SCUBA diving, menstruation and DCS

Emptying a Diva Cup menstrual cup

The photo: The Diva Cup comes in two sizes. Size 1 cup is 1 11/16" (4.3 cm) in diameter and the Size 2 cup is 1 13/16" (4.6 cm) in diameter. Both cups are approximately 2 1/4" (5.7 cm) in length in the body of the cup, with another 3/8" (1 cm) stem (2 5/8" total length). Until I bought my new Diva, just before we came to Scotland for the Solstice I was wearing a size one and it worked well. However, even I have to give in to age after a while so I decided on a size 2 as I’m now 43, but my vaginal muscles are far stronger than most twenty-something ballerinas known for their amazingly tight grips.

The Diva Cup should be emptied, washed and reinserted at least twice in 24 hours and can be worn overnight without concern of leaking and it can be safely boiled if necessary to clean it. Even on heavy days I can wear it for 12 hours w/o it needing to be emptied. DivaCup holds an ounce of menstrual flow (30 ml) and as the average woman only flows about 1 to 2 ounces (30-60 ml) per cycle so most of us can go longer than 12 hours w/o emptying if necessary.

Willow’s Royal Ballet friends and menstrual dive-sex: Since the Royal Ballet is off for a few weeks Willow asked four of her more sexually adventurous girlfriends from the corps and their boyfriends to come up to the Abbey for a few days of fun and relaxation and they arrived on the overnight train in Himself’s private car that had taken Jacks guests back to their jobs in London. The girls were so amazed at the luxury, blown away really since they got to have menstrual sex all the way from Euston to Inverness and despite a large supply of thick dark red towels provided for just that eventuality managed to get His Grace’s 1,000 thread count sheets bloody. All the girls are completely waxed with the exception of scalp hair and eyebrows which makes cleaning up after menstrual sex much easier.

Three of the four have GyneFix copper IUDs implanted and are menstrual while the fourth is on combined oral contraceptives (COCs) and started a new pack w/o having withdrawal bleed (her pill period) so she can dive period free during her time at the Abbey. The GyneFix girls are wearing menstrual cups.  All were fitted with latex Reflexions FS diaphragms for flood insurance to use while having dive-sex. It’s fairly unusual for ballet dancers to have copper IUDs placed because most enjoy being period free. However, some like Willow’s friends, find they are at a secondary libidinal peak while bleeding and are far moiré creative when fertile so they feel the inconvenience of dealing with flow control is worth it to be able to enjoy the cycling of their natural hormones.

Menstruation, hormonal contraceptives and DCS: There is a correlation between increased instances of DCS and the first week of a woman’s cycle when she is menstrual especially if the woman is on strenuous long or deep dives. Less frequent or shorter less strenuous dives during her period reduce the chances of DCS significantly. There is no indication that using hormonal contraceptives increases a woman’s risk of a DCS incident.   I’m CD26 and luteal and shouldn’t start my period until this coming Friday when I expect Bea, Willow and the Swan Twins will begin to bleed as well since they are in menstrual synchrony with me.

Of course while diving menstrual flow usually stops because diving is very dehydrating since the pressure forces water out of body tissues and fills the bladder, which is why even when you empty your bladder before diving after you have been down for a while you need to urinate again. However, after surfacing menstrual flow begins again and then some of us will gush filling our menstrual protection (tampons) occasionally to over flowing which is why a menstrual cup or a diaphragm works so well as they can withstand the gush that may occur shortly after surfacing. .

EAN32: However, because Willow’s friends are bleeding and menstrual dive-sex will be strenuous for them we are all diving enriched air Nitrox (EAN) with 32% oxygen rather than the 21% oxygen in regular air to reduce the possibility of DCS incidents. In order to do that our Divemaster had to clean our regs and OTS Guardian FFMs to ensure they were safe for use with EAN32 as there is an increased risk of fire when using improperly cleaned masks and regs with high oxygen content gases. Our 80 cu ft tanks are filled from a large cylinder delivered from a dive specialty shop in Aberdeen that services the divers working in the North Sea oil fields.

Menstrual dive-sex and cramps: Almost all women who have tried having sex underwater while menstrual have reported feeling totally free of menstrual cramps after an underwater orgasm. It’s common knowledge that an orgasm during conventional (surface) sex has cramps relieving powers, but as underwater sex is thought to be kinky very little to no research has been done under dive conditions so we are left with our own and friends experiences which for the most part have been very positive as far as relieving menstrual cramps is concerned. I’m sure it’s the endorphins released during sex, especially orgasm that relax the muscles in the uterus.

Underwater: Before diving we all emptied our bowels and bladders and our partners (chosen by coin flips among all nine of us girls) got to watch as we each inserted our latex flat spring diaphragms and then had the lucky guy insert two fingers and feel the cervix under the stretchy rubber membrane. then we let him insert a 10ml disposable applicator of silicone based DiveGel+ - which is a lubricant and biocide - and depress the plunger to add waterproof lube for the moving parts. Then we entered the water. The guys loved ‘helping’ and it was a fun way to get them invested in our safety.

