Hi all - OP. thanks for the responses. I have been in the ER for mastitis before and they were on the fence about giving me antibiotics and I have been trending toward mastitis before and woken up and felt fine (like others). This time I ended up taking the antibiotics and felt better within hours so assuming it was the medicine but who knows.

It’s many years ago now, but when my sister got mastitis and was also encouraged to wait it out. She ended up with a high fever and an emergency procedure to drain a giant abscess. She had to stop nursing completely and has extensive scarring, discoloration and puckered skin even 10 years later.

I went from a social event (talking, walking, smiling) to 104 and chills within an afternoon. I took antibiotics, but also an herbal tincture (midwives recommended), drank gallons of water, and pumped or nurses round the clock.

I was better after a couple of days, but the boob that was my better milk producer actually got slightly smaller and never had the same supply again.

I was so sick I barely care for my newborn. I would take the antibiotics. It went from zero to horrible in about a day.

It can be deadly. Please don’t play around. Get checked/care.

Do not wait it out. When I had mastitis I went from feeling fine to feeling like I had a clog (I didn't realize it was mastitis) to feeling like I had been hit by a truck and had the flu in an hour. Infections can get bad fast. But with antibiotics I was feeling better in just a couple hours after starting the antibiotics.

You do not wait it out. You get immediately on antibiotics. I’ve had it 4 times. The first time I had a 104 fever after 24 hours and the urgent care doctor nearly sent me to the hospital. I got antibiotic shots immediately and was in bed for 4 days, barely could move. Two other times I got antibiotics immediately and were not as bad. Fourth time I waited 12 hours to get to a doctor (we were vacationing and in a rural area) and I spent 6 hours in the ER. Shaking, vomiting, etc. Mastitis used to kill women regularly, it was called milk fever.

I felt so woozy when I had mastitis, but could not figure out what the issue was. Baby was only 5 days and my boobs were so sore anyway that it took me awhile to connect the pain with the wooziness. OB said once its systemic (fever, diffuse symptoms), you should use ABX.

I waited a day of feeling absolutely horrible and finally got the antibiotics by telling them I had a fever. Waited until the next morning and felt better so never started the antibiotics.

Anonymous wrote:Jeez you don’t wait out mastitis symptoms. It gets worse fast.

There is a difference between a clog and mastitis symptoms. Clogs you can try to pass, mastitis (terrible pain/tenderness and/or fever) you do not wait out and immediately go to urgent care for antibiotics.

But not all doctors agree...had fever, terrible pain, etc and dr encouraged waiting and other ways for it to heal.

Jeez you don’t wait out mastitis symptoms. It gets worse fast.

There is a difference between a clog and mastitis symptoms. Clogs you can try to pass, mastitis (terrible pain/tenderness and/or fever) you do not wait out and immediately go to urgent care for antibiotics.