Lecithin for a recurrent plugged duct?

Hi

So I realized last week that a "plugged duct" I have in my breast NEVER seems to come unplugged. I know, how could I have overlooked it? Well, things have been rocky, I've been giving my attention to other things, and time has flown by. I felt the lump with my hand and realized this has been going on too long. It does seem to decrease a little when I nurse, especially if I use some moist heat first, but it never completely goes away and always pops back out within an hour of nursing. Anyway I went to the doctor and he sent me for an ultrasound. Thankfully it was "unremarkable". I really must just have a bad case of a recurrent plugged duct.

So I went to GNC and bought a bottle of Triple Lecithin 1200 (contains High Choline Lecithin 1200mg & Phosphatidyl Choline 420mg). Is anyone familiar with this? I've read in the archives here and on kellymom that lecithin will sometimes help for recurrent plugged ducts. I had no idea exactly what to buy. If you've used lecithin, what brand did you buy? How many mg did you take? Did you see results? Anything negative?

Thanks in advance

Amanda & Jacob (born 3/11/04) :)

I used whatever brand of Lecithin sold at Wal-Mart (so, nothing fancy), I think 1200mg/capsule. I took 2 capsules a day when things were rough and cut back to one capsule for maintenance. Yes, it worked, and no, no side effects at all.

ETA: Not sure if Lecithin will clear up the plugged duct for you or if it works better as a preventative measure. You might have to actively work on that plug for a day or two to help things along.

Amanda- I had the same thing for quite a while. It never seemed to totally go away. Then one day I happened to be searching through old posts and lo and behold there was a description of milk blisters. I had had one on the tip of my nipple for months. I had no clue that it was anything at all and no clue that it was the source of my problem. Once I got rid of the milk blister the plugged duct went away and never returned. I felt pretty clueless. Am wondering if maybe you have a similar problem? Do a search under milk blisters or look it up on kellymom. HTH
Barbara-mom to Jack 3/27/03

If it doesn't go away with lecithin and you don't have a bleb on your nipple, I'd have it looked at. For lecithin, you can take 1200 mg three times a day.

-Rachel
Mom to Abigail Rose
5/18/02

Thanks!

I don't have a milk blister. I checked kellymom and there were links to pictures/descriptions, and I don't have anything that looks/sounds like it. The breast that I have the plugged duct lump in is also the breast that had the thrush, so I wonder if that contributed to the problem....

My ultrasound was negative so that's a good thing. If I don't see any results with the lecithin, I'm going back to the dr. see what other things we can do.

Amanda & Jacob (born 3/11/04) :)

I definitely get plugs with thrush. Are you sure the thrush is completely resolved?

-Rachel
Mom to Abigail Rose
5/18/02

I also recently learned from my LC, the baby's chin should be positioned at the clogged duct. I actually ended up with an early mastitis (go figure, my first 2 days back to work, and then I was out again nursing through a breast infection!!), once I changed my position of the baby it really helped.

I got plugged ducts quite a bit and the lecithin helped but thorough, firm but gentle massage was the real winner. Don't go at it too hard, you'll bruise yourself, but heat, massage, nursing and the lecithin worked wonders.


Allison
Mommy to Matthew Clayton, 5/19/03

Oh! I hope it's really gone. We had thrush for about six weeks. I never had any outward signs (no pink or inflamed nipple) but I did have that intense sharp burning, stinging pain while nursing. And I haven't felt like that for around two weeks now. However, I'm still taking precautions like boiling bras, pads, etc., just in case. Can you still have the yeast infection w/o having any symptoms?

This morning in the shower I really let the water hit my breast and massaged as well. Then Jacob nursed for quite a while, and I got the lump to diminish more than ever before. But then, about two hours later, there it popped again.


Hhmmm, I'm very frustrated.


Amanda & Jacob :)