Mastitis?

[Anonymous]

I went to my OB last week immediately after I took a hot shower to clear a plugged duct and had pumped. He said not mastitis. Since then the plugged duct has become constant. Every feeding/pumping session I have to take a hot shower or nothing will come out. I've had low grade fever, frequent chills and achiness. I have to get up in the middle of the night to pump, or else I wake up achy and with chills. I'm not looking for antibiotics if I really don't need them, but I need relief! Hot compresses at work aren't always working. For those of you that have had mastitis, does this sound like it? Thanks for your help!

[Anonymous]

How do you know you don't need antibiotics?

You certainly sound like you have mastitis. When I had mastitis that began with plugged ducts, was not diagnosed by one doctor, then crept up on me and became out of control, I missed work for a week and had to take two different rounds of antibiotics. The second round I had to pump and dump for. Chunks of blood came out in the pump at first.

I'm not saying that this will happen to you. I'm just saying that if full-blown mastitis is what you have or get in the future, no amount of hot compresses will ease the pain and make it go away. Your body would need help (other than heat) to fight it at that point.

The second doctor who diagnosed me with mastitis did so with an ultrasound. I hadn't started to run a fever (yet).

[Anonymous]

PP here just re-read and saw "*if* I don't need them," so please ignore my question.

Some doctors mix mastitis up with yeast infections, and/or are generally slow to diagnose mastitis, but now that you have a fever it's worth going back to the doctor, I think.

[Anonymous]

fever/chills/aching/lumps = mastitis, go back!

[Anonymous]

definitely mastitis - make an appt.

[Anonymous]

Oh, and until you go to the drs apply leaves of cabbage to your breast. you can insert them into your bra and keep them in there until the leaves have wilted. Keep doing that until your appt. It wont' help with the infection, you'll still need medicine, but it will help unclog the ducts.

I thought my mom was crazy when she made me do this when I had mastitis, but it worked.