Really Really embarrassing....

[horseshoe]

Please I haven't changed my name so no jokes i'm embarrassed

When I was pregnant i found a thing down below...at first i thought it was warts or something nasty but midwife explained it was a swollen gland from pregnancy or something. Even through birth no-one seemed bothered by it. But now 2 yrs on it is still there and sex life is suffering as I dont feel right......My sister told me she had one inside but it's now gone and my MIL had one but it was inside and she didn't notice it until a couple of months back and she had it removed. Mine is on the outside and I am sooooo embarrassed by it. I dont want to go to the doctor as he's an insensative sod. Has anyone else had this and if so is there a natural remedy.

Bless, its probably nothing to worry about but get it checked anyway, can you not make an appointment with the practise nurse if you don't like the Dr?

Do see the practice nurse, horseshoe. Does the term Bartholin's gland sound anything like what the midwife said at the time? It is quite normal for these glands (everyone has them, one I think each side of the vaginal opening) to swell or sometimes even get infected (although that is bl**dy painful, you'd know if it was infected!). Maybe you have a cyst on one of them? Because if it is bothering you and getting in the way of your enjoying sex then you do need to try and sort it out. Big sympathies over the embarassment factor though

and I'm sure women are allowed to see another doctor (ie female) for contraceptive services, so you could go & see someone else if the nurse isn't available and say you're worried about it. these people see stuff like that all the time, they won't be phased by it or make you feel bad.

If it makes you less embarrassed about your swollen gland, I will come out under my 'real name' and tell you that I have had genital warts in the past. And I'm not the least bit embarrassed....

Do you have a fammily planning clinic or a womens health clinic where you live? I got to ours for anything like that as the doctors are all female. Having a male doctor doesn't bother me but the female ones are usually have a more delicate touch.

I haven't really had anything except when I was pregnant but no internals or anything even then. Had a smear 6 weeks after birth and that hurt like hell. Didn't hear from them and thought everything was OK but just been summoned again and was told that I have never had one....But I am sure i remember a metal thing with claws being called a smear.

Thanks, Marina, I have just looked that up on the internet and it makes more sense now. I'm just so put off by it and DH is starting to get impatient so will ask about getting it removed.

Horseshoe, when you make your appointment, insist that you see a female doctor or your practice nurse

our practice has 5 female gps, it's one of the reasons I registered there (sorry, if you don't have that kind of choice..)

I've still got a bartholin's 4 years after my last birth but it is smaller. Nothing to worry about unless it's sore.

Oh didn't realise you hadn't been seen, pop in and see the practice nurse hun.

Try your local GUM clinic (Genito Urinary Medicine Yellow Pages), normally in your local hospital. Or a Well Woman clinic / FPC

i get 'boil' type things every month..very painful, but no one has gave me a cure yet..they say its ingrowing hair(which it isnt0, i say it either hormonal or due to my pill(overanette)