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Marsupialization of Bartholin's Cyst

Posted , 6 users are following.

DiaDragonfly
DiaDragonfly

I am 25 years old, mother of 2. I have gotten recurring Bartholin's Cysts since I was 18. I have had a total of 11 of them. I've gone to an ER to have them drained / lanced 5 times, 3 of those times I have had a word catheter inserted, 2 of those 3 times the catheter fell out the next day. I have drained this sucker on my own 5 times (from the incision made from the ER visits), and this last time it popped up, I decided I'd had enough! Usually at the ER, they lance it, give me some antibiotics, it goes away and I'm fine for a few months to a year. This time I made an appointment with my Gyno & I expressed that I would like to have the whole gland removed. I've done a lot of research on this thing in the 7 years of having them. I researched causes, symptoms, home remedies, everything. My doctor told me he'd rather not remove the entire gland for 2 reasons. First he told me that it is a HUGE surgery. I asked him what makes it so "huge" & he explained to me that it's because of the amount of blood loss, the 'cavity' it leaves, & sometimes disfiguration!? So he urged that I get a Marsupialization. I was upset at first because I was tired of the damn thing and just wanted it completely gone!!! I agreed to it, after it, it was better than nothing. I went in for pre-op a week later & surgery a week after that (which was yesterday) He did put me under to do the surgery & it was about a 15-20 minute operation with a 30 minute recovery. He said that I still had a lot of liquid inside of the cyst so he drained that before suturing. This morning I woke up sore & still swollen. I still feel a lump. So I called my doctor and he says that it is normal. And that it could take up to 2-3 weeks for swelling to go completely away!! I do feel a bit discouraged, as I was hoping it would be back flat again, and my lady area would look like a normal one again, but I am trying to stay positive and will update in about a month on how things are going. 

I hope anyone else that has gone thru this has had success with it. I would truly like to hear anyone's experience. Especially if it's a recent one. 

Thanks! 

0 likes, 6 replies

6 Replies

  • karlaxsasha
    karlaxsasha DiaDragonfly

    Posted

    Hi DiaDragonfly,

    I know exactly how you are feeling. I actually cried yesterday I am also 25 with a 7 year old and 3 year old. I have had these cysts many times now but they keep getting infected. I had surgery on it November last year in which they had to do 2 operations however still kept coming back. This year in November it came back again to where I could not handle the pain so yet again another operation which was the 3rd one so they actually cut it out and sew it to my skin. Week later I was in pain again to be told I had infection and they pulled my stitches out which they believed could have caused infection (PAIN). Since then (2weeks ago) all been fine until I was in severe pain last night had a feel and got a huge lump yet again sad I really am so fed up of this now I really want this sorting. I am in doctors at 10:40 who told me chances are it will be a trip to A&E for another operation. The only thing is I have now moved to a new area 3 hours away from any family or friends so I am not sure who will be having my children. STRESS!! Hope all works out for you though hun keep me updated.

  • mandy211
    mandy211 DiaDragonfly

    Posted

    I am 27 with a 3 year old. I have been dealing with this condition for nearly 5 years. This past year they have been coming back within 1-2 months after having it lances or from it rupturing in its own. Everytime it gets bigger and bigger. The last time it was probably the size of a billard ball, literally. I have have this about 15-20 times. It is ruining my life! I am scheduling a marsupization soon. Can you tell me how your recovery is as of now? Is it completely gone? Did the appearance go back to normal? Are you in pain still? Any complications? 
    • DiaDragonfly
      DiaDragonfly mandy211

      Posted

      I am no longer in pain but it is not completely gone. At first I thought it was the stitches that was causing the lump but it's not. The damn thing is still there. I don't know what step to take from here but I go for a "re-check" on Wednesday & I will update you then. I'm so sorry for what you're going through. You're not alone!! Best of luck to you!!
    • DiaDragonfly
      DiaDragonfly mandy211

      Posted

      Hey Mandy, I had that recheck Wednesday & doc said I was right, I do have another Bartholin's cyst, however, it's not the same one he did the surgery on! This one is located higher above that one. I asked him what it means that I keep getting them & he told me it means I have bad luck 😔 He lanced it immediately & it hurt sooo bad! The numbing meds had not completely numbed me up (he used local anesthetic).

      And he was really glad we did a recheck because this cyst drained only mucus & no pus. Therefore we caught it before infection took over. Well by the time I got back to work (yes, I went to this appointment during a lunch break) the seat of my truck was covered in blood & my pants were soaked! I covered a pantiliner easy! Thank God I was wearing black pants. I called my doctor & he told me to come back up there. So when I got there he told me the cyst formed a blood clot, he pushed it out, & tried to stop the bleeding which seemed like it took forever. I had a 2 hour meeting that I missed by being at the doctors office. To top that off, I had to run by Target & grab a new pair of panties & black pants before returning to work. If I hadn't had the pain medicine, I couldn't have done it. 😣 I called the nurse about the bruising at the incision sight & she informed me that he burned that area to stop the bleeding so that may be discoloration from that. Now I have some strange looking thick string of blood/tissue hanging from out the incision & my doctors next available appt. isn't until next Wed.! I don't know whether to pull at it or what. I have occasional spotting too & I still feel a lump there. Could be swelling, I'm not sure but next appt. is in 6 weeks & of course I will update you then.

      Bartholin's Cysts are a HUGE pain in the tw*t!!!! 😲

    • Thatpianochick
      Thatpianochick DiaDragonfly

      Posted

      Yes!! This is one of the most frustrating things I've had to deal with! When you've already gone thru this before and already have GPs and gynies and other specialists, and yet you've still got only the one option of wasting time and resources in emerg. In my experience, the marsupialization procedure was 'successful', but I've got Crohn's and complications with fistulas so 'successful' is a relative term. Lady parts might at least be symmetrical now, as I'm waiting in ER to deal with a new cyst on the other side. This blows.

  • paula_lee55734
    paula_lee55734 DiaDragonfly

    Posted

    Hi,

    I've just turned 30 yesterday and had my marsupialization on the 20th feb.

    I went to the doctor a few days after surgery because I noticed a horrid smell coming from my sanitary napkin, he had a look and said everything looked good and put me on some antibiotics but told me not to take them as of yet because I always always always! Get thrush from antibiotics and he said it will be the last thing i need and it didn't look infected at all.

    I have a constant burning/pinching sensation down there and it's just NOT getting better, my check up at the hospital is next Tuesday.

    I gathered up the courage to take a look with a mirror tonight at it for myself and I am shocked at what I have seen, I can't make out if it's stitches or what but it looks disgusting down there it looks disfigured. I'm really worried and can't get into see my dr due to starting a new job tomorrow and Thursday so Friday I'll have to go.

    I'm so worried I'm going to be left disfigured or it's badly infected. I've had this done once before many years ago on the same side but I can't remember if it was this painful and i don't remember looking at it and seeing what I have seen tonight. I'm beside myself! Do you have any info as the hospital gave me zero info and I can only shower not bath because I had a pollop removed near my cervix, and some other things done at the same time as this operation so they told me no bathing for 4-6 weeks!!! I shower twice a day and can't keep taking these pain killers they have started to make me feel extremely nautious and anxious.

    I'm sorry if I'm rambling but I'm so upset tonight I thought I would have felt better by now, even going to the toilet to do a solid is extremely uncomfortable.

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