Q's re antibiotics for plugged duct.

[etwahl]

i think this has gotten worse, because i woke up this mornign and it was really white (more so than before) and because it's been very sore for the last 24 hours and also feels "dry" on the tip. it's also red and swollen, and she hasn't been wanting to nurse much on that side - possibly because she's getting less? and because it's harder due to the swelling?

i've tried everything mentioned - hot compresses, hot showers, massaging, needles and squeezing it out, lots of nursing, and nothing seems to help. so i have a couple questions.

1. what are the negatives to taking antibiotics? do i have any choice at this point?

2. what are the antibiotics i will most likely take? i'd like to go armed with the best choices in case the doctor doesn't really know...i highly doubt the doctor will be bf knowledgeable.

3. anything else i should know about this before i go to the doctor? things i should be aware of if i take the antibiotics?

thanks so much.

Tammy,
Mom to Lauren Genevieve
03/12/2003
www.evantammy.com

[Momof3Labs]

Tammy, I'm running out the door, but if you go to the doctor, please go to an OB - they will be much more knowledgeable about this and what medications are safe. I've been on a bunch of different antibiotics and can look them up for you tonight, if needed.

[Rachels]

You need to have that seen, pronto. If there's infection, then it's really important to take the antibiotics. There are lots of safe antibiotics to use while nursing. Anything a child can take, you can take. You can find out more at www.kellymom.com . The only other thing to suggest is as much rest as humanly possible and drinking tons and tons of water. It sounds like a brewing mastitis at this point. Try seeing an OB/GYN as opposed to a general practitioner. They should have more familiarity with lactating women.

-Rachel
Mom to Abigail Rose
5/18/02

[sntm]

Tammy, there are lots of antibiotics that can cover this. Be sure when you talk to your doc to ask how the antibiotic she wants to prescribe should be taken -- some very effective and very cheap antibiotics are unfortunately a pain in the neck to take - four times a day on an empty stomach, etc. Have them pick one that is easier to manage. And take an antiinflammatory also like ibuprofen.


shannon
not-even-pregnant-yet-overachiever
trying-to-conceive :)
PREGNANT! EDD 6/9/03
mama to Jack 6/6/03

[etwahl]

thanks everyone. i'm pretty upset right now. i called to make an appt (military medical system) and they didn't have me in the system and said i was ineligible, even though they assigned me a primary care doctor when we arrived. an hour later on the phone they were able to "find" me and made me an appt. they would NOT make me an appt with an OB. they said that requires a specialty referral.

so i have an appt this morning and my hopes are not very high. as it is, i've been fighting a sore throat and stuffy nose all week and adding this to the mix just has me upset.

as far as rest goes, don't i wish. lauren still naps only 1/2 hour and that's 3 times a day. i'll definitely drink lots of water like i normally do, i'm just feeling so down and alone.

shannon, what is an effective method of taking meds? e.g. once a day? will these meds have any effect on my milk supply? any other negative effects?

Tammy,
Mom to Lauren Genevieve
03/12/2003
www.evantammy.com

[hez]

Tammy--

I had mastitis a couple weeks ago-- I was miserable. Not only did I have a plugged duct (ouch!!!), but a fever that ranged from 101-103, chills, headache, and general blahs.

I was able to call my OB/GYN, explain my symptoms (and let him know I'd looked things up so I wasn't being a hypochondriac!), and he called in a prescription for me that DH picked up on his way home. I didn't even have to go in to the office. Now, it was an every 6 hours med (didn't matter if my tummy was full or empty), but it was so worth it to feel better.

I massaged that side while nursing/pumping, and tried to nap as much as possible (and drink as much water as possible). I felt better within a day of starting the antibiotic, and back to myself within 2-3 days. The duct took a while to fully empty. That side was always my less full side, and there seemed to be no effect on DS.

Hope you feel better soon!

