bartholin cyst -- burst only drained a little
Posted , 21 users are following.
hey all
so I am experiencing my fist BC at age 35 -- presented a lump about a week and a half ago that grew to be quite large and extremely painful. Went to Gyn on Tuesday (at this point I was about ping pong sized) who wanted to lance it on the spot -- I refused and asked her if we could wait a few days to see if nature could take its own course. She was NOT happy, but agreed for me to come back on Saturday for the procedure (she wants to lance even if it naturally drains? Not sure how I feel about that..)
Well, yesterday (Wednesday) was the most painful experience of my entire life. It was so painful that I could not even make it to the bath (I've been sitzing and doing a mixture of natural remedies since about last Saturday) so I just kept a heating pad going on it all day in bed. I could barely breathe without being in excruciating pain.. wowza
I managed to breathe through it and somehow fell asleep finally and upon waking noticed that I'd burst and drained some fluid (it did not have the foul odor some speak of, just kind of smelled like vinegar) -- the pain was considerably less thank goodness!! Upon inspection of the area, I can see a tear/lesion where the fluid came from and after taking a hot bath, a little more fluid contined to drain but it was very slow coming. I tried to press and get more out, but it wasn't very fruitful and I didn't want to irritate the area any further.
It now appears that the tear/lesion is somewhat closing up and not much more fluid is exiting. I'm still pretty swollen and my labia still looks like a testicle 
but am definitely in considerably less pain.
Has anyone else had this experience of a burst without a full drain? I guess I thought that when it burst it would just be gushing out all the junk inside instantly, but this is clearly not the case for me. Also, will the tear reopen and continue to drain slowly? I'm keeping it wet and applying some olive oil/witch hazel/tea tree tincture and the tear is on the very top of the inside of my vaginal opening. When I press lightly near it nothing seems to be coming out ..
Thanks in advance and power to all you ladies getting through the BC!
L.
2 likes, 52 replies
toritoritori birdhead
Posted
What has helped me get all the fluid out is sitting on the floor and propping a mirror up so u can get a good view. And pressing down near the opening and while doing that tighten ur stomach muscles. Kinda like forcing yourself to pee really hard or pooping (sorry couldn't think of anything else)
For me it really helps it come out in a steady good stream. And I'll take a 30 second break and massage the area and go again.
It really is possible to deflate the whole cyst. I do it every time a feel even the smallest lump. And always after sex just in case! But don't be afraid to take it a day at a time. Witch hazel works for me to keep it open to drain another day.
birdhead toritoritori
Posted
thanks for the response tori !
do yours typically drain from the actual duct itself or from a tear that's been caused from the bursting? I suppose I'm just scared of making the tear worse if I push it too much.. I've been looking online but haven't had much luck of finding women who have talked about the actual rip the cysts make when they burst.
I'm assuming it's common to tear/rip a little, but just curious if yours have happened this way or if you are lucky and the duct just opens!!
thanks again x
toritoritori birdhead
Posted
Mine hasn't ever torn no. It has always came out of the duct. So I can't help with that. I def would keep the witch hazel on it then to keep the area clean. As I'm sure it will prolly heal fast.
maybe with relief of the initial pressure from the tear/burst the duct will open up.
Let's hope. But keep up with the witch hazel to draw it out
birdhead toritoritori
Posted
having another look at it, it seems like it actually burst from where i think the duct is, so that's promising. definitely keeping witch hazel going, but am eliminating tea tree and olive oil now to help my healthy bacteria do it's work. seems to be healing okay. the swelling has gone down considerably this morning, but it's a little sore to pee. I find pouring some warm water on myself while peeing is helpful (for anyone else out there having trouble!)
sore76819 toritoritori
Posted
No no. Witch hazel does not draw our. .your getting a placebo from something that's not meant for this! ! If you can see any instructions saying this, then please paste here.....Epson salts clearly state that they are used to draw out infections .Stop with the wit X h hazel, please.
cyrah birdhead
Posted
Sorry you had to suffer through one of these. They are the worst! I've had about 8 and only one really ruptured like yours seemed to. And like you, it was while I was asleep. I don't think I was ever able to get mine to fully drain, despite lots of effort, and because of that it got reinfected and came back a month later (Last thanksgiving and Christmas!). I'd imagine that's why your doctor still wants to lance it, to avoid having it return. I will not lie, the lancing hurts like hell, but it is quick and definitely worth having done. Especially if like the majority of women who suffer with these, yours never comes back. I would at least recommend going to your appointment, having her examine you, and getting a prescription for antibiotic. In he meantime the one thing I'd strongly recommend is keeping damp heat on the area as much as possible, until it's fully drained and then ice it to reduce swelling.
birdhead cyrah
Posted
hey cyrah, thanks for the response. They are definitely the worst!
