Just wondering had anyone had their bartholin gland removed? I'm am currently on abscess number 16. 16th in 2years. My last 2 burst just over a week ago and it's now back again. I've bee. Referred to a&e by my doctor but I am in so much pain right now I can't even get up from bed to make it to the hospital. I had my shower getting ready to go but the pain was to much I couldn't even get dressed from the waist down. I know when it gets this painful it's nearly time to burst but I can't eve. Get up to pee and I'm about to burst here hahaha. So just wondering who has had the gland removed as its something I want to enquire about now. It's getting to much and completely interfering with my life. I've had enough
I've been there and I also got to the point of telling my doctor that I need to get my gland removed because I just could not deal with another abscess. My last one was late February of this year 2017. It got to the size of literally a tennis ball and I too was hoping it would pop on its own like two times before. This last time was like my six or seventh time that crap came out. They cut me more this last time and they also left packing inside for 3 days and it was the most excruciating pain I've ever felt. I couldn't walk in the ER when I went to get the packing removed. So don't wait till it gets bigger. I finally had it I didn't want to go thru the pain again and I can tolerate pain. So after I had it drained and packed I felt it was coming back but I said hell no if the doctor cut it not too long ago there has to be a way to get the abscess out. So I started taking really hot baths with Apple cider vinegar. I would usually take a mirror in the tub so I squeeze where I feel the abscess and I press down hard as if you're popping a pimple. It took me probably half an hour to see it draining. I now understand the purpose of the bath, it helps all the pus drain out. So when I go pee or any time I use the bathroom I do it with my legs wide open after sex I jump in the shower. I'm always squeezing it and I also wear pantiliners so it absorbs whatever is trying to drain. I haven't had another cyst since then. I was getting them almost every 2 months until I had to figure out a way to keep it from getting infected. It's worked for me. I hope they help you with this issue. Just don't let it get big because you're just letting your skin stretch out.
Omg that seems like torture. A tennis ball!!!! Mine don't grow that size. Largest would be an egg. But the each time I get one it seems to be worse than the last. The 1 that popped yesterday was so bad I actually couldn't go to the toilet. I had to go in the shower because the pain trying to stand up was unbelievable. I was thinking even if I did make it to the hospital how will I let them examine me because I couldn't even uncross my legs. I'm getting acupuncture done in a few days. I know someone who does it and she said she's going to do some on be hoping it will prevent. Desperate times!!! But I'm seriously thinking of the removal. Nothing does work for me. Everything online. For me it will pop when its ready. I've tried the baths, epsom salts
I just saw your message sorry about. Thats what i thought, maybe waiting for it to pop but it got huge, to the point i actually felt sick. I had it on my left side and it gets to the point i feel pain on the whole leg. Yes it felt like more pain with the one after it sucked i felt like this wasn't living. This is suffering and why haven't they done more freaken research. It practically put my life on pause. I hated my life i hated having a doctor that saw this is as no big deal. Mine popped on its own one night that went into the ER there was was 15 patients before me so i said screw this i'd rather be in pain in mybed. Got home took 5 advils literally and slept like a baby. Next morning took my kids to school in pain, how can anyone drive with something the size of a tennis ball down there it was hell. I got home and decided to take another 5 advils because i couldn't even go upstairs. I fell asleep and woke up soaking wet. Another time it was the same size i was taking my son to the parent conference and right when i stepped outta my car it started draining so i rushed home. But the last time i got it again it wouldn't pop. I couldn't even walk to the room in the hospital. The doctor was shocked to see the size and when he drained it we were all just waiting for it to be done because it was a lot. My doctor tried putting a catheter but it just kept popping out it wouldn't stay in. But since he didin't want to remove the gland he just said we'll just see if it comes back. It does fill up but I already know from where it supposed to leak from so I squeeze the hell out of it and i literally stay in the tub for an hour or until the water gets cold. When in the tub it will drain a lot if you squeeze it but my metality is like I'm squeezing this out and feel a little pain rather than feel that excrusiating pain and having to still walk into the pharmacy to get the meds. Its been a few months now thank god. you should get it drained and when it finally heals and you feel good about squeezing it do that. I always have a compact mirror to see how it looks.
