What is this fresh hell? Menopause

[faithfultoGeorgeMichael]

I woke up at 4am with a huge boil on my labia - it is AGONY. I can't think about anything else, its throbbing and I want to cry!

My mum said "oh yeah, it's menopause" WTF mother?! Why didn't you warn me? (and what good would that possibly have done?)

Is there anything beyond compresses and morphine that can help me?

Fuck menopause, fuck the patriarchy and fuck this fucking boil to hell.

You must seek medical advice about this. It is possibly a Bartholin cyst, they are not uncommon and nothing to do with menopause, easily dealt with. It could be an infection in the hair follicle but don't leave it.

Mothers are fond of putting everything down to 'the change', take no notice but do have the swelling looked at pronto.

I've had boils a few times. As well a hot compresses, I would also suggest going to GP/walk-in. The one time I didn't take antibiotics for boils, I developed double pneumonia. I think you really need to make sure the infection is out of your system.

That's really good to know. Thank you

It could be an infected sebaceous cyst rather than a boil - I had one last year and it was soooo painful. Went to the surgery and saw the practice nurse who prescribed antibiotics (large, strong ones!), and it burst the next day. Such a relief! Once it has burst, keep it very clean and use gauze to mop up any weeping blood/pus.

Thanks so much for the solidarity. A boil on the fanny is a lonely experience. And an enraging one.
I will brace myself to run the gauntlet known as "getting a GP appointment" tomorrow morning :(

I 'self-operated' on myself for one of these some years back. Not recommended. .

ooooh something I forgot to say is, I bought one of those eye masks you can heat up in the microwave (I think they have rice in them) and sat on it for a while- that was much easier than having to stay in the bath for ages or use a wet hot compress etc

I've had something similar a couple of times, but it was just a hard pea sized cyst that wasn't painful. I imagine you have a blocked pore or ingrown hair that has become infected. Mine was more sort of 'inside' the labia, so i guessed it was a blocked pore from one of the glands that keeps things lubricated. I took a hot shower and squeezed on it hard until it was gone, i've heard of them becoming abcesses so i gritted my teeth and got that thing gone.

I'm so sorry that yours is so painful. You need to check if the area is hot, or the glands in your groin come up - it could become a serious infection. Check in with your GP immediately, or call 111 if you get further symptoms.

This is far more serious than 'just a painfull spot', please get advice.

Wait until your labia minora disappear. THAT'LL really fuck with your head.

I was scrabbling round in my nether regions one morning, thinking, 'where the fuck are they?', feeling like I'd gone insane. Thank god for Google.

They aren’t menopause related as I had a Bartholins cyst at 19 after becoming sexually active. I was terrified it was cancer or something serious as I was young and naive and the internet wasn’t an easy to access thing. It’s painful so you have my sympathies.

What the everliving fuckery.. !?! 🫢

Oh no OP I’m so sorry about your boil!

I had infected piles when I was pregnant and my mum told everyone and I mean EVERYONE.

Its my birthday at the weekend and I am off to a very very fancy hotel and spa.

This is probably the cosmic reason why it's manifested now. I can hardly make a plan involving travel and being somewhere else that (peri?) menopause can't scupper. Supposed to be going somewhere today...still not a lot of faith that something won't come up between now and tomorrow morning.

In terms of pores and so on becoming clogged, progesterone metabolism can have something to do with it. This seems to be a factor for me.

I sympathise - I've had hidradenitis suppurative since I was 9 and it is so painful. I haven't had a flare since perimenopause though, so maybe the hormone change is helping matters.

Inner youre right outer youre wrong

Don’t be ridiculous-

I sympathise @faithfultoGeorgeMichael I once had this, presume from an infected hair follicle at a time when waxing was much, much higher on my list of priorities. It was agony. I could barely walk. I did go to a walk in clinic and they gave me antibiotics because they could see the start of cellulitis. If there wasn’t one near me and I couldn’t get into the GP I’d see if 111 can get you an appointment.

I used hot flannels and eventually it burst. 💥 The RELIEF! The amount of gunge that came out was incredible. Yuk.

Hope it pops for you soon, solidarity 🤛

I KNOW right? They reabsorb or something. Evil.

Oh god, I feel for you. It's the absolute worst. Not usually menopause-related. But you know that now. So, yeah, hair follicle if outer or Bartholin's cyst in 'inner' on one side. You have my utmost sympathy. If a BC, hot compresses/flannel can work at home without GP involvement if you get them early enough but you have to keep super clean and as others have said takes a day or so and is pretty yucky, in what I'd term an "18th century" kind of way. But yeah, you might need antibiotics and be careful if you start getting feverish. Best of luck.

Mine shrunk during pregnancy and pretty much disappeared altogether postpartum. A very upsetting experience all round.

Well, I am well into menopause and have never had any boils - anywhere.

Why are men responsible for this? Why 'fuck the patriarchy?'

As for someone suggesting go to A & E? What? 😆

I had one that drove me to tears! Got yourself to your GP practice for some ABs. It’s sometimes easier to get an appt with a prescribing nurse and they’ll be just as good for this.

Bloody agony, you have my sympathies. Can you have a nice warm bath. If it doesn't go on it's own you may need to see your GP

I've had them on and off for years, still get the occasional one and I'm way past the menopause

Hot bath will bring the boil to a head quicker, or a hot flannel on the boil if you haven't got a bath. DO NOT POP IT. Wear lose clothing and do not use any perfumed products down there.

It is a symptom of menopause for some, as is a blocked follicle or the onset of certain conditions i.e. diabetes possibly? Have you had your bloods checked lately?

I have had a few over the years thanks to diabetes. I don't know if its a placebo effect but I have always placed a piece of bread soaked in hot water over the boil and then a flannel soaked in as hotter water as I can stand. It always brings it to a head and bursts 🤷🏽‍♀️.
My mum told me to do it the first time because of the yeast or something.
Good luck @faithfultoGeorgeMichael and I hope you have a happy birthday and enjoy your spa day 😊