Diving the cistern for dive-sex each girl has one leg tethered to an ankle leash connected to an iron ring on the cistern floor and there is a ring set into the floor in the center of each bay. After being tethered her buoyancy comp is inflated to keep her more or less stable while her partner moves between her spread legs and after pushing aside her bikini thong caresses her clitoral shaft to give her her first underwater orgasm as she sucks gas her bubbles rush to the surface and she quivers, moans, mews and gasps in her mask. Then he pushes inside her and grasps her buns to hold himself as deep in her as possible as he begins a series of thrusts caressing her G-spot before her muscular orgiastic contractions tip her over the edge into ecstasy taking him shuddering and gasping with her filling her with hundreds of millions of sperm as his body tries again for immortality.

 

Vaginal breathing

ScubaPro S600 reg used for vaginal demand valve

Note: Because the subject of ‘bubble fucking’ has come up again recently [in a reader’s question in my August 22, 2009 entry] and I’m sure new readers haven’t a clue what I’m talking about and returning readers may have forgotten, I’m reposting most of the entry from October 4, 2009 that discussed Virginal Breathing, known in the trade as ‘bubble fucking’, in detail. Additions and changes have been made where procedures have been improved since the original entry was posted.

Vaginal breathing: Vaginal breathing is an evolving technique that we are learning more about as we gain experience with the use of vaginal demand valves (VDVs) and it gives us new capabilities for the use of gas in the diving fetish community. I was chatting with a friend some time ago now about what the intent was, from a woman’s point of view, of being bubble fucked and I had to admit that at first (and for the majority of us) it was only to feel that we are being air-fisted and more often than not we would do it to please a boyfriend since men seem far more interested in filling us with air that we were to have it done even though we were properly protected. That was because we were just starting to experiment and there was no sexual pleasure for us in just being filled with gas. Now however, those of us with very strong pelvic muscles have begun using diver adjustable second stage regulators like the Scubapro S600 to permit vaginal breathing. With the cracking valve adjusted to the lowest point possible w/o the VDV “free flowing” (leaking a steady flow of breathing gas) and with the VDV inserted and properly sealed vaginal breathing is quite different and extremely pleasurable.

Scubapro S600 second stage: We are using a Scubapro S600 second stage reg with a yellow purge cover (to identify it as the vaginal demand valve) at the end of the octopus. In an emergency it can be used as a buddy reg. but the mouthpiece has been replaced by an extensively modified SeaCure custom mouthpiece to fit the user’s pelvic anatomy with the individual wings widened, the width between them narrowed and the shoulder of the left wing padded where it rests against the back of the pubic bone when locked in place behind the pubic bone. The S600 is a good inexpensive (less than $600) regulator that allows diver adjustable inhalation effort a feature vital to its successful use for vaginal orgasms. This feature permits the diver to adjust the breathing effort (cracking pressure) via an oversized control knob which allows a girl using it as a VDV to fine tune the regulator just this side of free flow for ‘vaginal breathing’.

Upper reproductive tract protection: First the woman needs to be wearing a properly fitted and positioned gas guard. This is critically important to protect her from having compressed air forced into her uterus where it will enter her bloodstream as an air bubble and cause a stroke or heart attack.

We are recommending that a woman at least wear a Reflexions flat spring latex diaphragm. The Reflexions will protect at any depth, but the mouthpiece of the VDV will rub against the dome and eventually puncture it. A close inspection and frequent replacement of the worn Reflexions with a new one will minimize the risk of a puncture causing a fatal accident. Ideally a woman wanting to use a VDV should be fitted with a cervical cap such as a FemCap or Oves that the VDV mouthpiece will not interact with and both FemCap and Oves can be worn safely for protection at any depth. However there can be problems with a cap. Caps can be difficult to fit properly, they are tricky to insert correctly and for women who have given birth they dislodge about 25% of the time so are unsuitable for something as dangerous as vaginal breathing for woman who have given birth. Even though Gepetto’s Oves style caps are harder to fit and insert correctly for women who can be fitted properly they are far superior for ease of vaginal breathing. Because a well fitting Oves almost never dislodges unless worn during menses when it fills with flow and floats off the cervix. And because of their small size Oves does not restrict the dynamic response (flexing) of the vaginal walls as does the rim of a diaphragm while allowing direct contact of the upper wing of the VDV against the erectile tissue of the G-spot. Once the woman has properly protected her cervix and upper reproductive tract she can safely insert her VDV.

Initiation: Vaginal breathing is begun by inserting the modified second stage reg mouthpiece into her vagina, making sure that the padded wing is up behind her pubic bone to hold it in place. Then the diver pushes her purge button filling and expanding her vaginal vault with air. She immediately Kegels (contracting her vaginal muscles) expelling as much of the air as she can. Then she relaxes her vaginal muscles to let her vagina expand which sets up a small vacuum in her vagina which opens the demand valve and fills her vaginal vault again after which she contracts the muscles in her vaginal barrel and expels the air again. This repeated cycle of filling and emptying her vagina of air by using her pelvic muscles is what we call ‘vaginal breathing’.

