Bartholin cyst drainage procedure

[Anonymous]

Has anyone been through this and can give me some input? I’m having this done tomorrow and am not really sure what to expect. How much will it hurt, how gross is it, how long does it take to heal, is there anything I should do beforehand?

Thanks!

[Anonymous]

I had mine drained twice and then a few years later I finally had it removed.

The worst part of the drainage was the anesthetic injection. I’m not really into getting injections in my vagina. They applied topical lidocaine but I think it was just to make the doctor feel better.

The incision didn’t hurt as it was happening and it drained right away and for a long time. I couldn’t see what was going on but it definitely soaked more than one chux. They did not put a drain in it per my choice and I had to be very careful while it healed and missed a lot of fun summer stuff that summer. I slept downstairs for a couple of nights because stairs hurt but then I was back to normal, just not swimming or exercising for 2 weeks. Same for the second time it happened. But honestly it was better than the pain from the cyst. You don’t need to do anything beforehand and will want to have sweats and pads ready to wear home. You might want a donut and a sitz bottle.

It recurred again and again until it became persistent. At that point it was decided that it needed to be removed and checked in path just to be sure. That surgery was rough. General anesthesia. I was on bed rest for a couple of weeks, hobbling for 6 weeks, and using the bathroom was worse than after I gave birth and had bad tears. The healing process was really challenging because of where the tissue was excised and the many layers of stitches. I still have pain from scar tissue from time to time and long lasting tendonitis from the time off my feet and then hobbling during recovery. On the bright side, no more cysts. Mine would get so bad that I ate and worked standing up!

Please ask any follow up questions. It was a lonely and isolating surgery and it’s tough to heal from because you can’t not put pressure on it and incision care in that location is constant and challenging. Sending you hugs and my support.

[Anonymous]

Oh my gosh, PP. That sounds like a LOT to go through. I’m so very sorry you that had to experience that. Especially that your cysts were so painful.

My cyst isn’t painful, but it’s not going away so the doctor thought it was better to drain it. I’m dreading it, especially the injection. Did you keep leaking fluid while the incision healed?

[Anonymous]

A close friend had one on her wrist. She was told by her doctor to smack it hard, with a large book, or wait for it to drain slowly itself. She chose the 2nd option.

I imagine if you're having a surgical proceedure that you'll have some form of anesthetic.

You'll be fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A close friend had one on her wrist. She was told by her doctor to smack it hard, with a large book, or wait for it to drain slowly itself. She chose the 2nd option.

I imagine if you're having a surgical proceedure that you'll have some form of anesthetic.

You'll be fine.

LOL. Taking a large book to the vag seems a bit much.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A close friend had one on her wrist. She was told by her doctor to smack it hard, with a large book, or wait for it to drain slowly itself. She chose the 2nd option.

I imagine if you're having a surgical proceedure that you'll have some form of anesthetic.

You'll be fine.

Thanks, PP. This cyst is at the opening of my vagina, so waiting hasn’t worked and hitting myself with a book makes me laugh at the idea. The doctor said they inject me with some kind of local anesthetic, so I am dreading that needle like anything.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A close friend had one on her wrist. She was told by her doctor to smack it hard, with a large book, or wait for it to drain slowly itself. She chose the 2nd option.

I imagine if you're having a surgical proceedure that you'll have some form of anesthetic.

You'll be fine.

That’s a ganglion cyst.

[Anonymous]

TMI but I had one after pregnancy and just pricked it with a needle and applied hot compresses and it went away. No issues since.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Oh my gosh, PP. That sounds like a LOT to go through. I’m so very sorry you that had to experience that. Especially that your cysts were so painful.

My cyst isn’t painful, but it’s not going away so the doctor thought it was better to drain it. I’m dreading it, especially the injection. Did you keep leaking fluid while the incision healed?

PP you’re replying to. Thanks for your kind words. Not to scare you, but my first one didn’t hurt. My second one barely hurt. But each one that recurred caused more pain and became less responsive to draining.

After the incision and draining, it only drained on its own for maybe 6-8 hours and not the crazy gush in the office. TMI, but that’s the theme of this thread!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A close friend had one on her wrist. She was told by her doctor to smack it hard, with a large book, or wait for it to drain slowly itself. She chose the 2nd option.

I imagine if you're having a surgical proceedure that you'll have some form of anesthetic.

You'll be fine.

Thanks, PP. This cyst is at the opening of my vagina, so waiting hasn’t worked and hitting myself with a book makes me laugh at the idea. The doctor said they inject me with some kind of local anesthetic, so I am dreading that needle like anything.

I’m cyst removal PP and the mixup between a bartholin and ganglion cyst is hilarious. Definitely not the same!

The needle is indeed bad and I hope you got through it in one piece, OP. I want to warn you that if your cyst was caused by injuries sustained during childbirth or other trauma, it’s very likely that it will return and that surgery will be necessary. Mine was caused by trauma to my vaginal wall during a Sunny-side up labor and delivery which damaged the bartholin gland and the vaginal wall by it, and it was always going to keep recurring. I remember the gyn and random internet peeps telling me that and me being like, nah, I won’t need surgery.

I needed surgery.

[Anonymous]

I would like to see the hitting your crotch with a book tik tok trend

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would like to see the hitting your crotch with a book tik tok trend

lol!! Maybe it could be themed. The Vagina Monologues. Delta of Venus. Etc.

OP here. For anyone who may find this thread, the needle was NOT at all painful. The doctor put lots of numbing agent (I asked her for “a double”!), the needle is tiny, and the whole thing was uncomfortable at times but not really painful except a few moments when she was manipulating the cyst at the beginning to swab all around with iodine. I felt fine afterwards. Some discharge/drainage is still happening, but it’s not much.

Thanks for coming on this journey with me!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A close friend had one on her wrist. She was told by her doctor to smack it hard, with a large book, or wait for it to drain slowly itself. She chose the 2nd option.

I imagine if you're having a surgical proceedure that you'll have some form of anesthetic.

You'll be fine.

LOL. Taking a large book to the vag seems a bit much.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A close friend had one on her wrist. She was told by her doctor to smack it hard, with a large book, or wait for it to drain slowly itself. She chose the 2nd option.

I imagine if you're having a surgical proceedure that you'll have some form of anesthetic.

You'll be fine.

LOL those cysts on the wrist are called Bible Bumps for a reason -- because they used to bash them with bibles. Taking a Bible to the vagina -- shudder. I don't think this is the same thing.

[Anonymous]

LOL those cysts on the wrist are called Bible Bumps for a reason -- because they used to bash them with bibles. Taking a Bible to the vagina -- shudder. I don't think this is the same thing.

Ladies, let's not give the Trump administration more ideas.