KMINER's Full Review: Tampax Tampons with Plastic Applicator Ultra Absor...
Some times a review just writes itself. I would have never seen myself reviewing, or even thinking that long and hard about such a personal topic, tampons. As a woman done having her 3 babies and in her mid 30's, I obviously have a handle on my own personal needs. Tampons are a product I have used for years, with comfort.
I typically have used Playtex tampons, because for years they had the only plastic applicator I could find.The Tampax that I had seen all had cardboard applicators, and much as I like the idea of them, they just were not comfortable to use.
Then Tampax came out with the "Pearls", which is just a fancy name for their plastic applicator .. and I switched brands. Partly because this company is owned by a company we have stock in, and partly because I noticed that after my third baby and having my tubes tied my cycles were extremely, extremely heavy. I was tired of feeling uncomfortable and having leaks.
My husband, bless his heart, is a wonderful man. He will shop for anything I ask for, and had me in mind when he brought home a box of Tampax Tampons with Plastic Applicator Ultra Absorbency from the grocery store. I had been using their Super or Super plus versions, but Ultra seemed to be even more absorbent. He knew I had been concerned about leaking and having to, well, change a lot.
The company designs a lot of various sizes, and I feel it is important to find the size that fits your lifestyle.
Absorbency Absorbency Range Light.......................less than 6 grams Regular..................6-9 grams Super.....................9-12 grams Super plus.............12-15 grams Ultra.......................15-18 grams
There is not a whole lot special or unique about the Ultra size, other than clearly it has a stronger absorbency. All of the tampons come boxed and individually wrapped. All applicators are plastic and need to be disposed of in the trash. The main difference between this and a Super can be 3 to 5 grams, which turns out can make a big difference in my life. The Ultra itself is a lot wider of a tip, and I wouldn't recommend it unless you've tried all other sizes and still have leaks. It's certainly not a size I'd recommend for someone younger or just starting out.
The protection I get from the Tampax Tampons with Plastic Applicator Ultra Absorbency is really good. I can actually survive a few hours without leaks, which is a miracle in my life. I find the Ultra size a lifesaver on certain days of the month.
Now for the warning. I just got finished paying a $210 emergency Roto Rooter bill to get some guy to come pump out our water lines. Nothing in the house would flush (we have 3 toilets) and water started leaking all over my laundry room ceiling. The cause - um, this product. Having used (and flushed!) tampons for years and years, the man said that they actually get a large number of calls a year for this very same thing (I won't tell you what they joking call this product in his line of work). He said the companies say they are supposed to be safe to flush, but actually they can get stuck in a lot of lines, especially those lines with older houses. (which we live in)
So now that leaves me with a dilemma. Switch back to a lower absorbency (so thinner) tampon, so that they don't "swell" so much when flushed through our water system, or have more leaks. I will say, that after the $200 plus bill, my husband and I have talked about me using up the box of Ultras that I have and switching back to a lighter absorbency. I just cannot deal with the stress of "what might happen" every time I need to flush! And since this problem happened within 24-48 hours after I switched to this size product, the answer seems easy for me ...
and so the review that wrote itself. I had to warn people that this size could cause some great problems, though in reality the size really works for my personal needs well. But I don't think I'll be buying them again. Bigger isn't always better, and I don't need the stress at an already stressful (and cranky!) time of the month.
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