Murphy101 Posted November 1, 2009 Share Posted November 1, 2009 As i lay huddled and trembling my dh points out that I must accept that I have another bout of mastisis. I just informed him that I'm not sick. I just ache all over like someone has taken a bat and a Mack truck to my person and feel exhausted but can't rest and can't seem to get warm even tho dh says I'mgiving off steam. Do I have to have an antibotic for this? I seem to recall just being sent home with an admonishment to keep nursing and vicodin... Mostly bc nursing with mastisis would make anyone cry. And yes I'm drinking lots if good fluids and taking vitamins and no bra wearing. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LauraGB Posted November 1, 2009 Share Posted November 1, 2009 Ugh, I feel bad for you. I remember those day all too well. Heat, massage, fluids, more heat, more massage, maybe some tears, more heat, more massage... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joannqn Posted November 1, 2009 Share Posted November 1, 2009 Lots of water, lots of nursing, lots of expressing in a hot shower...emphasis on lots. I've gotten over many infections without antibiotics...however, if it gets worse instead of better in the next 24 hours, go in and get them. It should only take 24-48 hours to get completely past it, but you should definitely mostly better by tomorrow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nakia Posted November 1, 2009 Share Posted November 1, 2009 I was blessed to never have gotten mastitis, but I've taken care of plenty of mommas with it. Please just be very careful about waiting too long to go to the doctor. I have seen the infection get really bad and led to a huge abscess that has to have a drain placed for several days. I'm not trying to scare you, just warning you to be very careful!! :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Macrina Posted November 1, 2009 Share Posted November 1, 2009 General rule of of thumb from LCs is to try to treat at home for 24 hrs then call the doc. Back in the day women DID die from breast infections turned abscess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coffeegal Posted November 1, 2009 Share Posted November 1, 2009 My midwife suggested pasting shredded cabbage around the br*** and wrapping Saran Wrap around it. Apparently, cabbage draws infections out. I actually never tried it, since lots of hot baths, massaging, and nursing cured mine. :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lisa in the UP of MI Posted November 1, 2009 Share Posted November 1, 2009 (edited) I had mastitis once and went to the doctor ASAP. I did take an antibiotic and felt quite a bit better by the next evening (~24 hours after onset). Edited to add: I caught it early enough that I wasn't in horrible pain. I mostly was just achy and very exhausted. I do try to avoid antibiotics when I can but that time it was totally worth it. Edited November 1, 2009 by Lisa in the UP of MI Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murphy101 Posted November 1, 2009 Author Share Posted November 1, 2009 Well I'm going to suffer thru until Tuesday unless it gets worse. Bras are the invention of Satan. Everytime I wear more than sleep/sports bra while nursing this happens. I wore a regular bra with some non-mom clothes fri night bc dh got me tickets to a Dracula ballet. Normally I hate ballet but this was actually very enjoyable. sat am I woke up feeling like I'd been hit by a semi. Took some advil and took the kids to a bday party. Came home shaking with chills. Took kids trick or treating. Came ready to crawl in a corner and die. Alternatly shivered and sweated and cried while nursing hey the night. Now I'm just sweating and hurting in bed. I ache too much to sleep and I'm too tired to focus on anything. Various people of the house bring baby girl to nurse when she fusses. Maybe by tomorrow I'll just feel like poo an by Tuesday I'll feel human and not need to shell out for a dr visit and rx. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest janainaz Posted November 1, 2009 Share Posted November 1, 2009 Ugh! I had it right after my second baby was born. My milk came in really quickly which is already uncomfortable and two days later I was also miserable with mastitis. I felt like my chest was going to explode and like I wanted to die.. I ended up in the ER on a Sunday night with a newborn because my idiot doctor would not give me a prescription over the phone. Thank God the ER doctor was a father of four babies who had been breastfed because he needed to "take a look". One of the worst nights of my life. With that said, I NEEDED antibiotics. That was the one and only time I had mastitis and it was so bad I don't think I could have fought it on my own. I hope you feel better soon! