Intimate cyst - anyone had this?

[Kidsroomquestion]

Right, so I went to GP after having a lump on front wall of my vagina right by my urethra (sorry for all the detail, bleh) for a month, seemed to subside for a couple of weeks of that and now is way more prominent and the pressure is making the skin painful. It hurts to sit down. And to walk. I’m on my period and inserting a tampon is agony. I went this morning and they said it’s a cyst, not in the right place really for a bartholin but that kinda thing. Went to GP this morning, they prescribed antibiotics and said if it gets worse to call the docs and get a same-day gynae appointment there as an emergency, or go to A&E.

It feels worse this evening. I also feel just wiped out and either shivering-cold or really warm, not sure if I’m just under the weather or if it’s because of this cyst. The GP said it could be an access hence the antibiotics.

Would I be being dramatic to go to the hospital tonight? Even though the doctor did advise this it feels a bit stupid as it’s neither an accident nor emergency: the cyst/lump is a bit bigger than a marble. I have a toddler and would rather not deal with last-min childcare logistics while I sit in casualty for hours, but I genuinely feel awful. It hurts to sit down or move and I feel sick. Hoping someone else has an experience of something like this and can reassure me and tell me to just be patient 😅😅

Has anyone had anything like this? Think I just need reassurance that it can wait until tomorrow! And that I’m not alone in it. Husband is running me a bath to have a soak, just feel daft for ignoring the problem for a month and now panicking about it all! I really don’t want to sit in A&E if it’s not necessary so if anyone’s had a cyst like this that antibiotics sorted out I’d love to hear! Thank you! 😭

Is it a bartholin cyst?

That's does sound horrible OP. Have you started the antibiotics? I'm wondering if it's them making you feel worse. But if shivery and hot and cold it does sound like you could do with someone looking fat it for you. Is 111 worth trying for advice. Also would a warm compress help or is it not accessible in that way. Warm bath with some salt in?

It sounds like a sebaceous cyst - I've had a few, the pain is horrible, but the worse it gets, the closer to rupturing it's been - I had a fever too. And once it does, the relief is immediate! Once it does, I hold a warm washcloth to it to encourage it to drain more.

My last one, I felt "something" on the Wednesday, was painful to walk by Sunday and it burst on Wednesday, just before my gynae appointment.

Then just a case of taking the course of antibiotics.

I have a thread up in Women's Health if you want to follow the progress!

I think if you're shivering, then then it's likely that it's infected. If you can arrange childcare, then as much as a pain it is, I would head down to A&E to get it drained. It's quite common. Has happened ti a fair few friends. Good luck.

The GP who looked wasn’t sure so went and got a senior GP, they both said it didn’t really look like a bartholin cyst as it’s at the front rather than either side, they said it could be but it’s not in the typical place to get one apparently. It’s entirely blocking my vag from the front wall if that makes sense 🫣

Oh gosh I’m sorry you’re going through that it sounds horrific! You sharing the timeline helps a lot, because I’m inpatient and really anxious so knowing I need to sit tight does help!
currently marinating in a scorching hot bath in the hopes it helps 💀 I’ll follow your thread thank you!

I’m currently in a hot bath, didn’t think of adding salt so will do that now! Could deffo be the antibiotics making me feel weird. I think because I’m anxious now everything is making me a bit edgy. 111 is a good shout, thank you! Hate feeling like I’m being dramatic but I think when I realise it’s been there for so long it’s hard to not go ‘ah shit this should have resolved itself by now’

I’m relieved to hear it’s common, feels reassuring as it’s not one of those things my friends and I would talk about together/have had happen to them as far as I know. Gonna hold out a couple of hours and if it still feels worse than it was possibly see what 111 say. Can’t think of anything worse than sitting about in A&E half the night but also conscious of waking in the morning and it being worse! Hopefully won’t be the case but 🫣

I've had something like this in the past. Very painful and I felt ill too. Salt bath and warm compress is a good idea. Mine burst in bed which was both disgusting and relieving at the same time. It will likely work it's way out over the next couple of days.

