This morning I got my 4th Bartholin's cyst to rupture without medical help. I've had my first 2 lanced and a word catheter placed, I was not doing that again! This time around it was the size of a large grape, not much pain so I'm assuming there was no infection. Here's what I did, I hope it helps someone who suffers from this dreadful affliction.

First, I tried Epsom Salt sitz baths, as many as I could fit in a day and as long as I could sit in that uncomfortable position (feet dangling over the side of the tub) along with Phoebe's method (calamine, tea tree and witch hazel). Did that for 2 days and didn't seem to help besides relieve some pain in the bath. So, I did some more research and found posts from women who've used silica complex and Goldenseal so I ran out and got those things. I couldn't find silica complex so I got Body Essential brand silica with calcium and Citrical plus magnesium. I also grabbed some Nature's Way Goldenseal root capsules. I bought some organic Chamomile tea bags as well. I took 6 capsules of silica and 2 Citrical tabs together 4 hours apart, between meals (do not take this on an empty stomach! You will throw up) Take it 3 times a day. I started using the tea tree oil and Goldenseal in sitz baths. A teaspoon of tea tree and opened 4 capsules of Goldenseal and sprinkled that in. Took 4 of those baths yesterday, as hot as I could stand, and made sure to splash water around the affected area to make sure it all got in there. Then took a chamomile tea bag and moistened it with water, added a couple drops of tea tree oil and some witch hazel on the bag. I pressed the tea bag against the lump, wore a pad to keep it in place. I then took one capsule of Goldenseal by mouth and went to bed with positive thoughts.

When I woke up this morning it had ruptured. I took a sitz bath immediately and gently squeezed out the rest of the gunk. It's still there, but very small and not painful. I will continue to take the silica and Citrical, but at the dosage on the label. I will also take at least one sitz bath with tea tree and goldenseal a day, as I think the sitz baths are what helped the most. I threw away my scented body wash and got a bar of unscented soap for sensitive skin. Hopefully that will fend off any more of these little devils.

To any women reading this that are suffering and on the brink of insanity, don't lose hope. Be vigilant with sitz baths and natural remedies. Use the "doctors" and their instruments of pain only as a last resort. Keep checking your temperature as a fever is a sign of infection. Good luck to all, I wish you well.