I really thought it sounded awful at first too. But now the thought of going back to tampons really icks me out.
And to be completely honest, I did drop it in the toilet once. But that was really me being careless. If you don't have a sink in your bathroom at all then that might be a pain. I mean, I don't have one in the master bath (it's separate), so I use the other bathroom during AF.
I've mostly avoided public bathrooms for changing the diva. Keep in mind that most people can go longer using the diva than a regular tampon. Also, for me it is so much better because you don't have to "time" your tampons. What I mean is, if I am going somewhere and I've been wearing my tampon for an hour, I will remove it early (waste of money, waste of tampon, and OUCH) so that I will have a fresh one before leaving the house. With the diva I will just empty and reinsert, regardless of how long I've been wearing it. In a pinch, I have emptied it in a public restroom and wiped it off and reinserted without washing.
I can't say enough good things about it. From a financial and environmental standpoint, and from a comfort and convenience standpoint, it is so much better for me.
Oh, I forgot to mention, I actually tend to change the Diva most often in the shower.