You should never leave a tampon in for 8 hours or more as you could get Toxic Shock Syndrome. Although treatable, it can be fatal. However, if you’ve had the tampon in for a very short time (like an hour or so), you might want to wait a bit longer and try to remove it again because dry tampons get stuck more easily, and your menstrual flow may help you remove it. [2] X Research source [3] X Trustworthy Source Mayo Clinic Educational website from one of the world’s leading hospitals Go to source Try to remove it yourself first – it should be fairly easy to do this – but if that doesn’t work, you will have to call your doctor right away. It can’t be said enough - leaving tampons in for too long is very, very dangerous.
Don’t freak out. The vagina is a relatively small closed area, and it’s not going to be lost up there forever. This is something that has happened to many, many women, so there is no reason to panic. You might want to take a warm shower or warm bath to help you relax before you try to remove it. Take some deep breaths too. If you are too tense, you will clench the muscles, making the tampon harder to remove.
You might also want to clip your nails because you will need to insert your fingers into your vagina to get the tampon. You want to make the process as painless as possible. Find a private space (probably the bathroom is best for hygienic reasons). Take off your lower clothing. It will make it easier to remove the tampon.
You want to lightly tug at the string to see if the tampon comes out on its own because this would be easiest. There should generally be at least an inch of string coming out of you if the tampon is properly positioned. Try different positions if it doesn’t come out right away. Prop your feet with something and sit on the toilet. Or put one foot on the bathtub. However, many times the string is stuck inside a woman’s vagina with the tampon. It may take a minute or two until you can pull it out. If that’s the case, move on to the next step.
Prop your feet on a trashcan or bathtub, or squat over the toilet bowl for sanitary reasons. Bear down as if you’re straining to have a bowel movement or are giving birth or are doing reverse kegels. Sometimes, this can force the tampon out. Bearing down will help ease it into a more easy-to-reach position. Take a deep breath. If you prefer to lie down, lie flat on your bed with your knees bent. Insert one finger in your vagina and feel for the tampon or its string. If you can feel it, start nudging it toward the opening of your vagina. When it gets close enough, grab the tampon with your index finger and thumb.
Find the tampon, and insert another finger if you’d only used one at first. Catch the tampon’s cotton cylinder between your fingers, and try to pull it out. You will need to pull out the actual tampon probably, not just the string. Don’t panic. If you do this too quickly, you could end up pushing it farther in. Once you feel it, just pull it out. Don’t dig around for the tampon for more than 10 minutes or so. If you can’t get it out, don’t panic. Call your doctor. If you feel a string (that somehow got bunched up inside of you), get it under your finger but against the side of your vagina, and slowly pull the tampon out. It’s probably easier if you use your longest finger, but all women’s vaginas are different, so you might be able to use any other finger, also.
Don’t pour water in the vagina or use soap. It can cause infections. And don’t put scented lotions on the vagina; they can irritate the skin. It might also be helpful to use a mirror to investigate what is going on down below. Or you could try peeing into the toilet. The natural process might dislodge the tampon.
It’s worth repeating: Do not EVER use another object to get the tampon! That can be very unsanitary, and it could also get stuck. Foreign objects also could scrape the vaginal walls. You want to remove the tampon in a way that doesn’t cause you more problems.
It should be easy for a doctor to remove a stuck tampon. Don’t be embarrassed about this; you should realize that this is something that happens all the time, and the doctor has almost certainly seen it before. You never want to risk your feminine health. The doctor can painlessly remove your tampon in their office. First, they’ll likely try pulling it out. If that doesn’t work, they can use the same tools they use for an examination to slightly open your vaginal canal and retrieve the tampon. Either way, you won’t feel any pain. Sometimes women forget they have a tampon in, and then insert another one, causing the first one to get stuck. Try to remember when you inserted a tampon because leaving one in too long can cause serious infections. If you have symptoms like foul odor, vaginal discharge, dizziness, pelvic pressure or pain, or abdominal discomfort, call your doctor immediately.
