Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => All things menopause => Topic started by: Snowcat on July 13, 2025, 08:19:02 AM
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Hi. Can anyone out there recommend a good ‘donut’ type cushion please? With lots of vulval burning, stinging etc I’m trying to find a way to sit down occasionally. The ones I’ve tried just seen to flatten in use so that they’re as good as useless! I’m not very heavy but I’m not a lightweight either! And some of them don’t seem to have a big enough hole! 🙀 any recommendations gratefully received!
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Have a lookC at the various mobility Companies.
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Putnams cushion with the 'Dr Huff' cutout. They do a donut as well. Have a look at their website.
JP x
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Thank you both - will have a look C at both suggestions x
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I went to a mobility place where they do upholstery. They made me a U cushion and padded it to my specification. Let me take it home to try then added more padding etc.
I had 2 made one for car one for house.
What was made is a bit of a squared off U shaped but it gives clearance on the vulva area.
In general I’m not so sore now and can make do when out. Can sit on a hard chair for a reasonable amount of time or look for the padded seats or for cushions.
Large towels rolled up (and tied) under each thigh is another option.
I even bent a hard draught excluder and sewed tape across to keep the U shape. Most draught excluders are too soft but this one wasn’t.
The mobility place used this as a rough pattern.
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You have got yourself a job Minusminnie ;D - a side line in VA treatment options ;-)
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Yes Minusminnie - how are you at upholstery now! 😂 that’s a brilliant idea though. I did actually borrow an elderly friend’s commode (it was ok - she didn’t actually need it lol! and used the rolled up towels but it was very uncomfortable- I keep thinking I’ll end up having my meals on the loo! I’m getting terrible indigestion from not eating in an upright position…
I’m so sore today - it’s like 2 steps forward and 10 back! My GP (who is actually very sympathetic) said it’s taken me 2 years to get into this state so it won’t recover in weeks but gradually over the months - at least she was honest and didn’t tell me like some have ‘oh you’ll be fine in a couple of weeks!’ Honesty I can cope with, false hopes not so much! I’m wondering if it’s this hot weather that’s made it so much worse these last few days. I know there was a thread about that and several are wondering the same..
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You have got yourself a job Minusminnie ;D - a side line in VA treatment options ;-)
Don’t think so.
I do what works for me within the ‘tools’ available.
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You could try an inflatable toilet seat raise, designed to make toilets higher but I'm sure could be placed on a seat for the purpose you describe. You can adjust how much air is pumped in but it should be soft to sit on and the hole should certainly be big enough.
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That’s a brilliant idea! Thank you so much - I’ll try one of those - I’m always comfortable on the loo so that might work! :-). Everybody is so ingenious on here - I need to rekindle my creative skills!
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Hi everyone. So, I ordered a cushion from Putnams designed by a gynaecologist for vulval pressure relief and it arrived today so I was very excited!
However, when I tried it (and yes it was the right way round - I think!) it just seems that the hole is too far back - ok for sore bottoms but I just can’t seem to see how it works for the problem it was created - has anyone else got one? Am I just being thick? On this cushion the hole is towards the back but another one (different brand) the hole is more central.
It feels like it would be comfortable but I’m rather confused! Thought iI’d ask here first as I know some of you have one before I contact the company and make an idiot of myself!!
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Send it back and visit a mobility shop.
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I might have to. If I can get the dog hairs off it! (Didn’t realise she’d been sitting on the chair before I tried it out 🤦🏽♀️ It has such good reviews though - very strange.
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Do they have pictures of it on a chair or anything on their website, or perhaps photos from customers on review sites, so you can see which way round it goes?
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Hi, yes I had a look and googled which way round it goes - they say with the cut out at the back … I sit as far back on it as I can but still feel the hole’s in the wrong place - maybe it’s just me and it isn’t - it’s really quite comfortable and I’m no different to other women who can’t stop
Singing it’s praises - our consumer site placed it no 1 on their approved list - I’ll try again tomorrow!!
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I used two towels one folded under each thigh so it raised me off the chair and left a gap all the way along the chair.
Eventually I had a custom made office chair at work with raised padding each side with a gap along the middle of my seat. Sat on it comfortably for years.
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Thanks Dierdre. Sometimes the simplest ideas really are the best!
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Hi - on the off chance that anyone has a putnam’s vulva relief cushion . Having tried mine, I think it would be very comfy and it does relieve pressure but, for me, the hole needs to be a bit bigger.
Has anyone cut a hole in a foam pressure cushion and did it compromise the rest of the cushion? I don’t want to make an expensive mistake! I don’t want to return the cushion either as I think a little tweak and it’ll be really good! Thanks all!
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Morning. U could of course ask this question in your other thread on the cushion issue :-\ - if necessary U R able to alter the subject heading to keep the topic currant.
