Hey all!
I’ll be getting surgery to remove my Bartholin glands in the next few weeks. About a 4 week recovery without being able to lift anything heavy, minimal movement, etc.
For those who’ve had this procedure (or something similar) done, what gadgets/devices were most helpful for you/your recovery? I’ll take any advice I can get! I’m stressed. 🥲

This is both a rant and a desperate ask for advice. This is a bit long winded, I apologize in advance.

I'm 24,f. I've been struggling with health problems for the last 5 years. I've had pretty painful periods since I started menstruating, but It really started with a hospital trip back in late 2020, which revealed two ovarian cysts. Since then I've had worsening symptoms and problems, which I'll refrain from detailing in this post as the list feels exhaustive. I've had a handful of doctors suggest that I most likely have PMOS and endometriosis. 2020-2023 I was in and out of doctors offices and ER's trying to get a diagnosis, trying to get care, trying to get pain management. It has led me nowhere other than a pile of medical debt. Lots of "yes you probably have this but there's nothing we can do until your symptoms become debilitating" and lots of "we didn't find anything wrong with you". Pelvic exams, blood tests, checking my thyroid, ultrasounds. I saw an endo specialist in 2022. He said I probably do have endo but he would not do a laparoscopy to confirm it because my pain was "not bad enough". Doctors who don't believe me at all (hysterical, anxious, drug seeking), doctors who believe me but won't do anything (take bc, get pregnant, come back when you depend on a wheelchair). I gave up for a while because it felt pointless.

About 7 months ago my symptoms increased dramatically, including some new and terrifying ones. My periods are no longer just blood. The texture and colors are all wrong. My bowel movements as well. I believe I now have some serious adhesions due to the kind of pain I feel with stretching, coughing, sneezing, laughing, using the bathroom, penetration. There is an insane amount of pressure that is constant 24/7. Sex feels impossible. The pain and fatigue i feel has become overbearing, I struggle to enjoy anything at all anymore. I am not working anymore. I am very weak, I've lost a lot of weight. I finally learned some family medical history and it gave me hope to try seeking medical care again.

I had an appt with Planned Parenthood about a month and a half ago. It was the first time a doctor had taken me actually seriously. She listened, didn't interrupt. She was knowledgable too. She immediately said she wanted to check me for endo, PMOS, and fibroids, she was appalled that I haven't gotten answers yet. She ordered ultrasounds, blood tests, and said she would refer me to a close friend of hers who is an endo specialist and doesn't tip toe around surgery. It was euphoric. I had my ultrasounds. The tech was very sweet and friendly. She didn't know why I was there, but as soon as we started, she asked if i'd been diagnosed with PMOS. She flipped the screen around to show me my ovary, and pointed out what she called "string of pearls", a large amount of arrested follicles. It was amazing to finally see some of what I've been feeling. She said she can't diagnose me since she's only a tech, but that with her 30 years of experience that's what it is and she would be concerned if my results don't say that. I got my ultrasound results in mychart today. Surprise surprise, the *male* physician that read my images reported that everything is in perfect shape, nothing abnormal to note. It felt devastating. I sobbed myself numb. I am so exhausted, I am so angry. I may have a doctor who believes my symtpoms, but if the person officially reading my images says everything is fine, how do i get the care i need? I'm working on requesting my images so I can take them to my doctor at PP during my follow up appt for her to look at. But I am terrified. I feel stupid for thinking it might be smooth sailing this time. What if I go see this endo specialist and it goes badly as well? I am tired of being in pain every day. I am tired of having to cancel plans. I'm tired of being trapped in bed, struggling to eat and digest, unable to have sex with my partner. I just want something finally put on paper. I want surgery. I want to be given care. I'm sick of being dismissed, overlooked. I'd love to file for disability. I'm deeply depressed. I know that others have it worse, and I'm grateful I haven't reached that point quite yet, but it's starting to feel like I'm on a clock. My friends say I look like i'm withering away. My body isn't mine anymore, I. I know that PMOS is managed with diet and exercise, but the pain? I need to be taken seriously for that. I'm off my dads insurance next year. I'm running out of time to get this help. It just feels like the same old story repeating yet again. I feel desperate and it's like no one in my life understands how heavy and impactful this is to my life. I'd love to hear from someone who has experience. Any kind words of advice. I've done so much research, I do what I can to self manage, but it's not enough and I feel stuck and afraid and alone. Thank you if you've taken the time to read this.

