Hey guys,
I have a big lump inside my vagina, I'm having a lot of back and womb pain. My left leg is also swollen. The lump itself is rock hard at the bottom and covered by what feels like a water balloon. I've had a Bartolin's cyst before but this feels nothing like it! I've just gone through the menopause and I haven't had any bleeding, just awful bloating, running to the loo and th awful pain! I've realised I've had this lump for years, I never paid it much notice as I thought it was part off my anatomy it was so hard! I had been having pain after sex and feeling sick but I ve so many other ailments it didn't register (I had a 3cm benign lump removed from my thyroid in Nov). I've booked with my gp for next week but I'm really worried...hoping it will be a cyst or maybe prolapse. Apologies for asking but what did everyone's lump feel like? This feels weird, there's at least 2cm thickness of rock hardness running the whole length of my vaginal wall, then the whole thing is enclosed in a massive watery balloon.
Oh Jayda I can so much identify with your description! 
That was like me on so many occasions when undergoing radiotherapy!
Lots of positives to take from your appointment which is a great start- nowto gear up for the next appointment. While you’re waiting, I’d definitely follow the advice you’ve given yourself there-no Google, and try to reduce your worry level as it’s unsustainable and exhausting. I’m not saying I don’t worry about stuff, because I do, but I’ve learnt that it saps your energy for no purpose, so if I start to worry I do something to distract myself, and remember that I can’t change anything by the power of worry.
I was shaking with fear and in tears on my last hospital admission when they told me I needed a CT scan. A middle aged woman, still in her fluffy slippers with my ptsd(which relates specifically to scans) quivering in a wheelchair refusing to go. It took a while to talk me down from that and be persuaded. It was fear and worry of what it might find and of course the biggest fear that my cancer was back.
When the nurse came to my cubicle later to say it was gallstones and a blocked duct I could have hugged her, so I understand the relief of being told something which is not your greatest fear.
Rest up now, and look after yourself. The gynae appointment should mean you get a physical examination and move on from there, and I hope your next instalment gives you good results.
Sarah xx
I have got to get some fluffy slippers!! Jeez I don't blame you with the scans after all you've been through. I'm the opposite, I'm all chirpy when I get there (Poor nurse's!!) 'You want to stick what, where? No problem go right ahead!! , Lovely weather isn't it!' It's the waiting and afterwards that get's me!! Soo the next stressed af instalment has begun, I've noticed my left side and above my belly button looks swollen, I've had pain there forever, just can't tell if it is fibro or something else! Now the dilemma is whether it's just new belly flub or actually something else. I kid you not, I had to bring my wife in for an expert evaluation and we're still undecided but left side defo looks a bit bigger, wife thinks maybe a hernia or too much pizza. I was on Gabapentin for a few years and my poor body never recovered, I went from cute chubbiness to massive in what felt like hrs!!! Anyhow I'm not sure what to do...don't want to freak over everything but equally I want to be on the ball! Plus a hosp ref has arrived for physio, the physio I saw for my foot which has a cyst in it was joined with my gp surgery...nobody told me I was being referred to the hosp one...wonder was it my dr when she saw it was a cyst. It could even be an appointment I've been waiting on from years ago for the fibro, that I've just forgot about..don't know but I am freaked!! xx
I think we’re in a kind of heightened state of awareness when we think there’s something wrong and then we start seeing all sorts of things as our minds run riot!
Depends when you get your gynae appointment-my experience of them is that they love a poke about of tummies and groin areas, in addition to poking about inside, so I’d be telling the gynae about the pain and seeing what they think. Since you’re already referred, I’m not sure there is much value in going to your gp, but up to you. I’m very conscious of developing a hernia-there’s a real risk of that with a stoma, and I’ve got 2 so potentially double risk. My excuse not to carry baskets of washing up and downstairs!
All these appointments! Maybe it’s just that there’s a sooner appointment available with the hospital physio than the one connected with the gp practice, but I’d take it-it’s usually a long wait for a physio slot so I’d go and see if they can help.
A lovely day here and I have accomplished nothing except drinking coffee and feeding cats. Looking forward to a calm weekend and hopefully some sun!
Sarah xx
Lol that sounds like the best accomplishments!! Coffee and cats!!
I have 8 would you believe?! Actually 9 if you count Kevin the stray who visits!! Had a bit of a rescue going on but think that many is more than enough now!! I'm just going to have to wait and see aren't I !! Goddamn it lol..hurry up Gynae appointment! Xx
We have 3, but our record at one time was 11- we’re suckers for ferals no-one wants and rescuing other kitties who get dumped. We’ve had 30 all told over the last 12 years! We had a very fertile one we thought was a boy so called “him” Boris. Turned out not to be a boy when she gave birth on the settee! Shen then became Alannis Borisette!
The waiting is just the worst part of the whole process of getting to a diagnosis. Every day drags…and then if you need any treatment it’s more waiting. It’s horrible! I’ve never got used to it despite how long I’ve been at this. I’ll be willing your gynae appointment to be soon!
Sarah xx
Lol! That's life with cats never dull! I've just rescued two mice, if my neighbours don't think I'm nuts they do now, been out in the garden yelling 'Don't you dare eat it, it's just a baby!!' Still no appointment for gynae, which I'm taking as a good sign. Not sure whether to go back to doc or what. I'm feeling really wore out with this pelvic and back pain just don't understand what could be causing it so to speak. I'm in bed most off the day now which I know won't be helping, I just feel so ill. Appetite not great either! I've promised myself I'll get up and about tomorrow!! xx
Oh Jayda I’m sorry to read how much you are struggling with pain. I think you should go back to the doctor both to say how bad the pain is and try to get something to help, and to push for the appointment. I personally don’t think it’s a good sign not to have an appointment yet, so you need to speak up. Sometimes you fall through the cracks in the system and referrals and appointments get missed.
The fact that you are in bed most of the day is a real concern and you need to push for help.
Sarah xx
Hi Jayda
How are you doing? Did you go back to the gp? Just concerned how you were feeling last time we spoke and wondered if you had made any progress? Hope your’re feeling a bit better.
Sarah xx
Hi Jayda
The wedding is on Saturday so heading to Scotland on Friday-exciting times!
I don’t think a gp necessarily has the expertise to know what everything is just by seeing a lump or whatever, hence the need to be referred to a specialist. I’ve fallen through the cracks in the system myself, so I know it can happen and appointments sometimes don’t get arranged.
I phone and chase things myself now-I did discover in February when I was last ill that no follow up appointment had been made after my hospital stay, and I only found that out because I phoned up to see why I hadn’t heard anything. It had been missed, and that was despite the fact that I had been told in hospital that my situation was very serious and required a follow up in 6 weeks.
So sometimes you do need to be proactive and not assume that everything’s in hand. I’d phone to check the referral has been made and ask for a probable timescale to be seen. I’d also say again about pain levels and having to be in bed.
Is your thyroid level being checked at the gp? Is so, I’d speak up then!
Sarah xx
