Help, I just left my tampon in for 12 hours, am I going to be OK?

TSS is a rare disease but still a risk, more so if you use tampons over other options such as pads or cups, more again if you use commercial tampons over organic, sponge or homemade tampons because of their use of super absorbent synthetic materials, chemicals and bleaching during manufacturing.

Bear in mind also TSS is not as rare as is made out, because of how they define TSS within official figures many TSS cases are left out of the statistics.

That said however TSS is something that does not come on out of the blue, if tampons are going to cause TSS then they will do while still inside you and you will know about it – so sufficed to say you don't have TSS now and you are unlikely to have TSS as a result of this occasion.

You are however at very high risk of infections such as bacterial vaginosis and yeast infections, because tampons are absorbent materials that are put into the moist delicate environment of the vagina they prevent the vagina cleaning itself as it would normally and absorb discharge causing vaginal splitting.

Tampons provide bacteria with the perfect warm moist and pores environment filled with nutritious menstrual blood to multiply upon.

The chemicals within tampons mess with natural vaginal PH that keeps bacteria and yeast balanced within the vagina and so commercial tampons can cause infections this way.

Tampons are always a health risk no matter how long you leave them in for, they because a problem for your vaginal health the moment you put them into your vagina, leaving them in for longer simply increases that risk.

Watch out carefully for infections, I'd also suggest a good wash with water and putting a little tea tree essential oil into your vagina to help counteract any bacterial growth that may cause infections – not too much tea tree oil or else it will sting.

Be careful next tie, or better still try menstrual cups, these can be left in for up to 12 hours without leaking or any health risk, they can also be left in for sleeping and put n before and after your period, they also offer a 3 month to a years money back guarantee (depending on the brand);

http://www.divacup.com/

http://www.mooncup.co.uk/

http://www.keeper.com/

http://www.lunette.fi/

http://www.softcup.com/

I'm really disturbed by all of the "oh don't worry, I've done that plenty of times" responses. That is an incredibly idiotic thing to do and the dangers should not be underestimated. Just because someone may have escaped infection doesn't mean that they will every time or that you will. It is not a wise thing to do and you should, in the future, make every effort to change your tampons regularly and use pads when you sleep.

If you start feel even the slightest bit sick, please head straight to the ER.

well you will probably won;t get any bad problem. But you can probably get an infection that will burn for like one ot two days but after that it will go away. I think the best is to change a new tampon every 4 to 6 hours to be safe

you should be okay. just dont do it again. you would have experienced symptoms while it was in. try not to sleep with it in. use a pad at night and a tampon during the day to prevent this from happening. that what i do! (: (my friend had to go to the hospital because TSS!)

Yes! Just try to not do that anymore.

It'll more than likely be ok, just remember to take it out next time. Try not to do that frequently!

I've done that plenty of times, you'll be fine. The probability of suffering from toxic shock syndrome is very low.

You will be fine. I have done it lots of times. They put that on as a warning, not as a you will get it everytime. Dont worry, if you develop symptoms seey our doc....but from experience---you are safe.

I have done that before. No worries. You should be fine. My doctor told me that it is really rare now for someone to get TTS.

The chance is slim, but that is too long! If you need to, write it down when you have it so you remember to change it....you want 8 hours max!