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Women's health

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Original poster

Handhold - massive cyst on labia

39 replies

ravenia · 23/10/2024 08:58

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?

OP posts:
PlantDoctor · 23/10/2024 10:34

Don't feel embarrassed. I'm sure the team will make you feel at ease. X

Abi86 · 23/10/2024 10:39

TiredEyesSoreHeart · 23/10/2024 09:21

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.

She really needed it. What level of illness meets your threshold?

LoafofSellotape · 23/10/2024 10:39

ravenia · 23/10/2024 10:27

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

If it's any comfort it would be a massive deal to me too and I've given birth and seen a gynaecologist on numerous occasions.

Nursemumma92 · 23/10/2024 10:42

TiredEyesSoreHeart · 23/10/2024 09:21

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.

Given that the GP didn't feel it appropriate to pop it there and then, and have made an urgent referral to gynae, I don't think the OP was 'ridiculous' to not do it herself. This sounds like it definitely needs medical attention!

ComingBackHome · 23/10/2024 10:54

TiredEyesSoreHeart · 23/10/2024 09:21

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.

It’s amazing that your first assumption was that the OP hasn’t tried anything herself first when it’s her 3rd cyst.
Also 😵‍💫😵‍💫 that you seem to think ALL cysts can be lanced at home by yourself wo knowing anything about said ‘cyst’. What if it’s not quite what the OP thinks it is (seeing it doesn’t react the same way than the first two).
But somehow you know better than the GP who saw what’s going on and decided that an urgent referral to gyne was necessary.

But hey Ho. I suppose you must have extra powers to be able to say all that confidently

9ToGoal · 23/10/2024 15:09

@ravenia Bartholins cysts are horrific when they hurt, it's not usual for them to do so. Only had one ever but it grew to the size of a golf ball in 48 hours. A&E at 4am with the pain. Luckily by then it was actually ready to burst and Dr barely needed to touch it (he wasn't trying to squeeze it) and it ruptured.

Hopefully gynaecology will get you booked in to have the bartholin gland removed so you don't have this experience again. Three is the threshold here for referral for the operation. 💐

9ToGoal · 23/10/2024 15:20

@confused98 Took years for me too, male GPs. One visit with a female GP and she referred me to dermatology and gave me clindamycin gel immediately (also male but diagnosed and treatment prescribed on first appointment).

Never had big cysts though, more pimples and a few blackheads and a couple of "infected hair follicles" (male GPs) at any one time that took weeks to heal and always left scars. Have barely had any symptoms since treatment took affect. Massive difference, it's so distressing that women's health conditions are minimised so much that they take years to get treatment.

Original poster
ravenia · 23/10/2024 16:11

Update: the blessed thing burst a couple of hours before the appointment

it needs surgery, but not an emergency now - basically wait for the infection to clear up, then get booked in for incision and drainage (under general)

I'm more miffed that I'm not allowed to exercise now until after the surgery 😢

OP posts:
helpfulperson · 23/10/2024 16:36

Glad to hear your update. Hopefully not too long until you can get it fully sorted.

caramac04 · 24/10/2024 10:11

Thanks for updating. Hopefully you’re more comfortable now and the antibiotics will do their stuff. Wishing you well.

ReadWithScepticism · 24/10/2024 10:30

Oof, general anaesthetic suggests it must have been a bad one! Glad you are more comfortable now.

At least a general will spare you some of the tension and embarrassment that you were worried about OP. I had a routine colonoscopy a few years ago, and after that not even the most intimate of vag-related rummaging can feel comparably awkward. But even in that setting, the staff were so professional and so clearly used to the weirdness of it all that I was put at my ease.

So I really hope and expect you will find the procedure ok @ravenia

Original poster
ravenia · 06/11/2024 17:49

Next update: been to follow up appointment, and the cyst has shrunk so much that to find and remove it in surgery would mean an unneccesarily big incision and in gynea's opinion, the risks of infection and scarring outweigh the benefits, considering how small it is now. So now it's a wait and see approach, if it reappears, I'm to go back and she'll schedule removel hopefully before it gets infected.

Just crossing my fingers it doesn't reappear soon cos I really can't be dealing with that level of pain again anytime soon. Thank you to everyone who helped make me feel a bit better about this all <3

OP posts:
RandomMess · 06/11/2024 17:57

Blimey, what a very naughty cyst!!

Baggingarea · 06/11/2024 18:38

Isnt labial acne a menopause symptom?

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