I'm 44, discovered a vaginal cyst on 10/28
and by 11/1 it had grown to the size of a
golfball and it hurt to walk, sit or do
anything else. Went to the gyn on 11/1
and she drained it. It was abcessed so
she put me on antiobiotics, had me do sitz
baths and put pressure on it to assist the
drainage process. Four days later it was
gone. Turns out it was a bartholin gland
cyst. Never had one of these before.
Then this morning I discovered that the
gland is again enlarged but i'm not
currently in any pain.
My issue is that it is very uncommon for
someone my age to get these types of
cysts. I'm thinking that she'll want to
do a biopsy when I see her for my follow
up on monday just to be sure it's not
cancer. And if it is cancer the survival
odds are not good. That is the pitts and
I also am currently unemployed with no
health insurance. Has anyone my age had
such a quick reoccurrence of this type of
cyst and what became of it if you did?
|
Diburd
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 29 Nov 2004 Posts: 1 Location: Maryland
Bartholin Gland Cyst Posted: 11-29-04 09:35am
I just wanted you to know that you are not
alone. I don't know why they think these
things are so uncommon when they really
are very common. I'm 37 and this year, I
have had 3 surgeries for bartholin cysts.
I have had both of them marcuplialized
and one drained after it was
marcupilaized. I am now suffering with
the same one swollen again.
Rest assured that you are not alone.
|
tarah
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 25 Jan 2005 Posts: 1 Location: Pennsylvania
Posted: 01-25-05 23:37pm
I too am suffering again from yet another
abcess. I have had the cyst drained in
the er, and also had 3 surgeries for
marsupilization. I think this is the
worst yet. I was in the er two days ago,
but, because of my prior surgeries they
were afraid to do anything. I was taking
cipro, but had an allergic reaction. (the
hives really add to my discomfort) I am
starting to feel a bit better, but have
been absolutely miserable :cry: . My
previous gyno moved, and I was between
doctors, so I have to wait until thursday
to get in with a new doc. I really wish
I could have broken a wrist or something
instead of going through this again.
Good luck to you.
Tara
|
Tawt
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 27 Jan 2005 Posts: 1
Bartholin Gland!!!! Posted: 01-27-05 11:22am
I had problems with my bartholin gland for
years. Very, very painfull. Found out
much later from yet another doctor that
they don't recommend to marsup anymore for
women who have repeated infections.
There is a sack inside each side of your
lips. It can become twisted inside there
and cause infections. They cut me open
and removed the sack on that side only and
I have never had another infection. No
more problems and the other side is fine.
When my doctor went in and did the
surgery, he said my sack (i don't know the
exact term) was so twisted up, he couldn't
believe it. I had to bug and bug him at
first for the surgery because they always
want to try other methods first, but it
worked like a charm. Have them do it
before the cysts damage something down
there.
I believe the 70's with no underware and
tight, tight pants are the reason I had a
problem, but you could have just been born
with it slightly twisted.
|
lumo
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 11 Oct 2005 Posts: 10
Bartholin Cyst Posted: 10-11-05 18:18pm
Just to add, you are not alone or weird!
I'm 27 and have been having recurrent
cysts for 10 years now, before I was even
sexually active I had one, so it's not
stds and it's not cancer. I get it about
once a year but this year so far i'm now
on my 3rd. The first 2 were this spring
and the gyno finally did a minor operation
in office with four sutures to hold it
open. Well, that was six months ago, i'm
five months pregnant now, and it's back.
:( i'm going to ask her about doing the
surgery immediately after delivery, if
that will be an option. It doesn't hurt
yet and if it doesn't start hurting in the
next 4 months, I can deal with it and I
pray to god she will do the surgery at
delivery, since i'll already have an
epidural and iv lines in, and I have my
mother in law coming to help after the
baby is born. I'll need the help 'cause I
was told after the surgery not to lift
anything over 10 lbs for 2 weeks, and I
have a 2 1/2 year old! I'm so tired of
this thing. I hear that 2% of women get
it once, and only a tiny percentage of
that 2% get it recurrently. :(
|
bwmalts
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 13 Oct 2005 Posts: 3
Posted: 10-13-05 14:52pm
It's sad to know that this is so common.
I know how excruciatingly painful that
this can be. The first occurrence for me
was years ago and I had no idea why it was
so painful "there" and couldn't walk,
stand, sit, nothing. I have had it
reoccur about 4 times since...Each time
requiring my obgyn to lance it, drain it
and put a word catheter in. Each time
the catheter fell out within a few days
(rather than staying in a few weeks).
