First, yes, I know all about Bartholin's gland cysts. When I was younger (around 20) I developed a soft lump in that area and asked my doctor about it. She said it was a Bartholin's gland cyst and it was nothing to worry about and it was extremely rare for them to get infected or rupture so there was no real reason to remove it. Okay. So a couple years later I saw an obgyn for the first time because I was having very irregular periods. It turned out that I have PCOS. While he was examining me he commented on the cyst and said it was very large and really should be removed because if it ruptured then that would be an emergency situation. I think he said this only because it was on the large side - a smaller one would not have been a concern.
I had the surgery done and it turned out that it was not a Bartholin's Gland cyst at all but a benign fatty tumour (a lipoma). It was quite large (about 7-10 cm diameter) and only part of it was pushing against the skin so it was visible there. The rest of it was sort of inside my pelvis. The surgery was very straightforward and quick, but wow was it painful to recover from! This is probably because of the nature of the lipoma surgery. It might have been easier if it had been a Bartholin's cyst, although the incision was the same - they didn't realize until they were actually there that it was not a cyst! There was so much swelling and bruising and it was difficult to walk for about a week+ Not trying to scare you, just sharing information!
About the diagnosis... I've had fairly major symptoms for the last 2 years, a very high positive ANA, I've seen several rheumatologists, a neurologist, a dermatologist, a vascular specialist, an eye doctor, an endocrinologist, and I still don't have a diagnosis other than UCTD. YES, I think you should see a rheumatologist. But unfortunately these diseases are often very hard to diagnose unless they immediately declare themselves in an obvious, dramatic, classic way. I can be very frustrated with all these specialists who shrug and just say "Yeah, something's wrong, but I can't treat you at this point." Doctors often say that with autoimmune diseases they basically treat symptoms rather than the disease itself so it does not matter what the label you put on it is. I know that's usually true, but I find that without a label you get a lot more grief trying to get good treatment and recognition that something serious is going on.
Personally, I am on an anti-reflux medication for my GERD and that's it. I tried something for my neuropathy and it did not work so I am now coming off of it. I also tried a Raynaud's med which did not work. Without a firm diagnosis or evidence of serious organ involvement I will not be put on any immunosuppressants like methotrexate or cellcept, which I understand and agree with, though my rheumatologist also does not think Plaquenil is warranted. Other people on here are on Plaqunil even without that firm diagnosis, or with UCTD as a diagnosis. UCTD *is* a real diagnosis, by the way, but it just feels like I'm in the autoimmune disease waiting room with this dx! Is it SjS or scleroderma, or some sort of overlap?
I know the anxiety and the feeling of not being taken seriously. It's really tough. You just have to try to approach things calmly and rationally, document any changes in your symptoms, and I really would try to find someone to refer you to a rheumatologist since they are the real specialists in this area. You'll probably spend a while in limbo - this is normal. Just try to get as healthy as you can on your own through improving your diet, exercising as much as you are able, and reducing stress. These are things that are within your control and now's the time to get serious about your own health and lifestyle. That's what I'm in the process of doing right now... starting to do yoga, learning to meditate, eating a lot more fruit and veggies, reducing sugar and dairy, and drinking lots of water. Those things really do make a difference in how I feel.
Sorry for rambling. Just thought it might help...