[jennifer13]

Oh, I'm so sorry this is happening to you, mastitis SUCKS, it is the worst and it can really make you feel down. I took cloxacillin, my lactation consultant said it was fine. It worked really fast, you will feel better in 24-48 hours. Definitely take it for the length of time prescribed (mine was a week); I sort of let it go toward the end and the mastitis came back. So take it all as prescribed. I took it 4 times a day, usually on an empty stomach but I wasn't alwasy successful at that. I also took ibuprofen for the pain. It did affect my milk supply, but frequent nursing and fenugreek brought it back up. My lactation consultant said the antibiotics were ok for the baby too and not to worry about that. You also could take acidophollus or eat lots of yogurt to avoid a yeast infection/thrush.

Good luck, Tammy. Hang in there, if you get some meds you will feel better soon!!

Jennifer
Mom to Norah 5/23/03

[etwahl]

just got back from the doctor. the doctor wasn't concerned. he said it's not mastitis and that he wouldn't prescribe antibiotics because it wasn't. he said to wait another week and see how things go. then he called in a lactation consultant to see me. she said that it wasn't a plugged duct that it looked like some sort of trauma to the breast (said it was like when you burn your tongue and it turns white) that's what she said it was...and that i SHOULD NOT put a needle in there, mess with it in any way, etc. she said the only thing i could do was warm shower and massage in there. no picking or poking.

my nipple has kind of a scab over it on the spot where i was poking it, and this morning it was more white i think because milk was trapped beneatn and when i opened it with a needle, milk came spilling out. it's not as red or swollen right now as it was when i woke up.

they told me to just continue to nurse a lot. they warned against ever putting a needle in. she said when i rub it, or do that, that when lauren nurses she's introducing bacteria and it can become infected.

it's frustrating for me, because i still have no answers. has anyone heard of this? it just being trauma? she asked if lauren had bit me or anything - no, she hasn't, and she's not teething either (no teeth even).

i don't have a fever or feel flu symptoms (other than fighting a sore throat and stuffy nose) but otherwise i feel fine. i just hate getting such different information from every source i turn to.

Tammy,
Mom to Lauren Genevieve
03/12/2003
www.evantammy.com

[cinrein]

Are you feeling any better Tammy?

You would definitely know it if you had mastitis. You get a high fever and the entire body HURTS. I usually get an area on my breast that is hard as a rock and red too. It didn't sound to me like you had mas#### either, so good for your dr for not giving you antibiotics.

Maybe Lauren was just sucking on that side in a way that irritated the nipple? Has she been nursing more than usual lately? Sometimes when Anna gets into a growth spurt and nurses more often one nipple gets red and irritated. I'm sorry, that's all I can think of. I hope you're feeling better!


Cindy and Anna 2/11/03

[etwahl]

thanks for asking cindy. it still hurts, but i knew i didn't have mastitis, just worried that from others comments it might turn into that. but i don't know. it's so weird! right after nursing the whiteness is more pronounced and raised, but after a while it just looks like a white spot on my nipple. it's bizarre i tell you. i just wish i knew what it was. it is still a little sore when she nurses, so it has to be something. i just don't know.

but thanks for checking in on me :)

Tammy,
Mom to Lauren Genevieve
03/12/2003
www.evantammy.com

[Rachels]

weird, my post disappeared. Any chance it's vasospasm or Raynaud's phenomenon?

http://www.kellymom.com/bf/concerns/nipple-blanching.html

-Rachel
Mom to Abigail Rose
5/18/02

[etwahl]

well i just read those quick but it sounded like it was talking about the entire nipple turning white. mine is just a spot. the weird thing is, after nursing, it looks almost like when you've been in the bathtub and skin gets wrinkly. the spot gets a little raised, more white, and just seems a little rough - the spot that is, not the whole nipple. does that make sense?

edited to say that after a while without nursing it's like it's underneath the skin (light colored dot) and then after nursing it's like it's sort of raised...but quickly goes down again after nursing.

Tammy,
Mom to Lauren Genevieve
03/12/2003
www.evantammy.com

[stillplayswithbarbies]

I was thinking that too, Rachel. I had that, but it is a ring all around the nipple that turns white for me. (mine still goes white but I don't have the pain anymore like I did the first two months)

...Karen
Jacob Nathaniel Feb 91
Logan Elizabeth Mar 03