Can't sleep for pain :(

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I have an infected Bartholin's cyst... started being painful Wednesday, I called my GP and started antibiotics yesterday. Had to take ibuprofen throughout the day yesterday but it was manageable. Weds eve I had managed to drain it a bit in the bath but Thursday and today nothing. Today I had to call in sick as I can't sit properly, only lying down really comfortable. I've had three hot baths today and hot water bottle between. It's so sore now I can't even touch it, it's about the size of a golf ball I'd say. I've read that if they're going to pop it usually takes 4/5 days and I've also read how excruciatingly painful they can be... I have quite a high pain threshold usually. I'm now in so much pain that I can't sleep :( I've maxed out ibuprofen and paracetamol for the day. Do I wait it out another day to see if the antibiotics kick in or do I call the OOH docs tomorrow?? I have no fever, feel ok in myself just bloody miserable with the pain and slight stomach ache which I think is just the pain radiating up :(

That sounds really awful. I vote go to the OOH doctors tomorrow if there’s no improvement by morning.

I’d be actually call nhs 24 now and see Ooh. At this time it’s likely to be quiet.

Don't listen to me but I would burn the end of a pin with a match and try to burst it.
I have probably watched too many YouTube videos though!

I’d try naproxen instead of Ibuprofen. It’s longer lasting. You can buy it as Feminax I think if you don’t want to do ooh for prescription.

I popped mine. Probably very much not recommended though.

I know what you mean about calling now but I co-sleep with my two kids and one is still breastfed at night so all hell will break lose if I leave the house now 😬 plus part of me thinks that if I haven't got a fever etc they'll probably just tell me to wait for the antibiotics to kick in? Do you think they might at least prescribe me stronger painkillers?
I am a complete wuss when it comes to popping things and I can barely touch mine, don't know how anyone is brave enough to pop themselves!! 😱

Thank you for the replies :) it's somewhat comforting!
Is naproxen ok when breastfeeding do you know?

Very small amounts into milk www.breastfeedingnetwork.org.uk/analgesics/

Try an ice pack. Frozen peas if you dont have anything else. Then to the doctors in the morning.

Going from sporner corner advice on here I’d keep taking the antibiotics, see GP as an emergency appointment but put as hot as you can bear flannels on it in hope it drains a bit

I agree with user 824... face cloths as hot as you can tolerate!

Hope it goes away by itself or you can get some help tomorrow

You really must speak to the doc as soon as you can. You've been misinformed about the popping though, it's usually done under general anaesthetic. They put you under and you'll be back round within 30 mins, having been fully drained and packed. Most people can go home the same day, if not the next morning.

However, if you are a brave woman then do go to Sporner's Corner, where you might find advice on self-surgery. You must still go to the doc though, you will need antibiotics.

I don't understand? Why aren't you being admitted for surgery? Mine was removed under general anaesthetic the day after my GP referred me.

I don’t know if this will help, and I know it’s not the same but I had a cyst on my eyelid it was infected, I used apple cider vinegar on a cotton pad and it kind of dispersed itself, I honestly thought it was here forever, but it did the trick. ( No poking or prodding needed I might add ) Hope you get it sorted and soon it sounds very painful 😔

I'd call 111, or go to A&E, they can be dangerous if they rupture.

Alternate a hot as you can stand it cloth with an ice pack. Freeze some sanitary towels, put one on your pants and then another pair of pants inbetween your skin and the frozen pad.

It must be so painful.

You poor thing that sound so painful.
If you are taking ibuprofen make sure you are taking it with food. On an empty stomachs it can cause problems and might be why your stomach aches. Definitely call OOH if it’s no better tomorrow. I’m suprised your gp didn’t refer you, I thought they always needed surgically draining

I had one that was drained under local anesthetic. It doesn't have to be general.

If you've been taking AB for 2 days it shouldn't be getting worse. They're the wrong ones or not working for some reason. It's your choice if you'd rather stay home tonight, but I think you should get medical help first thing in the morning.

I'm in the US but there was no messing around with mine, straight to lancing it and sewing it up.

You poor thing; I would get seen ASAP if you can - even if that means taking yourself off to A&E in the morning. Having had one of these about 10 years ago I can totally sympathise.

At the time I was on immunosuppressants and so couldn’t get seen except by my own GP (OOH wouldn’t deal with people on this drug) or in A&E; I had a cyst become infected around 2am on a Saturday night shift and, by the time I was heading home at 8am, I could barely walk or sit down. After a couple of hours of poor sleep I went to A&E expecting to be given antibiotics and sent home. I was admitted to gynae ward and put on iv antibiotics plus told I’d go to theatre the following day as an emergency.

Next day I was discharged by a Dr who didn’t examine me and told me to carry on the antibiotics orally as is not given them time to work. Somehow this Dr had totally missed that it had come up so quickly and that I was on ivabs from A&E only, and because she didn’t examine me, had no idea it was the size of an duck egg 😱 So off home I went with low dose oral antibiotics and instructed to take paracetamol for the pain. By 10pm I was back on the phone to the ward as nothing was helping the pain, it was throbbing and seemed to be getting bigger. They advised I go back but wait till the following morning as the Dr who had discharged me was on a 24 hour shift and wouldn’t read it me as she was known for this!! Anyway, 8am I was back in A&E, readmitted as a failed discharge and operated on the following day after 24 hours iv antibiotics to try and get the infection under control. I was in for a week in total as the infection combined with the immunosuppressants affected my liver function and they had to get that under control before I could go home!!

Sorry i disappeared I managed to get some sleep with the help of a very hot water bottle.
Sorry I can't remember names to tag anyone but to whoever said they're surprised I haven't been seen, the GP just prescribed antibiotics and said to call back in a few days if it wasn't getting better. , they didn't refer me anywhere. I should have called back yesterday to be honest but it wasn't so painful in the day, it only really got worse after I had to do the school run and bedtime etc.
I've been eating before every ibuprofen don't worry :)
I've just done NHS111 online and requested a callback. When DH wakes I think I will get him to drop me to A&E if I haven't had a call back yet. I've already decided to just take whatever the strongest painkillers they can give me are; been wanting to night wean DD for a while now anyway 😂

Sorry to hear you're suffering, OP. I hope it gets better for you soon.

Thank you liverbird! Still waiting for my callback.... having some toast before more painkillers!

Just spoke to Ooh doc, being sent to A&E to be reviewed by gynae as they said if the antibiotics haven't kicked in yet, they ain't gonna! Feel relieved but a little scared that they might squish me and I might kick someone in the face 😂

Hi OP

I've seen you're going to A & E, which is good. I had one a few years ago & luckily it burst whilst I was having a hot bath. My GP told me, though, that most people end up having them removed in hospital, as the pain gets too bad!

Good luck, hope you're sorted soon.

I glad you are going in to see someone - if you managed to drain it a bit I’m guessing that means you squeezed it. The pressure of squeezing results in bacteria being forced into tissues outside of the cyst. It’s important you are seen by someone.