Bartholin’s Cyst

I developed a Bartholin’s Cyst three months after delivering my son. It was the size of a walnut. The doctor told me that the only way to get rid of it is by surgery: a procedure involving drainage of the affected gland using a catheter. I wasn’t ready for another one. Although I had a normal delivery, my obstetrician cut me wider because my baby was too big. I was also still traumatized by the Picotin induction and the epidural that followed during my labor. Did I mention they were excruciatingly painful? I asked my obstetritican if we could wait it out another week and let me think it over. So I went home and searched online, looking for other solution. I found none. What I did find were series of horror stories from people who had their cyst surgically removed. I was mortified. I don’t know about you, but I enjoy sex and if the surgery is to take away that pleasure, I won’t do it.

The following week, I told my doctor I want to try a homeopathic approach to the cyst. She didn’t seem very happy with the decision but it’s my body, my will. That was the last time I went to see her.

So what is a Bartholin’s Cyst? It’s basically a blocked gland (within the labia from which vaginal fluid flows) causing fluid and bacteria to collect there until it inflame and becomes painful. The lack of fluid makes your vagina dry and uncomfortable. Luckily I spotted my cyst before it got worse. The first week after spotting it, I took an anti-bacterial cap (cloxacillin) twice a day. My obstetrician assured me it’s safe for breastfeeding moms and sure enough, my son didn’t get any diarrhea. With the medication, my cyst’ inflammation died down and shrunk a little bit, but was still huge. Taking a cue from advice online,  I started taking Sitz Baths every morning and evening. Sitz Baths are daily submerging the lower part of your body in a bath tub filled with 1/3rd full of hot water and a bit of crystal salt. You sit in it for about ten to fifteen minutes. I make it as hot as I can tolerate. Five weeks later, it had shrunken half its original size. Yellow pus like fluid would stream out and I knew it was working.

But it only worked for so long and I got tired of preparing the bath tub twice a day so I decided to stop it for a week.

Then I did something that my doctor specifically told me not to do: exercise. I did planking for 10 days and you know what? It helped the cyst shrink even faster, squeezing out all those fluid stuck in there. I was so happy I continued, changing routines each time. This just proves that doctors don’t know everything. Fourth month since I discovered my cyst and it’s safe to say that it’s gone. I didn’t even need surgery. All I needed was persistence, research and exercise. And the key note here is to spot it early. So, check yourself every morning. It helps to spot things early on. Saves you time and money. Not to mention, less scars.

So, how did I get the cyst? I am guessing it was from all the walking, sitting down on hard surfaces and wearing tight shorts and jeans when my cut from the labor was still sore. I should never have done that. I was supposed to sit still and lay down until I heal, but my beau could only stay in the country for 2 weeks and we needed that time to prepare our son’s papers for the National Registry of two nation.  I’ll talk about that in another entry.