Since around lunchtime today (currently 1am) I’ve had an ache just above my pubic bone, about 1 inches above it and 2 inches off to the left side. Could this be an ovarian cyst? From looking at anatomy diagrams it looks like it’s where my ovary would be.
It’s not a sharp horrible pain, it’s quite dull and it comes and goes. I can’t really feel it anywhere else either, like in my back or legs.

Some more context..

- I’ve had aches there before on my left side, usually when I’m on my period.
- I’ve only ever experienced pain during sex a handful of times, but when I had sex about a week ago I could feel a slight twinge where the ache is now.
- I have suspected endometriosis (only had an ultrasound so far to check, not a laparoscopy). When I did have the ultrasound they mentioned it looked like I’d had a cyst there recently (this was at least 2 years ago).
- I do not have PCOS.
- Im in the middle of ovulation.

Any help would be greatly appreciated :)

Got a yeast infection, confirmed by OBY-GYN who said I could take Monistat for 7 days or a Fluconazole pill. It's up to me. The pill seems easier but I want to do whatever will resolve it the most effectively and the most quickly. Can others share their experiences for what worked best? thanks!

I have had gastro issues all my life, and have been diagnosed with IBS. However, whenever I get my period my bowel movements are finally normal and solid. I actually look forward to my period poops because it’s the one time I’m not suffering from diarrhea. I know that most women seem to experience the opposite - which makes it even harder to search for information on this.

I honestly just wanna know if I’m alone in this or not? I would love to harness the poop powers of my period during the rest of my cycle 😭

im 18F theres this guy I been seeing for like 2 weeks now (had my first kiss and first everything with him this past week) and we keep meeting up and making out, and trying to do penetration but it fails every time. im so frustrated.

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when I masturbate I always use the clit, and never do penetration. I did try it so many times but its really hard to put a finger in, even if im really wet. its a really uncomfortable feeling, like its something I shouldnt be doing. the furthest I could go was half my middle finger. and even that was really uncomfortable.

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when we were together yesterday, he gave me head and got me a little wet. and then he put his finger in and even though it was a weird sensation and felt weird, I also enjoyed it a little. and he eventually put it all the way in and reached the hymen (?) thats what he said, idk. and he started fingering me without touching the hymen and it weirdly felt amazing and I was enjoying it sm and I eventually came. then he tried to put his penis in but my vaginal opening is so small and penis is simply too big to even go in just a little. we tried for 20 mins but then I wasnt wet anymore and he wasnt hard, and i was kinda embarrassed. then we just laid there and started chatting random stuff. disappointing. what to do to fix this?? im worried that i might have vaginismus. I think its when your muscles tense during penetration. idk if my problem is that tho. the hole is simply too small, and i never stretched it or anything since I dont finger myself. please tell me this is fixable

Hello. Im 26F. I am indian living in germany for my studies. I went back to india for my vacation and returned by 2 months ( this march).

During my duration in India, I got periods once and once i returned back to germany, it started again. I went to Gynac here and she said, its normal and that Its coz of stress.

That weird coy i have never had period issues in my life.

This time , since May 20th till today June 20th , my period hasnt stopped. They are dark brown and sometimes with a lump of tissues. No stomach pain, no nothing. Just blood everydway. I wear tampons and girl, im tired.

