Ladies: Ever have a Bartholin's Gland cyst? *UPDATE PAGE 3*

[SeaSpray]

If so, can you tell me how it was treated, and what your experience was?? Thanks.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

YES!!!

I have had it for years and they do nothing. It freaks me out sometimes.

It never hurts or does anything so they say, don't mess with it. Of course I always think what if this isn't "just a cyst"...

 

[wdwpluto]

OMG, my Mom had one and it was not fun. If I remember correctly, the doctor aided it in popping so it could drain. The whole thing (both they cyst and the popping) was apparently quite painful. The doctor said if it recurred, there was a surgery that could be done (I forget what all it involved) by Mom had done some reading on the net and it sounds like the surgery wasn't always successful. She's a Disboard member, I'll see if I can get her to post.

 

[tevagirl]

A girlfriend of mine gets these quite often and has to have them lanced. They can be very painful. Once I had to drive her to the emergency room and she had to sit with one leg up on the dashboard. (We laugh about that now but she wasn't laughing then!)

 

[SeaSpray]

Thanks for the replies so far.

I've had this cyst for only a couple of weeks now. I had it looked at by my regular doctor the next day after I discovered it, and had it confirmed by a gyn. today. The cyst I have is currently not painful, however it's fairly large and not in the best of places if one is trying to avoid friction or irritating it. lol. The gyn. put me on antibiotics today, and if the cyst goes away within the next 48 hours, nothing needs to be done. Otherwise, at 1pm on Friday, the doctor will put a drain in, which is supposed to stay in place for a month! That thought alone has me hoping that the antibiotics shrink it! LOL

My question is: Do I leave well enough alone right now because it's currently not painful, or deal with it now (have the drain put in) in order to avoid a full-blown infection which apparently could be very painful???


tevagirl: There are only 2 of these glands within the female body. Do you mean that she keeps getting these 2 glands re-infected every once in a while?? The doctor explained to me that a woman can get cysts other than these specific types of cysts, in the same region, but they get treated differently. He knew immediately that the specific cyst I have is the Bartholin's gland. Thanks

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Well I have had my cyst for 5 yrs and never had any flare ups of pain...yet.

I have seen 2 different gynos and they both said if it isn't bothering me to leave it alone.

Fun, huh?

 

[SeaSpray]

Well I have had my cyst for 5 yrs and never had any flare ups of pain...yet.

I have seen 2 different gynos and they both said if it isn't bothering me to leave it alone.

Fun, huh?

Oh yeah, tons of fun...

Thanks for your reply, I feel hopeful now.

Mind if I ask how big your cyst is? Mine's about the diameter of a quarter, maybe slightly smaller. I'm just wondering whether the size of the cyst has anything to do with whether it will eventually become irritated and abcessed or not.

 

[tevagirl]

Yes, Seaspray, she does. Her gyn wanted to do the surgery on her years ago and she keeps putting it off.

 

[MareQ]

I had an abscess form as a result of a cyst there - on my HONEYMOON - which was a 3 week tour of.... EUROPE(Couldn't have happened home - or AFTER my honeymoon - nope at the most inconvenient time and PLACE @@ ) - I didn't know what was going on - all I knew was that I was in MASSIVE amounts of pain and poor DH was not coming anywhere near me. I had to have one of my travel mates who was a Doctor take a peak. Talk about mortifying. (He helped me get some quick care, some antibiotics and pain relievers and we continued on our way)

I distinctly remember it popping - while I was in Harry's Bar in Venice enjoying a Bellini - a very memorable moment for MANY reasons

ETA: I had trouble with the abscess/cyst for over a year after that. It was constantly draining for over a year after that. It didn't fully clear up until I gave birth and had several rounds of IV antiobitics during and after labor.

 

[SeaSpray]

Yes, Seaspray, she does. Her gyn wanted to do the surgery on her years ago and she keeps putting it off.

Oh ok thanks! I think if it got to the point where the cyst got inflamed and abcessed, I'd have the drain put in. That's what I would potentially avoid by having it drained now... I'm just kind of on the fence on whether I should just leave it alone (the doctor feels that the antibiotic could make the cyst go away), or deal with it before it gets to the point where I have no choice. Ack... I don't know what to do. lol

 

[dg39]

Yes, I had one a few months ago. It didn't hurt or anything like that, but, it was uncomfortable. I kept soaking in a hot tub, several times a day. By the time I went to the dr. about it, it was the size of a half a dollar, red, hot and swollen. At that point, I was panicking, because my mind was going all over the place of what it could be. The day before my appt. it broke on its own and what relief I felt. (the hot soaks made it break, thank god)

I kept the dr.'s appt. and she said as long as it broke itself (it was still draining at this point), she wouldn't do anything to it. She gave me strong antibiotics, 1000 mg. 2x a day. (They made sick, so I didn't take them) and all is well.

She also told me that those types of cysts are usually nothing to worry about and it may come back. If it does and it doesn't break on its own, the worst that will happen, is that she'll lance it.

 

[SeaSpray]

I had an abscess form as a result of a cyst there - on my HONEYMOON - which was a 3 week tour of.... EUROPE(Couldn't have happened home - or AFTER my honeymoon - nope at the most inconvenient time and PLACE @@ ) - I didn't know what was going on - all I knew was that I was in MASSIVE amounts of pain and poor DH was not coming anywhere near me. I had to have one of my travel mates who was a Doctor take a peak. Talk about mortifying. (He helped me get some quick care, some antibiotics and pain relievers and we continued on our way)

I distinctly remember it popping - while I was in Harry's Bar in Venice enjoying a Bellini - a very memorable moment for MANY reasons

ETA: I had trouble with the abscess/cyst for over a year after that. It was constantly draining for over a year after that. It didn't fully clear up until I gave birth and had several rounds of IV antiobitics during and after labor.

