Mastitis/Abscess

I am on day 2 of antibiotics for mastitis, its been pretty severe as it was left for several days as the dr didn't actually think it was mastitis. In that time a big mass has formed in the left side which i just can't massage out and it won't move when either boy feeds from it. Whereas the right side today feels almost back to normal, still a bit lumpy but hardly any pain. The left side, the mass is about the size of a 1/4 of an apple and feels like that, an odd shape, its all red there too. My flu-like symptoms have eased off though i still feel very weak and not too well. The LC thinks it could be an abscess... has anyone had one? what was it like? Theres not much i can do now coming up to the weekend but go back to the dr on monday.

How long did it take for your lumpiness to resolve it self? does it usually do so just from feeding and massage?

I got really lumpy & painful after a silly woman told me to start making sure I get both sides into DS at each feed. When I followed her advice I came close to mastitis coz he wasn't emptying one before he had the other one.
To get rid of the lumps I made sure DS's chin was pointed in the direction of the lump. Ithink that way the strongest part of their suck goes in that direction.
You could give that a go. It can be awkward (just think DS laying on the bed & me over the top of him trying to feed!)

If its an abcess they can drain it, or you could wait til it goes away by itself. DH had one a few years ago. I think it took about 12 - 18 months to go away completely.

Is the lump painful? My lumps were too painful to touch. DH's abcess wasn't painful.

HTH

Ohh hun you are having a tough time.

HUGS TO YOU :hug::hug:

Hope you feel better soon.

I know of people who have had absess drained.

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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.

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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.

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i would see the Gp again MummaB

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. :hug: I hope it goes away quickly for you :hug:

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

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.

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.

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.

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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?

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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.

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. :(

No it's not anything you have done. How are you this morning? any improvement. If not, off to the doctor.
Regards
Barb

Hope you feel better soon, hun. :hug: Good luck at the drs.

There was a slight reduction yesterday but i went to the dr anyway, she confirmed it could be the start of an abscess or will become one if it doesn't shift. She said to continue with the abs and massage, but if no improvement by tomorrow to get that u/s treatment. Today though its about half the size, and not very sore, so i'll see how i go tomorrow. Overall i'm feeling heaps better which is a relief.

What a relief. Hope it continues to settle for you.

So glad to hear you are feeling a bit better today matey xx

This is ridiculous.

I woke up this morning engorged, lumpy red boobs again, and feeling really ill. So back to the Dr and apparently the antibiotics which i'm still taking have not finished off this infection and the mastitis is back. So now i have to finish this course and start a course of stronger antibiotics as well, and if this doesn't help i have to go to hospital and have IV antibiotics.

I am so over this.

Oh MummaB

BIG :hug: so sorry your having a bad run. When i had mastitis i had to express during the night as bubs was seeping through. if i didnt i'd wake up engorged and lumpy and sore all over again. Are u doing night feeds????

Yep thats the crazy thing, my baby feeds about 2-3 hourly over night and my toddler has at least 1 feed sometime in the middle of the night, usually around 4am, then again at 6am - so i don't understand why this is happening to me.

oH HUN. i REALLY HOPE YOU COME GOOD REAL SOON :(

Sorry, didn't mean to yell - thats what you get when you let DH loose at your pc!

:hug: I hope you are over this stubborn bout of mastitis soon.

I never had a bout that wasn't beaten by a/bs, but then, you were given a bit of a run around at first, so maybe that's had an effect. BUT I did suffer from multiple bouts and I know that feeling of 'please no, not again!' all too well. Took us until my DD was 18 mths old b4 we had what is hopefully our last brush with it.

Hope things are better soon...

MummaB- WOW still feeding during the night. I'm all outa aideas hun... I really hope things clear up soon. Wish i could give u a BIG hug and a BIG bunch of flowers to make u feel better.

It's so frustrating, isn't it?

Did you try the ultrasound? I have found that really good for getting rid of lumps. The physio does the ultrasound, then I feed DS, then she does another round of ultrasound.

Some other things I have found helpful are:
* lecithin capsules (I am taking 6 a day at the moment)
* showering in the morning, rather than at night - and massaging out any lumps that have developed overnight
* ice packs on the lump after feeding
* making sure the boob is fully drained at each feed - even if I have to express after DS is done

Thanks, you ladies are lovely :)

I needed 3 sessions of u/s and the mass is almost gone. I'm symptom free of the mastitis but still many days to go of this 2nd mammoth course of anti-biotics i have to take. I'm hoping this is the last of it.

I'm so happy you are finally almost passed this! I really hope it stays away & everything is better in the future.
So they say that cabbage leaves work. Have you or anyone else tried?

Glad to hear things are getting better MummaB...

bjrose- cabbage leaves actually help dry the milk out. i wouldnt advise this unless you wanted to stop bf...