I actually don't think she'll even be able to lance it now as the swelling has gone down considerably, I'm almost starting to look normal even. I may take your advice and get the antibiotic, although when I asked her for one on my last visit she said no ... is that weird? I think she just really, really wanted to lance me (which I understand bc she's a doctor and just wanted to do what she thought would help seeing me in such pain). At the time though, it was super firm and my instinct just said no and even though the next day was the worst pain of my life, I'm still kind of glad I made the decision not to have it done. I suppose if it comes back, I may have no choice so thanks for letting me know that it can be worth it!
I'm keeping up with baths today as I feel like I am slowly draining still and I'm starting to feel some fluid again down there as I normally used to which I think is a good sign. Quick question about the ice packs -- When do you know it's time to use this? I don't want to rush to this step and have things contract if they're not ready yet, if that makes sense.
thanks again & sorry to hear that you've had to suffer so much. Hoping your Christmas will be much better this year! x
cyrah birdhead
Posted
If you go back to your doctor she should definitely give you antibiotics now. If she wouldn't before I'd imagine it's because once it gets to a certain size (larger than about a pea, I think) antibiotics will not really do anything and she probably didn't want you taking antibiotic unnecessarily. She'll at least be able to tell you how far drained it is and hopefully provide you with some sort of help.
As far as when to switch to ice, I'd say maybe switch back and forth every two days or so. That is what my doctor had me do. Obviously make sure the area is super clean especially when using heat and if you get antibiotic.
I went to a number of different doctors about these and got a good amount of contradictory advice which is super frustrating. Some said to stay out of the bath after it burst and some said to do sitz baths still daily. I still got them either way so who knows which is right lol.
cyrah
Posted
Also, if you do get these again, which I really hope you don't, don't have it lanced more than once. Mine was lanced five times total and my last obgyne (who was very, very good and ended up surgically removing mine so it's gone forever) said that its was ridiculous that my last doctors would lance it repeatedly. Basically if it comes back, it will keep coming back until you either have the gland or cyst sac removed surgically, and lancing it only adds scar tissue to the area which makes any possible surgery more difficult and messes with your sensation in the area. I was super mad to find this out, as was my doctor when she informed me of this. Yet from these forums it seems like common practice.
sore76819 cyrah
Posted
sore76819
Posted
sore76819 birdhead
Posted
Hi..im Intreagued as to whether you got antibiotics, because just because it popped, it's still an infection that required them??
sore76819 cyrah
Posted
Tbh the doctors have different views to actual gynaecological people at hospital.
If you can actually miss out a doctor, unless they are gynea ones, and go to A&e and sit , which I know is hard, then u will get some one who is trained, make sure it's daytime too, as doctors are just general practitioners who have a mere five minutes with you.
DO NOT SEE the practise nurse, as they have no idea either.
Perhaps if Richard Branson had not lost the Virgin care contract to the nhs, decided to sue the nhs and they can't afford so settled out of court a few weeks ago, there would be more money in the nhs system? ??
Not reported in the media...strange. .. money goes to monet lol!!
sore76819 birdhead
Posted
Mine in india burst wirhout drainage, as they had no idea what it was! Antis made it hard and it burst. I was able to ease pus outta the hole for 2 days.
Anhow, -I am now in excruciating pain, since last Monday, drained last Friday, didnt fo down and I knew it would not go. I am about to sit in a hot salt bath. Due to see doc on wed. I just want this agony over, then I shall always use lubricant now, its ruining me and I wish this on no one. How did yours go?!
NicoleS birdhead
Posted
I'm on my 4th abscess and I'm experiencing this right now. it's worrying me that it only drained half and not the rest - Now it looks like a smaller version and tender to touch. Could you update us on what happened to yours? Were you able to drain the rest yourself? I really can't go through this a second time.
sore76819 NicoleS
Posted
I think that at any moment you notice this, like me, wish full thinking that it will not swell more, was futile, and antibiotics needed asap. ..im allergic to penicillin? But alternatives always work.:-)