debcot
11-03-2009, 11:44 AM
Hi there, wonder if you can help. Long history of problems so will try to bullet point so its clear.
- 3rd child, 16wks now, gaining weight fine
- probs with latch and soreness from early on; had help from a LLL leader, did see some improvement. Have always had too much milk, which led to him fussing, on one side in particular, making me quite sore
- unwisely bound my breasts around 6 wks to go for a run --> first experience of a blocked duct.
- ended up taking flucloxacillin, though blocks haven't ever really gone since (though do EVERY trick in book; take lecithin, heat/cold, massage, comb, electric toothbrush...). Got into cycle of too much milk making blocks worse, but the 'feed feedfeed' advice for blocked ducts only increases supply. Most feeds feels like its emptied (though I have to do it lying down leaning over him, using breast compression, massage, putting him on repeatedly etc) but then it returns by next feed - lumpy/hard wedge, boob feels filled uneavenly - engorged in some parts, not others. Always after a feed theres a tiny white particle in a pore. Can't shift it, have tried squeezing, flannel, nails, sterile needle. never goes.
- tried block feeding to reduce supply (as always engorged esp in morning, and if ever i dodn't wake baby to feed in night, or had a slightly late feed, i'd get a block - basically i was feeding on my demands rather than his). Supply remained high but slightly better. Only ever fed off one side per feed, baby would go 4hrs between feeds if i let him, putting loads of weight on - plenty of milk there!
- after antibiotics couldn't shift re-emerged soreness in nipples, got vaginal thrush, intermittent stabbing pain in breasts - thought thrush. After trying topical ttmts, got fluclonazole; soreness in nipples went, but took quite a while. Was also bathing with GSE, taking GSE caps, taking probiotics - still doing all this.
- recurrent blocks continued; whole breast became very sore last sunday, red streaks, felt extremely sore. Given flucloxacillin again. No improvement by thurs, and breast looked swollen. Given Coamoxyclav?, different a/b. Think infection being shifted by this. Noticed stabbing burning pains, after only a few feeds, very uncomfortable but bearable. Was worried thrush recurring, despite my doing as much as i could preventatively, including using an antifungal on the nipple.
However, after a feed on saturday (where i'd warmed the breast and worked hard to fully drain it as lumpy section still returning) saw bits of white on more nipple pores. Area around nipple and areola swollen. Put breast in warm water with salt in. Oh my god, pain started.
Pain on a par with childbirth - I've had 3 children, at home, with no pain relief - I'm not soft. This was excriciating. Felt like the breast was going to explode. It came in waves, quite like contractions with little space between, but there was gaps. Itwas so bad i went to a&e. They thought i should get an ultrasound but couldn't do one then. Just gave me pain relief and it passed around 4hrs later.
Has recurred after one feed on monday. Lasted 2 hrs. Couldn't function, could barely speak. Started again around 10 mins after feed. Breast looked flushed, but don't think still infected. Saw better gp today who thinks it looks fine ((!!!???!!!)) but did appreciate the level of pain, wonders if there is a blockage, and muscles of ducts are spasming, and has referred me to a breast specialist. It feels ok when it doesn't happen, but I'm quite terrified of it happening. I'm currently trying not exposing nipple to air after feed (covering with hand) and putting warm packs around it. Don't know if this is stopping it, or if it wasn't going to happen anyway.
I do also get the thing where both nipples blanch white with a change of temp, though they're not that painful when they do this, and the one that was freaking out was def red at the time.
So, question is have you heard of these intermittent excruciating pain in a breast after feed over? Could thrush be this painful/intermittent? Any other ideas?
I'm currently taking antibiotic - finishng course; lecithin, Probiotics, Grapefruit seed extract, Ibuprofen; applying antifungal and antibacterial creams.
Also have had a couple of days of taking sage - either to reduce supply to help blocks, or to help me on my way out of feeding - I so don't want to stop, but this is unfair on the rest of my family to be this unwell; Its been so long since i could do things with my girls as i'm always sore/unblocking/etc. If someone could say it'll all be ok soon, I'd battle on, but I don't want another few months of it. Just spent the girls half term, in a cottage, with me in bed 'resting' to try to help the mastitis, yet i ended the week in a&e.
