[lp75]

I'm at the brink of a breakdown. I went back to work 2 weeks ago, and have had two plugged ducts and now this lingering mastitis. And this is despite a fairly flexible working/pumping schedule. I am so frustrated, discouraged, tired, sore etc that I would welcome a double mastectomy right now.<br><br>
I felt slightly sore under my arm on Monday (no lumps or anything) and within an hour came down with very severe flu symptoms (fever 103, aches, and trembling so severe I couldn't speak.) Ended up in the ER - they gave me tylenol then had to wait in the lounge curled up on a couch to be seen. Meanwhile my hubby got me in to see my own doctor instead. Finally got home 5 or 6 hours after it had begun, started antibiotics and did my best with feeding/pumping/hot packs. Rest? Ha!<br><br>
48 hours passed - flu symptoms gone but breast getting worse - redder, more swollen, tender. Talked to a lactation consultant and pediatrician who convinced me to switch my antibiotics from amoxicillan to dicloxacillan. (sp?) Read in a book that staph. aureus (often involved in mastitis) is resistant to amoxicillin. Great.<br><br>
Now it's been another 48 hours on the new drugs - just wondering when this is going to end. The redness has subsided mostly, but not completely. It hurts a lot to pump and I'm not yielding that much and my nipple and areola get huge and swollen after until nothing can be squeezed out anymore. I've tried hand expressing - more comfortable but takes a while and now my wrist is killing me. I can't take much more of this and I have to go to work tomorrow. I can't miss anymore. I can't risk losing my job on top of all this. And to complicate things my insurance has changed (mid mastitis) so I don't even know who my new doctor will be.<br><br>
Any advice - how long this should last - encouragement - recovery stories etc. welcome at this point...<br><br><img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/greensad.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="greensad"><br><br>
-Lisa

 

[samuelsmom]

<img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/hug.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="hug"> I wish I had some advice for you. Hang in there! I hope you are feeling better soon! <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/hug.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="hug">

 

[danna]

I'm on day 2 of my third case of mastitis. It's horrible, isn't it? It's good that you changed antibiotics. They usually start working within 48 hours. Just know that you will get through this and it doesn't have to be a deal breaker. Your body is dealing with change and unfortunately, when it comes to breastfeeding, some of us have a hard time with change. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/hug.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="hug">

 

[alisaparrent]

There has been some recent research that high doses of Vitamin A has been linked to relieving mastitis.<br><br>
So, this past week, when I came down with an infection/fever. I took 40,000 of Vitamin A and a double dose of Vitamin C.....lots of water and sleep. Within 24 hours fever was gone and pain was diminishing, within 72 hours all symptoms were gone!!<br><br>
I'm still nursing my 20month old twice a day, so I was concerned, but my midwife said these vitimins would not effect baby.<br><br>
It's worth a try. I'm not wild about antibiotics, so I wanted to avoid them at all costs. My midwife also told me that if symptoms did not start to get better that antibiotics would be needed, in case anyone wants to give it a try~

 

[cdahlgrd]

Have you tried massaging the lumps and taking ibuprophen to help ease the swelling? Those help me a ton. I had to manually push the lumps out and the ib. helped the swelling (and kept from re-plugging the ducts).<br><br>
Be gentle, youdon't want to hurt yourself, but find the lumps with your fingers and massage them toward the nipple. It really helps if you can massage while pumping with a good, hospital grade pump.<br><br>
Afterward, you may need to pump more often to prevent mastitis in the future. I have also heard thrush can contribute to it and that taking lecithin and flax oil everyday can help prevent plugged ducts.

 

[carmel23]

I had mastitis a few months ago and it was horrible so <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/hug.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="hug"><br><br>
First of all, you need to massage, massage, massage the breast and get the duct unplugged. Take a warm shower, and then use lotion or massage oil as to not damage the breast and massage from the armpit towards the nipple--and dig in gently--you need to really get the milk flowing...<br>
Drink lots of water--lots of fluids!<br><br>
The antibiotics are given to prevent infection, even when you have massive flu-like symptoms, your body is doing this to prevent infection, but you need to get the milk flowing to really get the mastitis over with...<br><br>
So, 1) warm compress, warm shower<br>
2) massage, massage, massage<br>
3) rest! you need to sleep and rest--so nurse, shower, massage and sleep...<br>
4) drink tons of fluids...<br>
5) eat healthy foods<br><br>
Hang in there!

 

[RachelGS]

I've dealt with terrible, chronic mastitis from a staph infection. Getting the right antibiotic made a big difference (after six months on and off the wrong ones). Clindamycin was what finally helped me. I have read everything I could possibly find, though, and when I feel mastitis brewing, I take at least 5000mg of Vitamin C and start homeopathic phytolacca. Keeping up high-dose vitamin C for a few days has been successful in knocking it out for me, which is saying a lot.