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tvaleri Posted November 1, 2009 Share Posted November 1, 2009 The cabbage works wonders! I didn't shred it, though, just put a whole leaf on the affected area. Blessings, Teresa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devotional Soul Posted November 1, 2009 Share Posted November 1, 2009 Shred up ginger and make tea to drink, then use the ginger pulp in a cloth on the affected area. I hope you get better quick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lollie010 Posted November 2, 2009 Share Posted November 2, 2009 I know you are miserable. I ended up having to take antibiotics when I had mastitis. I have never been so glad to take a medication in my life. I think I let mine go a little too long before calling the doctor. I stayed in bed the whole time and nursed constantly. We worked it out to have a long and happy nursing relationship. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pink Fairy Posted November 2, 2009 Share Posted November 2, 2009 With my fourth baby I got mastitis about every six to eight weeks. He had a clogged tear duct and was constantly infected, and I think that's where it came from. Anyway, I was able to call the doc (esp. on the weekend), describe the symptoms, and they would phone in a prescription. No visit needed. I learned to keep a prescription on hand, because it was so miserable and painful, and I didn't want to wait. Take care of yourself, Martha, and maybe give your doc a call. :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5knights3maidens Posted November 2, 2009 Share Posted November 2, 2009 I had this twice with my last (#8). How horribly painful! I used cabbage with antibiotics. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Macrina Posted November 2, 2009 Share Posted November 2, 2009 Cabbage isn't an evidenced based practice though. LCs do not know WHY it works. They know it works to relieve ENGORGEMENT (not clear up infection) but they also do not know what it is in cabbage they relieves the engorgement, there is concern that it works becuase it helps dry up milk which is conterproductive if you're not trying to wean. So if you decide to use it, at least know that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer in MI Posted November 2, 2009 Share Posted November 2, 2009 I agree with the pp who said to be careful with the cabbage. It will relieve engorgement and therefore reduce your milk supply. I don't know how old your babe is, but be very careful with them. Also, do place a call to your doc today. Get the script for an antibiotic. You don't have to take it right away, but this way you'll have it should you decide to take it at 2 am. :grouphug: I got one bout of mastitis with each child - at 6 weeks. I absolutely needed an antibiotic and can't imagine trying to fight it off naturally. It was worse than the flu and pneumonia combined. :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kmacnchs Posted November 2, 2009 Share Posted November 2, 2009 I put uncooked pinto beans (what was in the pantry) into my dh's sock and heated it in the microwave. Then, I laid down w/ the sock on the site with my whole body and head covered with a comforter and I was in long everything underneath. I kinda sweated it out. Then, you have to figure out what gives it to you (it is different for everyone - you seem to have an idea) and fix that. For me, everyday I did not have a helper (which meant no nap), I ended up with mastitis that afternoon/evening. That MADE me take a rest time when the kiddos were resting, even though my house became a mess fast! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Veritaserum Posted November 2, 2009 Share Posted November 2, 2009 I treated my two bouts of mastitis with antibiotics and lots of nursing, but no painkillers. Abx helped me feel better pretty quickly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murphy101 Posted November 2, 2009 Author Share Posted November 2, 2009 I'm sans insurance. (dh is on unemployment) The ERs are packed with flu, so waiting for 4+ hours to be given a rx seems counter to my health right now. Esp as that would mean not nursing during that time bc I'm sure not taking my 10 month old to that den of sickness. My dh called our gp that we had on our previous insurance and he said if I wasn't significantly better by Wednesday to head to the er but his office is full and he doesn't give rx via phone ever. (which is true and part o why we didn't use him for the kids. Yikes.) I knew not to use cabbage bc I can't even eat it wo a reduced supply. I still ache all over, but I'm past the cold sweats to just being a walking exhausted furnace. Hope that by tomorrow I'll be down to just real sore and tired. praying my dh gets a great job offer this afternoon! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer in MI Posted November 2, 2009 Share Posted November 2, 2009 I'm sans insurance. (dh is on unemployment) The ERs are packed with flu, so waiting for 4+ hours to be given a rx seems counter to my health right now. Esp as that would mean not nursing during that time bc I'm sure not taking my 10 month old to that den of sickness. My dh called our gp that we had on our previous insurance and he said if I wasn't significantly better by Wednesday to head to the er but his office is full and he doesn't give rx via phone ever. (which is true and part o why we didn't use him for the kids. Yikes.) I knew not to use cabbage bc I can't even eat it wo a reduced supply. I still ache all over, but I'm past the cold sweats to just being a walking exhausted furnace. Hope that by tomorrow I'll be down to just real sore and tired. praying my dh gets a great job offer this afternoon! :grouphug::grouphug: I'm so sorry!! What about calling your ob/midwife? Ours would prescribe very little over the phone, but if you called with symptoms of mastitis, they did. Maybe that way you could forego the dr visit, but still have the option of paying for the antibiotics. I'll keep praying that you can fight this alone, but don't let it go too far! