Alone, mastitis, 3 kids, no help

[mom2happy]

I'm barely functioning right now. I am sweating and cold, have a fever, a splitting headache, and my whole body and boob are hurting so badly.

This caught up with me pretty fast and I thought it was another plugged duct that I am very experienced at resolving.

Not the case and now I am a pathetic pile.

DH has not been able to help at all because of work and also isn't the type to ask me if I need anything any way.

He is not good at caretaking and I honestly feel he is resentful if I am down for the count.

I am also emotional when I am sick and think he should be nice to me and atleast attempt to see if there is anything he can do instead of me having to ask. I have to ask for everything and it makes me feel like crap- so I barely ask for anything. I am barely even understanding what I'm typing right now. I guess I'm just venting about how bad I feel and how hard it is to be a mom sometimes.

Thank God for my 8 yr old DD. Yesterday she kept me hydrated and entertained the baby (with OUT me even asking!!)

In between the yelling matches and fights that she and my 6 yr old DS got into all day, she atleast tried to help.

When something like this happens it makes me WISH I could just be complaining about the never ending piles of laundry, cooking, cleaning, kid stuff.

[Ldavis24]

I didn't want to just read and not reply but I'm afraid I don't have much great advice other than to sympathize with you...

Although from what you describe, chills a fever and head ache are concerning. I'm not a huge fan of doctors but I would be heading to one because honestly it sounds like an infection that is affecting more than your breasts at this point. When I had a UTI that got out of control I ended up in the ER with chills, fever, headaches, excruciating pain. I was on IV antibiotics for 2 days because I let it go longer than I should have...

Take care of yourself mama and just something to think about, you aren't weak if you do go to a doctor!

[eli's mama]

this past winter I could have written your exact post.  I'm so sorry!  I know it stinks to have DH be kind a UAV at these times.  I'm lucky I had my in laws to lean on and the day that I was really bad i went to their house and laid on the couch.  I felt bad for another day after that but that was the worst of it.

I'm no dr. but I've had mastitis plenty.  What I usually do is take tons of vit C and a little motrin or whatever I have.  Use a heating pad on the breast that hurts like all day long.  Drink a lot of water and get lots of rest (as if that were possible).  Of course calling your dr is a good option too if you feel you need to.

[NZJMama]

hugs! Hope your feeling better soon. That sounds miserable.

[APToddlerMama]

That sounds awful :(.  I have had mastitis about 10 times and have had to go on antibiotics four of those times.  Have you seen your doctor yet?  Mastitis can get pretty out of control pretty fast so I'd watch closely, but you probably know that having 3 kids.  Hang in there mama... rest, water, vitamin c, and garlic helped me more often than not.   

[MSWmama]

Oh mama! That sounds terrible. I hope you are taking care of yourself and not letting things get too bad before you head to the doctor. Are your kids entertained by tv at all? IMHO, nothing wrong with an electronic babysitter on days like this...

[Ldavis24]

hmm the combo of fever/headache/chills and sweating is what concerns me the most.

From what I have read and talked to LLL folks is that the chills/headache are symptoms of a more severe case of mastitis and tend to get worse without treatment not better! Maybe someone can correct me but you might just be happier going to a doctor sooner than waiting and just feeling more miserable!

Good luck mama, I hope you are feeling better soon and your DH needs to learn a thing or too about treating his spouse when she is sick!

[mom2happy]

Update

I wound up calling my obgyn and telling my symptoms. She told me to come in and I told her I was too sick with 3 kids and just couldnt, so she called in a prescription for dicloxacillan.

Dh picked it up and brought it to me, but I wanted to wait it out and try more massage and hot compress, pumping, nursing....

I woke up 4 am yesterday feeling even worse so I just took the damn pill. I gave it my all and just couldn't do with out it. I am pretty upset that I have to put this $hit into my body, but I'm pretty sure this was going to put me into the hospital. I have to think of who is going to take care of the kids if I'm gone for days hooked up to an iv (probably getting worse crap put into me and possibly having to wean).

Any way, the fever is gone and my body isn't hurting as badly. My breast swelling went down a bit and now it feels like there are about 5 nut sized knots in it. I guess the infection spread to a bunch of ducts? I'm giving the baby serious probiotics while I'm on this stuff.

As far as DH goes... he is just a creep when I'm sick. If there werent so many other good things about him, I couldn't make it work.

Thanks for listening.

[Ldavis24]

I'm glad you are feeling a bit better.. I know we mdcers like to avoid meds but I agree you probably would have ended up in the hospital on iv antibiotics... no fun all around..feel better mama