Have you had marsupialization done? Most doctors try this before glad removal. I had my laced a dozen times before I got the right doctor to marsupialize it. Glad removal is last resort. I got the marsupialization and it's been going well but I'm having issues with the scar tissue from having it lanced to many times by not such great doctors. My doctor said if it continues they will remove the glad but it's a much more serious surgery and a lot longer recovery.
Yes I've had it done once. Last November. Had no complications from it. No pain anything. I'm sure they would of done it again last week only I was in to much pain to make it to the hospital I just had to wait for it to burst.
I won't let them marsupialize mine again. My doctor isn't even suggesting it. When I saw her last she said we are taking the glad out if it comes back after the marsupialization surgery. I always try and get to the doctor as soon as it shows up. When it is small they can schedule surgery and start you on antibiotics so it doesn't get infected. I cant take anymore so I told myself I would find a different doctor if mine wouldn't remove it.
about 8 months ago in October 2016 I got my first one. Since then, they keep returning over and over again with a maximum of 3 days without one.
3 weeks ago i had to have it lanced in emergency because the receptionist at my Gynaeo office wouldnt book me an appointment sooner since I wasnt pregnant and i ended up in hospital. They placed a words catether and it gets removed tomorrow.
she a repeatedly told me that she refuses to remove the gland because my body needs it for natural lubrication but these have gotten so sever that it's hard to manage. I cant have a sex life, and i dont feel confident with them. She has even refused the Marsupialization surgery saying that it was the surgery outweighted the benefits. Should i switch doctors if she still refuses to remove the gland? As women who have dealth with this longer than I have... what are your opions and what do you think my options are? Am i being unrealistic or asking for to much?
I came across this post and thought I would reply. I have indeed had both bartholin glands removed. I am currently recovering from the removal of my left gland, and I had my right bartholin gland removed in May 2016.
My right side cyst/mass came back after surgery multiple times, so I decided to have the gland removed. Once my right gland was removed, the mass in the left side started growing bigger. Previously the mass on the left was small so we just monitored it. Once we determined it was growing, I decided I didn't want multiple surgeries like the right side, and had the entire gland removed with it so that I can move on with life.
Having the gland removed is more of a major surgery, but worth it in my opinion. My story is a bit more complicated with an autoimmune and bleeding disorder, so my healing time is slower than average. After the gland removal, I am off work 8 weeks.... transitioning back part time at 1st and increasing my hours weekly. The first gland removal, I would say it was 6 months before I felt close to normal. I did have many complications that affected my healing time. With the most recent surgery for the other gland, I am currently 3 weeks post-op....but am much further ahead than previous.
All in all, I am happy I chose to have the glands removed, even though it was a tougher recovery. Now I feel like I can move on with life without these cysts/masses looming over me.
Thank you so much for sharing your experience. I am having my left gland removed in a few hours and am very nervous about post-surgery time. I,too, have an autoimmune disease and am hoping recovery will not be dreadful. I was told I would be out of work for about 2 weeks but now I am questioning that. I just look forward to no more excruciatingly painful abscesses. Are you now using hormone vaginal creams since you had both glands removed?
If you're having the gland removed, most likely you will need more than 2 weeks off work. Everyone heals at their own pace, but autoimmune conditions tend to make wounds slower to heal. I'm at 5 weeks post op, and still full of stitches and unable to sit. They say stitches usually dissolve around 4 weeks...it took about 6 weeks last time for the 1st gland removal. I highly recommend you get a sitz bath that can sit on the toilet bowl, and after the first week do a 20 min sitz bath (with epsom salt) twice a day for at least 20 mins. This helps keep the area clean and lowers the risk of infection. Do this until your stitches heal.
Recovery sucks, but is definitely worth it to not have to deal with the painful masses anymore.
I have not used any hormone vaginal creams, as the gland removals didn't cause the dryness I read about. The glands are not your main source of lubrication, and therefore I haven't noticed any difference post surgery.
I hope everything goes well for you! Let me know if you have any questions about recovery, I know it can be scary when you don't know what to expect!