Free-running gas driven orgasms: Vaginal breathing would only be a curiosity except for the fact that it makes gas driven orgasms under control of a woman’s own pelvic muscles possible. With every expansion and contraction of the diver’s vaginal walls her G-spot is rubbed against the wing of the VDV mouthpiece and that pressure and relative movement is enough to caress her to orgasm. One of the amazing things about VDV orgasms is that unlike masturbating with a dildo or a vibi or having a man thrusting inside you there is immediate response from the VDV to any inhalation or exhalation (negative or positive) pressure in the vagina so that if the unit is properly inserted and sealed against the labia and the pubic bone once vaginal breathing is established it will continue to free-run until either: 1) The cracking valve is adjusted upward to make the vaginals work harder to suck gas. 2) The diver runs out of air in the tank that is feeding her VDV, or. 3) The woman’s vaginal muscles tire and begin to spasm and cramp. The third alternative is the one most of us who can actually achieve VDV orgasms usually experience because they are so addicting that none of us wants to end them until our muscles cramp and we have to. We all dive with full HP 130 tanks so unless we have a free-flow problem the gas will outlast our muscles regardless of how skilled we are as long as we are in a 20 ft deep training pool. Of course we need Ibuprofen and sleep with a heating pad on our bellies to relieve the pain of overworked vaginals, but at least for me the muscle cramping bothered me less and less as I built up my muscle strength with practice. So that I can now have a 20 minute session ending in an amazing orgasm and while my pelvis is tight afterward I’m still good to go.

Equipment changes: The standard heat malleable mouthpiece of the SeaCure custom unit has been changed considerably to soften the polymer so that it will flex more easily under vaginal muscle compression allowing more complete emptying of air during vaginal exhalation which improves the dynamic response of the device. The left or top wing of the mouthpiece has been widened to increase contact with the area of the front wall containing the G-spot and as mentioned earlier the shoulder of that wing has been padded where it rests against the back of the pubic bone. A labia shield has been added so that when the VDV is properly inserted the vulva including the clitoris and its shaft is contained within the shield. This requires the wearer to have her pubes totally waxed or freshly shaved. There is a channel in the labia shield that allows the excretion of urine w/o having to remove the VDV. Compression from diving and the wing of the mouthpiece pressing on the area under the bladder make retention of urine uncomfortable and therefore unlikely during wearing and use of a DVD so just urinating whenever is pretty standard, especially while soloing.

Cautions: There is a down-side to using a VDV for orgasms. One problem is that the diver can run out of air if she is using a small or partially filled tank because she is using two regs and her VDV is so finely tuned that if she isn’t careful it can free flow and exhaust her air quickly. It’s a good idea to have a VDV routined every few dives (more frequently than an ordinary second stage) because of the possibility of clogs from vaginal fluids, lubricants and semen that are expelled through the exhalation chambers of the unit during use.

Another problem is the possibility of addiction. Gepetto’s testers and Taryn and I all feel the narcotic effect of high levels of endorphins filling our bloodstreams from almost perfect sex in a weightless environment. And for some there is the possibility of over stressing the body and having a seizure, an increased possibility during extended (free-running) orgasms. Women shouldn’t dive alone for at least the first four or five times they use a VDV because if things go well the intensity and duration of the orgasm will often cause her to pass out. Not a problem if she has a large full tank and is wearing a FFM and her equipment is working properly, but if not she could wake up out of air, or perhaps not wake up at all. Using a pressure gage with a low pressure alarm can prevent being surprised by an out-of-air condition but is no help if the diver has an orgasm induced seizure.

Insertion: The VDV can be inserted before the diver enters the water or after. The S600 is basically buoyancy neutral but if inserting before entering the water insertion should be done on the pool edge so the diver can immediately enter the water after checking the seal or she will have to hold it in place as she walks which is cumbersome and embarrassing to do and comical to watch. Experience shows that a single 10 ml prefilled applicator of DiveGel in the vagina will be enough and another 10 ml syringe applied all around the inside of the labia shield so that when it is sealed tightly with the shoulder of the mouthpiece behind the pubic bone there is nothing under the shield that is pulling or pinching.

Care of the VDV: the modified mouthpiece and labia shield are precision molded for an individual user and any snag, nick or tear in the surfaces and seals can be painful or cause the unit not to work properly so a diver should not let her VDV drag along the pool surround or bottom. Protecting the custom fitted surfaces with a padded reg-bag until she is ready to insert it is a must.

Position for soloing: I’ve found what works best for me is to tether myself between two bottom anchors in about 12 to 15 feet of water. I wear a FFM – a vintage Drager or a Mistral twin-hose connected to an Interspiro, a full HP 130 tank, pool pointes and with an Oves cap sucking on my cervix. I go no deeper when using a VDV to minimize nitrogen loading because of the likelihood of extended bottom times. I use Velcro ankle leashes fastened to the anchors which are about 15 feet apart and then inflate my BCD until it pulls me taunt in a semi-split with my head 4 to 6 feet below the surface. That way my legs aren’t in the way, the hose of my VDV is between my legs, and I’m nearly weightless with only the sounds of the rhythmic sucking and exhalation of gas from my lungs and VDV. It’s awesome!