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The three separate threads on this topic are now merged into this one thread.
Emma
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Thanks. I didn’t Know this, bit of a technophobe if my son isn’t with me!
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No experience of the cushions so hopefully you might get someone come along who has but I do have experience of working with upholstery foam :)
Looking at the website, it appears that the foam is pretty standard stuff so wouldn't be compromised by making the hole larger. I think I'd shave off a small amount,test and repeat if necessary until you get the size of hole that is comfortable. Remember that you can keep taking away but you can't add back if you make it too big!
Another option would be to contact the company and ask them if they think you'd compromise the structure by cutting it. They'd probably err on the side of caution mind you! They might also welcome the feedback that its not quite right for you.
Good luck!
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Morning. U could of course ask this question in your other thread on the cushion issue :-\ - if necessary U R able to alter the subject heading to keep the topic currant.
CLKD I actually disagree with you here, you often take members to task over how/where they post questions and it concerns me that they will be put off from further posting for fear of doing things wrong. For me, I prefer new questions to be asked as I only read posts that I believe I can help with or learn from, if I see a long thread that I've not been interested in in the past I won't revisit it. This means I might miss something that has changed and is now relevant to me.
I know we all work in different ways and my way isnt right for everyone. There is no right or wrong way to use the forum and Snowcat has posted how/where it felt right for her at the time. Its more important that Snowcat, and others, feel they can post when they need to than the post being in the 'right' place.
Suzie
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I bought one at one time and couldn’t get on with it.
The material covering the hole was no good for me either. A clear space is far better.
I don’t think that you can now return it having tried it.
Mine went under the bed then finally to the charity shop.
Not cheap to buy so maybe I saved someone else from having the angst /full cost of sending for one to try.
If you try Chopsuey’s idea (brilliant) of an inflatable toilet raiser could you give feedback on here ? 🚽🍩
I would try it but have had my own purpose made cushions for some time that are ok.
Hope you find a solution soon.
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Suziemac - it's the same subject so following on in the initial thread is more appropriate.
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Members shouldn't have to apologise by merely posting a new thread, it will make some feel intimated and unwilling to ever post again, which I am sure has happened in the past.
This is not the easiest website to navigate, threads disappear very quickly and we are all not that great when it comes to computer technology.
If its a problem then Emma is the one to say so not another member.
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Hi. Thanks everyone - I do find this site difficult to negotiate and I just thought I’d done the best I could but I take on board all comments. I’m in a lot of pain so probably not thinking straight trying to work out how to post appropriately. Thank you Suziemc and Ayesha.
I did think of asking the company but thought they’d probably say not a good idea. I’m going to try making it a bit bigger - it doesn’t need to be by much but I’ve now tried turning it round and that seems better! I must be an anatomical oddity!
Minusminnie I might try an inflatable loo seat - I did look at some but wasn’t too sure … if I get one that works I’ll let you know. Might look odd on the bus though! 😂
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When in pain with something that is not solving easily it is understandable that your head is elsewhere.
If you can get the putmans cushion to work for you it is portable and pretty discreet.
;D Re the bus. I find that I see ‘life’ on our bus into town so maybe no one would notice ! Thinking about it the bus company could do with a couple of deeper cushioned seats on board as an option for some.
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Maybe we could start something here - different cushions for different occasions with funky covers! ‘Undercarriage Upholstery’ - I’m trying not to lose my sense of humour amid the pain in the hope that more endorphins will be released .. can’t say I’ve noticed it working yet!
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Hi Snowcat,
I’ve got one of the Putnams vulva cushions, I’ve been using it at work to help cope with the burning/stinging pain I have when sitting for long periods of time.
I also thought I needed a bigger hole but I might have been using it the wrong way around with the thinner portion of the hole at the front😳. I’ve since flipped the cushion round so the bigger part of the hole is at the front which helps a bit more.
I did also cut some of the edges off the cushion so it fitted on my office chair better and then sewed up the slack on the cushion cover so it still looks neat and that hasn’t compromised the cushion at all. I would guess that as long as you increased the size of the central hole very gradually it would be ok. I just trimmed mine with a large sharp kitchen knife.
Alternatively, at home when needed, I sit on one of those holiday travel neck pillows, they have some good large solid ones in Tk max at the moment and it takes all the pressure off the vulva area.
I hope this helps
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Hi Sparkle - thank you for replying- what a brilliant idea! I’m going to copy all of those I think! A bigger hole - don’t know why it’s so far back - be ok for tailbone soreness! And the neck cushions! I’ll try to find a nice big one - can’t drive as far as my tkmaxx at mo but I’ll look on line - be nicer to have than an inflatable loo seat! Thank you for your good ideas!