycatcat]

That is really strange. I think you need to move out into your own place. It isn't acceptable (IMO) that she thinks its fine to go snooping through your room.

[Selena]

Its your vagina......you decide what goes in it.

[amanda]

Originally Posted by preppieblonde

um, troll? go away dirty old man.

She's not a troll.

to the OP - from some of your other posts in various sections, it seems to me that the background you come from is very conservative. what your mother appears to be worried about is that the tampon will break your hymen, which some very conservative people believe means you'll no longer be a virgin. since your major in college was health-related, i'm sure you know what a hymen is. what your mother is worried about is COMPLETELY illogical and old-fashioned, but i imagine you won't have much luck changing her mind about it (since it appears that modern science hasn't already). I'd at least try to talk to her about it, however, and explain to her that many, many girls break their hymen in one way or another long before they ever have sex (or use a tampon) in a lot of completely non-sexual ways, including sports, horseback riding, etc. a lot of girls are born without a hymen that completely covers their vaginal opening - so are they NEVER virgins? it just doesn't make sense.

i broke my hymen when i was 12 (i know this because there was a bit of blood), and my vagina didn't have any gentleman callers until i was 17. no matter the state of my hymen, i was a virgin when i had sex at 17.

so if you're comfortable talking to your mother about these issues, maybe try and explain to her why her concerns are completely unfounded. somehow i doubt she'll change her mind, but you're a grown woman capable of making your own medical decisions (and how you deal with you period is a medical decision). so maybe get a lock on your room, because your mom needs to treat you like an adult. if that's not an option, maybe keep a box of tampons in your desk at work and switch once you get there? but you shouldn't have to sneak around about TAMPONS, of all things.

[meowgal]

I was told by my gynecologist years ago not to use tampons because they were linked with toxic shock

[ArmCandyLuvr]

^^^ Tampons have warnings on them about Toxic Shock Syndrome. However, the incidence of TSS with tampon use is quite rare. The tampons that originally were tied to the outbreak of TSS in 80s were taken off the market. Since then, manufacturing methods of tampons have changed to make them safer. However, they still bear the warning and advice on the packages for avoiding the likelihood of getting sick. If you follow the directions on the package, you should be okay. This means changing tampons often during heavy flow, not leaving one in for more than 8 hours, and if possible, alternating between tampons and pads. Tampons aren't really dangerous when used properly.

[stacmck]

Originally Posted by meowgal

I was told by my gynecologist years ago not to use tampons because they were linked with toxic shock

This is no longer true, as ArmCandyLuvr said.

I'm sure it's because your mom has the thinking amanda alluded to - the thought that girls who wear tampons will no longer be virgins. My mom used to think this way too. The only thing that makes you not a virgin is having sex! Not wearing a tampon.

You're an adult...it's ridiculous of your mother to act this way.

[kmh1190]

I came from a very traditional, conservative Japanese family with a first generation Japanese mother. The belief is that if you can fit a tampon into your vagina then it indicates that other things have already been in there, indicating that you have already had sex (which we know isn't a true indicator). I know it sounds idiotic but some mothers out there don't want to even fathom the idea that their daughters have had sex.

[Jahpson]

Your mom is clearly old fashioned. I had to tell my mom that its not safe or healthy to douche.

They have tampons that are very small, put them in your makeup bag.

[jc2239]

my mother is the exact same way so i can understand your predicament. my only real solution is to hide them as well-i don't use them often but there are times when i need one and while i respect my mother's views this is one matter i know she's being illogically stubborn about

[rainyjewels]

my mom is exactly the same way as well. i live in a different country from her at this point, so it's a moot point for me, but she freaks out whenever i mention them. my feeling is yes they're old fashioned, yes they're illogical, but that's what they've been engrained and cultured with since youth, and it's most likely futile at this point to try to "debunk" their thinking. i would just continue to do my best to hide them...or move out. but even if you move out, if it was my mom, whenever she comes to visit, she'll want to clean up or "straighten" things up and in turn find them...so i guess try your best to avoid her seeing them? it really is silly trying to hide something like tampons, but i totally get the situation and it seems like there's not much else you can do...

[Zophie]

My mom is the prude of all prudes, but she taught me how to use tampons when I was pretty young. I can't imagine not being able to use them. I'd just say to hide them from your mom.

[declaredbeauty]

Print some information off the internet and tell her that's it okay! It's very rare to get TSS and that you still are a virgin (if you..) if you use them. But yea, some mother's are just old fashion and need to be updated a little.

[Ladybug09]

Use them anyway. You don't need your mom's permission to decide how to control YOUR period!