NHS Cyst Removal

[hoggetyann]

does anyone have experience of getting a cyst removed on the NHS? On my second infection now with one on my shoulder, it’s right on my bra line so quite uncomfortable. I’m on antibiotics and my GP has referred me but warned that I still
may not qualify for removal as they criteria is strict now. Anyone else managed to get one removed on the NHS or do I need to look at going private?

Repeated infections is usually accepted

repeated infections and interfering with comfortably wearing clothes are both often qualifiers.

That’s good to know. How long did you have to wait?

Mine was removed the next day as it was infected

Hope you get it sorted OP. I'll join you on the back lump bench. I've had mine for 3 weeks, not quite angry and infected enough for emergency incision but large enough and recurring for removal (4th cyst). I've had an appt with minor surgery unit but I've been advised that it will be at least 12 weeks until they can drain it.

I had one removed off my back on the NHS last year.

I'd had it for years and it was quite large. It rubbed against my bra strap and bag straps, and caused shoulder pain (think it was pressing on a nerve). It had never got infected though.

The GP had to apply to the ICB for funding to get it removed and it was approved. I had it removed in hospital under plastic surgery as it was too big to be done in minor surgery at the GP.

I'm really pleased I had it removed - no more pain. But I have a scar that's about 3 inches long and looks quite angry, I'm hoping it will fade in time.

Mine was removed in A+E when it got infected and was making me feel pretty unwell.

I get sebaceous cysts on my scalp. had 2 removed by my GP in about 2013 because they kept getting caught by my hairbrush and were getting infected, then 2 more removed as a daycase at our local cottage hospital in 2021. I just noticed a new one a few days ago.

Interesting to see the different experiences in getting them removed, even when infected. I’m still waiting to hear if the referral has been accepted so imagine I’m in for a wait

@hoggetyann I had 1 removed from the top of my ear where it connects to my scalp (it was small never infected but painful and stopped me from wearing my glasses) in a couple of weeks but they refused to do the 1 on my arm which was huge for years as it wasn't infected or "problematic" until they were doing the ear 1 (got a 2 for 1 deal). It seems to be a case of if its problematic they get rid of them fairly quickly, if not you just have to live with them indefinitely.

Oh behind the ear sounds painful @Hoardasurass! It’s become infected again for the third time so I’m really hoping it’ll get a quicker referral although my GP said the wait can be quite long here. Was it a quick in and out to have them removed?

I’ve had very similar and I was told yes (infected 3+ times) however that i’d be waiting quite a while.

I ended up sorting privately. Was actually a very simple procedure, insurance paid in my case but I can’t imagine it would cost a fortune

Yes it took longer for the local to kick in than it took to remove both and stitch up.
Hopefully you'll be seen soon and be free for it

I have looked at private removal, but it’s £150 for the consultation alone and then close to £1000 for the removal, which unfortunately we don’t have. I didn’t realise going private was so expensive.

That's shocking. I have one on my cheekbone I'd love to be rid of and watching Skin Clinic programmes it looks so simple. I'll not be justifying £1k though.

I had one removed after it had got infected a couple of times. Took over a year on the waiting list however

Returning to this thread, mine is on my back and had grown from 50p sized to a red swollen tennis ball protruding from my back in 3 weeks, it was very painful. My 3rd visit to the GP about it yesterday, I was given antibiotics when I just needed it to be lanced as I couldn't sit or sleep. I sat in a walk in centre for 3 hrs, the nurse said we don't do that here, you'll have to go to A&E, I nearly burst into tears. She took pity on me and found a doctor that said he'd lance it for me. 3 mins later, after loads of gunk flowed out, I was pain free and had a flat back, I floated out of that urgent care centre. I must have looked like an addict that had her fix.

This is my 4th infected cyst in 15yrs and I've had to fight/ beg/ cry to get it removed every time. Every doctor that has eventually done the removal has said that antibiotics would have been a waste of time, they wouldn't have touched the pus that just needed removing. The cyst was in a place where it wouldn't have popped on it's own.

It was about 15 years ago, but when I had one on my back that got infected, the GP removed it under local anaesthetic. She used the reason of catching on clothing and necklace as a reason for its removal.

I think things are very different now-saying that moles and cysts catch on clothing or are painful/get infected isn’t ‘enough’ to get them removed easily. I think I was lucky that mine got infected and a doctor agreed to remove them then and there. I had looked up removal at the local Bupa place and it looked to be £1500!

Every time, I was stuck in a vicious cycle of being told
A:) That looks sore but it's not infected, come back when it is.
B:) That looks very sore and infected, here's some antibiotics, we can't do anything whilst it's infected.

I've had the same cyst 4 times and from feeling the lump to tennis ball sized infection is 3 weeks. This time I was pro active in going to the GP first thing to get the ball rolling in sorting a removal before major infection. Unfortunately my body acts faster than the NHS wait times.

I’ve finally had my referral accepted, but by plastic surgery which I was surprised by - I didn’t realise they did cyst removals.

Hopefully that means you’ll have a better scar. I had a cyst removed in between my boobs. A breast surgeon did it and she was explaining to a less experienced surgeon how important it was to make the scar neat during the procedure. It’s a long scar but very neat compared to others I have after general surgeons operated on me.

That’s interesting @tedlassoforprimeministerto be honest I just want the thing gone as it’s causing me so much pain, but would be good to have a neat scar too. Never would have imagined it would be in a breast surgeons remit!

Yep they did the 1 on my ear/scalp fold because of its position (and did the other at the same time).

I had one on my neck which was fine for years - and the got infection and ended up a two headed monster with blood everywhere. GP gave me antibiotics and booked me into minor surgery at the polyclinic health centre three weeks later. Such a relief.