Bartholins Gland Abscess

georgy · 03-16-2008, 08:09 AM

Does anyone else suffer from this problem? I've been getting them regularly for yeeaaaaaaaars and now I have yet another. They can be SO painful and it's exhausting when you get them because constant pain, heat, fever and discomfort really drags one down.

I get cysts/boils/abscesses around my groin area too, it's all part and parcel of having PCOS I guess - but internally it's always worse for me. I get anti-biotics for it, and I've even been referred to a consultant in Hospital who said that if they recurr in a specific place then surgery is an option but I'm sh!t scared of that so I often suffer without going back to the GP for meds, just in case they sent me to hospital again!

I'd be interested to hear from anyone else who has the same problem as me - the site I posted above is a good source of knowledge or support too.

etuc · 03-16-2008, 02:27 PM

I get those occasionally too, they really suck!

As soon as I notice one building I use hot compresses, hot showers (or baths) and a heating pad. I went to see the doctor the first time I had one and he told me to do that, but he didn't give me any antibiotics, he told me to take aspirin. So far the heat therapy and aspirin have worked for me (knock on wood) they don't develop as big as the first one did.

If they got any worse I would consider the surgery, those things hurt like hell, sorry for your suffering. (((HUGS)))

calmwaters · 03-16-2008, 02:49 PM

I don't have this problem, but I am thinking perhaps you would have more responses if this thread was moved to "Do You Have This Problem?". Best wishes.

georgy · 03-16-2008, 04:14 PM

Thanks for your wishes girls. I put it in here because it's a private forum - I'm unsure which other areas are the same. in 'RANT' people need to be a registered member to see the threads - it's a sensitive subject for me.

Etuc - that's the same advice that my GP gives me. The anti-biotics work but not all the time, sometimes I need to go back for another course.

I just wonder if it's related to diabetes, IR or PCOS. I would love to know.

sarahgmac · 03-16-2008, 07:32 PM

Georgy: I have gotten these before. I never needed antibiotics, I used the warmest washclothes I could stand, and they went away. My mother used to get boils down there. I haven't had any boils, but I have the pea sized cysts.

silverhawk · 03-16-2008, 10:20 PM

I get a lot of these when my sugars are not under control. High sugars means the insulin is not being used properly which can lead to these and a lot of other side effects.

do you monitor your sugar? Are you on Met? If not you probably need to talk to your doctor. Since I've gotten on Met and eating better I've only had one or two every year. I think I've only had one this past year.

Hope it gets better for you!

sarahgmac · 03-16-2008, 10:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by silverhawk

I get a lot of these when my sugars are not under control. High sugars means the insulin is not being used properly which can lead to these and a lot of other side effects.

do you monitor your sugar? Are you on Met? If not you probably need to talk to your doctor. Since I've gotten on Met and eating better I've only had one or two every year. I think I've only had one this past year.

Hope it gets better for you!

You know, since I was on Metformin or insulin now, I had them...and haven't had them since. I think you are right! Wow, I never realized it!

georgy · 03-17-2008, 11:03 AM

wow, I KNEW IT!! it must be related.

contrary to what I SHOULD eat, I tend to eat loads of high sugar foods and I don't monitor my sugars. this makes sense.
I have an endo appt next month, I'm going to monitor my sugar until then but I'll mention this to him

thanks very much for pointing this out.

soulfulqween · 03-17-2008, 11:40 AM

Chromium Piconilate has helped me A LOT with the boils. Whenever I am taking it I don't get one...not even ONE.

The bartholin's is another story, though they are resolved now when I had "the whites" and the ducts were blocked they got to be pretty annoying. Taking hot baths ALWAYS helped. I made and kept the water pretty hot (don't hurt yourself though make it so that you are comfortable) and sat in it for 20 mins or so each night. It helped lots, but in the end changing bcp to get rid of "the whites" and a round of antibiotics did the trick.

HTH

Tiffers1984 · 03-17-2008, 03:57 PM

OMG I love ya'll

I have had these in my inner upper thigh area for about 4 years (since my PCOS symptoms kicked in). My mom had these when she was younger she said but she's got thyroid problems, skinny as a rail and no PCOS. They are usually painful and I had to go to the ER once for one. It was so infected and hurt so bad. They lanced it and told me to do hot compresses, wash the bathtub out with peroxide occasionally, change bath sponges frequently, and put a bandaid on them to not irritate them until they started going away. They also gave me bactroban? and anitbiotics but said you can build up a resistance to them. They leave awful dark spots when they go away too.

I've just started met, spiro, yaz and am taking chromium & complete vitamin B & C. I hope this helps with it.

Kikibee · 03-17-2008, 04:26 PM

I had an abscessed bartholin's gland about 10 years ago - I went to see my doctor and they attempted to drain it in the office but were unable to and then sent me home with instructions to take sitz baths, etc. and come back in a few days to see if it could be resolved in the office. Ultimately it only got worse and I had to go to the ER and have it resolved surgically. I was in the hospital for 3 days receiving antibiotics and pain medication and had a very long recovery while it was healing which including visiting nurse visits to change the (internal) dressing for an extended period of time.

In the surgery they did something called marsupialization where they actually kind of sew the gland open so it can't get infected/abscessed again.

So, if you have one of these and you start getting fevers or other sign of infection please see your doctor immediately. Not only is it extremely painful but it can be very dangerous in some circumstances.

(I think some of you are talking about two different things...
I am pretty certain that Bartholin's gland abscess is not the same thing as some of the insulin related boil type issues - I have had both)

Tiffers1984 · 03-17-2008, 04:38 PM

yeah they are two different kinds. I have the boils and have never had the gland type. Mine are painful enough. I pray I never have the gland one.

soulfulqween · 03-17-2008, 04:43 PM

Yes they are two separate issues both can be pcos related.

knittygritty · 03-17-2008, 05:07 PM

I must say that I absolutely love SoulCysters! Where else can you talk about things like this? I have had some pretty painful cysts. A hot bath usually helps clear it up a little. I am sorry that you all have to go through this as well. I'll have to cut back on the sugars more and see if it helps. What is the difference between a Bartholin's Abscess and a cyst? My sugar tests have all been OK but Diabetes type 2 is on both sides of my family. Does the slight skin pigmentation (acanthosis nigricans) along with the cysts suggests insulin problems??

Tiffers1984 · 03-17-2008, 05:54 PM

I think the Bartholins is right on the outside of the vajayjay. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.