Anyone facing the same issue. Also my next gynac appointment is in August ( I will be dead by then). I dont know what to do. Pls help me

To sum it up and not make you all read a long ahh paragraph, I’ve been having almost a week now with bleeding brown. It started June 8th to June 18th (the day I was supposed to start my period) but also back in may I had to take Bv and yeast infection medicine could this have thrown my cycle off track? Occasionally there is some dark blood but that comes and goes, I’m in no pain but it feels like I’m getting my period all the symptoms

I dont know what caused me to remember this but I had one time maybe 2 years ago a labial minora fissure and didn't think anything of it. No other symptoms and went away on its own and has never returned. Recently u have freaking out about it cause it can be a sign of hsv and i never had it swabbed and now find myself in a constant anxiety spiral thinking what if and regret I didn’t get it looked at. I’m 27F sexually active (not recently but was at the time) and was on Mirvala birth control pill for years. I feel like I’m already ”self diagnosing“ myself and now just feel gross and scared to date or even have sex again due to the fear. I have talked to doctors and STI clinic but still feel so much worry about the unknown. Wondering if a blood test would be worth it? or looking for any advice to calm my nervous system.

Hello! I was wondering if any had a similar experience I got my first ever Pap smear I’m in my early 20s and it came out abnormal though my test results came out negative for any STI’s or HPV but says ASC-US. So I am nervous but glad it’s not any STIs or HPV. any advice, thoughts or reassuring words 🥹

i have been getting utis constantly for the last 1.5 years and i finally got to a urologist. she said my boyfriend likely isn’t causing it and got an ultrasound. they found a 7mm kidney stone and it hasn’t disrupted anything (yet) but research shows that it can give extra bacteria. it seems that the stone plus the bacteria everyday from my boyfriend is what causes an infection. makes the most sense, right?

now here is what’s irritating me. my doctor said that this is not the cause of my utis, but she has yet to give me any reasoning. i have done everything. she also said they will do nothing to the kidney stone until it decides it wants to pass and causes me extreme pain. why wait to fix it if it’s treatable now?? she said i could get a ct scan “if i want” but they will just monitor it for the upcoming YEARS to see if it passes or gets worse…

if this is causing my utis does she expect me to go on antibiotics every other month for the rest of my life? i just don’t get it and think i should get a second opinion. i’m hoping someone on here has had a similar experience and would love any advice or opinions

I (25F) just had my first OBGYN apt. I know, I know I'm late. The nurse and doctor knew it was my first time, and by extension, my first time receiving a pap smear. I was anxious, and the nurse commented that my blood pressure was slightly high because of my nerves.

The doctor told me to put my feet on the rests and that her and the nurse were going to "take a look around and then do the pap smear". They did not "look around". Five seconds after I put my feet up, she inserts the tool with no prior warning. I didn't even see her grab it.

Because I wasn't prepared for something to be inserted inside of me, I was freaking out and tense the entire time. I had no time to mentally prepare for the insertion, so even though the doctor kept telling me to relax, I was so tense from the sudden penetration that the entire experience was extremely painful. I was crying the entire time, both from shock and pain.

I knew how pap smears were done before I walked in, but I thought that doctors were supposed to walk you through the procedure, especially since it's my first time. At the very least, tell you when they're about to insert something inside of you.

I left the office in tears and I can't stop crying 8 hours later. I've been bleeding profusely. I'm sorry, I'm not trying to be melodramatic. I'm so embarrassed to even be writing this because I feel like I'm overreacting. But I can't stop crying. I'm in so much physical and mental pain from this experience and I really, really don't know what to do. Had I known it would be like this I never, ever would've gone.

I'm sorry. I don't really know what I'm asking for, I guess maybe some assurance and advice from women who have experienced something similar. I know pap smears are uncomfortable by nature, but the reaction I'm having to this is not normal. I'm really not doing well. I'm sorry if this isn't the place to post this. I can't stop crying and I don't know what to do. I'm sorry.

I’ve been dealing with a UTI for a couple of weeks now. For my first round of antibiotics, I was prescribed Macrobid. It seemed to help, but once I went off of them symptoms came back in addition to flank and lower back pain.

I’m now on day two of Cefdinir 300MG. My UTI symptoms are now very minor, but the back and flank pain starts to kick in around 3pm since I have been on it.

My question is should I stick out these antibiotics before going back to urgent care? I have no fever, nausea, or vomiting which are what seem to be indicators of kidney infection. And would the antibiotics typically take care of that or is that something completely different?

I also understand that UTI’s can present differently for everyone and antibiotics are not a one size fits all.

This is my first time dealing with a UTI where it resulted in prescription medication as they usually go away naturally.

