Please does anyone have advice about Bartholin Abscesses

[farewellfigure]

I have had 3 abscesses in 2 months and am beginning to really lose the plot. AIBU to think that there MUST be a way to stop this from happening? It is absolutely excruciating... the most pain I have ever experienced (other than childbirth obviously).

Last time it popped on the way to A+E. I waited around all day but was told there was nothing they could do. There is a procedure called marsupialisation but they can only do this when it's a cyst, not when it's an infected abscess. This time I went to a drop-in-centre to have it lanced. The doctor refused to do it and said I'd have to go to A+E. I spent the day in agony but thank goodness it popped last night.

The problem is, I don't seem to ever get a cyst on it's own. A small lump forms, then within a couple of hours, it's an abscess and nothing can be done. I made an appointment with a specialist once, but he couldn't find anything.

Please does anyone have any help or advice or anything to help me end this misery :0(

Have you got antibs now? That would help, ask GP about marsupialisation at the same time

I'm on my third course in 2 months. I've asked about marsupialisation but they can only do it if there's a cyst, but not an infected one. I don't get non-infected cysts. They go from cyst to nuclear agonising plum-sized balls of hell within an hour or two of the first sign that it's on its way.

Gawd, horrid for you

I wonder if they come under Skin or Gynae?

I think quite often the only way to get rid is to have the whole thing dug out.

Have you tried tea tree baths as a preventative?

I am willing to try absolutely anything. Do you think just dabbing tea tree on would be effective (shower addict, our bath is weenie). Or would that be a bit ouch? My husband has suggested large volumes of alcohol, co-codamol and a melon-baller. I suggested he could try to imagine having an abscess the size of a plum underneath his foreskin and I think he got the picture.

Arent they caused by ingrown hairs ?? Laser hair removal may help.

I don't think it's hair. I don't have any hair where the cyst is (ahem). I've just read that silica might help so I'm going to try that.

Out of curiosity, who said you can't have marsupialisation if it's an abscess? I'm a gynae doc and we drain both cysts and abscesses.

Hi Turnip. This is what I was hoping for! I went to A+E last time and it had started draining by itself. I was told that as the area was infected they wouldn't be able to do marsupialisation as there would be too much blood-loss and the operation would almost definitely fail. I'm at my wit's end. When everything is normal, there is no cyst. Then I can start to feel a small lump and within less than a day, sometimes a few hours, it is massive, agonising and infected. If they can only do marsupialisation on a cyst, I would have to have an open ended invite into the gynae ward and get myself there, prepped for the op, within 2 hours before it went nuclear!

Aha, Turnip, they come under Gynae then

Would you needle before marsup-ing? [Curious]

Ah ok, I see what you mean now.

As you know, it mostly comes down to timing i.e. get the patient to theatre before it bursts so you can do the procedure. In our hospital we book a patient onto a list for the following day (either elective if our consultants have space or the emergency 'CEPOD' list) tell the patient to go home, have a glass of wine and hot bath and often you get a phonecall the next day saying it has burst, job done.

Unforch in your case, they're recurring, so you would probably benefit from the marsupialisation if you have another cyst/abscess as not only does it drain the abscess but leaves a surface so that it won't get blocked again.

So... logistics. I'm wondering whether if would be worth going back to your GP and seeing if they can contact your local gynae unit for advice and explain by the time you've accessed A&E, it has already burst and by the sounds of it the A&E doctors haven't referred you to gynae on those days? It may just be that the departments need to make contact so they have you on their books.

Turnip, thank you. So if the GP were to contact the gynae dept I could have a sort of open-ended referral? I did go to gynae last time, but as it had already burst there was nothing they could do. If I could get myself there in time then they might be able to do something about it?

This is just so miserable. I am totally useless until it pops. Yesterday I was crying with the pain and almost unable to walk. I even took a needle into the bath with me but I couldn't bring myself to do it. Thanks for the help... I will contact the GP right NOW!

I'm hoping that will be the case so you have a point of contact if there's a problem - we have a gynae day unit for this sort of stuff, hopefully your area will have some provisions. Or if it hasn't yet popped, A&E still may be worth a go so the A&E staff there can get you referred to gynae - the little bugger should at least stay intact for you to see the gynae doc.

Just wanted to send you some sympathy along with a few ideas. They are more painful than childbirth in my opinion.

I cured one once by having a hot, salty bath. Another time nothing would do the trick and I was sent straight to hospital by my gp. This is some time ago now, but it was an infected abscess which burst while I was waiting and they still operated. I haven't had one since, so it definitely worked.

Thanks firesidechat (and what a comforting name!). I'm so glad yours has been sorted. I would not wish this on my worst enemy. My biggest fear is that they seem to be recurring monthly now, and I feel as though I'm just waiting for the next one to come along. Each one has been more painful and has lasted longer than the previous one. It's taking whole days out of my life.

I've rung my GP and he should ring back today so with a bit of luck we can get some sort of safety net in place!