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Three years ago during my annual exam, my physician told me I had an enlarged Bartholin gland. She gave me antibiotics, but the swelling did not go away. I was told it was a cyst and needed to be removed. So far I have been in for 3 separate procedures. The first time the cyst was removed, and I had a catheder in place for 2 weeks. Almost a year to the day later, the gland was enlarged again. Antibiotics were given, but they didn't help. Because of this I had surgery again to remove the cysts. There was one that had collapsed and another one filling. This time I was stuffed with gauze instead of getting a catheder. Six months later I had to go back in with the same problem. My doctor ordered a special scapel and a special type of catheder to form a new duct opening. She said there was only a 15% failure rate. I am in that 15% as I can feel the familiar lump getting larger. After the last procedure, the doctor told me the next step would be to get the gland removed. She also told me it is a very disfiguring operation. This terrifies me since I am still relatively young. Exactly how disfiguring is this operation and is there somewhere I could find "after" photos for patients who have had this surgery? Is there plastic surgery that could correct me? Could this bartholin gland problem be causing my recurrent yeast infections? I like my doctor, but I sometimes fear the insurance company won't let her give me the most up to date treatment. Right now I am trying to make the decision of having to get these painful surgeries every 6 months and have close to 2 months of recovery OR be disfigured for life. Any information you could provide would be greatly appreciated.
In Reply to: Bartholin Cysts posted by Karen on October 09, 2002 at 23:18:44:
I forgot to mention that I had read some of your 1998 posts on sebaceous cysts. In your responses you recommended taking more essential oils. Is a Bartholin Cyst a sebaceous cyst? At this point would those be helpful to me?
In Reply to: Bartholin Cysts posted by Karen on October 09, 2002 at 23:18:44:
Hi, Karen.
In MY opinion you need to get a second opinion. To MY knowledge the original surgery should have been to "remove the gland in it's entirity". There are only 2 of these glands so the most that could have been needed is 2 surgeries even if the other gland got infected.
Surely this recurrent cutting is causing more "deformity" than any possible original total removal would have caused.
Have you read up on bartholin gland infections yet? I think you will find that total surgical removal of the gland is recommended.
Properly done there is NO failure rate for this procedure because the total gland is removed.
This is not really a sebaceous type of cyst so I have no idea how the EFAs would affect the outcome. Of course, what would it hurt to try?
Let us know what you learn.
Walt
In Reply to: Re: Bartholin Cysts posted by Karen on October 09, 2002 at 23:25:32:
I am wondering why they insist on taking it out. I also
had one pointed out to me years ago during an annual
exam and was told that as long as it didn't cause
discomfort I should just leave it alone. I have not had it
removed or treated in any way and it has caused no
problems that I can see.
Interesting to note, now that I am perimenopausal and
hence my estrogen is much lower than it used to be,
the cyst is almost entirely gone. The only time it swells
up to its former size is just before ovulation (when
estrogen peaks out). It makes me think that the
estrogen makes it grow for some reason. I bet it will go
away entirely when I hit menopause time and my
estrogen levels drop off all together.
I am wondering why they insist on removing yor cyst.
Does it hurt?
In Reply to: Re: Bartholin Cysts posted by Elisa on October 10, 2002 at 23:34:16:
Thanks, Elisa.
I agree that the only reason for removing a bartholins is if it is symptomatic!
In my opinion, perhaps the doc needs a new suit?
Walt
In Reply to: Re: Bartholin Cysts posted by Elisa on October 10, 2002 at 23:34:16:
Thanks Dr. Stoll and Elisa. My bartholin gland HAS caused problems. They only removed the cysts, because they prevented drainage which eventually led to an infection. Elisa's comment about the change in cyst size due to estrogen levels made me stop and think. I DO notice a change in the cyst size at different times of the month. I always thought it was due to the cyst rupturing, but maybe it isn't.
Sites I have visited and read seem to vary when it comes to treatment. Personally I think my doctor's choice of treatment was dictated by the HMO. She told me that by having tried all 3 of the other procedures, she could tell the HMO all other options had been tried and failed. Then they'd pay to have the gland removed. I'm not pushing to have it removed, but if it is going to save me from months of pain and discomfort each year, then I'll have it.
Thanks so much Dr. Stoll for your advice. I have printed up information and will bring it in with me when I see my doctor later this month.
In Reply to: Re: Bartholin Cysts posted by Karen on October 15, 2002 at 00:20:17:
Thanks, Karen.
One more HMO success story, eh?
Walt
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