YOU POOR THING!! I'm glad your traveling mate was able to help you out and get the right medical attention you needed. But you're right; why the heck couldn't it have happened at ANY OTHER time??

Sounds like you really went through a lot due to that cyst.
When you said it was draining for a year afterwards...did it drain on its own, or did you have a drain put in by a doctor? Also, while the drain was in place, did it effect your daily life in any way?
Thanks, and I'm glad you're ok now!

 

[SeaSpray]

Yes, I had one a few months ago. It didn't hurt or anything like that, but, it was uncomfortable. I kept soaking in a hot tub, several times a day. By the time I went to the dr. about it, it was the size of a half a dollar, red, hot and swollen. At that point, I was panicking, because my mind was going all over the place of what it could be. The day before my appt. it broke on its own and what relief I felt. (the hot soaks made it break, thank god)

I kept the dr.'s appt. and she said as long as it broke itself (it was still draining at this point), she wouldn't do anything to it. She gave me strong antibiotics, 1000 mg. 2x a day. (They made sick, so I didn't take them) and all is well.

She also told me that those types of cysts are usually nothing to worry about and it may come back. If it does and it doesn't break on its own, the worst that will happen, is that she'll lance it.

Thanks for sharing your story too Apparently many people's cysts get very painful and inflamed. My cyst is fairly large, but definitely not painful (at the moment). I'm on Keflex, 4 times a day. I hope this does the trick and this thing disappears on it's own before Friday at 1pm. lol

 

[MareQ]

YOU POOR THING!! I'm glad your traveling mate was able to help you out and get the right medical attention you needed. But you're right; why the heck couldn't it have happened at ANY OTHER time??

Sounds like you really went through a lot due to that cyst.
When you said it was draining for a year afterwards...did it drain on its own, or did you have a drain put in by a doctor? Also, while the drain was in place, did it effect your daily life in any way?
Thanks, and I'm glad you're ok now!

No I didn't have a drain put in in fact a drain was never mentioned. It just wasn't healing and was oozing blood and pus (SORRY TMI!) I was on several different antibiotics - but I'm a rough one because I have a bit of a resistance so it would stop and look like it was healing - then wham it would start all over again. I had Group B strep when I was pregnant and needed IV antibiotics anyway and that ended up taking care of it for good though. No abscess - no cyst - no indication that I had any problem at any point.

Honestly - I'd start with the antibiotics and hope it works and not worry anbout anything else until you have to

 

[EpcotMom]

I have had several! Since I was in my late teens (I am older than dirt,now)..Well, most of the time they go away on their own. When they enlarge and abcess, I use Icthamol ointment, or antibiotic ointment. Soak in a warm tub as often as possible, and take vitamins. Specifically the B complex. Oh..what we women go through! I swear, if a man had to deal with something like this, they would be in bed for a week.

No self surgery if you have diabetes!!

 

[tiff211]

ohmygracious!!! You just brought back flashbacks!!!! I have tears in my eyes remembering the pain!! I didn't know you can have them without pain. Mine was the size of a large grape and I was walking like there was a baby coming out! I went to the ER and they stuck a syringe to try and drain it! I screamed like the dickins!!! Then they told me to sit int a warm tub so it would continue to drain. It came back a couple of weeks later. I went to my gyn this time and she lanced it. She numbed the area and then just lanced it. It felt like my water broke but then it was instant relief!!! That was it, it never returned or caused me anymore problems.

So, let me get this straight, some of y'all just have these things and are able to function with everyday life, DIS, work, etc? Man, I got shafted!!!! I thought I would faint dead away from the pain!

 

[tevagirl]

My friend has never had a drain put in that I know of. Just lanced and then packed with gauze to keep it open and draining. Listen to me...'just'

 

[tevagirl]

SeaSpray, I hope yours clears up with the antibiotics. Good luck!

Tiff211, love your siggie picture.

 

[Rafiki Rafiki Rafiki]

Well, I feel like I need to share...because it was one of the most painful experiences I've ever had.

I had my first Bartholan's abcess while pregnant w/DD #1. It was too painful to stand or sit...I had to walk or lie down. My ob/gyn lanced it and put in a balloon catheter. It seemed to heal for about a year before flairing up again.

After the third flair-up, a new doctor who was from central or South America opened up the gland and broke up the pockets in the gland. Then he marsupialized it.

It has now been 6 years since I've had a single problem with it.

Removing the gland can be painful and disfiguring...so avoid that route if you can. If you can get that gland working without surgery, you'll be happy in the long-run.

pm me if you have questions!

 

[mssocks]

I'm for self surgery - I've had several over the last ummm 50 years.
Hot water in washclothes or soaks in the tub and lots of patience until it drains on its own (first time I cheated and used something I disinfected ). I always knew - there was a slight sting - when the skin broke open. Not like a flood gate, just a teeny bit. Here's TMI - then I help it along to drain. Once there is an "empty" pocket or near enough it's Neosporin a couple of times a day. Hurts like the dickens once it drains when you pee though! Youch! Before it is worse, throbbing etc. I can tell now when I am getting one. Just a little tug on the skin when using TP. So I watch and use the hot compress deal. It never gets to the OMG stage anymore.