During my last period, I was wearing a regular absorbency tampon. I forgot about the tampon until almost eight hours later. That was about three weeks ago, so I assume I am OK, but I'd just like to be sure. How long is it safe to wear a tampon? If I kept it in too long, what sort of problems could happen? Would there be noticeable symptoms?

Lil

Sometimes, leaving a tampon in for hours and hours can increase the risk of infection. Usually, if this occurs, you will notice a foul-smelling discharge, itching or burning. Some women forget about a tampon and it may stay in for days -- or even weeks. Usually, this will produce vaginal irritation and an infection that is easily cleared up once the tampon is removed. Toxic Shock Syndrome is rare, but serious illness caused by a staph infection. The symptoms include a sudden high fever, diarreah, vomitting, sun-burn rash, muscle aches, etc.. If you are experiencing these symptoms following tampon use, consult a doctor immediately.

Ideally, you should change a tampon every four to six hours. I recommend wearing a pad overnight. Before you change a tampon, you should wash your hands to decrease the odds of introducing any type of infection.