My worst experience was a year half
ago...Laid off, lost my insurance and went
throughmy husband's hmo. The Dr. There
put stitches in that required her to
physically remove the stitches a few weeks
later,...That was the most excruciating
experience ever. I ended up going back
to my obgyn a few months later at another
reoccurence and just paying cash.
It's a year now and it's back again. I
want to cry at the thought of dealing with
this every year...Or more for the rest of
my life.
To tawt: what is the name of the surgery
you had? If I understand it right, you
had the entire bartholin gland on one side
removed?? Was this surgery that required
anesthesia and the works? How long did
it take to recover? Stitches?
|
lumo
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 11 Oct 2005 Posts: 10
Posted: 10-13-05 15:44pm
It's sad, you're right bwmalts, but at the
same time i'm in a way glad to hear of
other women having it.... Because none of
my family or friends seem to know what i'm
talking about when it comes to this thing!
My sister-in-law said she had it once,
when she was pregnant, but that was it.
I've never met anyone else in real life
who's had even a 2nd recurrence, you
know?
I have been told that any permanent
solution involves surgery - that the
amount of pain and potential blood loss
(though rare) required to really 'dig
around in there' as they put it (ugh!)
would require either spinal or general
anesthesia. I'm terrified of being
knocked out and my ob/gyn told me that she
would be willing to do it with a spinal
block in place if I prefer.
I pray that when I ask her next week about
doing it after delivery, she will agree.
From my perspective, that will be a great
time to have it done.
|
bwmalts
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 13 Oct 2005 Posts: 3
Posted: 10-13-05 17:21pm
You're right because no one I know has any
idea what i'm talking about when I say
that I have a bartholin gland cyst. Made
me feel like a freak til I started reading
up on the internet. It's weird that as
common as it is, nobody I know has heard
of it. Lucky them.
I don't understand why there isn't
technology out now that allows the surgery
to be done with lasers rather than
scalpels. I have endometriosis and had
to have laparoscopy for that a few years
back and they used lasers.
I don' tknow, I really wish there was
something else we can do about this.
I wouldn't worry so much about being
knocked out -- I wish I could be knocked
out for the lancing procedures i've had
done.... With my endo surgery, being
knocked out was nothing...Coming out of it
was difficult for some reason...I wasn't
able to wake up....Just kept falling back
asleep. Other than that...Everything
went well.
|
fee brigden
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 19 Oct 2005 Posts: 1 Location: uk
Bartholin Cysts Posted: 10-19-05 16:50pm
Hello all! I am in the uk, I am 35 years
old, healthy and no history of std. I
have just had surgery after a 6th
bartholin cyst!!! The first cyst was on
the right and marsupialised. The 2nd and
3rd the same - in three months - 3 cysts
and 3 ops!! The fourth I sought a second
opinion - my gyn attempted to build a new
duct from the gland, unfortunately though
this didnt work, so the fifth op, 6 weeks
later I had the gland removed. This,
although I had to have general anasthesia
was preferable to the constant recurrences
and the affect it was having on my sex
life!! For two years i've been clear.....
Until now!! I then had a new cyst on the
left. New gyn said "no" to gland removal
but wanted to try marsup first - I agreed
after all I know what I am talking
about...Anyway, when I went for surgery -
complications... A benign tumour wrapped
around the one remaining gland. Result -
I now have no glands, am still recovering
but am glad these darn things wont come
back to haunt me. Of course I still have
questions - what if benign becomes
malignant, what if a tumour comes back -
where will it appear, what next etc etc -
but hey....Please dont be afraid of
surgery, it really does work, look at me,
no glands, no cysts!!
|
FreeGland
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 05 Nov 2005 Posts: 2
Removing Bartholin Gland Posted: 11-05-05 19:30pm
I have never been sexually active when I
first had my bartholin cyst at my right
gland in 2002, nor have I been sexually
active when the cyst came back almost
three years after I had the first removed
thru marsupialization. It's a case of
simple bad luck for me, I guess. I was
horrified the first time I had it, thought
the problem will be gone and forgotten
after I had it removed... But naaaah!
