Help. What could this be? Sensitive question.

[KSH]

OK, I don't know who else can help me on this one, except for you ladies.

All right, when I ride I put on body glide and butt butter. But I still seem to get a lot of irritation in between my legs.

When I'm done riding, the area when my leg bends (hard to explain), it so sore I can't even wear panties. It's right along that line between the crotch and the legs that I get really sore.

So now I have this bump in that area. It's raised and painful. Maybe an ingrown hair? But I make sure not to shave that area because I've had that issue before. It hurts to wear underwear (other than a thong that doesn't cover that area)... and hurts to sit. It's really going to hurt to get back in the saddle.

I had a similar issue like this last year, and I went to a dermatologist. He just looked it from far away and said it could be a cyst and I would just have to wait it out. Ugh. He made me feel so yucky when he barely looked at it, that I don't want to go back to a Dr.

All I know is that it hurts and it needs to be gone. I don't know how to get rid of it either.

I also don't know how to prevent it either apparently, because it's back even though I slather on stuff down there.

Finally... I haven't changed saddles or cycling shorts. Everything is the same as it's always been. And honestly, the pain between my legs is worse this year than last year. And it's the same saddle.

[mimitabby]

go to a doctor you know and trust (geez what a rotten experience you had!) I had a strange thing in my private area and MY doctor made me feel VERY comfortable about it. Do you have a woman ob-gen or GP?

[Starfish]

Finally... I haven't changed saddles or cycling shorts. Everything is the same as it's always been. And honestly, the pain between my legs is worse this year than last year. And it's the same saddle.

I know that others will have more to say about this...but my two thoughts right off the bat are:

1) If you have been using the saddle for quite awhile, I wonder if the support has compacted or broken down, and maybe you are getting more pressure on this area than you used to, because of it? (Maybe the foam has compressed, and you have sunk down on the saddle?)

2) You always deserve a doctor who takes you very seriously. Don't rule them all out...but, it is sometimes possible to have the doc call you for a minute or two before the appointment (or you can ask to talk to his nurse or PA), and make it very clear that you know this might be a small thing, but you've had a bad experience, and you need to know you will be examined well and given the time of day.

Good luck!

[KSH]

Thanks ladies.

Yea, the determatologist I went to was a complete a-hole. He was rude to me at the end of the appointment as well.

I have an OBGYN that I'm going to call and make an appointment. I just don't know if she will know what to do with this kind of problem. It's just hard when I go see Dr's that know NOTHING about riding a bike for 4 hours at a time. They don't understand what happens to a body when you sit on a saddle that long.

I really think this one is a cyst and not an ingrown hair. It's more raised and puffy looking. It also looks bruised and is slightly black. But I think that happened when I went down yesterday due to the wind blowing me off my bike.

[Pax]

Just for comfort until you get in to see your doc you could try some hot compresses. I had a cyst on the inside of my upper last summer and using those compresses felt wonderful.

[sundial]

And maybe a sitz bath might help relieve the pain. You can purchase one at a drug store or medical supply store. I hope your gyne can help. It's no fun having issues early in the cycling season.

[Blueberry]

KSH -

That sucks that you had such a bad experience. I had a similar problem, and received very kind treatment from an ObGyn. She was very athletic, so she "got it." I may be in the minority here, but when I've had discrete bumps, I've used acne medication on them. It stings for a second, but it pulls a lot of the inflammation out, and they generally heal on their own. Otherwise, I say see the doc you're comfortable with, and if she can't help, ask her for a referral with an explanation of your last experience.

CA

[Grog]

Here are three treads that I found possibly helpful:

http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showt...ight=bartholin

http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showt...ight=bartholin

http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showt...ight=bartholin

http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showt...ight=bartholin

The word "bartholin" is highlighted in the threads not because I think that's what you have but because I knew I would find the threads by looking for this words. It's a common part of the differential diagnosis....

Good luck in finding a proper doctor. There must be a doctor-athlete somewhere in your neck of Texas, I would not believe otherwise.

Hang in there...

[KSH]

Hey Grog! Thanks so much!

I could relate to a lot of those posts. Seems like the area when I have this, is a very common area.

Mine is more like a blister.

I have an appointment on Wed with my Obgyn. Hopefully she can look at it and tell what it is. It needs to get fixed.

I'll also be looking into the Dr. Scholl's gel corn pads to cover it up with. Sounded like a great way to provide some comfort when having to sit down or ride a bike.

[ttaylor508]

I get a similar sounding bump (very painful) every once in a while in the same area. I think mine is a small cyst type thing (technical term) and it usually goes away on its own although it takes some time. I did show my gynecologist and she said a hot compress would help ease the pain. Mine show up for no reason either. I luckily haven't had one in about a year. Probably going to your gynecologist is the best bet for an answer although there may not be a treatment other than time to let it heal.

That must have been some wind that blew you off your bike!!!

[KSH]

I get a similar sounding bump (very painful) every once in a while in the same area. I think mine is a small cyst type thing (technical term) and it usually goes away on its own although it takes some time. I did show my gynecologist and she said a hot compress would help ease the pain. Mine show up for no reason either. I luckily haven't had one in about a year. Probably going to your gynecologist is the best bet for an answer although there may not be a treatment other than time to let it heal.

That must have been some wind that blew you off your bike!!!

Thanks! I hope it can get fixed up soon.

The winds were gusting up to 45 mph! And they were whipping around a high rise building, which created a wind tunnel effect. Scary stuff!

[redrhodie]

I had the same thing, which I think is a hematoma. Your saddle may be too wide in the nose.

[KSH]

I had the same thing, which I think is a hematoma. Your saddle may be too wide in the nose.

See, I was wondering that. Because I only get irritation on the sides of my legs where the fold is.

I'm not sure how much skinner I can get on the saddle/nose though. I'm already on a men's saddle that is pretty narrow.

I'll do some research on what a hematoma is.

[Grog]

A hematoma, plainly, is a bruise...

A few tiny (or bigger) blood vessels break, and a little (or a lot) of blood pools, creating a red/blue/purple/turning to ugly browns and yellow with time bruise. Anyone who's taken a fall, or had a brother, knows what it's like...

I'm not sure but in my experience (extensive with bruises, less so with cysts thankfully) they look quite different. But because you said it was bruised and slightly black I wouldn't rule it out...

[redrhodie]

I just re-read your post, and maybe you're ready for new shorts? I read somewhere that they wear out in 6 months !

I thought mine was a cyst, but it was more like a bloodblister. It hurt to the touch, and got better with time off the bike, then would come back with each and every ride. Ouch. The little bump was always there since I never took that much time off. It had color, same as yours. It's gone now. I got a new saddle, and that's really helped.