AIBU to go to A&E

[Sorespot]

Had terrible trouble with my labia minora for months, first a little ulcer which cleared up, then one inner labia (labius??) swelled up approx 50% and had a small hard lump in it, was given antibiotic cream and then Flucloxicillin by the GP, nothing worked, then a few days ago the small hard lump turned in to a large pea-sized tender lump! GP said it’s a cyst with fluid in it. Been doing hot compress since, it’s now burst itself in the night and is painful and bleeding 😓 and to make matters worse it’s only half drained, so the lump is still palpable and it might fill back up completely with pus! Going to ring GP at 8am for an emergency appointment but if they fob me off with ‘watch and wait’ etc what should I do? I’ve been in pain and discomfort for months and no one will help me properly 😓

TIA for any help.

I have had this and luckily was seen by a nurse who was able to drain it. But her advise a few days before she saw me was to go to A&E as it can get worse and shouldn't be ignored. OP hope your feel better soon. Pls take your pain meds and like a pp suggested use warm salt water to clean around it, I used a cotton pad And wiped it and couldn't sit in a bath.

I'm sorry but that fobbing off is crazy. Go to the hospital and get it sorted. You are in pain and it needs draining and investing. Peeing in the bath is just a batsh1t crazy suggestion. Do you need a letter from your GP to present to A&E? If so, ring back, say you are not happy and you want a letter.

Have a hot salty bath and gently try and ermm empty it that way just grit your teeth and squeeze it will be fine you can thank me later and take some painkillers first. It probably just needs time to umm ripen good luck u will be better in no time

Anyone who has time to post on AIBU does not qualify for A&E.

Absolute bullshit. A&E is for acute illness and / or injury. It doesn’t have to be literally life or limb threatening to require urgent attention. An abscess which is in danger of becoming infected or septic requires urgent attention, and if a gp can’t provide that it’s perfectly acceptable to utilise A&E.

It’s worth a reminder that sepsis is a leading cause of death in the U.K., and prevention is significantly better than cure.

Is your local GUM clinic open? Try them.

Cysts down there are agony, hopefully though,now its popped it will drain quickly and in a few days you'll be feeling much better

This happened to me and didn't know what it was. I popped it myself, it was very sore so I did it in a hot bath once I drained it it hasn't ever come back.

When I had a cyst down below my GP initially treated it with antibiotics but said, quite clearly to me, if they don't help, it gets bigger, or you start running a temperature or any other signs of infection, get straight to A&E. She said there was nothing more she could do for me as GP and they'll be able to get the on call gynae or refer you to gynae quicker than I can.
Admittedly that wasn't during a pandemic, but the people saying a cyst isn't an A&E matter - my GP disagreed!
Good luck - it's a horrible feeling, and I've never known pain like it.

Ah sorry to hear that sorespot Not all GPs fob people off! I obviously don't know all the details but, if antibiotics have improved things and you are Clinically well, it's reasonable to extend antibiotics. However, if it's getting bigger, more sore, not receding I would definitely be seeing this with a view to referral depending on how big it was. Sorry you're feeling so crap and I hope it gets resolved soon. Ho estly there's no harm in calling again tomorrow to speak to someone else if the situation is no better x

I have a skin condition that results in extremely painful abscesses in the groin area. I completely understand your pain. Over the years I've become quite apt at dealing with them.
If its already weeped put magnesium sulphate on it over night with a little dressing on top (awkward i know) and it will help drain whats left.
If severe enough it will need lanced either by a nurse or you will need an operation under GA which i have had to do a couple of times.
Your at risk on blood poisoning if left undealt.
I've been told many times over the years A&E is the only place to get this dealt with by GPS so don't let PPs make you fell bad about suggesting this.
If its pussing i wouldn't be so sure its a cyst. Is it getting hot and red around it? If your labia is swelling up it is most likely the start of an abscess/ boil. You will need antibiotics if it isn't clearing and make sure you use antiseptic wipes to keep it clean.

Just to add, if the lump is still very hard DO NOT SQUEEZE IT! Seriously you'll make it worse. Only squeeze the soft pussy bit if possible. Hot baths/ compacts and magnesium should do the job over a few days to release the rest.

Sorry, if already mentioned. But have you considered a condition like this

www.nhs.uk/conditions/hidradenitis-suppurativa/

I would go to A&E. Only you know the pain that you are experiencing and how it looks. Go with your own instincts

@WineInTheWillows

Broken leg you say? I think for some on here the solution would be to treat it like a broken finger and just strap it to the one next to it!

If both legs broken ask helpful neighbour to provide an unbroken leg to strap to. You then become part of their bubble and live with them until broken legs healed.

I would have thought this was obvious!

Phone back and say you need to be seen today. If they will not see you tell them you will have to go to a&e as you need to be seen today. If they still will not find you an appointment then actually go to a&e. This is when I miss walk in clinics.

