Handhold - massive cyst on labia

[ravenia]

Third cyst on labia in a couple of years... been to GP yesterday. Her reaction on seeing the cyst was "oh my word" which really didn't help my anxiety! I can't walk or sit without seeing stars

I have a gynea appointment later today (the form was stamped ASAP), and in the meantime I've been given cefalexin, solpadeine and voltaren. So much pain, and the swelling is so big I can't understand how the skin hasn't burst.

I'm scared. I've never been sexually actively, never seen a gynecologist so I am mortified. And I'm scared they won't be able to do anything there and then. This is a private clinic/hospital network which should (fingers crossed) be covered by my work health insurance. Don't even want to think how much it would close otherwise

At this point the best case scenario I can think of is some kind of surgery asap, embarrassment be damned. Does anyone know how likely this is, or what else might be done? They can't leave me like this, surely?

I've had small cysts there and if they don't burst I prick them with a pin. Don't be embarrassed, the staff won't be! Good luck

Have you not tried to stab it? I get these fairly regularly (they are absolutely grim) and I use a sterile needle (one of the green ones, medical use, not sewing needle!) and it is always an overwhelming relief and it seems my body then manages to heal it on its own.

I've had one of these once, and the gynie doctor lanced it, no pain, and the relief was fantastic. Don't worry OP, you'll probably be in and out of there in no time.

Get a small tub, fill with warm water and a good amount of Epsom salts, and soak yourself until the water cools. Repeat several times and it will burst and drain.

Don’t stab it when you have a gynecologist appointment already set up for later today!
The gynecologist will not be the slightest bit embarrassed or judgmental. You have absolutely nothing to be ashamed of.

Do you get other spots, blackheads, small absesses (maybe infected hairs)? If you do ask them if it's hidradenitis suppurativa, get long term antibiotics treatment.

I don't understand why you haven't popped it. It's ridiculous imo to take up a GP appointment that someone else really needs, just for something so simple you can deal with yourself.

@TiredEyesSoreHeart have you ever had a Bartholin cyst?

Yes. Easy to deal with on your own.

And she doesn't say that's what it is anyway. Not all pimples/boils/cysts down there are Bartholins.

Good luck OP - it must be awful. Let us know how you get on. x

I have, why lord why does that hell exist…but again, a warm Epsom salt bath does the job.

Let's face it they need diagnosing so you can get antibiotics if you need them.

Personally I went to the GUM clinic, I certainly wouldn't be stabbing them myself!

You poor thing. Are you in the UK? I'm not sure because you talk about going to the GP but also paying for your treament with your work health insurance and getting a mix of drug brand names rather than the name of the drug.

It's nothing the doctors won't have seen before and they'll be able to relieve the pain pretty quickly (the drugs you've already been given will help with that with an hour or so as well).

She's already been given antibiotics, anti-inflamatories and pain killers.

Ignore the people telling you to stab it! That would be crazy given that you already have an appt where someone can drain it safely and appropriately.

Don't worry about the appt. Nothing to be embarrassed about and hopefully they will be able to sort the problem for you quickly

I'm sure that if a DIY solution was viewed as safe and appropriate they wouldn't have given an asap referral -- they would have advised about DIY. And in any case its a private clinic, so not taking away someone's chance as a GP appt.

People who need medical help shouldn't have to feel guilty about accessing it.

@JaninaDuszejko yes because she saw the GP who then decided she needed an urgent referral!

Its a perfectly valid reason to see a GP @TiredEyesSoreHeart I think it is very unkind to guilt someone who is in a huge amount of pain and clearly needed that appointment for the antibiotics and pain relief. I hope the gynaecologist appointment goes well OP, you should never feel embarrassed about these things, it is nothing you've done wrong.

But if she had had popped it herself much earlier it wouldn't have got to the state its in and a referral could have been avoided.

Warm bath with a good handful of salt in it. Then hot compress with salt water and keeping doing it until your appt.

To pop or not to pop isn’t the question. You haven’t popped it but you do have a gynae appointment which I think is really good.
I probably would have popped it but the GP certainly doesn’t think that’s the right thing or she would have done so herself.
Please don’t feel embarrassed but do try and get as much info as possible at your appointment ie if this were to occur again, what is the best thing I can do at home?
Hope all goes well and please update us.

Please don't be scared. These hurt but loads of women have had them. Likely the gynae will just gently lance it this afternoon, and it will feel better straight away. It will be tender for a bit so take it easy and get a cab home, then rest up on the sofa and have a warm bath tonight.

Infection risk! Some things definitely need a doctor.

It took me years to get diagnosed with this - ask them about Hidradenitis suppurativa.

Went to the GP so many times and finally went to see a private dermatologist. My cysts got big and infected several times and now I take a daily antibiotic which helps.

Some clarifications:

I went to the GP after eight days of hot compresses, magnesium sulphate paste and epsom salt baths
I'm not in the UK, here GP appointments are very very easy to get, it's the hospitals that are a problem (vv long waiting lists) - so @TiredEyesSoreHeart , please rest assured I'm not taking up an appointment someone else needed. Here you can be seen by a GP within 24 hours with no problems.

The GP believes it's a Bartholin abscess, and since it's the third one I've had in the exact same spot (which have been lanced or drained of their own accord), she wasn't willing to risk lancing again and wants a gyne to confirm what it is and how best to treat it.

@JaninaDuszejko it's a weird local system where you can go private and be reimbursed by insurance, which is what I'm doing, though we still refer to it as getting a GP appt, regardless whether we go to a government clinic (free) or private (self-pay and then if insured, submit receipt to insurer)

Thank you to those who were encouraging! I literally just wanted reassurance that this was something that can be dealt with, because it might be nbd for those with partners or who have given birth, but for me, this is a massively big deal