Gp suspects Bartholin's cyst, going through severe pain and swelling

[Bighugs88]

Hello,
Just hoping for some advice and support as I am in completely agony and shock. This has never happened before. I am 35 yrs old and going through secondary infertility. I have 1 daughter who is 6yrs old and has autism spectrum disorder. Me and DH have been referred via nhs to a gynaecology clinic, we had 2 recurrent miscarriages last year, the last miscarriage was in April 2022 and we have been trying since September 2022 and no bfp. I conceived my daughter in 2016 after getting the hsg test and fell pregnant the next month.

So, since the last 5 days we have been dtd every day as it was my predicted fertile window, on Tuesday I had to stop dtd as I was in so much pain down my private parts like something was really aching. I didn't take much notice and by the evening I could feel like a balloon structure on my left vaginal wall, it is quite a big bulge like a size of 2 grapes. The whole of my left lower vaginal wall feels very sore, tender, there is no discharge and no smell. However, I was just managing to walk and go to work as a Midday Assistant for 2 hours, however standing up for more than 10 minutes is causing a throbbing sensation down there, sitting down it hurts, I can no longer dtd as it is painful. I saw the gp on Wednesday evening, I thought probably dtd quite often and maybe I was very dry which has exacerbated my symptoms due to friction, she had a look and said it seems like a Bartholins cyst on my last side and said it's quite big and inflamed. She said intercourse may be a trigger, but this can happen to anyone. She has prescribed me antibiotics to take for 5 days 1 tablet 4 times a day and recommend that I take warm baths whenever I can during the day and apply a war compress. She said hopefully it may swell and burst or just reduce in size over time. She mentioned that if the pain gets worse, unable to work then I need to come back urgently and get referred to local emergency gynaecology department for it to be drained. So I have started taking the antibiotics, took a warm bath for 15 minutes which provided temporary relief and now I am awake with a hot water bottle between my legs. But now walking about it is so painful and I gently touched the area I can't feel any head yet so not ready to pop, but it has got bigger sliglty and is killing me with pain. I have no idea how I am going to work tomorrow as walking and bending down it really hurts, lying frontwards with my legs open is the best position, but I am really worried that it might not resolve and I may need to get it drained.
If anyone out there had this please let me know that there is light end of the tunnel, natural remedies are not working I don't know how I will manage over the next coming days. In so much pain, dh has been supportive, but just feeling helpless and very sad and anxious.

Live in the warm/ hot bath. Keep topping it up and hopefully the bugger will pop. I cried from the pain and again from the relief. Only ever had one about 10 years ago.

I had mine removed. Two sets of antibiotics didn’t touch it. I was walking like John Wayne. I went to an and e and they admitted me. The joy when I woke up and wasn’t in pain was something else.

probably about 20 years ago, never came back but I sometimes get a very inconsequential ache where I think the gland must have been before I have sex - I’ve assumed when things are getting lubricated!

I had one and it was just aspirated with a needle at the gynaecologist practice.
What are they not draining it?
I'm not sure why you would have antibiotics because it's not an infection it just excess fluid under the skin.
I hope you get relief OP sounds painful for you.

Just normal salt, nice big handful in the bath, natural antiseptic.

Sending 💐 OP
I still remember how painful this is even though it's years since I had one.
I hope you get it sorted soon.

Hopefully you have been admitted and they will soon sort you out. You will feel so much better in a day or two.

@ohsuzannah
@DJSteves

Thank you for your messages, gp referred me to A&E gynaecology at Whipps Cross hospital, as she said the cyst was quite large, I didn't realise but I also had a mild fever, tachycardia & high bp whilse at the surgery.
I was at A&E for many hours, but was worth the wait, I was given codeine & supposterie to numb the pain & the swelling slighlty reduced at this point.

My fever went and bp was back to normal. Saw the gynaecologist early in the morning at 1am who confirmed that bp &fever was due to the pain I was experiencing. He recommended and carried out cut& drainage procedure, there was fluid and discharged that passed out.
He suggested to carry on taking antibiotics for a further 5 days (10 days in total) to reduce risk of infection as I had a small open cute with no stitches needed. He said to wash the area with warm water after urinating, can have a bath, but not to shave/wax for a couple of days.

He did say the antibiotics do cause nausea &heartburn, but if you start vomiting do come back.
Also there might still be discharge so to wear pad if needed & the area may still sting slighlty due to site of cut where the cyst was.

He said if bleeding occurs or if there is a swelling/ another cyst to come back.

I do feel better, there is a stinging sensation when I walk, and slight discharge, but I am much better and have been given a sick note for employer to take today and Monday off (4 days of rest including weekend) to recover & for precautionary purposes.

Thank you everyone for all your help, support and guidance.
This condition is horrendous and the pain was very intense.

I was meant to type cut and not cute 🤗

Sending sympathy @Bighugs88 . I have had many of these over 20 years. Hopefully the cyst will continue to drain and the antibiotics will sort out any infection. If you get to the end of your antibiotics and it swells up again then get yourself down to the gp again.
I was treated and drained and had to have a second set of antibiotics because it swelled up again.
Be aware the antibiotics might give you thrush (just to add insult to injury)

Had same. Infected from what you describe. Had surgery after being admitted through a&e. Go to a&e.

@Uplakeyhill

Thank you for your kind words 🙂, another person on this thread mentioned the same thing about thrush from antibiotics, I will bear this in mind. I can't begin to imagine that you have had these through the years, must have been painful & very stressful.

I currently feel very nauseous on/off most likely due to the antibiotics I am taking. I also feel very tired and dizzy i know this is due to lack of sleep. I was at A&E for more than 8 hours and I reached home around 2.30pm, but had to wake up at 7am to get daughter ready for school. I have asked dh to collect daughter whilst I have a quick nap.

The gynaecologist was really nice and professional, he reassured me and answered my questions. The nurse was amazing, she held my hand throughout the procedure and i must have squeezed her hand quite a few times, I had a local anaesthetic injection and a small cut which didn't require stitches. I have been able to pass urine as norm eventhough the upper left side is slighlty swollen from the cyst and the procedure. She hoping for a full recovery as I am drained from the previous days.
Thank you x

I had similar when I was in my late teens...eventually went to a&e it was so painful to get it drained! Whilst sitting in the waiting area it popped. And I can tell you I had a mixture of disgust due to the amount of pus, but the relief of it popping was incredible 😅
So not overly helpful but you aren't alone and it won't last forever! Don't be afraid to go get it drained though!

Just seen you had it drained! Ignore my last then! 😂😂

@missmoosh
It's alright 🙂, the relief I felt after draining was very much welcomed and not to feel that awful pain and bump when I was limping. Thank u x

I have been able to pass urine as normal ( painless & volume is ok) 3 times now in 8 hrs. Just have no energy left and my daughter is saying let's go to the park 😴🤔