20 years old with 9 abscessed bartholin's cysts! Finally had the marsupialization just over a year

None of the forums I have read have gone into enough detail for someone who was dealing with a bartholin's cyst as severe as mine....so here is my story.

In April of 2017, just before I turned 21, I started feeling a large lump just to the right of my vaginal opening after sex. The lump increased in size gradually over about a week and became extremely painful. I would like to think that I am a tough person, but the cyst brought me to tears. The final straw that I had with this first occurrence was when I was on my way to work. I had this horrible mass in-between my legs and a fever well over 100°F. I ended up getting in a fender bender and went to an urgent care the next night. The doctor on call lanced the cyst after applying lidocaine (local anesthetic; spoiler alert: this does not work on the nether regions). I felt the scalpel throughout the whole ordeal, but at the time the relief from my constant pain was to die for. They told me that I was moments away from going septic, and I should've come in sooner. They completed STD testing (all negative) and told me to shower twice as much as I was previously doing (sometimes 2-3 times a day).

After the first abscess, I followed up with a gyno and was told that they could not do anything for me. Disappointed, I continued normal college life, hoping that this was just a freak occurrence. Over the next 10 months, I developed 7 MORE ABCESSES. Each time, I either got them lanced in an urgent care/ER and followed up with a gyno or squeezed the absolute shitaki out of them so they would pop on their own. I would have got them lanced at a gyno but I conveniently had these abscesses pop up on weekends or extended holidays (Christmas and Thanksgiving) EVERY FREAKING TIME. Side note: 4 different gynos turned me down saying they could not do anything to prevent these except for a catheter.

The most recent horrid abscess occurred during spring break of 2018. I went on vacation to participate during the walk out events in Washington DC and low and behold, the most massive abscess that I have ever had decided to pop up. This abscess was the size of a small peach. I am not a large person, I am 5'9 and about 135lbs. Very skinny. This thing was huge. I ended up having to board FOUR different planes to get home (had to fly standby bc broke) and barely made it to the ER in Denton, Texas before going septic. I had the lancing done and this time they inserted a word catheter. This was POINTLESS. REFUSE this if your good-intentions ER doctor tries to give it to you. Take the lancing and be on your way.

I immediately made an appointment with a new gyno and he said to come in the second I feel an abscess coming on. At this point, I've gotten pretty good at intuitively knowing these occurrences. Just this first week of June, I got that familiar pain and demanded an appointment the same day. I was firm and finally got what I wanted: a surgical date for two days later to have the cyst shell scraped out, the gland excised, and the remaining wound marsupialized.

The morning of the procedure, I sat my happy ass down and received general anesthetic (all the way asleep) and FINALLY had the procedure done (it has been over a year and 9 abscesses!!).

My recovery so far is as follows:

Day 1: arrived at hospital at 6am. Left by 9:30am. Up and walking by 3pm. In pain but did not take any pain medication. Mostly laid in bed. Took 2 showers throughout day. NO BATHS FOR 2 WEEKS.

Day 2: laid in bed until 2pm. Went to work as bartender from 5pm-1:30am. Was in mild discomfort during shift but still did not take pain medicine. Took 2 showers throughout day.

Day 3: laid in bed until 2pm. Worked from 5pm-12am. Slight discomfort. No medicine. 2 showers.

Day 4: laid in bed most of day. Went to class for 4 hours. Packing came out in 5 foot long thin strip. Lots of blood. Slightly painful. No pain meds. 2 showers.

Day 5: laid in bed ALL day. Two showers. Very painful around stitches (about 10 visible around wound).

Day 6: went to class. Walked around. In pain, still no pain meds, will not need them ever.

Day 7: dramatic increase from previous days. Hardly any pain except from stitches. 2 showers. Did very light yoga.

Day 8: current day. Will update in a week. Successful so far. I am certain that if my stitches were removed I would be in virtually no pain.

Day 9: week follow-up. Results not determined.

This has been the farthest thing from a comfortable week, I have had trouble sitting and walking without pain. My amazing mother has taken care of me very well, a good support system is crucial to your recovery. I am a very active person, so laying in bed all day was torture. There was a lot of blood this whole first week, but nothing that drew my attention too bad. I was not given great post-op instructions other than no baths or intercourse (no s**t Sherlock, that would feel like hot fire in your vajayjay). I am going to tell the doctor that I was not fully prepared when I got home, hopefully this will help other women in the future.

If anyone out there is feeling discouraged, please be firm with what you want. Most doctors have great intentions but they are not all-knowing. If you are not being treated how you should be, switch doctors or demand respect. This is a very painful curse and if you are going through it, you ARE Superwoman. STAY STRONG LADIES AND DONT LET A MAN TELL YOU THAT YOUR EXPERIENCE IS NOT LEGITIMATE!

1 like, 1 reply