When it came back after almost three
years, I finally decided to have the gland
removed thru excision. Of course my
ob-gyn was against it, she wanted me to
try the conventional way of solving the
problem (hot sitz bath and antibiotics)
but I over ruled her, after all...It is my
body, thus it is my choice. Reading thru
the messages in this forum helped me make
my final decision. Indeed, word catheter
or marsuplialization will not permanently
solve the recurring problem of bartholin
cyst. You have it removed and it will
come back again. I was depressed when I
felt the cyst the first time, and was
doubly depressed when it came back three
years later. It felt that my whole world
stopped and I felt so unproductive till I
had the gland removed. Prior to the
surgery, I did some sitz bathing for
almost 10 days. Sitz bath will help
eliminate the odor and reduce the number
of bacteria that may affect the cysts.
Less infected cyst would make surgery and
recuperation easier. So finally, I had
the gland removed on nov. 1, 2005. I was
placed under general anaesthesia. I would
suggest that you discuss with your
anaethesiologist how you want to be put to
sleep... Since I am afraid of spinal
injection, I asked my doctor to put me to
sleep first, which he did. Hours later, I
woke up in my private room. My ob-gyn
told me that she removed an odorless 3
centimeter cysts, uninfected. She had the
gland checked out out thru histopath- so
we would know what could have caused the
cyst...That way, we can protect the
remaining left gland. Recuperating from
excision can be painful. I was taking
pain relievers every 5 hours for almost
3-4 days... Then, it was reduced to 2 in
a day. I continued the sitz bath, but
this time...I made use of the traditional
herbal method which was handed over from
one generation to another. Instead of
salt, we used guava leaves extract. It's
simple. Take 7-9 clean guava leaves and
put them in a pot of boiling water. You
will see the extract when the water turns
into brown- the color is very similar to a
betadine antiseptic. It will heal and dry
the stitches faster. Remove the leaves
and pour the extract in a bowl and proceed
with your sitz bath.
Remember, it is your body...Thus it is
your choice. One thing is certain, I do
not want to be depressed. I will
eliminate anything that will make me
depressed and unproductive. :lol:
|
Mbecca
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 09 Nov 2005 Posts: 1 Location: PA
Bartholin Cyst Posted: 11-09-05 18:43pm
I am 40 and went to my gyne today. I knew
I had a cyst but wasnt sure what kind.
It ended up being a bartholin cyst. He
has scheduled me for surgery this cominig
tuesday 11/15/05. I heard that the
recovery is painful, but I am happy he is
removing it and not draining it. He said
that when they drain them it tends to
reoccur. How long is the recovery
process? I have had alot of vaginal
surgeries for fibroids and was wondering
how this compared. Any information would
be appreciated.
Thanks!!
|
FreeGland
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 05 Nov 2005 Posts: 2
Surgery Posted: 11-09-05 19:58pm
Hi, most probably your surgeon will
perform a marsupialization to solve your
bartholin cyst. If it's marsupialization,
then you need not worry about recovery
period. I had my first cyst removed thru
this procedure and I was able to walk
without any discomfort that same day.
Good luck.
|
kcr777
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 23 Mar 2006 Posts: 1 Location: New Jersey
Bartholin Gland Removal Posted: 03-23-06 15:53pm
I have had 2 surgeries to have my
bartholin glands removed. I am going to
a doctor tomorrow because one of the
incisions never healed and now there's a
lump under it. Its in such a bad spot
that I have to wear a bandaid on it every
day b/c its right on my panty line. Its
awful. I can relate to pretty much
everything you ladies are going through.
It can definitely cause depression and
frustration! I just recently got engaged
and I can't even focus on planning my
wedding until I get this resolved. Keep
your fingers crossed that I will find some
relief from the new doctor tomorrow!
I'm 46 yrs old with the b. Abscess- this
is h---. I'm an rn and never had so much
pain and discomfort in my life until now.
I've been with this problem for 2 weeks.
The 1st week, I tried solving it on my
own with sitz bath and antibiotics. Did
not work; 2nd week, the gyn drained it and
inserted a word catheter. It is a good
thing I read up on the subject or I would
have been screaming- because no
explanation was given to me prior to the
proc. I was just told he had to drain it
and insert a catheter. To hear him say I
have to have the catheter for 4-6 weeks
didn't really sink in until 5 days later.
