Bartholin cyst

[Snowdrop90]

Hello. Does anyone have any experience of these and managing the pain. Unable to get a GP appointment until next week.

I started off with what I thought was thrush, and have been treating it as such with no luck which has since been confirmed with a negative swab result with the gp. I am also negative for any STDs.

Since then I have discovered a small lump around the size of a pea, in the location of pain but not yet visible to the eye. It is exactly in the location you would find a bartholin cyst. My vulva is so sore in the location despite its small size and I am unsure how to manage the pain as nothing is offering relief. I am also experiencing pressure in between my leg on the side of the lump heading towards my thigh.

Feeling stressed as I go on holiday soon and want this sorted. Is the pain an indication it is infected as its definitely not as large as the horror stories I’ve seen online. As I can’t go to the gp, could the walk in centre do anything?

i have started the salt baths but still so painful and sore.

Thank you in advance.

Sorry you're dealing with this. I don't want to scare you but this is my experience. I have suffered with this and it was one of the most painful things I've ever experienced. My advice would be to carry on with the Epsom salt baths and using a hot compress - a towel dipped in hot but not boiling water - on the area can help reduce it. Sex and tampons also massively irritated it. Mine was much bigger than you describe but it became infected. Unfortunately antibiotics didn't do a thing and had to have it drained - once under general anasethic and once it ruptured by itself. A&E deemed it non urgent so unfortunately ended up getting stitched up in A&E with local. Early intervention is definitely best. I can still feel it, sort of how you describe, but (touch wood) I've never had the same kind of flare up since.

I'd get seen today, you need antibiotics

I had this diagnosed a few years ago and have had several since.
Salt baths. I had to massage mine using a warm compress to encourage it to pop
I've done shit tons with mine but it keeps coming back sadly.
No jeans /tights. Cotton only underwear.

You have my sympathies. They can sometimes get very nasty indeed. Massage it. Even if it hurts (get some extra strong pain killers - co codamol). The gland is blocked and normal fluids are trapped hence lump. Pain doesn't mean it's def infected but will be if it doesn't discharge. Some never come to the surface and will discharge internally and that's that. But the massage can help it unblock. I would still pursue a GP or nurse practitioner appt in case it gets bigger. I've had a few and like pp had to have one drained under general. Surgeon was impressed at the size! Don't let it go that far - that is mega pain!

Thank you for the advice all. It’s really helpful.

My lump isn’t protruding yet. I have to put a leg up to feel it and it feels bigger and more squishy after a hot bath but it’s the skin soreness that’s getting me down. It’s right at the opening and feels so raw and sore. It doesn’t feel like the pain is coming from the lump itself, it’s more like the skin over the lump is being stretched to make way for it even though it’s so small at the moment. Did any of you have this? It’s this pain that made me think thrush initially.

Im two baths down and nothing yet.

Hot compress was the only thing that worked for me. Probably not advisable but I got those one use hand warmer things and stuck them in my knickers for a couple of days, so there was always heat and pressure on it. Within a few days it had popped.

After my fifth one (always spontaneously popped after days of agony) I gave up seeking medical intervention. I have a 'go to remedy' that never fails......dose up on the strongest pain killer you have, mix turmeric powder and coconut oil together to form a thick paste, plaster the paste into a pad and press it against the lump. Every 20-30 mins, take away the pad and press a hot compress (as hot as you can handle) then put the pad back in place.
You will feel it working. There will be a tingling sensation and immense pressure, but the paste will bring the pus inside to a head and it will pop.
I used to get a recurring cyst/abscess every year! Since this method, I get them every 2-3 years.

My method is very messy so always lay on a towel