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PollyOR Posted November 2, 2009 Share Posted November 2, 2009 :grouphug: Have you tried a heating pad? Besides the standard drink lots, nurse lots :eek:, the heating pad is what saved me. And actually, going without a bra too often seemed to encourage mastitis for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mo2 Posted November 2, 2009 Share Posted November 2, 2009 As i lay huddled and trembling my dh points out that I must accept that I have another bout of mastisis. I just informed him that I'm not sick. I just ache all over like someone has taken a bat and a Mack truck to my person and feel exhausted but can't rest and can't seem to get warm even tho dh says I'mgiving off steam. Do I have to have an antibotic for this? I seem to recall just being sent home with an admonishment to keep nursing and vicodin... Mostly bc nursing with mastisis would make anyone cry. And yes I'm drinking lots if good fluids and taking vitamins and no bra wearing. :) One time I had to have antibiotics, another time I got over it without them. I would say give it one day and if still getting worse, call the doc. The last thing you want is an abscess! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gretchen in NJ Posted November 2, 2009 Share Posted November 2, 2009 I am sorry Martha.:grouphug: I have never had it. I was wondering if warm green tea bags would help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tammyla Posted November 2, 2009 Share Posted November 2, 2009 Miserable, doesn't even begin to describe mastitis.:grouphug: Prayers for a full healing very soon, with or without a prescription. Vary your nursing position and lots of hot showers before can help. I'd call an lactation consultant, or midwife and beg for mercy.. As i lay huddled and trembling my dh points out that I must accept that I have another bout of mastisis. I just informed him that I'm not sick. I just ache all over like someone has taken a bat and a Mack truck to my person and feel exhausted but can't rest and can't seem to get warm even tho dh says I'mgiving off steam. Do I have to have an antibotic for this? I seem to recall just being sent home with an admonishment to keep nursing and vicodin... Mostly bc nursing with mastisis would make anyone cry. And yes I'm drinking lots if good fluids and taking vitamins and no bra wearing. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brehon Posted November 2, 2009 Share Posted November 2, 2009 :grouphug::grouphug: I'm so sorry!! What about calling your ob/midwife? Ours would prescribe very little over the phone, but if you called with symptoms of mastitis, they did. Maybe that way you could forego the dr visit, but still have the option of paying for the antibiotics. I'll keep praying that you can fight this alone, but don't let it go too far! :iagree: When I had my bout with mastitis I called my ob who rx'd some abx right over the phone. Dh picked it up and brought it to me at work. Felt better w/i a day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penelope Posted November 2, 2009 Share Posted November 2, 2009 I had mastitis a few times and plugged ducts more times than I care to remember. For me it would be certain bras, or if I slept in a certain kind of shirt. Sometimes I would not know what it was except for trial and error. I hope you are feeling better this afternoon. Here is something that helps me a lot: if you can tell which area of your breast is backed up, or go by where the redness is, nurse baby with his chin pointed toward that area. For me, often this would mean baby lying on the bed with me bending over baby to get to the right position. If you can stand it, massaging the area while nursing can help. Taking warm baths with baby and always nursing on the sore side first, every time. Offer even when you aren't sure he's hungry. Sleep with baby as much as possible and nurse non-stop, if you aren't already. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coffeefreak Posted November 3, 2009 Share Posted November 3, 2009 I don't know if this has been mentioned, but when I would get mastitis, my Dr would recommend putting baby to breast as often as she would go. I only got mastitis when I was trying to wean her. :glare: I also spent a lot of time in the hot, steamy shower massaging the milk out. I don't remember ever going on antibiotics for it. But, then again, my dd was always willing to eat. Mastitis was probably her favorite time;) Hang in there! Dorinda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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