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I have a painful cyst/abscess in the perianal, perivaginal area. At first, I was positive it was a Bartholin Cyst and went to my Gyno, who agreed. She gave me an antibiotic and told me to return if that didn't get rid of it. It seemed to be better for about 2 weeks after finishing the medication, but then all the sudden it came back, was larger and very painful. I went back, saw a different gyno at the same office, who said it's location might not actually be a Bartholin cyst, but just a regular cyst that has abscessed.

The location is odd, I can feel it at the edge of the vaginal opening, and the doctor could feel it inside, but it extends to the right, sort of up my butt check and back toward my anus. I'm worried that this might be an abscess my colo-rectal surgeon should be looking at rather than my gyno, like maybe it's coming from the pouch, or possibly could damage my pouch.

Despite medication to help reduce the size it's growing and it's becoming too painful to do anything but lay on my side. I have an appointment with my gyno to get it drained next week, but wonder if I should have the surgeon look at before I do anything. Thoughts?
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I have a simple perianal abscess that turned into a fistula, so I never needed gyne.

However, based on where yours is, I would keep gyne onboard (your GI would probably suggest that, too), but maybe see the GI as well *OR* see if your gyne would go ahead and get further tests to present to GI (such as an MRI; my fistula was dx via an MRI).

It's certainly not unusual for women on our site to get fistulas that run from the GI tract to the vagina, so it's certainly a possibility. Also, I know with perianal ones, either spontaneous draining or surgical draining will lead to a 50% chance of a fistula. I am one of the unlucky 50%.

Have you used sitz baths? Really really warm (almost hot) sitz baths with epsom salts may be soothing, and allow the cyst to drain on its own vs. having the physician drain it. I used a lot of them, too. It's what allowed mine to drain when it did... and boy what a relief it was when that happened!

Those types of abscesses are notoriously untouched by oral antibiotic therapy, too. I know my perianal abscess didn't budge when I took oral antibiotics.
ugh, i hope it's not another fistula. I had fistula repair surgery that actually completely healed the fistula earlier this year. That's the other reason I'm like EEP! because what if it has something to do with that surgery? (it's the same side)

I think I'm going to need to see my surgeon (I don't have a GI doc anymore. I hated all of them) and ask her what she thinks I should do. I haven't been able to do sitz baths as much as I want, because I've been moving recently and have almost no time to myself. I guess i need to make it. My gyno recommended them along with hot compresses.

thanks your response!
I have an appointment to see my surgeon tomorrow. She went ahead and put me on some antibiotics to try and calm it down as of Friday. She was adamant that next time anything goes wrong in with the nether regions that I come to her first. So now I know for the future. I'm hoping for a good outcome, I need a break with health issues this year.

Thanks for all the feedback!
Surgeon seems confused by it too. Internally she could feel it only through the vaginal opening, not the anus. Anus looks all healed from the fistula surgery with the analscope. She is keeping me on antibiotics for 2 more weeks (its shrunk significantly since i started them on Friday) so she's hopeful it will go away, if not then she'll send me for an MRI to see exactly where it is since it's not fistulous anywhere externally.

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