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HELP..I think I have mastitis


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Thanksgiving evening I started feeling really bad-chills,body aches, really tired and my left bre@st hurt sooo bad...well I went to bed but didn't sleep well because I had such bad body aches. Yesterday, I stayed in bed all day and nursed the baby. I also took 4 cloves of garlic as I read that may help if there is an infection..I was sweating all night(I'm assuming I may have had a fever that was breaking). So, today I feel better as in no body aches or chill but my bre@st is still tender and I can feel that their is definetly a lump or hard spot in there...should i just continue what I'm doing or go to urgent care?

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It depends. Are you dizzy? Nauseous? Any other problems? Is it red or are there streaks? When I get mastitis, it starts as dizziness and then I get a fever. If I get past that stage in a few hours, I'm fine without abx. But otherwise I would get some. Make sure you stay very hydrated, take warm showers & nurse baby continuously or express milk. Make sure you put a little downward pressure on that lump to make sure it clears if it's plugged. :grouphug:

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I used raw cabbage leaves on the infected side. ah ahhhhhhh.. first sign of it all, ahhhh. relief. It took me until 3rd child to learn that though.

 

I remember one awful time. I had to get antibiotics. and it was gross to pump pus from the infected duct, but my fever broke soon after that. My baby would not nurse from that side at all. after the gross stuff was pumped out (and it was gross gross gross) then she was willing to try again.

 

Take a look here

http://www.llli.org/faq/mastitis.html

 

If it has been more than 24 hours, you might want to contact a health care provider.

 

:grouphug:

-crystal

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Go to urgent care. You need antibiotics, preferably dicloxicylin or cephlex (sp??). Mastitis is not something you want to take lightly. I tried doing garlic and cabbage for mastitis and ended up with a chronic infection that was devastating and recurred for more than a year. Even if you are feeling better get medical attention asap and make sure to take the full course of pills. :grouphug:

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I had a really bad infection like the one you describe. My dr gave me one day to try to turn it around without antibiotics. Here's what I did:

 

--No bra or restrictive clothing over the area; just loose tee shirts.

--Hot washcloth on the affected area for ten minutes prior to nursing the baby.

--Nurse first on the affected side each time the baby needs nursing.

--Encourage the baby to nurse more often if possible.

--SLEEP (but not on that side, so that you don't put pressure on the affected area)

 

I was feeling much better the next day. I continued with this regimen and was completely well within a few days.

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I nursed on all fours with the breast hanging down. While the baby nursed I would massage the breast towards the nipple. I pumped on the non sore side and only nursed on the sore breast.

 

I also kept a supply of those 'hand warmers' in the house. They are used by hunters in the cold season inside mittens. They cost maybe 1$ for 4 and are available at places like walmart or kmart and even gas stations. One of those in a baby sock inside your bra will keep heat on the lump or sore spot for hours. That will help break it up.

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Go to urgent care. You need antibiotics, preferably dicloxicylin or cephlex (sp??). Mastitis is not something you want to take lightly. I tried doing garlic and cabbage for mastitis and ended up with a chronic infection that was devastating and recurred for more than a year. Even if you are feeling better get medical attention asap and make sure to take the full course of pills. :grouphug:

 

:iagree::iagree:

 

I realize I said this earlier but.... in case it was misunderstood by original poster...

 

it's been more than 24 hours so, go to the doctor.

 

The cabbage leaves were only within first 24 hours so it isn't going to help you now. I realize what I wrote might have made it sound like I did antibiotics only once. That's not the case. I had trouble with each child.

 

it's been more than 24 hours.... doctor time, with the white spot, it could other stuff.

 

-crystal

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I just had the exact same situation you described on Tuesday- chills, fever, tender breast, etc. Then the fever broke and on Wednesday I had a lump and tender spot too. I just kept nursing, nursing, nursing, rested a lot since dh has been home, drank lots of fluids, massaged the area, trying to move the lump toward the nipple, and alternated most hot wash cloths and cold wash cloths.

 

Now today, Saturday, the lump is finally completely gone. It took several days, with it getting a little less tender and a little smaller each day.

 

If you no longer have fever and don't have extreme pain or anything like that I would continue on with nursing and resting.

 

If you go to urgent care, chances are good they will have no idea what to do or what mastitis is. (I have heard some doozies in the past when I did have mastitis that wasn't clearing up and needed an antibiotic).

 

If the fever comes back, pain gets worse, the lump is not slowly getting smaller, etc, then do see a doctor. Be sure and take a good probiotic if you do need antibiotics, so you don't end up with thrush. A good friend who has lots of experience with this recommends Florastor.

 

Very informative article:

 

http://kellymom.com/bf/concerns/mom/mastitis.html

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