Go against the grain here and only you know your own body, go to the hospital because it may get worse, turn septic ect. Absolutely shocking the replies on here sometimes when it involves someone's health.

@Sorespot

Thanks *@Medievalist* I have wondered before if it could be that, as I’ve suffered cysts and abscesses around my groin and armpits for years (lucky me). I’ll mention it to the GP when they call as there seems to be a particular group of antibiotics used to treat it (my third lot in three months... even luckier me).

I have HS, sounds to me like you are suffering from the same. Get today’s little monster dealt with as an emergency (go to A&E) if you don’t get treatment from GP. Then get a referral to the Dermatology clinic at your local hospital to get to try some treatments, that MIGHT stop this happening again..

HS is incurable and is an auto immune disorder, some people have found effective treatments, some, like me, have not.

It very definitely is an A&E issue because it can so quickly turn to sepsis, especially if it hasn’t totally started to discharge. Try tea tree oil in a bath instead of salt.

I feel for you, I have suffered for most of my adult life. Hope you get some relief soon.

@Sorespot

Spoke to GP, unfortunately not the one who saw me in person a few days ago, and also unfortunately not my preferred one 😕 as I thought she would, she’s prescribed me with yet more of the same antibiotics and told me to either call back in a week to confirm improvement, or call back if things get worse, eg I can’t wee because of the pain. When I told her that was already the case, she told me to do it in the bath. Super helpful. Apparently if it’s not better in a week they can take a swab and start investigating, but they can’t do that now because... 🤷‍♀️

Fed up and in pain 😞 why does the NHS always involve getting fobbed off for weeks and months on end before someone will take the time to investigate properly? My symptoms are plain as day and the prescribed treatment already failed. Bloody joke.

Less than 1% of the population suffer with this condition, many GP’s will not see it at all. At our surgery there is only 2 sufferers, one is myself and the other my son. So she has given you isolated abscess advice, not always applicable with this condition.

Try the antibiotics and see if it does discharge or ease, if not, then tomorrow morning, take yourself to A&E, they may well do an I&D under GA.

@TeaPiglet

DO NOT GO TO A&E FFS!! Yes it hurts but it is NOT an emergency or an accident (broken bone etc) don't be so bloody dramatic especially during a pandemic where covid is around the wards

Actually sometimes they can be. My 7 month pregnant daughters lump turned out to be a Bartholin cyst and she was developing early sepsis by the time they worked it out.

She needed a surgical procedure to drain it and put in a word catheter to keep it drained.

She’s had 2 more since and presents at A and E on their own advice.

Good advice from medically trained people on here today. Very bad advice from the non medics!

I hope you get it sorted OP and feel more comfortable soon.

DO NOT GO TO A&E FFS!! Yes it hurts but it is NOT an emergency or an accident (broken bone etc) don't be so bloody dramatic especially during a pandemic where covid is around the wards

Worst bit of advice I've heard for a long time and dangerous too.

Thanks very much for the continued advice and support 🙂

The top part of the abscess seems to have healed a little and the whole thing has reduced about 25% in size. There’s still a smaller pea-sized lump which feels soft and like it’s full of fluid (and hurts like fuck if pressed!). I’m sure it was two cysts at one point, as the top of the abscess has shrunk and healed but there’s still this distinct round soft spot just below it. I can also see much smaller white bumps below the surface lower down on the same labia..l I think I’ve got a load of cysts in that labia and that’s why it’s so swollen, and now some have made this giganta-cyst 🤢.

Anyway, I’ve kept it clean, it’s sore but no longer throbbing, ibuprofen is keeping 50% of the pain at bay so I’m going to keep an eye on it, restart the antibiotics and if it’s worse or no better in a few days, reassess the situation. I’m also definitely going to book an appointment with another GP to discuss tests for Hidradenitis Suppurativa as well as I think this could well be the culprit.

Thanks again for all the great advice and help, apart from the couple of posters clearly hoping for a mass pile-on directed at someone in a lot of pain with a horrible embarrassing condition 🖕

I had one of those cysts 2 weeks ago and before it burst I could barely walk. A&E can’t do anything I was told hot baths and painkillers it will eventually burst fully and go. It’s not pleasant

@babyguffingtonstrikesagain

Anyone who has time to post on AIBU does not qualify for A&E.

@babyguffingtonstrikesagain

That is utter bullshit, and dangerous to boot. I can think of at least three times in my own life when people could have posted on a forum but were ill enough to need emergency care.

Glad you are on the mend. Any infection should be taken seriously if not responding to antibiotics.

You could buy haemorrhoid cream with local anaesthetic in and put a little dab of that on, being careful to not cover the hole completely. You need to keep it open as long as possible to allow it to drain.