[4Marmalade]

I've been b/f for the past almost 4 years and dealt with plugged ducts using lots of nursing and massage. Yesterday morning I felt a plugged duct and have been nursing and massaging ever since. It is even worse this morning. It's about a 3" diameter area, very lumpy and hard. It is red but I'm not sure if that's due to the extra massaging and warm compresses.

I've been checking my temperature and while it's high for me (it's reading 98-99 but I'm usually 95-96) it's not technically a "fever". My stomach is a bit off but I'm still eating and drinking. I also have a slight headache and my skin has that extra sensitive feeling that I usually get when I'm sick. I've been trying to take it easy but easier said than done with a 15 month old and 3-1/2 year old.

I did call and make a doctor's appointment for late this afternoon. Would you start taking the antibiotics even though it doesn't seem like a full-blown case of mastitis? Is there still a chance that I can get this taken care of myself? I want to get the prescription as we're going away for the weekend and don't want to get stuck in an out-of-town ER this weekend.

 

[velcromom]

Personally, I'd probably go in and fill the prescription (and stock up on probiotics too!!) simply because you are heading into the weekend & especially cuz you'll be away. If things improve you can toss the pills, but if they worsen it won't end up ruining your weekend.

 

[schatz]

get some fresh garlic! chop up a clove 4-5 times per day and swallow the pieces like tablets. You'll smell like italian food but it worked like a charm for me. I had a large red area a few months ago, couldn't feel a distinct lump but definitely felt like a plug with mastitis. I read about the garlic on kellymom, got some, and the next day I felt much better. I continued the garlic for an extra day to be sure.

Getting the abx script might be good because of the weekend like velcromom said but I would wait to fill it until you really feel sick. I had mastitis one other time and ended up with a red streak down my arm - yes, I took abx for that one. I think it came on me so quickly that time because my system was so out of whack with a yeast overgrowth that I didn't know about.

 

[4Marmalade]

Thank you to both of you. We've actually had a breakthrough (literally

) and the blockage is pretty much gone. Dd was nursing and then popped off and I noticed I was spraying everywhere. The liquid was fairly clear and dd did not like it at all

. She is at least nursing on that side again. For a while she refused it and I was starting to worry.

I do have a question though. Obviously the area is still very sore and bruised feeling and I still feel sick. Even though the blockage is gone would the infection still be present? I think I am going to keep the doctors appointment because I'm still not feeling very good. At least if I have the prescription I can fall back on that during the weekend.

 

[schatz]

Yea for you! I'm glad the plug has come out. Yes, you'll be sore for as long as a week or more on that side. I would go to the appt but I wouldn't rush to take the abx. Get some garlic - seriously! and then see if the infection goes away - I bet it will if you take 4-5 cloves of garlic for a day or two. Just cut the clove up and take it with juice.