Nipple Vasospasm

Hi,

I've had an ongoing saga with pain & breastfeeding...

First in hospital it was just really sensitive nipples... the pain was so bad that i was stomping my foot on the floor and crying each feed...

Then at 2 weeks DS got thrush and then i got it, and so i had incredible burning pain after each feed (not to mention incredibly painful nipples etc).. Took panadal after each feed, and 3 weeks later (after 5 course of Diflucan, Daktarin Gel, Nilstatin cream, asadopolisis (sp?) powder) I finally got rid of it

Now that the thrush (and the swollen, red, subnurt nipples) was gone i finally got to have a good look at how my nipples were... They had big cracks in them that i couldn't heal (tried Lansolin but didn't help), and they would get really erect and swollen about .5hr (no pain during a feed though) after a feed and feel like burning hot (but a different burning pain to the thrush, which was like radiating up my breast and this was just in my nipples), and they would go all white at the ends..


Anyway, went to my dermatologist last week about my hands, and also mentioned that i wasn't sure if i had ecezma ion my nipples, as i did have it when i was pregnant, and 2 weeks ago tried my ecezma cream on my nipples after a feed and it helped with the pain etc, but didn't mention the white nipples as i forgot.. She had a look ad said i had eczma on my nipples and to put cream on after each feed, and to use nipples shields

Later that day i also had an appointment with a GP who is also a lactation consultant, who spent like 1.5hrs with my going through everything... She said i might have a tiny bit of eczma, but she didn't think that was the real problem (and not to use nipples shields as they are a lot of problems and i don't have pain during a feed but afterwards) - but she wasn't sure as they weren't itchy etc and didn't seem to be the classic kind of nipple eczma

She did say i had nipple vasospasm though, and had put me on vitamins (EPO & Magnesium/Calcium supplements), to try and see it that helpds.. I've looked it up on the internet, and it seems to make more sense that this is what is causing the pain, and things like heat packs etc after each feed are helping...

Has anyone else had this and has some advice about what i can do... And how long did it take to clear up?? Do you get it with every child??

I don't know why i ended up with this as i don't seem to have circulation problems in general, but she did say it can be from after nipple trauma and healing, which i think happened during my first lot of pain when i started breastfeeding, which was when i got these huge cracks on each side etc..

I've had to take painkillers at least once a day since i had DS, and i'm just sick of being in pain all the time, and i'm sure this can't be good for my body either to take so much panadol...

I don't want to give up breastfeeding, but its very draining constantly being in pain (it starts 1/2 hr after eahc feed and lasts for about 1 hr) - so if anyone else who has had this can give my some hope it will clear up, it would be much appreciated!!!

Yael :)

I will have alook through my ABA booklets to see what it says about managment of Vasospasm and get back to you :). I just did a quick look in my Breastfeeding managment book but it just explains what it is but not much else. The one thing that comes to mind is it responds well to warmth...
I will be back

ETA, Just had a second look, It says that vasospasm responds to warmth (like I said) and also Vasodilators such as Nifedipine. I have no idea what that is but I would go back to your GP (the one who is a LC, by the way thats great you have a gp who is a LC!!) and ask her about it.

Hi Yael,
I've also had vasospasm. It wasn't as bad as yours, but a friend in mums group did have it as bad as you> She used a heat pack b4 and after every feed.
I tried to keep my nipples warm with breastpads and jumpers. But what really cleared it up was taking evening primrose oil twice a day> My lactaction consultant recommended it. I took it for about 3 months and then it all cleared up. That was about 7 months ago now and its just started to come back a little. Not painful, but if it does I'll start up the primrose tablets again, they worked really well. You can get the tablets at the supermarket.
There's a female doctor is Shepparton who is a specialist on vasospasm, unfortunately as mine cleared up I threw out her number. But call the Echuca Regional Hospital and ask for Lesley (the lactation consultant) and she can give you the info and the doctors number.
Hope this helps,
Hayley