Thanks for the response😊 Surgery went well...in a lot of pain of course. I had my first sitz bath earlier and it sure felt good. Walking isn't happening aside from bathroom trips. Hoping the pain will start to subside soon but I am realistic in expectations. I am so glad the anestheskologist listened to me and gave me everything he could, including the scopolamine patch I still have on, so I wouldn't have another awful experience like I did after hernia surgery. I have a follow up appt on Monday. Glad there is an elevator in that building!😊
It’s shocking to me that all of you guys had such a long healing time after Bartholin cyst removal. I have been dealing with Bartholin issues since I was 24. At 26 I had my right one removed since I had recurrent abscesses. I had very little pain afterwards compared to having the abscess it was NOTHING. I had the surgery on a Friday and was back at work on Monday. About 9 years later I had one on the left side that never got infected but grew to be HUGE. Turns out in addition to a Bartholin I also had two vaginal cyst in there. HAd that removed on a Friday was back to to work on Monday. Fast forward to Feb of this year and I developed a huge abscess on the left side. It was very infected and I was septic and had to be admitted. It drained spontaneously in the hospital. It healed and my dr just thought it was an abscess not a cyst. Well lo and behold last weekend it came back. I got to the dr before it was infected and I had surgery today. It was another cyst. My dr said a small piece of it must have been left behind after the last surgery since I had 3 cysts in there last time and it grew back! So I’m home now. I have little to no pain and I will be back at work tomorrow! The dr said he got it all this time. So do NOT let these stories of excision scare you. The pain is nothing compared to the abscess and healing is quick. It is SO worth it!
We are talking bartholin gland removal, not just cyst removals. The bartholin gland removal is a major surgery which takes much longer to heal than having the cysts removed, and is quite a different process. We also have auto immune conditions that have complicated the procedure. No one is trying to scare anyone. There simply isn't enough information about this procedure online,so we chose to share our stories in hopes that it may help someone else understand what to expect if they too need a gland removed.
Sorry you have also been dealing with repeat cysts/abcesses. I am glad to hear that your recovery times have been quick.
I used grape seed oil or jojoba on the gland to ease the discomfort when it was small. And use lymphatic drainage technique to pump the area everyday, few days so far hasn’t grown bigger. Definitely need good rest, since I noticed that it grew bigger when I was very tired.
With the oils helped me twice disappeared the swollen without burst out. Now Came out again after one year , and still using jojoba oil and lymphatic drainage technology to control the swollen, around 7 days now changed from pain to seat to just discomfort.
I just had my left gland removed on Monday March 26th. My god the pain is awful! I'm taking morphine, Tylenol and Advil every 3 hours. I honestly feel horrible. Ice been doing sitz baths and lots of ice packs.... please tell me this gets better!
It gets better, just takes time! Sitz baths are good.... helps keep it clean and prevent infection. Rest as long as it takes, don't rush it! I'm 7 weeks post-op and still resting/recovering. Don't rush things, as long as you still have stitches. Trust me, popping a stitch is the last thing you want. Everyone heals at different rates....but you should notice your stitches starting to dissolve around 4 to 6 weeks. Once you're a couple of weeks post-op, try using a warm washcloth as a compress instead of ice...I found it helped a lot. Take your pain meds, stay in bed, and rest lots! I hope you feel better soon, and have a speedy recovery!
Thanks So far, so good. Stitches dissolved and one snipped. Still having pain. Not able to stand for long periods as yet, so will probably be out of work a full 4 weeks instead of the 2 weeks I thought. I sure hope you are feeling better!
I had my right gland removed on the 23rd of March and it’s seems the pain is worse now than in the beginning. He told me mine was rather large and he had to do a few layers of stitches and glue at the top....well I got brave and had a look down there the other day and that crap looks discussing....I have come unglued and the catheter is gone.... I sorta feel like I might be getting an infection....then I squirt it with warm water and it feels a little better sometimes.....did anyone notice a certain type of smell at anytime during you healing process ? Can I use anything in my sitz baths? I didn’t realize this was going to such a lengthy process
