I feel like a hypochondriac (TMI)

[Ellain]

Warning: the following post contains mildly graphic material of a feminine nature. You have been warned.

So, many of you know that I am pregnant. Everything concerning the baby is fine. However, I cannot seem to go a week without seeing the doc. The day before my second prenatal visit, just a bit over 3 weeks ago, I awoke to painful swelling in a very awkward place. I could barely sit. Luckily, part of the prenatal visit was a pelvic exam, and the doc said it was a swollen gland. She sent me home with instructions to take hot baths, use ice in between, and an antibiotic to take.

A week later, there was some fluctuation in size and discomfort, but it was by no means gone. She ordered more antibiotics, and told me to call back if there was no change in 5 days. Well, no change, so I called, and she wanted me to come back in. She examined the blob, and the thing was still rather large. 4 centimeters, to be precise.

She referred me to another doc, who saw me today. He decided it needed a minor surgery, which he was able to do pretty much right away. So, after applying a bunch of lidocaine, thank god, he sliced me open just inside my vagina and expressed the trapped fluids. It was like a giant pimple, took maybe 20 minutes. Have I grossed you out yet? On the plus side, he said there was no sign of infection. On the other hand, there was a lot of old blood, which makes him suspect I have endometriosis. *sigh*

When he was satisfied, he inserted a catheter, so that it could continue to drain over the next week or so, and sent me off. Well, a few hours ago, I had to use the toilet. The catheter fell out as I was sitting there (not straining in the least, mind you!) followed by a fairly decent flow of blood. I went into shock...

My darling husband was kind enough to run me to the hospital, as I kind of freaked out. The ER staff was really nice (and quick!) and by the time the doc came in, the bleeding had stopped.

So I'm home now, and fine, but I have to call and pester my doc again in the morning. This will make six calls and visits in the past three weeks, when I shouldn't have needed to see them again until late September. Argh.

[Draper Mel]

I dunno, that all seems pretty legit to me. God knows you're uncomfortable enough without feeling like you're sitting on an infected marble.

[PhiSigGirl1988]

Definitely not a hypochondriac. You actually have real stuff going on.

Side note, one of my friends was just diagnosed with endometriosis. Supposedly the early stages of it are cured by getting pregnant. Hopefully that is true for you, and I hope you feel better soon.

[hinakiba777]

This is definitely not you being a hypocondriac. It was a serious problem and it needed to be taken care of. Especially everything that happened after the surgery.

It is hard though figuring out how and when to get treated for something. There are plenty of times where I freak out over something the moment it happens, and once I see the doctor they tell me that it's nothing and will clear up in a couple of days to a week. Surely enough it does. Then other times, I think it's not important so I sit on it. When I finally consult with a doctor, it ends up being more serious than I thought. On one VERY memorable occassion, the doctor in question chastised me for not being to a doctor in the first week and a half I was sick saying "For all I know you were in your dorm room the whole time eating bonbons and watching soap operas."

My point is, that it's usually better to be safe than sorry. That is double true when you are pregnant, something that might only be a minor inconvience to you could end up being a serious stress on the baby.

[retailworker7]

I do not think you are being a hypochondriac either. You had no one of knowing that there was no infection until it was drained. I think you are taking good care of yourself by going to the doctor.

It sounds like this issue was causing you pain and it may not have been a good idea to keep trying to fix this issue at home. Those giant pimple looking things that require a doctor to drain them can get infected if left untreated. Someone I know ignored something like this because they were not in pain and wound up with a serious infection. You did the right thing by following up with your doctor.

[kansasgal]

No, not being a hypochondriac. You had a Bartholin's cyst, which (I am sad to say) is extremely painful (your analogy of the pimple is right on). I've had them in the past and it is NOT fun, I could not imagine having one when pregnant...

You have all of my sympathy.

[telecom_goddess]

No, not being a hypochondriac. You had a Bartholin's cyst, which (I am sad to say) is extremely painful (your analogy of the pimple is right on). I've had them in the past and it is NOT fun, I could not imagine having one when pregnant...

You have all of my sympathy.

oh me too ....I looked it up and it looks painful. Never had one myself thankfully and don't want it.

[Ellain]

No, not being a hypochondriac. You had a Bartholin's cyst, which (I am sad to say) is extremely painful (your analogy of the pimple is right on). I've had them in the past and it is NOT fun, I could not imagine having one when pregnant...

You have all of my sympathy.

Yep, that's it exactly! In the office, I could never quite make out what they had called it.

Thank you everyone, I just feel like I've been a pest recently! Hopefully it will heal up quickly and not return. *crosses fingers*

[Andara Bledin]

Yikes. That looks unpleasant, all right.

Warning for those who look that up on Wiki; they have a pic of one on the page; there is no way a pic of one of these will ever be SFW.

That thing would be uncomfortable at the best of times, and downright evil for one to show up while pregnant.

^-.-^

[Seshat]

I had an infected bartholin's once. Trust me: NOT HYPOCHONDRIA.

[Gizmo]

You are a lot calmer about all this than I would have been. *hugs*

[Seshat]

I decided to add something.

Hypochondria (and its related conditions) are just as worthy of medical treatment as any other medical illness. So even if you DO feel like a hypochondriac, go and see a doctor. Please.

A friend of my husband's is hypochondriac - as in, that's his primary diagnosis. His family doctor is especially careful with him, because it's all too easy to dismiss something genuine as 'oh, you're just being hypochondriac again'.
His family doctor searches for the objective signs of anything else that might need treatment - stuff like skin discolouration, or change in blood pressure, or anything that will mark the early signs of something serious.
And his psychiatrist and talking therapist help him manage the hypochondria.

Short form: don't let 'I feel like a hypochondriac' stop you from seeing a medical specialist. If noone else, see a pharmacist or nurse practitioner. Please.