Mastitis/Abscess

[Je$$_84]

What Are the Usual Treatments for Mastitis?
Mastitis typically responds to antibiotic treatment within 24 hours. The drug of choice, dicloxacillin (Dycill), is taken orally, 500 mg every six hours for seven to 10 days. In women who are allergic to penicillin, alternatives include erythromycin (Ery-Tab) 500 mg every six hours or clindamycin (Cleocin) 300 mg every six hours. (Remember, however, that drug doses vary. Your doctor will determine the correct dosage for you.) Also, removing milk from your breast through continued breast-feeding or pumping helps the infection clear up quickly.

If your mastitis does not improve within 48 to 72 hours, you may have an abscess. In these cases, treatment is more aggressive. The abscess has to be lanced (by incision) and drained. This may require a trip to the emergency or operating room. You also need antibiotics. Depending on the severity of the infection, you may be given the antibiotics intravenously rather than orally.

If there has been inadequate treatment of mastitis, area may no longer be painful, Systemic symptoms may be absent. Area of the abscess may look discolored or bruised.The abscessed area has risen to the surface of the breast tissue and is indurated (hard) in the center. Has a soft, mushy spot in the center right before rupture.

And that this is considered a medical emergency.

i would see the Gp again MummaB

[MantaRay]

It actually makes me angry that GPs don't have better training in these things. Even the mw at the hossy sent me home with mastitis and told me that even though I had a red, sore breast, felt like I'd been hit by a bus and had woken up shivering in the night, that is mustn't be mastitis as the redness wasn't in the right place!

MummaB, it might be an idea to see a different GP or go to an emergency room over the weekend. If it is an absess it really needs to be treated. I hope it goes away quickly for you

[*Efjay*]

awww you poor bugger!
I second getting along to another GP. Do you have an after hours GP in the area? We have one that runs at the local hospital. Good for those non emergency but can't wait till monday times.

Work on getting DS1 to feed from that breast frequently & with his chin at the point of the lump. His chin will help massage the area during the feed. A hot compress on the lump before the feed & a cold one after with help drain & also relieve any inflammation in the breast.
A hot shower or bath massaging the lump towards the nipple.
Feed as frequently as you can & really work that breast.

Im sure this is all stuff you know already & are doing. But if you can't get to the GP over the weekend, keep up with your AB's & working that breast to try & shift it. Go bra less if you can & avoid anything outing pressure on that breast (thick of when your sleeping, are you on that side, your arm etc?)

Do you have any cracked nipples? Usually there needs to be an open wound for bacteria to get in & cause an infection resulting in infective mastitis & an abscess.

You can have non infective mastitis with out the wound. this is when the milk weeps into the surrounding breast tissue & causes the pain/lumps etc. but there is no infection as such.

hope your feeling better soon

[Barb Glare]

Hi,

Stay calm, rest, feed, rest, feed. this will be the time you were REALLY glad you had a breastfeeding toddler - get him onto the task of unblocking it. Take some neurofen or similar, put an icepack on it and keep taking the antibiotics.....and rest. Check how you are in the morning - if worse, go to the dr. If better, you might be on the mend.
If it is an abscess it may need to be aspirated with a fine needle. In worst cases it might need to be lanced. But, there is no doubt you will go on to breastfeed fine. Indeed it is the only thing you can do.

[Matryoshka]

Thanks ladies,

I've managed to get an appointment tomorrow morning. The ab's have made me feel heaps better, and the right breast is back to normal, no lumps, no pain. But the left one still has this mass which has not reduced in any way. Its on the upper left side of the breast and is about 1/4 of the size of the entire breast, so very big. I have tried getting the toddler on it differently but it doesn't seem to make any difference. I'm a bit worried about this now, i really hope it isn't an abcsess but its not looking good considering how bad my right breast was and how that has rectified itself with the ab's.

I was thinking as well, i wonder if wearing my baby in the carrier 18-20 hours a day pressed against my chest firmly has caused this? if not then i guess i am just having an unlucky run with this breastfeeding gig.

[~Debbie~]

actually - that thought crossed my mind breifly when i was talking to you, if carring DS2 in the carrier could cause an extra blockage, either from the straps, or from DS2 himself, because it might be preventing your breast from 'changing' as it needs through out the day.

[*Efjay*]

I was thinking as well, i wonder if wearing my baby in the carrier 18-20 hours a day pressed against my chest firmly has caused this?

ahhh Yeah, that will do it! I got mastitis from simply being in the car for a 20 minute drive with the seatbelt across my breast.

try to avoid such a long day in the carrier.

[Matryoshka]

I've been doing that for about 5 weeks now! unfortunately the only way he is not crying. I've stopped now though because apart from this its also done my back in.