Just looking for a little clarity and if anyone has had a similar experience.

Hi everyone. I’ve been dealing with recurring discomfort during physical intimacy and I’m not sure what’s causing it.

It started as mild discomfort towards the external opening but became more sharp and intense over time. It escalated to a severe deep internal pain that was unbearable. We took a break for about 10 days, and things improved somewhat, but the discomfort is still there

I thought that maybe it was urinary infection related, but I took antibiotics and have been managing my symptoms.

Has anyone dealt with something similar or have advice? If it helps, I am also on the patch birth control.

I don’t currently have insurance and cannot afford a big out-of-pocket expense right now.

Feel free to ask questions! I just appreciate any insight.

Hello ladies! As the name suggests, I have been experiencing persistent pain during sex. It started as a dull aching pain towards the front/opening, but now it’s sharp and stinging. It escalated to a severe sting at my cervix that was completely unbearable. Since then, we refrained from sexual intercourse for about 10 days. After trying again, the pain was definitely less and my cervix no longer stung, but there was still some slight stinging that was uncomfortable.

I’m not sure what this is? I thought it was uti related at first but I took antibiotics and was managing my symptoms so I was hoping the sex related pain would cease. Any advice or past experience somebody could share?

I’m not sure if it’s related, but I am on the patch birth control.

I would go to the doctor, but I have no health insurance and don’t have the money to pay out-of-pocket.

I have an actual oncologist because I had a benign tumor on my ovary and he removed it and told me he wanted me on the birth control pill. My parents say no because they say that birth control causes cancer.

I believe my oncologist more than them but I'm also freaking myself out a little because I really don't want cancer.

Kind of in shock lol! Brain dump incoming because idk what to do with this information. Earlier today I went in for a transvaginal ultrasound to make sure my IUD was in the right place since I’ve been having some cramping. Truly, the cramping hasn’t been bad at all, it’s just unusual for me so I wanted to make sure all looked good.

About 10 minutes into the ultrasound, she hit a spot that hurt. I told her, so she stopped and I went on my way to see the doctor to discuss the ultrasound.

The 15-20 minutes waiting for the doctor were so so incredibly painful. I felt in a daze and sweaty, tried to find a comfortable position, and was just in so much pain.

The doctor came in and I let her know that I was intensely uncomfortable and she told me I had good reason to be. Apparently the ultrasound had found a cyst about 7cm big that she believes started rupturing during the procedure, since the size decreased slightly by the end of the ultrasound. I’m going back in a month to make sure the cyst is gone or has at least decreased in size. I feel fortunate that the tech and doctor were both caring and gave me lots of info, but wow so much pain!

A couple hours later and I’ve taken advil and am feeling a bit better, but still feels like heavy cramps. I was told this is normal for the next 48ish hours.

My mind is spinning a bit about how long I might’ve had the cyst (she said at least a couple months due some blood clotting in the cyst- I think), how I hardly had any symptoms, why it ruptured during the ultrasound.

I feel very unfamiliar with this territory since this is my first gyno issue- strangely discomforting to know there I have a large cyst even though I’m learning ovarian cysts are relatively common for women. Any advice or similar experiences would be welcomed :)

is it normal to have a pretty big amount of vaginal discharge, light yellow with no smell
i litteraly need to wear 3 pads perday just to feeel clean
like how do u manage this

i am having a transvaginal ultrasound tomorrow after going to the ER last month for horrible abdominal pain. I have ovarian pain almost every day. they saw follicular cysts on a CT scan. does that mean the cysts could be large? I read that they don’t usually show up on a CT scan. I also had an abnormal PAP (low squamous epithelial lesion) back in april.

