ouch mastitis please help me!

[Pingpong]

DD2 is breastfed, she is almost one and I want to gear down on the BF now. She started reverse cycling even though I don't go out to work so some days would take no milk in the day and feed a lot at night. I wanted her to sleep better so I've encouraged feeding in the day (we lie down in a quiet room before a nap)and I've succesfully got her drinking milk in the day and the last 4 nights no milk at night
the big grin was until today when I woke at 6.50am with a sore right boob and feeding didn't help much. I fed again at 8.30am (not normal but wanted to relieve pressure) I tried a hot bath and masssage, I took ibuprofen. I've had blocked ducts before and the pain usually passes after 24 hours with feeding, massage and ibuprofen. I took the dog for a walk and felt that I would keel over. I came home and called the doctor and got an appointment for mid afternoon.
My whole body aches and I go hot and cold and I feel sick and I've got a migraine.
Ibuprofen was making no difference at all.
Anyway after nearly fainting at the docs they diagnosed mastitis and I've been given amoxicillin and told to drink plenty fluids and take paracetemol. I have tried offering the sore boob to DD2 again but she simply isn't interested and the pushing and shoving is so painful I want to scream.
She will be going to bed at 7pm.
Should I try pumping to relieve the pressure a little?
I really don't know what else to do.
DH has had to go into work as he couldn't contact his shift leader to say I was sick.
I feel awful and can't wait for bed time..

sympathys I had mastitis for the 2nd time last week.

I fed, pumped and massaged all day from the sore boob and then co-slept with DS and he fed from the sore one all night too plus 3 doses of ibuprofen and right as rain next day.

The BFN helpsheet does say to pump. here

Ugh, mastitis is horrible, I really feel for you. Apparently some babies can go off the affected breast when you have mastitis as the milk tastes slightly different. I would definitely pump frequently from that side if she wont eat, as it should help the infection pass quicker - bit tricky I guess when you're wanting to slow up on the breastfeeding but possible preferable to the pain of not doing so! Good luck...

Sympathies from me too, Smac, mastitis is just horrible.

IMVHO, Amoxicillin is a slightly odd choice for mastitis - it's usually Flucloxacillin with or without Penicillin (Fluclox covers the most commonly occurring skin bug - staphyloccus - which is usually resistant to Amoxil). So if you don't feel better within yourself in 24-48 hrs max. I would ask for an urgent review.

Keep taking your Ibuprofen +/- Paracetamol for pain/shivers/general crapness.

I found hotpacks before a feed, followed by coldpacks after the feed helpful (but made the sweating and shivering worse...)

I offered boob everytime I passed my baby. Every time. Well into double-figures-per-day times.
Yes, do pump for relief. If it gives you relief - I always found the baby more effective than my fancy-pancy pump - pump made the 'healthy' part of my breast softer so relieved discomfort indirectly, but never cleared the blocked duct/gland. Ever.

Lots and lots of massaging. I had to beg one of the BF support nurses at hospital to do it for me because I was too sore and couldn't hurt myself more IYKWIM. Apparently the policy is for them to be 'hands off', but my tears begging softened her heart and she did it. I went home (this was 2 years ago with DS3), he had a feed - problem solved.

HTH a bit. I'll come back with more if I remember anything.
Sorry, must run, squealing from the bath - and that's just DH...

excellent advice here.
i agree wrt amoxicillin. i would ask for flucloxicillin, 14 days, not 7.
sympathies - i was miserable with mastitis last week. hope you feel better soon.

Smac you poor thing .

Lots of good advice already but on the massage front, a tip someone (possibly squigglywriggler) gave me was to massage with a hairbrush...as in brush your boob strongly towards your nipple. It will be incredibly painful, which was why the second part of the tip was to have someone else do it for you (not an option for you at the moment I know).

oh, yes, the wide tooth comb in bath or shower helps.

When I had it I put those breast shields in my bra to stimulate and collect the milk when i wasn't expressing. They really helped clear the block.

Poor you. It's awful. Get well soon.

thank you kind ladies. I got the pump out but it's been that long since I used it I can seem to get it together properly. There is no suck .
I'm going to go to bed but will see if I can manage a spot of boobie brushing before I go.
Goodnight and thank you.

sorry can't type. I meant can't seem to get it together.

How are you doing today, Smac? Any better? Here's hoping...

Thanks for asking pacific I do feel a bit better. My migraine has gone just a dull ache in my head now and the full body ache has also gone and no fever now it is just one bright pink boobie. DD2 has had 3 feeds from the bad side today but before bedtime I decided I needed to use the good side at least once as I hadn't used that since 12.30 yesterday.
I managed all of 6 brush strokes last night. I am not enough of a masochist for that technique!!! It is bad enough having to continue feeding from the sore side. I did have a hot shower this morning though as I had a hot and feverish night so I did do as much massage as I could bear then.
I still can't believe just how quick it came on, one minute it was ouch tender boob then all of a sudden I was hot and shaky and ready to collapse in a wee heap!
I will bear in mind that amoxicillin is maybe not the best thing to be on but how would I phrase it to the doc - 'sorry but my Mumsnet friends say that I should be having x instead of y you numpty?'

Glad it's improving Smac - that's exactly how mastitis has hit me too full in the face at a hundred miles an hour.

As for the GP if you look at the BFN drugs guidelines there may be something in there you can give to your GP.

Glad you're better.

You sentence sounds perfect to me .

Meanwhile, in the Real World, you could say something like: I am not much better, I heard of Flucloxacillin; is that an option?

Or you could quote my hero Dr Jack Newman:

"Amoxicillin, plain penicillin, and some other antibiotics often prescribed for mastitis are usually useless for mastitis. If you need an antibiotic, it must be effective against Staphylococcus aureus. Effective for this bacterium are: cephalexin, cloxacillin, flucloxacillin, amoxicillin-clavulinic acid, clindamycin and ciprofloxacin. The last two are effective for mothers allergic to penicillin. You can and should continue breastfeeding while taking these medications."

Glad your migraine is better too - I never even picked up on that