Questions for the ladies--Bartholin Gland Abscess/Cyst

I have what I believe is a Bartholin Gland Abscess--a painful lump right near the vagina opening--kind of in the perineum region.  I've had this before, but never been treated for it.  It's pretty painful, but typically goes away on it's own after a week or so.  I've wondered if this is an "abscess" of some sort that is related to Crohn's or if anyone here with Crohn's has ever experienced this.  Just looking for treatment options etc..

I would call your GI for direction...be careful if you need surgery in that area and only use a C/R surgeon.

I know other Crohnies who have had problems like that. Sorry I don't have specifics or first hand info on it but don't let it go without treatment. If you've experienced this problem before don't mess around with it!

So, I keep getting these and it tends to be right around my period usually. I've never had treatment--they are painful and sore for about 3-4 days and then the swelling goes down and I'm good to go. I don't necessarily notice any draining, although it could be part of my period and I just don't notice any difference. Sorry to be so graphic. Just wondering if I should leave it alone or seek treatment.

Thanks!

BTW--I love this board! You guys are awesome.

aronk, now that you mention it, mine was right before my period. I remember the night the pain let up, my period started. Also, I hadn't been diagnosed with crohn's yet, but was already symptomatic. Sounds like there's got to be a crohn's/cyst/period connection going on.

Are you sure it's Bartholin? Reason I ask is that vaginal/perianal bumps are one of my Crohns manifestations. First time I got one, it appeared to be like a boil in that region. Saw my PCP (long before Crohns dx) who sent me to a GYN to lance it, thinking it was Bartholin.

GYN took one look at it and said it wasn't that at all and since I was having other issues, she was hesitant to lance it.

It went away on it's own.

Since then, I get them anytime my disease is flaring in all diffent spots in that "area" - sometimes internal, sometimes not. Some are HUGE and hurt like hell, some are smaller, hurt/itch a little.

Actually, "they" were the first sign my disease was active after my surgery.

GI said he hasn't really had any other Crohnies with this particular symptom but after years of treating me, he and I 100% agree it's simply a manifestation of the disease.

Getting my disease into remission is the only time I get a break from them.

Thank you all so much for your replies!!!!  To Aimee--No--I'm not absolutely sure it is a Bartholin Cyst.  It very well could be a Crohn's manifestation like you mentioned.  I've had them several times before but never attributed it to anything specific. I do feel like I might be on the verge of a flare.  I've been having night sweats several times a week and have some other vague symptoms.  I'm having a colonoscopy on Jan. 5, so I guess I'll learn more then. I'm being a terrible, terrible patient by not calling my GI now.  UGH!!

 

I do think it's interesting that so many of you have experiences these cysts before.  I didn't realize it was that common.

 

Angela

My ob/gyn misdiagnosised a fistula as a bartholin cyst.  He opened it up and drained it, and it then continued to drain for a couple of months.  I was passing gas through it and all those lovely fistula things.  It also could be seen when i was scoped.  Be careful with the night sweats and other symtoms you are having indicating it could be more than just a cyst.

hmmmm, that does sound very suspicious. To comfort you, I am not messed up down there. Everything healed up really well within a few months...and it all works the same as before. :) Can you take flagyl? If so, I would ask my gi for some. I was on 1000 mg 4 times a day when I had my fistula.

I did not have surgery. I was on imuran and started remicade right after we figured out it was a fistula, and was on 1000 mg of flagyl. That combo closed it. I believe the flagyl played a big part in it because I am still on the remicade and have had a few fistulas since then and I immediately start flagyl and they have all closed up. When I was on the 1000 mg 4 times a day, I took it exactly every 6 hours and that meant getting up in the middle of the night, so there was a continuous amount of med. in my body. I always took it with food, and a half of a peanut butter sandwhich worked really well for me to help with the nauseous. Hopefully it will help you!

Hi,

I had something last month where my primary and gi docs couldn't tell for sure whether it was a Bartholin's cyst or an IBD related thing. I went to a gynecologist, and she said it was a good call for them not to diagnose as Bartholin's. She could tell by going inside my vagina for an exam; I think the Bartholin's cysts go very deep and what I had was more superficial -- didn't feel the same way from inside. She said it was probably IBD related. I was also having boils on my butt and hip at the time, and when they were biopsied, got diagnosed with cutaneous Crohn's, and the labial thing was part of that, I presume.

It was really painful until it ruptured on its own. Took several days to drain, and it's fine now.

The gyn doc said to (sorry this is gross) "milk it" in the bath to get the fluid out faster, but the nurse practitioner for my gi doc said absolutely not to do that for Cutaneous Crohn's.

Hope you get some relief soon.

Hey Aronk,

about a year ago my gyn diagnosed me with a Bartholin Cyst, but it turned out to be a fistula as well. It's apparently a common misdiagnosis for people with Crohn's. In reality, Bartholin Cysts are very rare.
Try Flagyl if you can stomach it - it makes me cripplingly nauseous too, sadly, but my GI prescribed me anti-emetics and they helped somewhat. I found that general metronidazole makes me a lot less nauseous than the Flagyl brand, and some people find the opposite to be true, so that's worth a try. Also, different increments can make a difference, for example, if 500mg 2x a day is too much for you to stomach, consider asking your GI for 375mg 3x a day (or, 375 mg 2x and 250mg 1x, or whatever). You'd be consuming the same amount of the drug, but in more manageable portions. If the abscess responds to the Flagyl, then it's likely a fistula. It took me about a month to notice a difference, but that's really an issue of body chemistry. You also might want to consider Remicade, which works to eliminate and prevent fistulas.

It also might be a good idea to meet with a colorectal surgeon. They can typically do a like, 10 minute long, sedated and abbreviated scope through the colon/terminal ileum and spot a fistula pretty effectively from that perspective. You can also have the fistula surgically removed, but if you can solve the issue with Flagyl, I would recommend it. As much as they'll try to convince you it's a minor procedure, it's not! A year later and I'm still recovering (and I have a huge, nasty scar! There goes my aspirations of a career in ****ography! ;) )
Good luck!