I am in so much discomfort with this
catheter. I am also afraid of more
infections through the catheter insertion
site. Now I have doubts if this cath is
going to resolve anything. I think it is
just prolonging my agony -the inevitable
would be surgery-removal of the gland.
|
Marjory
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 24 Aug 2006 Posts: 2 Location: Ohio
Posted: 08-25-06 02:07am
I understand how you feel about the
cathater. My doctors told me to leave it
in for one week and then have it removed
at the follow up. They then told me and I
quote " well there's nothing that can
really be done to help you. All we can do
is keep stabbing at it until it stops on
it's own.". I just stared at him thinking
it was some kind of doctors joke I wasn't
picking up on , but he was totally
serious. He then told me that giving me
antibiotics would just make it worse for
me because they sometimes cause yeast
infections.And that would just get the
incision infected. He said to do the sitz
bath 3 times a day and everytime I used
the bathroom.
The whole time I listened to him talk all
I could think was "is he serious!".
So far I have had around 9 cysts lanced.
And 4 rupture on their own. I'm 26 yrs.
Old and i'm currently trying to deal with
one the size of a large orange , but since
it's not infected or abbcessed like the
others the doctor said there is nothing he
can do about it. It makes it hard to sit
and walk and stand but mostly it makes it
hard to pee, because it is so big I have
to actually move it out of the way. My
entire left labia is swollen almost an
inch past the rest of me.
If anyone has any advice to help I would
greatly appricate it.
|
ManRuin
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 25 Aug 2006 Posts: 1 Location: California
Posted: 08-25-06 03:43am
I discovered my first cyst when I was 18.
The dr did not operate or attempt to drain
it until recently ( I am now 20, almost
21). The first time my dr attempted to
drain the cyst, I was in so much pain.
The catheter had forced it's way out of
the incision and fallen out on the second
day. Within the month I had had another
dr attempt to do the same procedure.
This time the balloon end of the catheter
was filled with water and blown up a lot
larger than the first time. It wasn't as
painful as the first try, but painful none
the less. Dealing with this all has made
me very depressed and not want to do
anything sexually. Not curious to find a
boyfriend or anything, and later finding
out that 3/4 women have to live with this
for the rest of their lives didn't lighten
my depression.
I just had the catheter removed today, and
I was told to keep up with the 3 30 minute
baths daily.. I wasn't given any
information on this surgery except for
what I could find out online. I thought
that inserting the catheter would make a
permanent opening so that this problem
would never occur again.
What I don't understand is why isn't there
a permanent cure for this? All the drs
and nurses have told me that it is so
common, but I don't know of anyone else
having to deal with this on a daily basis.
Why do we drain the cyst if they keep
coming back? I had thought that inserting
the catheter reopened up a closed gland
and fixed the issue.
And to the ladies that had the glands
removed (sorry if this is graphic but..)
do you have issues getting wet? Maybe i'm
misunderstanding the whole gland cyst, but
can someone please help me understand.
|
esamp
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 16 Sep 2006 Posts: 1
Bartholin Help Posted: 09-16-06 13:43pm
I'm on my fourth cyst, having the past
three lanced. The last one was two weeks
ago and when lanced, was enlarged by that
night. I was then sent to a gynoligical
oncologist who is removing it in october.
My question is this: how do I make it
till then? He told me to do soaks with
sea water, which don't seem to help. I'm
to take advil for pain/inflamation, which
doesn't help.
I teach first grade and i'm not surviving
this last cyst very well. Some have said
their's popped on it's own. How did that
happen and what would could I do to
encourage my own cyst to pop on it's own.
I also have a one year old and four year
old which means I can't simply lie around
:(
any advice for pain relief would be more
than welcome!
|
sandyallen
Extremely EHEALTHy
Joined: 02 Feb 2004 Posts: 4580
Posted: 09-16-06 14:55pm
Hi there! I am sorry that you are having
to deal with the pain, I understand as I
deal with pain 24/7 for different reasons.
My only suggestion I have for you is to
talk to your dr about giving you something
to decrease the pain. Nothing wil
probably ever help 100% but at least it
will give you some comfort.
All the best!
|
Haitashi
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 05 Dec 2006 Posts: 7 Location: Amsterdam
Bartholin Support Group Posted: 12-05-06 19:29pm
[spam]
|
carolina84
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 30 Jan 2007 Posts: 1
Word Catheter Posted: 01-30-07 12:46pm
Hi all,
i've just finished treatment with a word
catheter (i wore it for six weeks). I was
wondering if anyone else had had this done
and what the experience had been in terms
of recurrence.
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