I have been suffering with bartholing gland problems since sept 08. They first tried draining with that catheder thing, well it worked untill the end of Nov then it came back but on both sides. I went to s specialist in Indiana where i live and they scheduled me for surgery to remove them on Dec 22nd, the next few days after surgery i couldnt walk and was in extream pain, 4 days later i returned to the doctor, because the pain couldnt be tolerated anymore and it looked like a had been beaten on my leg and around my incision on the left side. come to find out i developed a big blood clot, needless to say the doc wanted to take me to surgery right then, but i couldnt i had surgery the next day to remove the clot, it is now Jan 22nd and i am still in pain.

I've had the marsupialization done. Like I promised, I'm going to update for you. The pain is nothing compared to SVD, severe vaginal delivery, of my two kids. This is completely managable pain. I'm sitting down, walking some-what, and even attempted to play with my eldest today.

Basically surgery went like this, went in did my vitals. They amazingly lost my lab work (gah!). I had to give more blood. After that it was a bunch of waiting in about 3 different waiting rooms. I showed up at 5:40am. Because I am allergic to latex I had to be first one to have surgery that day. At about 7:30am they were inserting my IV and giving me pain medication.

I don't remember a thing. I was asleep the entire time from 7:30am till noon. I went home at noon, my husband drove. Don't bring your kids to wait around like we did, it's a major hassle for you.

They have me on vicodin, perceset, and motrin. The vicodin has been make me have hot flashes and puke like once an hour. It helps a lot with the pain though, so I'm dealing with it.

It doesn't hurt to pee as much as it did before, and I'm actually sitting down in my computer chair with a pillow under me while I write this.

Compared to stitches after childbirth, this is nothing. Just tired of the puking. lol

I'm back to basically normal. I've slowly adjusted to the vicodin. Bad reactions all over the place. Now, I'm used to taking it. I don't bother taking it if I'm not much pain, and don't take it at night. It does make me blurry and sluggish, so I can't drive. I don't take the perceset (spelling?), or the motrin. Just the vicodin when I need it.

I am chasing my girls, and barely having to rest. This is a LOT better than giving birth. ;P I feel like I was worried for nothing now. The stitches itch but that's about it. Oh, and I need to be really slow/careful when I move around. Learned yesterday that when I tripped on a toy, it hurts like hell.

They told me no sex for another 3 weeks, but I feel ready for it in about A week. They said no lifting anything more than 2lbs for a month, yet I was lifting my 6month old the day OF with no problems. I'm now at the stage to start picking up my 3 yr old with barely a problem.

So far healing is great. There has been some discharge, and the bleeding stopped within 2 days. I noticed I'm not having any more pain when I get turned on, no problems peeing even after the surgery (TY GOD!), and no problems getting wet - it's like I'm a constant fountain!

Only complaint...wish they would have told me it was going to be this easy and other women didn't act like it was the end of the world to get this surgery. This is by far the easiest thing I've done in my life.

Childbirth is about 100% harder than this. ;P Anyone that compains about this surgery really needs to try giving birth to two kids, pre-labor pains hold much more pain than this. And post-labor stitches. Wow. Don't even go there with me. This is completely EASY to handle.

Pain has gone down from pre-cyst 11, to about a 1 with the medication. Without medication it's about a 3-4. Not really bad at all.

I expect to be back to normal next week. No complications, no problems. If I do get another cyst, I'll consider just removing the other gland. It's the same thing I'm going through now. No biggie. Don't know why others had so many problems. I can honestly say this is the first time in a long time that I feel normal. It's great.

It's been about two weeks. I ran out of vicodin within a week and a half. (30 pills, just in case I was a pill pusher or something..dunno?) The motrin was completely worthless, and didn't bother taking any of the other pills they gave me. I'm living off of advil.

Pain is small. About a 1-2 daily without even advil. I did have a hiccup after surgery. I started bleeding randomly, a lot. Almost went to the emergency room. Waited it out a few days, and it's stopped again.

Stitches are really starting to itch. Have started having sex again. Hurt the first few times (started 2 days ago), otherwise it's just a little tender.

Back to normal activities. Moving a little slow, but not much. Picking up things, bending over, peeing , sex. Everything is about normal.

The hole where they cut for me to drain inside is getting smaller. It's about the size of a pencil eraser now (the very small ones). Have been having discharge, bloody, brown and gross. Nothing major. It'll stop in another week I'm told.

