# Woke up with very sore breast!! Need advice.



## ToothFairy (Apr 10, 2003)

My one year old daughter and I have been suffering a nasty cold since Sunday. For the last couple days, she has been nursing all the time and of course, not eating much. She has also been sleeping with me at night and nursing then too. So today, I woke up with a very sore spot on my right breast. It covers about a third of the breast towards the center of my body. Now, I don't have any redness or obvious lumps. So I'm reluctant to think it's mastitis. The area seems a little swollen, but didn't subside after nursing her. So I checked my temperature and it's just over 103! Without the redness or lumps, I don't know what to do! Do I just apply heat and get some more rest, or hightail it to the doctor? Thanks for any input!


----------



## padomi (Dec 28, 2002)

If you have a fever, I'd be inclined to think it's mastitis - I'd see or call your doctor. Could just be a blocked duct, but better safe than sorry!


----------



## AmyG (Jan 30, 2002)

I'd also get to a doctor. It could be a fever due to something else, but you don't want to take chances. I don't normally go for getting to a doctor right away and taking antibiotics, but that's much better than what would happen if it were mastitis and you went a few days without treating it.


----------



## mom3 (Sep 27, 2002)

I've had mastitis twice and only had a sore area, no redness or lumps. Try pumping on that side after each nursing session and at least every 2 hours if your dd isn't nursing on that side that often. I did this and was feeling much batter after about 6 hours each time I had mastitis. My OB won't even consider antibiotics until 48 hours of the nursing/pumping because she doesn't think they help that much. If you don't have a pump your dp could try to empty the breast for you. My OB actually thinks that's the fastest way to get mastitis under control but I couldn't ever get my dh to go for it







: . Hope you feel better soon.


----------



## tabitha (Sep 10, 2002)

i imagine you might be coming down with mastitis. there is a lot of difference between the beginnings of a breast infection and a serious one, but what you mention sounds a lot like the beginnings of one. i have had mastitis 6 times, but finally figured out how to keep it away and haven't had it since.

if you do opt to take antibiotics, get advice from a LC or a doctor who knows a lot about breastfeeding first. only some antibiotics are actually recommended for mastitis, and you must have a 10 day bottle. uneducated doctors (at least on the subject of breastfeeding) have been known to prescribe a 7 day run of a generic antibiotic and it can be useless.

you don't need them, though!

the most effective remedy for mastitis i have found is heat therapy. hopefully by this time today your fever has broken, which means you are getting better, but if it has not try this:

hot tea, rasperry leaf, nettles, some herbs you like, and a lot of it. fluids, especially hot fluids, are great
hot baths, not too hot but enough to raise your body temp to help break the fever. if it doesn't hurt too bad express a little from the breast in the hot bath.
warm clothes. keep your body warm. this will help your body do what its trying to do by creating a fever- fight those nasty germs!
nurse a thon

anyway, over the course of 6 breast infections i have tried many remedies, from antibiotics to homeopathy. i hope you get better soon. if you would like any more options just ask!








tabitha


----------



## zombiemommie (Dec 6, 2001)

Get thee to a doctor, my friend. I have plugs often, but when I get mastitis (I had it like 4 times last baby) it is a different ballgame. Out of nowhere, my entire breast will be sore, no lumps/plugs to speak of, and I get feverish / achy INCREDIBLY fast. I just had my first bout of mastitis with new baby who is 3 months old (and hopefully my last mastitis) 2 weeks ago and within 3 hours of onset of breast pain my fever was 104.6 and I felt like I was gonna die. Shaking chills, vomiting, the works.







It took 4 days for the breast pain to go away and i have never been so thankful for antibiotics in my life (I am anti medication). I was so happy I called my midwife when I started to feel crappy instead of waiting because I'd have been too sick to call.

HTH


----------



## ToothFairy (Apr 10, 2003)

I just wanted to say thank you to all of you who replied! I did end up going to the doctor. He couldn't find any redness or lumps either, but gave me some augmentin just in case. My fever topped out at 105.8 this afternoon! That was a little scary! My DH came home early from work to take care of me! Anyways, my temp is almost normal now, but this evening I am noticing some red streakiness throughout the sore area in my breast and my areola has taken on a lovely pinkish red color. So, I guess maybe it is mastitis. I would never have thought I would have had mastitis after 12 1/2 months of stress free breastfeeding! Oh well, we'll get through it! Thanks for all your great advice!!







Toothfairy


----------



## DaryLLL (Aug 12, 2002)

links:

http://www.lalecheleague.org/FAQ/mastitis.html

http://www.lalecheleague.org/FAQ/repeatmastitis.html

http://www.kellymom.com/bf/concerns/...-mastitis.html


----------



## zombiemommie (Dec 6, 2001)

FYI, Dicloxacillin is the drug of choice for mastitis, I want to say 500 mg 4x a day. But Augmentin is a form of penicillin so its not that far off. But if it happens again, tell the doctor maybe you need a different drug. Yikes, hope you feel better soon.

Oh about the red streaky, on my 3rd day, I got "red lace" all over my boob. Looked like very blood vessel/milk duct was red. Interesting look LOL


----------

