Very sore boob...Ouch

I have an appointment with my doctor tomorrow to find out what wrong with my very sore boob.

I havn't breastfeed DD for a month as I have returned to work. I am still producing milk in the sore boob but none in the other. My sore boob doesn't seem to be blocked as is leaks frequently. I try not to express as I don't want to produce more (well I do but I don't- stopping breastfeeding has been awful for me- whole other story) and I dont need to express as I am not producing a large amount- just enough for 'let down' when DD cries.

Anyway, I have developed a large lump in the tissue under the nipple and it HURTS! There is no obvious deformity of my boob other than it looking larger than the other but I can't apply any pressure to it so I have had afew sleepless nights because I keep rolling on it.

Anyway, its upsetting because I am trying to ignore the fact that I am not breastfeeding DD anymore and a sore leaky boob is making that impossible :cry:

Does this sound like a blocked ducts to you? Any suggestions?

TIA

Yes, it sounds like it might be a blocked duct or mastitis. Do you have any lumpy bits in your breast? When I get mastitis and blocked ducts, I get a red spot on my boob, which is hot, lumpy and sore to touch. I also get hugely high fevers and flu like symptoms, like headache, aches joints, lethargy, runny nose. Maybe try to massage it. A heat pack or cold pack can help too. I like to have a shower with the shower head on the sore spot and massage it. You can take paracetomol and ibuprofen (nurofen) to help with the pain. If it is mastitis and gets hold of you you will feel like you've been run over by an mack truck! I think expressing to get the milk moving would probably be a good idea, to try to prevent mastitis getting hold of you, it can make you very sick, it sounds to me (though I'm not any kind of professional!) that your breast is full. Hugs hun.

thankyou :)

Can you still have blocked ducts even though the milk is flowing freely?

ETA: Gosh- mastitis sounds awful!!!

Yes you can hun. It might just mean the milk is flowing from other ducts, not the one that is blocked. We have lots of ducts that provide themilk in our breasts, just because one is blocked, doesn't mean you won't get any milk.
And yes, masitis is horrid. If you have any of those other symptoms, go to the doctor as soon as you can and get a script for antibiotics.

It does sound a bit like a blocked duct. Do you have a white spot on your nipple? I had similar symptoms when DS was weaning. The LC I spoke to asked that question. I did have one. So I was told to try to squeeze the spot out (like squeezing a pimple). Very painful but it worked. When I was sueezing it, I could see the white spot coming out just like a pimple. Once it was out, the milk started spraying. Best feeling ever lol! You might have to feed or express a little to get some relief. Basically there are many ducts in the breast & even if one is blocked, the rest will still flow. The blocked one will continue to produce milk but with no release, it becomes hard & sore to touch. HTH