Just be alert to signs of sepsis

I had a cyst the size of a marble. It went away within about a week but I did see the GP as I’d never had one before.
They said if it was still there in six weeks time I would have had an ultrasound.

Personally I would give the antibiotics at least overnight to kick in and get checked tomorrow if you can.

I had something like that a couple of years ago but I didn't get to the shivering stage like you. Mine budt on its own after a few days and it felt fantastic once that happened!
I would advise you to get hospital treatment if you are that unwell rather than risk it getting worse.

What antibiotics have they given you? The sickness way be a side effect of those. The last ones I had made me really unwell.

Could you try putting a hot water bottle on it when you get out the bath? The heat should help draw it to a head.

Assume you've taken paracetamol?

I wouldn't be tempted to go to A and E tonight, I'd stick some salt and a few drops of tea tree oil in a hot bath and keep that topped up. Could be the antibiotics knocking you sick, I'd stay comfortable tonight and the meds could have kicked in by the morning hopefully, have you got a decent thermometer for your temperature to keep an eye on that?

So sorry you’ve gone through it! Horrible isn’t it. It’s kind of a solid lump/docs weren’t sure if it would ‘pop’ but to keep my eye out for discharge from it and go to A&E if I noticed any, I am mainly worrying myself that it’s been there so long! I have a 15 month old and just didn’t sort it when it first came up because toddler life is chaotic 😅

I wouldn't go to a&e today. You have been checked and have antibiotics. See how you are tomorrow and in the meantime apply heat (bath, shower head, hot water bottle, hot compress) really regularly this evening and tomorrow

Heat is so effective at drawing them out.

Ive had several and the pain is like nothing else! but the relief is instant if pops or if the antibiotics kick in and shrink it

Unless you are becoming very unwell with signs of sepsis, stay at home.

Magnesium paste also helps but perhaps not the location you have it in

Have had a hot bath and will try a warm compress, thank you! Have taken every painkiller in my house, took ibuprofen hoping it would bring down swelling, then paracetamol a bit later and then codeine this evening. Hoping I wake up and it’s not as sore!

I googled them (flucoxacillin) and side effects include nausea, good thinking. Feel a bit less edgy about it and very likely just that! Were you on the same?

I’ve got a baby thermometer so I’ll probably use that, should probably invest in a better one tbh! Definitely agree with you about A&E, think the doc scared me saying to go if it’s worse than it was this morning but I truly cannot think of anything more annoying than an overnight A&E trip, let alone sitting on a hard chair for hours when my bits feel so fragile 😅

I've had several bartholin cysts (not for many years) and they grew within a day to be unbearable, had to have them lanced but then learned to spot the symptoms and get fluflocilyn immediately and it gets rid really quickly! Hope you get it sorted x

If I remember rightly I was given the same antibiotics for an infected hair follicle I had. It was my mons pubis and so sore!

the antibiotics kicked in really quickly and the redness was much reduced even after 2 doses.

Thanks all for the support and reassurance! Just got out of a hot bath, dosed on painkillers and sitting tight until tomorrow. I think I’ve just gotten anxious as I think the antibiotics have made me feel a bit grotty, and the GP seeming concerned has made me a bit edgy. I’ll be honest I thought it was a prolapse of some kind due to having a baby 15 months ago so was surprised it wasn’t that. I think a few other symptoms that I mentioned made them a bit over-cautious (I’ve been super tired lately, and just put it down to having a hyper toddler) and the fact that it’s been there for at least a month and I’ve ignored it/it didn’t burst in that time, just seemed to get a tiny bit smaller and then come back but worse.

Sure all will be good and I’ll keep this thread updated! Going to ask for a gynae appt tomorrow as they said that was an option, a same-day slot which is really good. I’m not generally an anxious person but this has just thrown me hah! Thank you all so much. X

Ach can’t imagine anything worse! Ingrown hairs are hell. Glad to hear it sorted quickly for you, hoping these antibiotics do the same for me! X

OP, I had the same antibiotics a few weeks ago when my new ear piercing got infected. They really made me feel sick as a dog and the heartburn was terrible.
Try drinking a pint of water when you take them, that seems to help. Hope you're feeling better soon x