I'm four weeks post-marsupialization and my cyst keeps reoccuring!

Posted , 10 users are following.

I first had a bartholin's cyst form in October 2013, but it was only there for around 2 weeks and disappeared on it's own. Then I had an abscess the size of a golf ball form almost overnight around 5 weeks ago, and I was prescribed a week's dose of flucloxacillin antibiotics by my doctor to try and clear the infection.

After 4 days of taking the antiobiotics I was taken into hospital as the abscess had started to rupture and I had the onset of septicemia. I was given intravenous flucloxacillin while I was in hospital and had marsupialization of the abscess on 28th March. I was sent home on the 29th March with another week's dose of flucloxacillin which I completed, and the pain and swelling disappeared completely.

Three days after finishing the antibiotics I was back at the doctors as the pain and swelling had returned and I had another lump around the size of a grape, I was given another week of antibiotics, this time it was clarithromycin, which gave me horrible side effects. Again I completed the course and the lump disappeared.

This time, within 24 hours of finishing the antibiotics the lump was starting to come back, I saw an out-of-hours doctor at the hospital and he prescribed amoxiclav antibiotics for a week and a topical antibiotic cream. I finished the antibiotics yesterday afternoon and already I have a painful lump the size of a grape in the same place.

I am 4 weeks post-marsupialization on Tuesday (28th April), the stitches have completely dissolved and the surgical wound is healed and healthy looking, the pain is definitely coming from the area where the abscess was. It seems that every time I complete a course of antibiotics the abscess just keeps coming back, but all the doctors I've seen seem to do is keep giving me different kinds of tablets to take, I don't know what to do!

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29 Replies

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  • Posted

    Hi Steph, 

    I'm just wondering how you are now after your second procedure? Are you healing better this time? 

    Amy

    • Posted

      Hi Amy,

      No not really, the incision is still open and I'm squeezing out a small amount of puss-like liquid 1-2 times a day, the doctor has tried me on antibiotics again but they did nothing, I might as well have been taking smarties! I saw the last doctor on Wednesday and they were going to write a letter to the gynaecologist to try to get me a fast-tracked appointment, as the incision looks like it's very close to healing over again and I've got a horrible feeling that another abscess will form straight away because I won't be able to squeeze the liquid out myself. The doctor seemed confused because I seem to be skipping the cyst stage completely, so I'm just waiting for the gynaecologist appointment to come through.

      Steph

  • Posted

    Hi hi,

    You need to pay particular attention to your diet.Something in your diet maybe causing the cyst.

    • Posted

      Hi,

      I haven't made any changes to my diet recently... I haven't been trying to lose weight or been eating really badly or anything - I've been eating the same as I always do, so how will I know what, if anything, is affecting it?

    • Posted

      Hi again,

      My advice is to you is try a 1week vegetable diet and only drink water lots of water.After the week slowly add back the things you would eat on a regular one item per day.It maybe helpful to start a food journal so you could keep track.Pay particular attention to diary products(cheese,milk,yogurt) and your meat products.Something in your diet maybe the cause of these cyst.

      I suffered from recurring Bartholin Cyst for two yrs straight every month it would pop up sometimes twice   in the month.The cyst became abscessed three times (pain,pain,pain)

       For me it was the dairy products I was having. I cut it out completely from my diet and I've been cyst free!

      I hope this helps you.* xoxo*

    • Posted

      My surgeon has said they can occur from just shaving in that area. No one knows what causes them, some say diet, some say stress, others shaving.. Not even doctors know the real reason.

      I got mine from nicking myself shaving with electric clippers, 18 months of reoccurances it went away for 7 years. The only thing to change in my life in that 7 years is that I stopped smoking 2 years after my occurrences stopped. Suddenly it popped up out of no where 2 months ago. I did shave down there in that week, but had shaved in those 7 years.. Now I use hair removal and use moisturizer as the hair grows back.

      Only 2% of women get these things. We are a very small number.

  • Posted

    Hi really interested to see how your getting on. I'm in the exact same boat as you. Just under two months ago I had a painful bartholins abscess that blew up to the size of a fist, I had an emergency marsupliaztion at good hope hospital Birmingham and started antibiotics. All was well then a week after finishing antibiotics it was back smaller but painful it burst over night. Then an exact week later it was back again. Doctor put me on two weeks worth of antibiotics all was great again until I finished them and yep it was back it popped last night. I'm at my wits end sad I've been doing sitzs baths but no luck plus I'm 23 weeks pregnant this cyst has just got me so stressed and scared. Would love to hear your on the mend xxx
  • Posted

    Hi Steph I know how you feel Hun I've been having the same problem except I've had the operation 3 times in 11 months my most recent one being 5 days ago sad my first op and cyst was the worst as I was waiting weeks for my gynaecologist to get me an MRI as when he looked it was huge and he also noticed a cyst on my clitorus after the MRI we found out it was going all the way up to my bladder rolleyes so I was given antibiotics and sent home with another appointment 2 months away between that time I was in so much pain my dr rushed me to a and e who sent me to gynaecologist who said I needed op straight away so I returned following morning after no food or drink for over 12 hours to be seen by 4 other specialists and all agree for the op except the one in charge who sent me to the bladder people who the sent me back to gynae and said he couldn't do his op till the got rid of the cyst in the end I finally had first op don't be last August only to be going back to work and doubling over in pain yet again go to Dr Los to find out and cyst 2nd op December which worked until May when i realised it had come back so straight away started taking antibiotics I was given (I had 2 lots one from Drs one from hospital) and nothing worked again so last Saturday partner rushed me in coz even the mst (slow releasing morphing) from Drs wasn't even working with the pain so Sunday afternoon had my 3rd op I e got to go back to gynaecologist on 3rd August but I'm seeing a new one so hopefully he will be able to help me
  • Posted

    I have been reading about your experiences with interest as I too am a bartholin cyst sufferer.  I found this site, trying to find out information as to what causes them/how soon I can return to "normal life", as the medics keep giving me conflicting info and I am at my wits end.  I first had one of these cysts in 1998 - it grew with alarming speed and, it being the first one I had had, I had no idea what it was.  I was admitted to hospital and underwent an op where it was drained and I was told "we haven't found the core and therefore it will likely recur".  It has since recurred at least 10 times - always bursting spontaneously (eventually and after spending a few days in bed in complete agony and hardly being able to walk) until earlier this month when I was admitted to hospital on an emergency basis and underwent (I think) marsupilisation.  I have the added complication of being allergic to penicillin so always receive inferior antibiotics - but this time, as my condition was so severe, I was given penicillin despite its side effects as these were considered less serious than had I not received penicillin.  I have been very sore since the op - and still am (although it was 3 weeks ago) and am still struggling to drive.  I am comforted (if that's the right word) somewhat by the fact that it is not only me that is suffering this and that other people are having the same problems/recurrences.  If I am able to elicit any useful information from the medics involved with my treatment, I will post it on here in the hope that it might assist someone else.  In the meantime, here's hoping we all experience a swift and complete recovery x  
  • Posted

    Hii,

    Have any of u had the gland removed for good. I just had 3 weeks ago and since there is no gland it will never come back again.

    Live life well.

    The best for all of us.

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