I'm like a fountain, can't stop getting wet down there. Kind of odd. Otherwise no complaints. It was a great, and very sucessful surgery. Stitches are water-solluble so they should come out on their own in time. Sitz baths are awesome to just relax in but otherwise don't really help much, and kind of hurt to put myself in the water.

Vicodin reactions were the worst. Puking every hour, I lost a good 20lbs (I look like skeletor now), and couldn't keep anything down. I ate a piece of pizza yesterday and kept it down, was proud of myself. Besides the vicodin and my hubby having to take off a few weeks of work, this wasn't that bad.

I can't believe how many other people have to deal with this problem!!! I am 27 years old and have sadly lost count of how many cysts I've had, prob about 6. My doctor promised me marsupilization would be 80% affective but reading this, I see that number is way off. I am now again in pain and am waiting for a doctor appointment where I planned on doing the cathader draining,,, which also now seems like a lost cause.
To make the cyst pop, I irritate it..usually by having sex,,that's the best way to speed up the popping process... but its never a permanent solution, just temporary relief.
Also, this sounds petty but before I had this problem I used to be very wet down there, now I feel like an old dried up lady. I don't even enjoy sex the same way, and was hoping to avoid the surgery of gland removal so that I can "one day get back my sex life." but it seems gland removal maybe the only option.
My gyno appointment is in 4 days and I'm trying to keep the cyst from popping so my doctor can see it... but after reading this blog, I don't even know what to do when I do see him.... Any advice?

over the moon i found this forum! as i lay bedridden on my bed, attempting to not spill jameson and tecate all over me, as they are the only painkillers that compliment advil, and work! I'm in shock at how common this debilitating condition is. my procedure is tomorrow, and it couln't come sooner. as it happens mine developed early saturday, and i asked a nurse friend who works here in dallas about it. she is the one who pretty much diagnosed me. her advice, ladies unless you are insanely in pain, and you are, er staff at not all, but most hospitals, don;t have a clue. mst women go to their obgyn. we need a suppoert group! anyhoo, mine started out the size of a grape, and of as now has become a parasitic twin the size of a lime! glad i'm not alone, and very encouraged by mostly good recovery rates. some of the stories were thankfully with a sense of humor. so much so that i laughed just because i coukd relate. My macbook is burning my chest because i can't sit up. so, i'm back to real housewives of the oc, eating the dinner my boyfriend ordered, of course! i'll keep you posted. wish me luck. Hugs!!

if the facts gross you out, stop... ok, so 20 minutes after submitting my post, it happened. After 5 days the alien burst! Gross! Pros-it alleviated some pain. Cons-the malodorous stench! omg, imagine a taco bell/asparagus/garlic/catfood binge... gnarly..... at least it alleviated some pressure.

Well at age 36, I just got my first...overnight I went from nothing to the size of a walnut in the morning to the size of a golfball by lunch. I managed to get in to see my Gyno who has given me a mega dose of antibiotics and said if it doesn't reduce by 50% in 24 hours, I have to go to A&E.

It burst tonight and I managed to get some gunk out of it but its still large and painful. I look like I have a testicle!

Fingers crossed I can get it to continue draining on its own and don't need to have surgery tomorrow.

Good to read everyone's posts...not good to think that this might be a recurrant issue though.

my dr's appt is at 4 today. I too had hoped i could get all of that gross stuff out. the pain is alot less, but needless to say, it's still very disturbing looking. I still can't walk right, and laying in bed rquires about 15 minutes of figuring out a "comfortable" position. My sheets are pretty stained{sigh}, and the room smells stale. yuck. anyway, hope you get better soon.

All the stats I have seen about Bartholin's gland cysts, have said that 2% of women get them. But the more I see testimonials all over the web, I realize the number must be much higher.

Why is it that the medical community never takes women's issues seriously? Why don't we have a permanent solution or better initial care instructions?

I'm 27 and had my first one this past December. I didn't know what it was, and went to the ER with severe pain. I ended up in surgery for a marsup. And now, after a weekend of sex with my partner, I have another large cyst on the other side. I'm doing hot compresses and sitz baths, but I'm so afraid I'm going to end up in hospital again.

There must be another cause for these things. It's 2009. We can send probes to Jupiter, but doctors aren't sure why women get this. Come on.