Thanks for any thoughts, really good to know there's someone out there who knows something about breastfeeding!!
xx
- 3rd child, 16wks now, gaining weight fine
- probs with latch and soreness from early on; had help from a LLL leader, did see some improvement. Have always had too much milk, which led to him fussing, on one side in particular, making me quite sore
- unwisely bound my breasts around 6 wks to go for a run --> first experience of a blocked duct.
- ended up taking flucloxacillin, though blocks haven't ever really gone since (though do EVERY trick in book; take lecithin, heat/cold, massage, comb, electric toothbrush...). Got into cycle of too much milk making blocks worse, but the 'feed feedfeed' advice for blocked ducts only increases supply. Most feeds feels like its emptied (though I have to do it lying down leaning over him, using breast compression, massage, putting him on repeatedly etc) but then it returns by next feed - lumpy/hard wedge, boob feels filled uneavenly - engorged in some parts, not others. Always after a feed theres a tiny white particle in a pore. Can't shift it, have tried squeezing, flannel, nails, sterile needle. never goes.
- tried block feeding to reduce supply (as always engorged esp in morning, and if ever i dodn't wake baby to feed in night, or had a slightly late feed, i'd get a block - basically i was feeding on my demands rather than his). Supply remained high but slightly better. Only ever fed off one side per feed, baby would go 4hrs between feeds if i let him, putting loads of weight on - plenty of milk there!
- after antibiotics couldn't shift re-emerged soreness in nipples, got vaginal thrush, intermittent stabbing pain in breasts - thought thrush. After trying topical ttmts, got fluclonazole; soreness in nipples went, but took quite a while. Was also bathing with GSE, taking GSE caps, taking probiotics - still doing all this.
- recurrent blocks continued; whole breast became very sore last sunday, red streaks, felt extremely sore. Given flucloxacillin again. No improvement by thurs, and breast looked swollen. Given Coamoxyclav?, different a/b. Think infection being shifted by this. Noticed stabbing burning pains, after only a few feeds, very uncomfortable but bearable. Was worried thrush recurring, despite my doing as much as i could preventatively, including using an antifungal on the nipple.
However, after a feed on saturday (where i'd warmed the breast and worked hard to fully drain it as lumpy section still returning) saw bits of white on more nipple pores. Area around nipple and areola swollen. Put breast in warm water with salt in. Oh my god, pain started.
Pain on a par with childbirth - I've had 3 children, at home, with no pain relief - I'm not soft. This was excriciating. Felt like the breast was going to explode. It came in waves, quite like contractions with little space between, but there was gaps. Itwas so bad i went to a&e. They thought i should get an ultrasound but couldn't do one then. Just gave me pain relief and it passed around 4hrs later.
Has recurred after one feed on monday. Lasted 2 hrs. Couldn't function, could barely speak. Started again around 10 mins after feed. Breast looked flushed, but don't think still infected. Saw better gp today who thinks it looks fine ((!!!???!!!)) but did appreciate the level of pain, wonders if there is a blockage, and muscles of ducts are spasming, and has referred me to a breast specialist. It feels ok when it doesn't happen, but I'm quite terrified of it happening. I'm currently trying not exposing nipple to air after feed (covering with hand) and putting warm packs around it. Don't know if this is stopping it, or if it wasn't going to happen anyway.
I do also get the thing where both nipples blanch white with a change of temp, though they're not that painful when they do this, and the one that was freaking out was def red at the time.
So, question is have you heard of these intermittent excruciating pain in a breast after feed over? Could thrush be this painful/intermittent? Any other ideas?
I'm currently taking antibiotic - finishng course; lecithin, Probiotics, Grapefruit seed extract, Ibuprofen; applying antifungal and antibacterial creams.
Also have had a couple of days of taking sage - either to reduce supply to help blocks, or to help me on my way out of feeding - I so don't want to stop, but this is unfair on the rest of my family to be this unwell; Its been so long since i could do things with my girls as i'm always sore/unblocking/etc. If someone could say it'll all be ok soon, I'd battle on, but I don't want another few months of it. Just spent the girls half term, in a cottage, with me in bed 'resting' to try to help the mastitis, yet i ended the week in a&e.
Thanks for any thoughts, really good to know there's someone out there who knows something about breastfeeding!!
xx