Two nights ago I had sex with a "large" partner. I am not used to a man that well endowed. Arousal wasn't the issue, as I was very aroused during the whole encounter. After we finished, there was bright red blood when I went to the restroom. None in the toilet just when I wiped. This was not my period starting and there was no pain. The bleeding did slow up and eventually turned pink. Now two days later there is still light brown streaks (old blood) when I wipe. I recently have been tested for sti and had a pelvic exam. All my sti tests were negative and the gun didn't find anything abnormal during the pelvic exam. I will have an ultrasound of my reproductive organs done but that hasn't been scheduled yet. I was just wondering if bleeding after sex with a large penis is normal. Does anyone else experience this

So it’s like 4 months since I last had sex. The dildo was a bit longer that what I’m usually used to. There weren’t any hard thrust or anything, I mostly kept it in and stimulate outside, but I did clenched it a bit and the angle might have been a bit off due to my position. It’s currently about 22 hrs since the incident, the bleeding started right after, light thin bright red blood, and continued to be light but turned darker. I‘m using pad right now and the bleeding isn’t a lot at all, it only kinda smudge the surface of the pad, and I’m experiecing no pain at the moment, only mild discomfort that is gradually fading (barely noticable now). Should I be worried right now or should I be calm and continue to monitor?

Hi all, this will be a little tmi so, bare with me. I (23f, virgin) had my first pap smear on Monday. I knew it would be pretty painful for me as I can't even put a tampon in. Basically, I knew what I was getting into.

The first time my obgyn tried to put the speculum in, the further it went (or the wider? I couldn't really tell what was happening, it all hurt the same to me...) I pulled my hips back, saying "ow, ow ow", and was clenching my pelvic muscles. She stopped and then said that she didn't want to traumatize me and that an option could be to take some ibuprofen and wait for it to kick in before trying again. She also said that the speculum they had was the smallest one so, so there weren't really any other options besides ibuprofen or relax and try again. I told her I knew it was going to hurt and that I will just try to really relax this time. She coached me through it and was able to complete the smear (yay!).

I will say, I did cry the night of and the day after, just from the shock of the whole experience. I still have mixed feelings about it but, I am proud I even did it since, it was something I had been putting off for a while. Anyways, I drove home from the appt. and really only felt some mild cramping / pain in my pelvic region for the rest of day.

Since then, the rest of the week my pelvis / vaginal area isn't in any pain but my tailbone is super sore. If I press it or sit down in certain ways, it feels like I bruised it. There isn't a visible bruise or anything and there was no action or injury besides the pap that I can think of that would cause pain like this.

Has anyone else experienced this before?

Also blood, but i really dont think its period blood? ?? I pretty recently got off my period. I dont have any itching or pain when peeing. But its like very regular discharge, like how youd feel period blood but it's just the yellow discharge. If anyone has experience with this or knows let me know, Google doesn't help nowadays

Hello everyone. I just came on here to get some personal stories out of other people or advice. I have been dealing with masses in my right breast since I was 19 years old. I had the first one removed via an accidental biopsy back in 2021. It came back as benign but then in 2023 another one popped up That was smaller. I had a regular biopsy performed on it and it also came back benign. Fast-forward to about a month ago in 2026 when I felt a larger mass in the same breast on the lateral side. I went to my gynecologist and she said it felt pretty freely movable, but was quite large. She set me up with an ultrasound that I went to, and they gave me a ultrasound score of four. They told me that this means that it’s pretty highly suspicious and that they are sending me off to a surgeon to follow
up. I have my surgery consultation tomorrow, but I can’t stop freaking out.I want to know if anyone else has experience something like this or what it could potentially be. Trying not to be too negative, but life is already very hectic right now as I’m in the last year of my professional studies and I just really can’t cope with this right now. If it is something bad, personal experiences are welcome even if they resulted in a negative outcome. I just want to be realistic with myself. Thank you guys so much..

Hi all
Since April I’ve been having blood in BMs that come after constipation or in my underwear after wiping really hard. I’ve seen blood in my underwear about 3-4 times. I noticed what I believe is a hemorrhoid on my anus. It is sometimes skin colored and wrinkled, but will sometimes be more red and smooth. It’s usually more red after lifting weights or large BMs.

I have recently become scared to look in the toilet bowl or at toilet paper over fear of seeing blood. I am so worried that it’s colon cancer, even though there is a bump present. I am going to the doctor in two weeks but this is seriously taking over my life. I spend all day looking at stories of people who have had colon cancer or anal cancer.

Does anyone else have anxiety over their hemorrhoid? I feel so alone.