I first discovered that I had a Bartholin Gland cyst when I was in college and it freaked me out! My doctor lanced it in the office, told me to soak in the tub for a few days and I shouldn't have to ever worry about it coming back. WRONG. Here I was, 7 years later and after having the stupid thing lanced at least 25 times and I had a word catheter put in last year, it was still here. In December 2008, I had it drained 2times and it burst on its own twice and the last time it had grown to the size of a tangerine. My doctor finally decided to remove the cyst and the gland and I had the surgery on January 15, 2009. Oh my gosh, this was the most painful experience I have ever had (although I haven't had a baby yet). For about a week and a half, I could barely walk, had to sit on a pillow and I was popping demerol every four hours. But here I am, almost one month later and the cyst is gone! I can sit, run, do everything normally...still a little sore to the touch, but nothing compared to having that monster of a growth in the worse place ever. Only one complaint; has anyone else experienced numbness in the labia that the cyst was in? My doctor told me that some nerve damage could have occcured and that the feeling should come back within 6 months or so...anybody else have this same problem?

Yes, in most cases after the catheter treatment it will come back. I am dealing with my second cyst. I have an apppointmen on Tuesday and its only Thursday

I'm hoping to get the gland removed. Has anyone had this done? If so, its not possible for it to come back, right??

Caldonia - did you tell your doctor you wanted the gland removed? Im affraid my doctor wont do it for me since its only my second one. I just want to be rid of this once and for all!

How soon after surgery were you able to go back to work.

I have been dealing with this for 3 years. I am 27 years old and this is affecting everything from my happiness, job, my relationship to my overall happiness. I have had 3 catheters, 2 operations, 2 hospitalizations, and a life that has revolved around this medical condition that no one can help.

I am currently on my 4th bartholin cyst as well. I am fed up, tired and depressed!!! I had the first two drained, they were 6 months apart (loads of fun!!!) The third one I had drained and wore a catheter for 4 weeks!!! I was told the catheter will create a permanent opening so the longer I leave it in the better. After 4 uncomfortable weeks, from being scared of the tube catching on something, to scared on getting it infected, to twice a day doing sitz baths with epsom salt it was finally ready to be taken out. The first 3-6 months were great, there was no bumb, no pain ....and now exaclty year later it's back!! I've read up on everything and unless I have the whole gland taken out there seems to be no cure. I just turned 25 and want to get pregnant I dont want to lack lubrication in that area, I dont want it to be sensitive, or numb... I just want this thing to go the **** away!!!

I had a marsupialization on the 19th February. I was put to sleep and told after by the surgeon that all went well. I haven't been given any painkillers or antibiotics and do be honest I don't have hardly any pain. I've had more discomfort with a sore throat from where they put a tube down to keep the airways clear! I bled a bit after the op and the next day. I still have a little blood today, but its improving daily. I will let you know how I get on.

I had it done February 23... my doctor stiched open the cut she made to drain it. I was a little confused i was under the impression Marsupialization was removing the gland...i now know i was wrong.... i was given a local anesthetic but still hurt like hell. The anesthetic doesn't work on infections so the abscess itself still hurts but the pressure does go away. I'm on the 2nd day now doing sitz baths with epsom salt twice a day and wearing heat pads at night...it's slowly draining so i have my fingers crossed. If it returns i have spoken to my doctor and i will have the gland removed once and for all...

I was lucky, mine wasn't infected, I was under a lot of stress a year ago and noticed a lump and as it was gradually getting bigger my doctor referred me to the Gyni who gave me the impression I was going to have the gland removed but when I spoke to the surgeon he said he would do the Marsupialization.
I havent any discharge now and I went back to work today,so after a week I just feel bruised and hopefully by next week I will be back to normal

Hi Cookiemix,
I first began to ask about removal of the gland about a year ago and my doctor was hesitant about removing it but after really looking through my chart and noting how many time I had it lanced she decided to do it...after 7 years of pain. I'm almost 100% sure that your doctor is going to try a word catheter first (even though they do not work most of the time; mine did not) and then will suggest a marsupialization. They are going to make you suffer a little more before they remove the entire gland I know, it sucks. Luckily after the surgery I was about to return to work after two weeks--I probably could have gone back after about one week, but I was still bleeding so I didn't want to over exert myself. Good luck with everything!

Hi all, so great to read all those posts. Ive just gotten my first 2 there not big so ive been told but to me there huge. How do you know if there infected mine hurt like hell but are still small?? Ive been given anti and pain killers. Ive an an app made for next week with my Gyn what should i be saying??. Ive been really upset by it im 31 and never even heard of these before, also had my first baby last year is that connected?? What can i do at home to help?
Thanks so much for the advice
T xxxxx